Israel
BANNED
"So...ya see the big doin's earlier in the plaza?" Chaim asked.
"No, I wasn't there" said Jacob, "but I did hear there was a big hubbub about some guy they just hung out on that hill a few weeks ago...claimed he was something or other but Rome and their guy Pilate here put him in his place."
"Yeah, that's the one." said Chaim, "I saw him once when I had some business in Capernaum a while back, he came through preachin and raisin' some dust, and to tell you the truth I wasn't impressed...but", he added, "he musta really thought he was something the way he was carrying on. Him and his little troop of followers...you'd think the world was ending."
"Well, I guess for him it was", answered Jacob, "cause if there's one thing we've learned, Rome is pretty expert at dealing an end to anyone who crosses it, or even," he continued in a hushed tone "tries to get off their knees before it. There's not a Jew I know or could meet that doesn't know how effective the Roman cross is in its work."
"Yeah, I know what you mean" said Chaim, also in hushed tone. "Hey you want a date? My wife packed this bag before I left, they're sweeter than the Song of Solomon, I'll tell you that" both mildly shamefaced, but chuckling at the reference.
"Yeah, sure" said Jacob, adding "hey these really are good! Smooth and moist! Not all dry and gritty like the ones my brother grows".
"It's the soil, it's the soil" said Chaim, "It's all about the soil they're grown in...well that...and water at the right times"
Jacob nodded in agreement. And prodded further "So you heard this guy in Capernaum one time you said?"
"Yeah", Chaim went on, "he was preaching in the streets. Stuff outta the Book and all, pretty heavy on the Amos type stuff but he never said a word in particular about Rome. Except,' he stopped to pick something from his teeth, "my cousin heard him mention Caesar one time when he heard him preach"
"Ahhh" nodded Jacob knowingly, "no wonder the hot water he got himself into".
"Well, that's just it" added Chaim popping another date, "I thought so too, but my cousin said he only said to give to Caesar what's Caesar's, and to render to God what is His. Doesn't sound much like a rebel to me."
"No, don't you see?" Jacob sounded almost excited to share his insight.
"No wonder they hung him up...don't you see the implication? Caesar can't bear sharing...cannot even bear the notion there's anything beside himself to even consider, even if it's mentioned as having any due...it wants all or leaves you nothing. It won't bear having a place. Rome to itself, is the place. You don't even have to speak against Rome...just speak for, or of, that there is something else. So, no wonder they left this guy nothing but a gruesome death. This is what has always gotten our brothers into such trouble...and killed."
"Well" said Chaim pondering, "that may be so" but added "that's just it. His followers are preaching they have seen him, that he's alive and King, Adenoi himself, and that even death couldn't hold him" "I heard them myself this morning. And they did sound pretty convincing."
"Ohhh" breathed Jacob, and again a long drawn out "ohhhh" of knowing something deep and troubling.
"Huh?" was all Chaim could muster.
"Oh, those guys are crazy, they gotta be, preaching a King here in Jerusalem while our Roman guests (Jacob couldn't help but spit that word) are all about, they gotta be crazy" "Didn't they see where that got their king? Right up there on that hill?" And he added, "good thing nobody believed them."
"Well, um, Jacob, I saw and heard it all, and the thing is...well...thousands of our brothers did..."
Jacob was startled. Stunned. Almost speechless except to say..."What? Really?"
And shaking his head..."Don't they see the implications?"
"Well", answered Chaim, "that fisherman preacher didn't hold anything back that I could see and was more than bold with the crowd so they got no excuse...but the truth of it is...even knowing the implications...he, and they, didn't seem to care".
"No, I wasn't there" said Jacob, "but I did hear there was a big hubbub about some guy they just hung out on that hill a few weeks ago...claimed he was something or other but Rome and their guy Pilate here put him in his place."
"Yeah, that's the one." said Chaim, "I saw him once when I had some business in Capernaum a while back, he came through preachin and raisin' some dust, and to tell you the truth I wasn't impressed...but", he added, "he musta really thought he was something the way he was carrying on. Him and his little troop of followers...you'd think the world was ending."
"Well, I guess for him it was", answered Jacob, "cause if there's one thing we've learned, Rome is pretty expert at dealing an end to anyone who crosses it, or even," he continued in a hushed tone "tries to get off their knees before it. There's not a Jew I know or could meet that doesn't know how effective the Roman cross is in its work."
"Yeah, I know what you mean" said Chaim, also in hushed tone. "Hey you want a date? My wife packed this bag before I left, they're sweeter than the Song of Solomon, I'll tell you that" both mildly shamefaced, but chuckling at the reference.
"Yeah, sure" said Jacob, adding "hey these really are good! Smooth and moist! Not all dry and gritty like the ones my brother grows".
"It's the soil, it's the soil" said Chaim, "It's all about the soil they're grown in...well that...and water at the right times"
Jacob nodded in agreement. And prodded further "So you heard this guy in Capernaum one time you said?"
"Yeah", Chaim went on, "he was preaching in the streets. Stuff outta the Book and all, pretty heavy on the Amos type stuff but he never said a word in particular about Rome. Except,' he stopped to pick something from his teeth, "my cousin heard him mention Caesar one time when he heard him preach"
"Ahhh" nodded Jacob knowingly, "no wonder the hot water he got himself into".
"Well, that's just it" added Chaim popping another date, "I thought so too, but my cousin said he only said to give to Caesar what's Caesar's, and to render to God what is His. Doesn't sound much like a rebel to me."
"No, don't you see?" Jacob sounded almost excited to share his insight.
"No wonder they hung him up...don't you see the implication? Caesar can't bear sharing...cannot even bear the notion there's anything beside himself to even consider, even if it's mentioned as having any due...it wants all or leaves you nothing. It won't bear having a place. Rome to itself, is the place. You don't even have to speak against Rome...just speak for, or of, that there is something else. So, no wonder they left this guy nothing but a gruesome death. This is what has always gotten our brothers into such trouble...and killed."
"Well" said Chaim pondering, "that may be so" but added "that's just it. His followers are preaching they have seen him, that he's alive and King, Adenoi himself, and that even death couldn't hold him" "I heard them myself this morning. And they did sound pretty convincing."
"Ohhh" breathed Jacob, and again a long drawn out "ohhhh" of knowing something deep and troubling.
"Huh?" was all Chaim could muster.
"Oh, those guys are crazy, they gotta be, preaching a King here in Jerusalem while our Roman guests (Jacob couldn't help but spit that word) are all about, they gotta be crazy" "Didn't they see where that got their king? Right up there on that hill?" And he added, "good thing nobody believed them."
"Well, um, Jacob, I saw and heard it all, and the thing is...well...thousands of our brothers did..."
Jacob was startled. Stunned. Almost speechless except to say..."What? Really?"
And shaking his head..."Don't they see the implications?"
"Well", answered Chaim, "that fisherman preacher didn't hold anything back that I could see and was more than bold with the crowd so they got no excuse...but the truth of it is...even knowing the implications...he, and they, didn't seem to care".
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