 8. Jesus is strong. That night Jesus said to the disciples, let us go across the lake. Simon and Andrew and James and John were fishermen. They knew where to get a boat and they knew how to sail it too. All twelve disciples along with Jesus climbed into a boat and pushed away from shore. The Sea of Galilee was a lovely blue lake in the daytime when the sunlight sparkled on the water. In the evening it was lovely too when the waves were lapping peacefully against the side of a boat and the stars came out twinkling overhead. But the Sea of Galilee was not always so lovely or so peaceful. Sometimes the wind came roaring down the steep banks around the lake and the water grew white and angry. Then again everything might be calm and quiet when a boat left the land, but before it had gone very far a storm might be howling around it. It would toss the boat around like driftwood and then it would be too late to turn back to shore. Some of the disciples were fishermen and they had fished here all their lives. They knew what the sudden storms were like. It was no surprise to them when the stars disappeared as though the rising wind had blown them out. They knew what was coming now. The night would grow black as ink and the great foaming waves would smash against the ship and fill it up with water. There was nothing anyone could do about it. Nobody could sail or row or steer the boat any longer. Only God himself could bring the poor sailors safe to shore. The sea was rough already and getting rougher every minute. They were afraid. They were always afraid of the sea when the storms began to blow. It was so big and dangerous and terrible and the men were so small and weak. It was like a frightful monster tossing them up and down before it swallowed them alive. If only they had stayed on the good safe land they had been so worried and so tired that night so discouraged about Jesus and his work. And now there was this storm on top of everything. It looked as if none of them would live to see another day. They had left their homes and families behind to follow Jesus. What was the use of following Jesus if they were all to be drowned? Now the boat was full of water. They tried to bail it out but the fishermen knew that nothing they could do would be of any use. In the dark they could hardly see one another's faces. Where was Jesus? No one had heard a word from him since the storm began to blow. They had found him at the back of the boat, just where he was when they left the shore. He was stretched out on a seat resting on a pillow. And he was fast asleep. The disciples were angry. Any minute now the boat was going to turn over and there was Jesus sleeping as though nothing in the world were wrong. One of the men took Jesus by the shoulders and shook him awake. They shouted at him, Master, doesn't it matter to you if we are all drowned? Jesus rose to his feet in the tossing boat. The wind blew in his face and he seemed to be answering it. The sea smashed against the boat again and Jesus cried out, Peace! Be still! All at once the wind began to die away. The waves tossed for a minute or two longer but not so strongly now. Everything was growing quiet. The stars began to shine again and soon there was no sound but the water lapping gently against the boat. Jesus spoke to the disciples. Why were you so frightened? How is it that you still haven't any faith in me? But the disciples scarcely noticed what he was saying. They were more afraid than ever. This time it was not the sea that frightened them. They were afraid of Jesus. They said to one another, What kind of man is this? When he speaks even the wind and the sea obey him. In the morning they brought their little boat to land on the other side of the lake. Over here in the country of Gadarenes Galilee seemed very far away. A high cliff rose above the sea. Jesus and the disciples climbed up and looked around. There was nothing much to see except some men feeding a herd of pigs. In the distance was a graveyard. Suddenly a man came running out of the graveyard. He was naked and his body was covered with cuts and bruises. The man was out of his mind and he lived by himself in the graveyard and wandered through the mountains. Other people had often tried to chain him up, but he was so strong that he broke the chains as if they were made of string. He could be heard day and night crying out, always cutting himself with sharp stones. No one dared to go near him. The madman ran toward Jesus shouting at him. His words were like those of the other madmen who had interrupted Jesus in the synagogue service. What have I to do with you, Jesus? What have I to do with the Son of the Most High God? Don't torment me. Jesus said to him, what is your name? The man answered, my name is Legion. There's a whole Legion of devils inside me. The disciples were meanwhile listening in horror. There was something in the man that was evil, something as dreadful as the storm of the night before. They heard Jesus say, come out of that man. Then they seemed to hear many voices crying out and calling to Jesus and pleading with him. And they heard Jesus say, go. The wild look left the man's eyes. And at that very moment the pigs went wild. The man was in his right mind now, but it seemed as though the pigs had gone crazy. With a great snorting and squealing they ran to the cliff and plunged into the sea. After that everything was quiet. It was as quiet as it had been when Jesus stilled the storm. The evil thing was gone. The morning sun was shining brightly on the peaceful countryside. There was nothing dreadful anymore. But what they had seen was too much for the man who had been feeding the pigs. As fast as their legs would take them they ran to the nearest town and told everybody what had happened. The people came flocking out of the town to see for themselves. When they came they found the madman sitting there talking to Jesus. He had put on his clothes and he was just as sensible as anybody else. The people had been terribly afraid of the madman, but now they were afraid of Jesus. They had tied this man up with chains and still they could not hold him. Yet here was a stranger from Galilee who cured the madman with a few words. What kind of man is this, they thought. What kind of power does he have? They were so worried about what Jesus might do next that they asked him to leave the country. Without a word Jesus took his disciples back to the boat. The man who had been out of his mind followed him and asked if he might go along. But Jesus told him, No, you have work to do here. Go back home to your friends, tell them what the Lord has done for you. The man went back to the city and began to tell his story. The story went abroad through that whole country and everyone who heard it was amazed. For the disciples it had been a night and a day of wonders. But as they sailed home across the lake they did not know that an even greater triumph was waiting for Jesus on the other side. As their boat drew near to the land they saw a crowd standing on the shore. Everyone had been watching anxiously waiting for Jesus to come. When Jesus stepped ashore the waiting crowd made way for a man who was well known in the town. His name was Jerryus and he was the chief officer of the synagogue. Jerryus fell down at Jesus' feet and began to plead with him to come at once to his house. My little girl is dying. Please come and put your hands on her and heal her and make her live. Jesus went with Jerryus and the whole crowd followed to see what he was going to do. As they walked along the street with people pressing in on them from every side, Jesus suddenly stopped and said, Who touched my clothes? The disciples could not imagine what he was talking about. They said to him, Why don't you see the crowd? Everyone is touching you. What do you mean by asking who touched my clothes? But Jesus answered, There is someone in particular who touched me. I felt power going out of me. With that a poor woman came out of the crowd and fell down in front of Jesus. She was trembling with fear. She told him her whole story. For twelve years she had been sick. She had spent all her money on doctors and she never got any better. She thought that if only she could touch his clothes without anybody seeing her she would be made well. Jesus looked at her kindly and said, Your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Meanwhile Jerryus was waiting impatiently for Jesus to come along. Soon it might be too late. At that very moment a message came from Jerryus' house. The worst had happened. The little girl had died and there was no use troubling Jesus. Already it was too late. But before Jerryus could speak, Jesus took him by the arm and said, Don't be afraid. Just keep on believing. He sent the crowd away and told the disciples that none of them could come with him except Simon and James and John. Jerryus led the way to his house. When he got there they found that the bad news was true. The little girl had really died. Already the flute players who played at funerals in Palestine had arrived. Everyone was mourning and weeping. Jesus spoke sharply to the mourners. Why are you making all this fuss? he asked. The little girl isn't dead. She is only sleeping. Everyone laughed at him as though he were a fool. So he doesn't know the difference between being asleep and being dead, they said to themselves. But Jesus told them to get out of the house. When they were gone he took Jerryus and his wife and the three disciples and went into the little girl's room. There could be no doubt about it. The little girl was dead. She was lying white and cold and still. No doctor in the world could ever help her again. Jesus bent over the still body and opened his mouth to speak. Simon and James and John held their breath. Not many hours before they had heard him say to the sea, Peace, be still. When he had spoke the sea obeyed him. They heard him speak to a mad man and after he spoke the man was in his right mind again. But what use would it be to speak to someone who was dead? The dead could not hear him. Or could they hear him? Had Jesus not once told them, The dead hear my voice? The little girl did not know anything. She did not hear anything. She could not know or hear anything for she was dead. Then a voice came through the silence. The little girl began to hear someone talking. It was a man's voice and it was saying the very words her mother used to wake her up each morning. Little girl, get up, she heard. She opened her eyes. She looked into the face of Jesus. He took her hand and helped her to her feet. Her parents were there too. She went to them. Give her something to eat, said Jesus, and say nothing about what has happened. But no one could keep a secret like that. Soon everyone had heard the story. Everyone heard how Jesus spoke and brought the dead back to life. CHAPTER IX. REFUSING A CROWN Up until this time Jesus had done all the preaching and the disciples had listened. Jesus had healed the sick and the disciples had watched. Now, however, Jesus told the disciples that it was time for them to work also. He called the twelve together and said, I am going to send you out in my place. You are to divide up into pairs. Each pair will go and preach in the towns and villages. You will tell the people what you have heard me say, that God has come to the earth to rule over men's hearts. When you see people who are sick or out of their minds, you are to make them well, just as you have seen me do. He told them plainly what they were to do. Don't take any money with you, Jesus said, and don't ask for money from anybody. Don't take many clothes either. You are to travel quickly and attend to your work without worrying about money or clothes. You will be taken care of. When you go into a city or a village, find some family that will welcome a preacher and stay in that home until you go to the next place. If nobody will listen to you, go somewhere else. But before you go, warn the people in the place you are leaving that they have sinned by not paying attention to God's message. So the disciples went out and preached as Jesus told them. They healed the sick as Jesus did. The trip was a great success. After many days the disciples began to come back home with many stories about their experiences. When they were all with Jesus again they sat down and told him everything they had said and done. Jesus listened to their stories and then he said, It is time for you to take a rest. Come with me to some lonely place where nobody will disturb us for a while. They got into their boat and sailed up to a quiet place they knew of near the town of Bethsaida. But they got no chance to rest after all, for the people of Capernaum saw them leaving. There go Jesus and his disciples, somebody said. They're heading for Bethsaida. A crowd of people began to walk around the shore of the lake. As they went others joined them from the towns and countryside round about. Jesus was the most popular man in Galilee just then. Wherever he went he might be sure that a crowd would follow him. The people walked and ran and by hurrying they reached the quiet spot near Bethsaida as soon as Jesus did. When he stepped out of the boat thousands of people were waiting for him on the shore. Jesus had gone away for a rest but when he saw the people he felt sorry for them. They are like a flock of sheep, he thought. A flock of sheep with no shepherd to look after them. They had spoiled his holiday, yes, but Jesus spoke to the people and said that he was glad to see them. Then he began to teach just as he did in the cities and towns. All day long he taught and if there were any who were sick he healed them. The day wore on and evening was drawing near. One or two of the disciples pulled Jesus' sleeve and said to him, Master it is getting late. Hadn't you better send them away to find something to eat in the towns nearby? There is nothing for them here in the country. Jesus answered, there is no need for them to go away. Give them something to eat right here. The disciples looked at him as if they did not know whether he was serious or not. They said, do you mean that you want us to go and buy food for all these people? Where would we get enough money for that? Andrew said, there's a boy here with five loaves of bread and a couple of fishes, but how far will that go among five thousand people? Jesus only answered, tell them to sit down on the grass. The disciples went among the crowd and had the people sit down in groups, fifty and each group. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fishes and as he held them he said a prayer of thanks to God. Then he broke the loaves and gave the bread and the fish to the disciples and told them to pass the food around among the crowd. They passed it here and they passed it there, but they never ran out of food. Nobody could tell where it was coming from, but there was enough for everyone and some left over. The people were hungry after their long walk and the hours of standing in the sun. They ate heartily. As they finished their meal they began to think about what had happened. Where did all this food come from? They began to ask themselves. Where did Jesus get all that food? There were but five loaves and a couple of fishes and yet we have all had enough and to spare. The crowd began to talk in excited voices. Jesus gave us this food. A wonderful thing he gave us food to eat when there wasn't anything here. Why, this is just the man we have been looking for. There's the man to make the Jews strong and rich. He makes food out of nothing. The people were rising to their feet. Make him a king, they started to cry. Jesus is the man to be the king of the Jews, they shouted. We want our king. But Jesus was not there any longer. Jesus had gone. He had slipped away through the crowd and disappeared. Even the disciples did not know where he was. He stayed alone in the mountains until long after dark. Those foolish people. That foolish, foolish crowd. Did they not understand him at all? Did they never think of anything except their stomachs? Jesus remembered how the devil had once tempted him in the wilderness. What was it the devil had said, if you are the Messiah make these stones into bread? Yes, all along the people would be for him so long as he gave them something to eat. They would even make him a king if they thought he was the man to get rid of the Romans and make the country free and rich and great. Why they had offered to make Jesus a king that very day. They said that he was just the man they had been waiting for. But that was not what Jesus had come here to do. He did not want to be that kind of king. It was soon to be Passover time. Many years ago at Passover time Jesus had been a boy at the temple in Jerusalem watching as the lambs were killed for sacrifice. A year from now it would be Passover again and then it would be time to go to Jerusalem once more. He would go to Jerusalem and he would be made the king of the Jews. Then he would do what he always knew that he would have to do some day. When Jesus came back to Capernaum he gathered his band of disciples together and took them away again. This time he took them so far away that no one would follow them. No one wanted very much to follow anyway for the people were hurt and angry because Jesus would not be their king. Jesus led the disciples away to the north into the country near Caesarea Philippi. Here one of the rivers that flowed into the Jordan came springing out of a cave in a hill. Here too the Greek people round about had built temples to their heathen gods. Jesus wanted to be alone with his disciples for the time had come to have an important talk. He said to them, Who do people say that I am? The disciples answered, Some people say that you are John the Baptist come back from the dead. Others say that you are Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the other prophets come back to earth. Everyone thinks that you are a great man. But who do you say that I am? Jesus asked. There was silence. Then Simon spoke up. You were the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. That was it. That was what Jesus was waiting for. His face lighted up in joy. He turned to Simon and exclaimed, This is the best thing that could happen to you Simon, to find out who I am. And no human being could have told you. Only God himself can have shown you that I really am the Messiah when nobody else believes it. And now you are going to have a new name Simon. I am going to call you Peter from now on. For the name Peter means the rock. You have faith in me and your faith is like a rock. I am going to build my church on faith like yours and nothing shall ever conquer it. It will be the strongest thing in the world. And now Jesus began to speak more quietly. And now that you know who I really am, I have many things to tell you. In the first place, you must not say anything about my being the Messiah, not just yet. And this is more important. I am not going to be very popular anymore. I am going up to Jerusalem and when I get there, my enemies will plot against me and put me to death. Peter thought that this was nonsense. Everyone knew that the Messiah would not be killed like that, but would instead be a great warrior and a triumphant king. In a bold voice Peter spoke up again, Don't be foolish, nothing of that sort is going to happen. Jesus turned on Peter. This time he was not joyful, he was angry. He talked to Peter in the same way he had once talked to the devil in the wilderness. He said, Get behind me, Satan. The devil has got into you, Peter. God didn't have anything to do with what you said to me just now. You're talking like everybody else. You're weak. A man who tries to save his own life is sure to lose it. But if a man gives up his life because of me, ah, that man will really know what it means to live. But Jesus saw that the disciples did not understand. Even Peter was losing his faith again. Somehow he must get them to believe in him and trust in him. So six days later he took Peter and James and John, to whom he showed the most secret things, up into a high mountain. And there the disciples saw a marvelous vision. Jesus' face became bright as the sun and his clothes shone like the morning light. They said afterwards that Moses and Elijah, who were great among the Jews in the days long ago, came down and talked with Jesus. Peter spoke timidly this time, for he did not know what to say. Lord, he said, It is good for us to be here. Let us build three tabernacles here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah. Then a great cloud came like a shadow over the mountain. They heard a voice from the cloud like the voice of God saying, This is my son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. The disciples fell down to the ground and there they lay until Jesus came and touched them. At his touch they looked up and there was no one to be seen but Jesus, standing there alone. Come away, said Jesus, and tell nobody what you have seen. They followed him back down the mountain, back to where the other people were. Long afterward they spoke of what had happened. They told of the brightness and the beauty and the visitors from olden days and the voice which said that Jesus was the son of God. But in those days they never said a word. They knew that on the mountaintop they had been with God. CHAPTER 10 The Way to Jerusalem Jesus had made up his mind that he would go to Jerusalem for the Passover next year. He knew that if he did he would get into trouble. The disciples knew it too for he had told them so. There was a hard time ahead for them all. There was hardly anyone whom Jesus could count on any more. Often even the disciples did not understand him. Once in a while other people would offer to come along and be disciples too. But few actually came after Jesus explained how much he expected his disciples to give up for his sake. There was one man who came to Jesus and said bravely, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus replied, even the foxes have holes in the ground to sleep in at night. The birds of the air have their nests. But I travel across country without home that I can call my own. The man thought of his own comfortable house and decided he did not want to follow Jesus after all. Another time Jesus invited a man to join him. This man said he would be glad to come, but that his father had just died and he must look after the funeral. That would take a long time for the Jews loved their customs and when anybody died they held ceremonies which lasted for many days. Jesus could not wait for this man so he answered, let people who don't believe in me look after things like that. You have something more important to do. Your job is to go out and preach right away. That is what you would do if you really believed in me. Still another man was willing to come if only he could first go home and say goodbye to his family. Jesus saw that this man too had not really decided to give up everything for God. He told him you're like a farmer who starts to plow a field and then turns around and wonders if he shouldn't be doing something back at the house. Unless you put your whole heart into following me, I'm afraid you will never be of much use. Even some of those who used to call themselves followers of Jesus were going away. He said to the twelve who had been with him from the beginning, are you going to leave me too? Peter answered, Lord, where would we go? We should die if we did not hear your words. We believe that you are the Christ. Jesus said, yes, you are the men I have chosen to be with me, though there is one of you who will come to a bad end. Jesus was speaking of a disciple named Judas Iscariot, though the others did not know it. Jesus knew that Judas was not to be trusted. In those difficult days Jesus spent much of his time in prayer. The disciples felt that they also needed strength and help from God. Once when Jesus had finished praying, they said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John the Baptist used to teach his disciples. So Jesus taught them a prayer, and this is how it went. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Then Jesus looked at his disciples and told them that they ought to pray more than they did. Suppose, he said, one of you went to a friend's house at midnight and crawled through the window. Lend me some bread, for company has come unexpectedly, and I haven't anything in my house. Your friend might not want to get up out of bed, but if you kept on pleading with him, he would give you what you asked for. In the same way, keep on praying to God. Prayer is like knocking on the door. Knock, and the door will be opened. Jesus knew better than the disciples did themselves how much they were going to need God's help. Jesus ran into a great many trying people in the next few months. One day there was a lawyer who thought that he knew more than Jesus did. He wanted an argument which would give him a chance to show how much he knew. So he came and asked Jesus, what should I do to have eternal life? Jesus answered, What does it say in the law? The lawyer replied, It says, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. Jesus said, That is right, those are the things you ought to do. It sounded to the lawyer as though Jesus were saying, if you knew all along why did you need to ask me in the first place? The lawyer thought that he would get the better of Jesus, so he replied, Well, just who is the neighbor that I am supposed to love? Jesus answered with a story. A man was traveling on the lonely road between Jerusalem and Jericho. As it so often happens there some thieves jumped out of a hiding-place and robbed him and beat him. He was lying there half dead when a priest from the temple in Jerusalem came along. He took one look at the wounded man and kept on going along the other side of the road. Then somebody else from the temple, who was supposed to be a very religious sort of person passed by, and the same thing happened. Finally a Samaritan came along. I don't need to tell you how Samaritans and Jews hate each other. But this Samaritan was sorry for the wounded man. He put bandages on his wounds and took him to an inn. Before he left next morning the Samaritan went to the innkeeper. He paid the bill for the man who had been robbed. Then he told the innkeeper to take care of the man, and the Samaritan said he would pay for anything more that was needed the next time he came. Now think of those three men who passed along the road. Which of them was really a neighbor to the man who was robbed? The lawyer said, Why the one who helped him, of course? Then said Jesus, Go and do the same. What Jesus wanted the lawyer to understand was, You really know what a good neighbor should be because God has been good to you, but you are not much interested in being a neighbor to people who need your help. But if the lawyer did not see that for himself there was no use telling him he would be too proud to understand. Another day there was a man who came to Jesus and said, Master, I wish you to speak to my brother. Our father died a little while ago and my brother is keeping all the property for himself. Make him give me my share of it. Jesus would have nothing to do with the quarrel, he told this man. You ought to think of something besides money and property. There is more to life than owning things. Let me tell you a story. There was a farmer whose crops were so good that he had no place to put all his harvest. He said to himself, I will pull down my old barns and build bigger ones and put my crops in them. Then I will take life easy for I have enough money to last me for many years. But do you know what happened? That very night God said to him, You fool, you are going to die tonight. And what good are your crops and your money going to be to you then? That's what becomes of people who keep all their money for their own selfish use and never think about God. There was another man who was a great disappointment to Jesus. He was a young man, rich and a leader in his community. He came and kneeled before Jesus and said, Good Master, what should I do in order to have eternal life? This was like the lawyer's question, but this man asked it in a different spirit. He really wanted to know. Jesus answered, Do you know what you are saying when you call me Good Master? No one is good except God. Jesus was wondering if the rich young man knew that he was talking to the Messiah or if he thought that Jesus was just another man who was a little better than others. However, he went on, If you want to have eternal life, keep God's commandments. You know what they are. Do not kill. Do not steal. Live a pure life. Do not tell lies. Honor your father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself. The young man exclaimed, But I have kept all those commandments ever since I was a boy. What is it that is wrong with me? When Jesus saw that the young man was in earnest, he loved him. He replied, There is indeed something wrong with you. It is the way you love your money. Give it away to the poor and you will be rewarded in heaven. Give up everything you have and come and follow me. The young man got slowly to his feet. No, that was asking too much. How could he live without his money? He needed his money. How did he know that God would look after him if he did not take care of himself? Without another word he went away. How hard is it, Jesus said, for rich people to obey God? The disciples were amazed. They had always thought that the reason why some people were rich was that God was pleased with the good lives they had been living. They said, If there isn't any hope even for rich people, is there any hope for anybody? No, replied Jesus, there isn't any hope for anybody. No one is good enough. But God can help and save sinners whether they are rich or poor. God is everybody's hope. Peter spoke for the rest of the disciples. He said, Well, we have given up everything to follow you. Jesus answered, If you have given up anything for my sake, you will never have reason to be sorry for it, either in this life or after you die. The months were going by and it was time to be getting on toward Jerusalem. Jesus took his disciples and crossed to the east side of the River Jordan. They traveled south and then crossed the Jordan once again and came to the city of Jericho. In the rich earth around Jericho beautiful gardens grew and the palm trees stood tall. Travelers who came from the swamps of the Jordan loved to stop at Jericho before they took the hard and lonely road that led to Jerusalem. There were desert lands and hills ahead, but at Jericho there was water to drink and good food to eat and a place to stay in comfort. But Jesus could not stay long in Jericho. It was to Jerusalem that he was going and nothing could hold him back. The people at Jericho heard that Jesus was passing through their city and a crowd gathered in the streets to catch a glimpse of him as he went by. There was a man named Zacchaeus there. He was shorter than most other men and he could not see Jesus because of the crowd around him. There was no use asking anyone to help him for no one liked Zacchaeus. He was a tax-gatherer, as Matthew once had been, and had grown rich collecting taxes. But he had grown unpopular too. The Jews thought him as a traitor for although he was a Jew, he worked for the Romans and made his fortune out of cheating his fellow Jews. But Zacchaeus was determined not to miss seeing Jesus. Running on ahead of the crowd he climbed a sycamore tree. High above the street he could look down at Jesus, but there was no reason to think that Jesus would look up at him. However, when Jesus reached the place where Zacchaeus was hiding in the branches he stopped, looked up, and saw him. He knew who this man was. Jesus called out, hurry and come down out of that tree, Zacchaeus. I am coming to stay at your house today. Surprised but happy Zacchaeus scrambled down the tree and led Jesus to his house. The other people also were surprised, but not so happy. They muttered to themselves as many people had done before. They said, he's gone to be the guest of that miserable cheating traitor of a tax-gatherer. But Zacchaeus became a changed man that day. He said to Jesus, I am going to give half my money to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I shall give back four times as much as I took. Then Jesus was glad that he had called Zacchaeus down from the tree. You have been saved from your sins today, Zacchaeus, he said. Jesus was glad that he had found at least one rich man who did not love his money more than he loved God. Zacchaeus had not been a good man. He was not like the rich young man who had kept all of God's commandments since he was a boy. But when he heard Jesus speak to him he knew that he had been in the wrong. He was ready to do what he could to show that he knew how he had sinned. This is what I came for, Jesus said, to look for sinners like this man and to save them. When Jesus got to Jerusalem it was going to cost him a great deal to help men find a new life. But whatever it might cost him it would be worth the price. CHAPTER XI Passover time had almost come, so Jesus had to be on his way. Jericho was left behind in Jesus and the disciples pushed across the hills and desert land that lay east of Jerusalem. This was the country Jesus had crossed the first time he went to Passover feast. That was twenty years ago when he was a boy of twelve and Joseph and Mary had taken him to the feast in the great city. The stones were just as hard now as they had been then. The land was as dreary to see as it had ever been and the desert as dry. And yet there were just as many pilgrims from all parts of Palestine traveling up to Jerusalem, going, as their fathers did before them, to keep the Passover in the holy city of the Jews. In a little while a shout would go up and many a party would burst into song. They would sing. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They shall prosper that love thee. A few days more and they would sacrifice their lambs in the temple. They would pray to God to be good to the Jews and to save them from their enemies. A few nights more and they would sit down to eat the roasted flesh of the lambs at the Passover feast and when they had eaten they would sing. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Jesus and the disciples came out of the desert and paused among the olive groves near the village of Bethany. Now only the Mount of Olives and the brook of Kidron stood between Jesus and Jerusalem. Already the Passover pilgrims were pouring through the gates of the city up to the temple. It was hard for all the pilgrims to find places to stay during the week of Passover. Here at Bethany Jesus had friends who loved him and here he found a place in which to stay. A man named Simon whom Jesus once cured of the dreaded leprosy had a house in Bethany where Jesus was welcome. There also was a woman in Bethany whose name was Mary. She thought that nothing was too much to give to Jesus. Like another woman who once made the Pharisees angry she came to Jesus when he sat at dinner in Simon's house and poured precious ointment on his head. But this time it was not the Pharisees who were angry for there were no Pharisees in the house. It was Jesus' own disciples, especially Judas Iscariot, who said that it was wrong to waste anything that cost as much as that ointment. Judas spoke up and said, Why was not this ointment sold in the money given to the poor? Judas did not really care about the poor. He looked after the money for Jesus and the disciples and when he wanted any he secretly helped himself out of what belonged to all of them. He thought that if the precious ointment had been sold there would have been more money in the purse he carried. When Jesus heard the disciples complaining about Mary's gift he said, Let her alone. This is a good thing that she has done. There will always be poor people and you can give them all you like after I am gone, but you will not have me always. You know your custom is that when loved ones die you put ointment on their bodies before you bury them. Well, Mary has come to get me ready to be buried before I am even dead. I tell you this woman's name will be remembered all over the world because of what she did today. The disciples begrudged Jesus the ointment that a loving woman poured upon his head. That was a bad sign. Many times in these last few months Jesus had had to speak sharply to his disciples. The longer they were with him the less they seemed to understand the things that he had taught them. Jesus was growing lonelier every day and the hardest task was still ahead. One time when they were on the road John came to Jesus feeling very proud of himself. Master, he said, we saw a man curing people who were out of their minds and he was using your name to do it. Naturally we told him he would have to stop. He didn't have any right to use your name when he wasn't one of us. Jesus answered, You shouldn't have stopped him. If he wasn't doing us any harm then he was on our side. Then there was a terrible scene one day when Jesus found the disciples quarreling about which one of them would be most important when Jesus became king. Each thought that he ought to have a higher position than the rest. Aren't you supposed to be looking out for yourselves, Jesus told them. That's what the Romans do. They want to be kings and order other people about. But the greatest one of you will be the one who does the most help to others no matter what it costs him. Which would you rather do sit down to a dinner and have your food brought to you or bring the food for somebody else? You'd rather sit down and let a servant wait on you, of course, but I am content to be a servant among you, the servant of everyone. The disciples could not get overthinking that some people were more important than others and that they themselves counted for more than anyone else. Once some mothers brought their little children to Jesus hoping that he would put his hands on them and bless them. The disciples did not think that the children counted for anything and they were going to send them away. They told the mothers that they ought not to come where they were not wanted. But Jesus called the little children to him and said, Let the children come to me and don't stand in their way. God's kingdom is made up of people like these children. God hasn't any place for a person who thinks himself important. These children aren't pushing themselves forward. They are humble and it would be better if you were more like them. With these words Jesus laid his hands upon the children and gave them his blessing as the mothers wanted him to do. Another thing that Jesus said, which the disciples could not understand, was that they ought to forgive anyone who did them an injury. One day Peter came to him and asked, Lord, if somebody keeps on doing wrong to me, how many times should I forgive them, seven times perhaps? Peter thought that seven times would be doing very well. But Jesus answered him, seven times, multiply that by seventy, forgive him until you have lost count of the times. When the disciples heard that, they knew that Jesus meant they should never stop forgiving anyone who wronged them. This seemed to them to be more than they could do unless God helped them. They would need more faith in God. So they asked, Lord, give us more faith than we have. Then Jesus had to tell them that they really did not have any faith at all. He said, if your faith were only as big as a mustard seed, the smallest seed there is, you could say to that tree over there, be pulled up and be planted in the sea and it would be done. No, the disciples did not have much faith. They did not understand Jesus. They were jealous of one another. They thought that Jesus ought to be king and each of them thought that they ought to be the king's right hand man. The disciples were afraid. If Jesus went up to Jerusalem they could not tell what would happen. Sometimes they thought it would be best if Jesus would stay out of sight, where his enemies could not find him. Worst of all, there was one of the disciples who was not loyal. Judas is scared. Judas was planning something so terrible that no one except Jesus knew what it was. Jesus could not wait until his disciples understood. He could not wait until they were brave enough or strong enough or good enough. If he did he would wait forever and there was very little time. There was something that he had to do now, the thing he had planned to do all along. Back in the days when he was all alone in the wilderness, after John baptized him in the Jordan, he knew that this was what he would have to do some day. Now the time had come. He must go back to the temple where he had stood and watched the Passover lambs being killed when he was a boy of twelve. He must go and get ready for the Passover. Jerusalem was about two miles away. He could not stay on in Bethany. He must go to Jerusalem at once. He called two of his disciples and gave his orders. Go into the village and there you will find a young donkey tied. No one has ever ridden it. Untie it and bring it here. If the owner questions you tell him, the Lord needs this donkey, he will let you have it at once. The disciples went to do as they were told, and they did not need to be told twice. They knew what Jesus meant for they knew the scriptures. If this was the way Jesus was going to Jerusalem, there was nothing to be afraid of. For it is said in the scriptures that the Messiah would come into Jerusalem riding upon a donkey. How did the words go? Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold thy King, cometh unto thee. He is jest and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. Jesus was going to do it. He was going to ride into Jerusalem as the Messiah. Everyone would know who he was at last. For it is said in the scriptures that this was how the Messiah would come to the city. Let the Jews get ready to receive the King they had waited for so long. They would have to wait no longer. Messiah, King Messiah, was marching toward his throne. CHAPTER XII. In Jerusalem. The disciples went to the village as Jesus told them, and there they found a donkey. They untied it and led it away. Some of them put their clothes on the donkey's back, for a king must ride in comfort. Others spread their clothes out on the street, for a king should ride in state. Jesus got on the donkey and started for Jerusalem. The disciples walked ahead. When they had almost reached the city the disciples began to shout. Jesus used to say that they must not tell anyone that he was the Messiah, but now they could tell the whole world, for Jesus wanted everyone to know. They were glad that they did not have to be quiet any longer. They shouted, Hosanna, that meant save us, and was a cry of welcome. They shouted the words of a psalm, Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest. The city was crowded with travelers from all over Palestine and from foreign countries too. They were the pilgrims who had come for the Passover feast. The crowds saw the procession coming, they saw the donkey, and they remembered what the scripture said. They remembered that that was how the Messiah would come riding in. They heard the shouting and they understood the words. They knew that that was what the people would sing when the Messiah came. Some of the crowds began to shout with the disciples, a great cry of Hosanna went ringing down the street. Everyone seemed to be saying it, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Some cut branches from the trees and waved them before the Messiah. It was a royal welcome. Only the priests and the rulers and the Pharisees were sorry to see Jesus come. What is there we can do, they said to one another. Look, the whole world has gone after him. The excitement spread through the city. There were strangers who had never heard of Jesus. Who is this, they asked. Others who knew him answered, why this is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus went into the temple and looked about at the crowds which thronged in. This was his father's house and his house. These were his father's people and his people, the king for whom the Jews had been waiting had come at last to reign. In the evening Jesus and the disciples returned to Bethany to sleep. The next day Jesus returned to Jerusalem and again went to the temple. This time he carried a whip. In the court of the Gentiles the money was clinking as it had done when Jesus was a boy. At the table sat the men who grew rich by exchanging the money of visitors for coins used in Jerusalem. Others were selling doves for sacrifice. The poor had to pay heavily to worship God in his own house. Jesus strode down the room with the whip in his hand and upset the tables where the money was. When the men jumped up from their chairs he drove them out of the temple, then he drove the sheep and the cattle out after the men. It is written in the scriptures, God's house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it into a den of thieves and robbers, he cried. This was too much for the priests of the temple and all the important men who ruled Jerusalem. The next day some of the rulers came to Jesus and said, What right have you to do these things? Who told you that you could act like this? So far Jesus had never said that he was the Messiah. He only acted as if he was the Messiah. The rulers hoped that he would say something that they could punish him for. But Jesus was too quick for them. He said, I'll answer your question if you answer a question of mine. When John the Baptist used to preach to you and baptize people, who gave him the right to do that? Then the rulers did not know what to say, they thought to themselves. Now if we say that John was sent by God to preach he will say, Why didn't you listen to him then? If we say that John didn't have any right to preach, the people will be angry and they will likely kill us, for everyone still thinks that John the Baptist was a great prophet, sent by God himself. So all they said was, We don't know, we can't tell. Very well Jesus retorted, neither am I going to tell you what right I have to do these things. Every day that week Jesus came and taught in the temple. Several times his enemies tried to trick him into saying something that would turn the people against him, but Jesus always had an answer which silenced them. Once they came and asked, Should we pay taxes to the Romans? That was a hard question. All the Jews hated the Romans, and if Jesus said it was their duty to pay the taxes, everybody would hate him too. But if he said they should not pay the taxes? Well, they could count on the Roman governor to settle with Jesus then. Show me a penny, Jesus replied. Someone handed him a piece of Roman money. There was a man's picture stamped on one side of it. Jesus said, Whose picture is that? Why, they answered, That is a picture of Caesar, the emperor of Rome. All right, said Jesus, Do whatever your duty is to Caesar and his government, you will have to decide about that for yourselves. And also, do your duty to God. It was such a clever answer that no one had a word to say. And Jesus still had not said anything that he could be punished for. But he said a great deal to make his enemies angry. About the Pharisees he spoke the hardest words he had ever said. Watch out for the scribes and the Pharisees, he told the people, and don't be like them. They love to walk around in their long white robes, and to have everybody bow to them in the street, and to sit in the best seats in the synagogues and at dinners. All the time they are taking money from poor widows, and they try to cover it up by making long prayers. Turning to the Pharisees themselves, he went on. Woe to you, Pharisees, you are like graves with rotting bodies in them, which people walk over without knowing what is underneath. Nobody knows how bad you are. You snakes, how can you escape the punishment which God is bringing upon you? He left the Pharisees and went into the temple, where people were making their gifts to God. Many rich men came in and put large sums of money in the box. Then came a poor widow who put two small coins in the box. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I tell you, this poor widow has given more than all these rich people are giving. For the rich people have plenty of money, and it doesn't cost them anything to give what they do. But this poor woman needs her money, and she has given all she has. With many words and stories he taught the people who thronged around him on the days of that week, and this was the last story he ever told. Some day I shall sit upon my throne and judge all the nations of the earth. To some people I will say, Come, my Heavenly Father loves you. Take the reward he has planned for you to have. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your homes. I had nothing to wear, and you gave me clothes. I was sick and in prison, and you came to visit me. Then these people will be surprised and say, Lord, when did we ever do anything for you? And I will say, you were kind to the poor and to the sick and the hungry, who did not count for anything on earth. You did not know it at the time, but when you did a kindness to them, it was really to me that you did it. Then I will say to others, Go away, God wants nothing to do with you. For I was hungry and thirsty and naked and sick and in prison, and you did nothing at all for me. These people will also be surprised. They will say, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or naked or sick in prison? If we had seen you needing anything, we would have helped you. And I will say, many poor people needed your help and you did not help them. When you failed them, you failed me. And now it is too late. The priests and the rulers did not know what to do about Jesus. The Messiah indeed, they thought. They hated him, and they were afraid of him. They were afraid of the Romans, too. What would the Roman governor say if he heard that there was someone in Jerusalem pretending to be king of the Jews? The priests and the rulers wanted to kill Jesus. That was all they talked about. But they did not know how it was to be done. For whenever Jesus came to Jerusalem, great crowds gathered around him. None of the priests dared to lay a finger on him in the open. The crowds would never let them. It seemed to the people as if the Messiah might have come at last. But something had to be done, the priests and the rulers said. The week was going by. The feast of Passover was nearly there. We shall have to do away with Jesus quietly, someone said. Yes, the others agreed. We can't wait till the day of the Passover if we should do anything to him on that day there would be a riot. They were at their wit's end to know how to get rid of Jesus. The craftiest men in Jerusalem could not think what to do. There was a knock at the door. It was one of Jesus' twelve disciples who had come to see the priests and rulers. His name was Judas Iscariot. What will you give me, Judas said, if I turn Jesus over to you? The priests and the rulers could hardly believe their ears. 30 pieces of silver you shall have, they cried, if you give us Jesus. So for 30 pieces of silver, Judas agreed to show them where Jesus was at some time when there was no one around but the 12 disciples. Send soldiers when I tell you, Judas said, the other disciples will all be there and the soldiers won't know which man to take. But I will go up to Jesus and kiss him. The man I kiss will be the one you want. Some dark night soon, a quiet place with no one around to see, and nobody would have to worry about Jesus of Nazareth any more. End of Chapter 12 Chapter 13 of The King Nobody Wanted by Norman F. Langford. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 13 The Last Night It was Thursday. On Friday afternoon the lambs would be killed for the Passover, and on Friday evening all good Jews would sit down to eat the lambs at the Passover feast. The disciples wondered where Jesus was planning to celebrate the feast with them. But Jesus did not wait until Friday to have a meal with all his disciples. On Thursday he sent two of them into Jerusalem from Bethany. He told them the name of a man to whom they were to go. Go to this man, said Jesus, and tell him that I said that the time has come. He will show you where we are going to have supper tonight. Then you can get the supper ready. That evening Jesus and the twelve disciples met together at the house in Jerusalem. On the second floor there was a room where food was spread upon a table. As they were eating supper Jesus suddenly spoke. One of you is a traitor. Everyone stopped eating, and each one of the twelve disciples thought of his own sins. Each one wondered if he were loyal enough to Jesus. Each one cried out, Master, is it I? Jesus only answered, it is one of you twelve men eating with me now. It would have been better for that traitor if he had never been born. A moment later Judas' scariot slipped quietly out of the door. The other disciples did not know where he had gone. Jesus spoke again. I wanted so much to eat the Passover feast with you this year before I suffer. But I shall not eat it again with you until a better day when we shall all be together once more. He took a piece of bread and said a prayer of thanks to God. Then he broke the bread and passed the pieces among the disciples, only eleven of them now. He said words that they did not understand. Take this and eat. This is my body. He took a cup of wine and once more he gave thanks. Then he passed the cup among the disciples saying, Drink, all of you, drink of this wine. It is my blood which I am going to shed so that the sins of many people may be forgiven. And in the days to come do this same thing often, always remembering me. Then they sang a hymn together and walked out into the night air and went up to the Mount of Olives. As they walked Jesus said to the disciples, You will all desert me tonight, for it is written in the scriptures that when something happens to the shepherd the sheep will go away in all directions. However, I shall meet you again. Peter spoke up and said bravely, Even if everyone else deserts you, I will not. Jesus answered, Before the rooster crows at sunrise to tell you that morning has come you will have said three times that you do not even know me. But Peter cried out that even if he died for it he would be true to Jesus and all the other disciples said the same. Presently they came to a grove called Gethsemane. It was late Jesus said to the disciples, Sit here while I go and pray. He took only Peter and James and John with him and went a little way apart from the rest. To the three disciples he said, I am greatly troubled. I do not know how I can bear it any longer. Wait here and stay awake with me. Going a few steps farther on Jesus fell on his knees and began to pray aloud. Oh, my Father, if it is possible take this cup away. Do not let these things happen to me. Yet not my will, but thine be done. When he had prayed this way he came back to Peter and James and John. All three were fast asleep. Jesus woke Peter up and said, What? Couldn't you stay with me for one short hour? Stay awake and pray. Pray for yourselves. You are going to need strength. You are not so strong as you want to be. He left them again and once more fell to his knees and prayed. Oh, my Father, if I must suffer these things, thy will be done. When he returned the disciples again were sleeping they were too tired to stay awake. A third time he went apart from them and prayed. He prayed in the same words he had used before. And suddenly he began to feel stronger. He rose from his knees at last and came back to his disciples. His voice broke in upon their sleep. Are you still sleeping? Well, you've slept long enough. My time is up. I am going to be turned over to sinners now. Get up, look, the traitor is coming. While he was still speaking a crowd of soldiers carrying swords and clubs burst into the grove. Judas Iscariot was leading them. Judas ran to Jesus and kissed him saying, Hail Master! Jesus answered, Well friend, what have you come to do? Then a band of men laid their hands on Jesus and held him so he could not escape. Peter was wide awake by now. He had brought a sword with him. Pulling it out, he cut off the ear of a man in the crowd. Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword away, my father gave me these things to suffer. He would save me now if I asked him. But that is not the way it is to be. Then Jesus turned to the crowd of soldiers and said, Have you come to arrest me with swords and clubs as though I were a robber? Every day I was in the temple teaching and you could have taken me then, but you never laid a hand on me. But this is what the scripture said would happen to the Messiah. The disciples could stand no more. They left Jesus standing there, and in terror they fled away. CHAPTER XIV The soldiers bound Jesus and led him back to Jerusalem. They took him to the palace of the High Priest. All the chief's priests and rulers were gathered there in a council meeting. The council had already decided that Jesus would have to die, but it was hard to find a reason for killing him. They had to prove that Jesus had said or done something for which he could be put to death. They found a great many people who came and told lies about Jesus, but no two of them told the same story. At last the High Priest whose name was Caiaphas stood up and said to Jesus, You hear all these things that are being said about you. Aren't you going to defend yourself? Jesus did not say a word. The High Priest spoke again. In the name of the living God I ask you, are you the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God? Jesus answered, You have said it. That was all the council wanted to hear. Caiaphas tore his own clothes in anger and shouted, Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard him say it with his own mouth. He says he's God. What do you think about it? The whole council answered, He ought to be put to death. Then some of them spat in his face. They covered his eyes and slapped him and shouted, If you were the Messiah you would know who hit you. Tell us you, Messiah. You tell us who hit you. Meanwhile in another room of the palace there stood a disciple who was losing whatever faith he had once had. It was Peter. One of the other disciples, who knew the High Priest had gone ahead and he had told the maid to let Peter in. The maid looked at Peter and said, You were with Jesus, weren't you? I don't know what you're talking about, said Peter. The night was cool and the servants of the High Priest were standing around a fire they had made to keep themselves warm. Peter went over and began to warm himself, too. Somebody else said to him, You are one of Jesus' disciples. Peter's faith was all gone. Man, he said, I certainly am not. But after a while another person spoke up and said, Of course you are one of Jesus' disciples. You are from Galilee. We can tell by the way you talk. Peter began to curse and swear, saying, I don't even know this Jesus that you are talking about. At that moment the rooster began to crow. At the same time Jesus passed by the doorway and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what Jesus had said, Before the rooster crows you will three times say that you do not know me. Peter went out of the palace and wept bitterly. The great council of the Jews might say that a man deserved to die, but they could not put anyone to death. Only the Roman governor could do that. The Roman governor whose name was Pontius Pilate was in Jerusalem for the Passover. As soon as it was daylight the council took Jesus over to Pilate's palace. When Judas Iscariot saw what was happening he suddenly realized what he had done. He came to the chief priests and brought them back the thirty pieces of silver they had given him for turning traitor. He cried out, I have sinned, I have betrayed a man who never did any wrong. The chief priests shrugged their shoulders, that's nothing to us, they said. Take your money and go. But Judas threw the money down on the floor and ran out. He took a rope and found a tree and hanged himself, for after betraying Jesus he could not bear to live. While Jesus was standing before Pilate the council had told Pilate that Jesus was claiming to be king of the Jews. They said that he was stirring up the whole country against Caesar. They thought that Pilate would put him to death for that because the Romans would be afraid that Jesus would lead a revolt against the Roman government. Pilate said to Jesus, Well, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered simply, You have said it. Then the priests and rulers burst out with all kinds of evil stories about Jesus. Pilate spoke to Jesus again and said, Aren't you going to say anything? Listen to what they are saying about you. But Jesus did not speak. Pilate was astonished. He could see that the only reason the council had brought Jesus to him was that they were jealous of Jesus and hated him. By now a large crowd had gathered to watch the trial. Many of the people in it had been followers of Jesus, but they followed him no longer. When they saw Jesus being tried like a criminal they decided that their priests and rulers had been right all along. They began to talk against Jesus among themselves. Pilate wondered, How could he let Jesus go? Suddenly he remembered a Jewish custom. Every Passover a prisoner was set free. Pilate said, Every year at this time I set a prisoner free. Now you can have your choice. You know we have a man here named Barabbas in jail. He's the fellow that started a rebellion a little while ago. We were going to crucify him. And now here is Jesus. Which one shall I let go? Barabbas, the murderer, or Jesus who is called the Christ? A great shout went up. Barabbas! Pilate did not know what to do now. He spoke again to the crowd. Well, what should I do to Jesus who is called the Christ? Again there was a great shout. Crucify him, hang him up on a cross until dead. One seemed to be against Jesus now. However Pilate tried once more. But he protested, I can't find that he has been guilty of any crime. The Jewish rulers replied, We have a law which says he ought to die because he pretends to be the Son of God. Pilate was worried now. He spoke to Jesus again, and again Jesus did not answer. Are you going to speak to me? Pilate asked. Don't you know that I can crucify you or let you go? Jesus answered, You wouldn't have any power over me unless God had given it to you. Pilate when he heard this tried once more to save Jesus. But the crowd was bigger and louder and more bloodthirsty than ever. Everyone was shouting, Crucify, Shall I crucify your king? asked Pilate. The chief priests of the Jews who hated Caesar answered, We have no king except Caesar. Pilate was too weak to hold out any longer. He was beginning to wonder what Caesar would say if he heard that Pilate refused to crucify a man who claimed to be the king of the Jews. Take him, Pilate said. Take him and crucify him. But before the crucifixion came this scourging, Jesus was bound and beaten with long leather thongs that had cruel pieces of glass and lead fastened to them so that they would hurt all the more. When that was over and his back was covered with cuts and bruises, the Roman soldiers who had scourged him wanted some more sport. They dressed Jesus in a purple robe. They made a wreath like the one that the Roman emperor wore. Only this one was made of thorns, which stuck into Jesus' head so that his blood ran down his face. Some of the soldiers spat on him, others made fun of him bowing down and saying, Hail, king of the Jews! Then the soldiers stripped the purple clothes off Jesus and put his own clothes back on him and led him outside the city to be crucified. He was too worn out to carry his own cross, as those who were to be crucified usually did, so the soldiers forced a man from Cyrene named Simon to carry it for him. When they reached a hill called Calvary, they laid the cross down on the ground and stripped Jesus of his clothes. They put Jesus on the cross and stretched out his arms. They drove a nail through each hand and one through his feet, fastening him to the cross. Then they stood the cross upright and let Jesus hang there. On the top of it was written, This is the king of the Jews. There was a cross on either side of him, with a thief hanging on each one. Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. The soldiers took his clothes and divided them up among themselves. His coat was too good to tear up, so they threw dice to see which one of them would get it. Jesus was offered a drink which would have made the pain easier to bear, but he would not take it. People passed to and fro in front of the cross, shouting insults. He saved others, but he can't save himself. One of the thieves turned his head and called out to him angrily. If you are the Christ, save yourself and us, too. But the other thief spoke out of his pain. Don't you fear God seeing that we are all going to die? Aren't you afraid to talk this way? We deserve to die, but this man never did anything wrong. Then turning to Jesus he said, Lord, remember me when you come to your kingdom. Jesus said to him, I tell you, today you will be with me in heaven. Near the cross stood Jesus's mother and other women who loved him. John the disciple was also there. Jesus called to his mother and John and said, Mother, from now on John will be your son. John, this is your mother. John took Jesus' mother to his own house. The hours passed by. It was about time for the Passover lambs to be killed in the city. Clouds were beginning to cover the sun, and it was growing dark, although it was not yet night. Jesus cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There was a stir of interest in the crowd. Let's see what will happen now, they thought. Jesus was becoming weaker. He said, I am thirsty. A soldier dipped a sponge in vinegar and held it up on a stick to Jesus' lips so that he could drink. Jesus cried out once more. It is finished. Father, into thy hands I give my spirit. His head sank down upon his chest. There was a loud sound like a clap of thunder, and the earth shook. In the silence that followed a Roman soldier spoke. This man, he said, this man was indeed the Son of God. But Jesus did not hear him, for Jesus was dead. When evening came, Joseph of Arimathea went to see Pilate. Joseph was a rich man, and much respected, and he believed in Jesus. He went secretly to Pilate, for he was afraid of the Jews. He asked Pilate if he might have Jesus' body, and Pilate gave permission. Joseph came then to the cross, and took down Jesus' body. He wrapped it in a white linen cloth, and had it carried away to a tomb which had been dug out of the rock. Not until after the Sabbath could Jesus' family and friend come to put spices on the body of him who they loved. Jesus' body lay inside the tomb, and a great stone was rolled against the door. Standing there was a woman named Mary Magdalene with Mary the Mother of Jesus. They watched while the body of Jesus so dear to them was laid away to rest. CHAPTER XV of THE KING NOBODY WANTED by NORMAN F. LANGFORD. This Libervox recording is in the public domain. CHAPTER XV THE VICTORIOUS KING. At sunrise the day following the Sabbath, three women came to the garden where Jesus was buried. They came, as the custom was, to put ointments and spices on the body of Jesus. On the way they remembered that a great stone had been rolled against the door of the tomb, they wondered how they would get in. "'Who will roll the stone away?' they asked each other. But when they reached the tomb they found that the stone had been rolled back. Someone had been there before them. The door was open.' The women went through the door of the tomb. A young man in white clothes was sitting on one side. Seeing their amazement the young man spoke. Do not be surprised. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is not here. He is risen from the dead. Look, there is the place where he was. They looked and they saw that his body was no longer there. The young man went on. Go quickly and tell this to his disciples. Jesus is alive. The women ran out of the tomb, trembling with fright and with surprise. One of the women was Mary Magdalene. As she ran she saw two of the disciples coming, John and Peter. She cried out to them, "'Someone has taken Jesus' body out of the tomb. We don't know where they have put it.' John and Peter began to run toward the tomb. John ran faster and got there first. He looked through the door and there he saw the white clothes that Jesus' body had been wrapped in, but there was no body in them any longer. Peter caught up to John and ran right into the tomb. He too saw the folded clothes. John and Peter went away to their homes, not knowing what to think. Meanwhile Mary Magdalene had come back. She stood in the garden near the tomb, weeping as though her heart would break. She turned around and saw that a man was standing near her. He spoke to her and said, "'Why are you crying? For whom are you looking?' Mary thought that the man must be the gardener. Through her tears she said, "'Sir, if you have carried away the body of my Lord, tell me where you have laid him, and I will go and take him away.' The man said softly, "'Mary.'" She looked again. She knew that voice. It was Jesus, Jesus calling her name. She cried out, "'Master!' She moved as though to take hold of him. Jesus spoke again. It really was He. Do not try to hold me here. I am going to my Father in heaven. But now go, and tell that to the disciples. Tell them that I am going to my Father.'" And Mary went and told the disciples, "'I have seen the Lord.'" No one could ever remember clearly all that happened on that day. No one knew what to make of it all. No one knew whether to believe that Jesus was really alive. Late that afternoon two disciples were walking along the road from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. They talked of what had happened on Friday, and now on Sunday. As they were talking a stranger joined them. The stranger said, "'What is it that you are talking about?' The disciples stopped. They were almost too sad to speak any more, but one of them answered, "'Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem that doesn't know the things that have been happening there these last few days?' "'What things?' the stranger asked.' The disciples replied, "'Why, all about Jesus of Nazareth!' He was a great prophet and teacher. The chief priests and the rulers had him crucified. We had hoped that he was the Messiah who was going to save the Jewish people. But now it is two days since he was put to death, and nothing has happened. Though there were some women who went to the tomb and came away saying that he was risen from the dead.' The stranger said, "'Oh, you foolish men, so slow to believe what it says in the prophets. Don't you see that the Messiah had to suffer this way in order to be king?' Then he explained everything in the scriptures about the Messiah. He spoke to them of how the prophet Isaiah had said long ago, he was despised and cast out by men, a man of sorrows and full of grief, and no one would look at him. He was hurt because we were so sinful. He suffered for our sakes. He was killed like a lamb and did not try to defend himself.' The stranger explained that Isaiah was talking about the Messiah. The Messiah was to be humble and sacrifice himself like one of the lambs at the Passover feast. Isaiah meant that the only one who could help others was the one who was willing to suffer for others. The Messiah never wanted to be a king like other kings. He did not want to lord it over others. He wanted to love them and to give his life for them. And so, the stranger went on, you ought not to be sad thinking that Jesus is not the Messiah after all. Jesus has lived and died as the scripture said the Messiah would. His love and his sufferings prove that he really is the Messiah. And if his believers loved one another as he has loved them and sacrificed themselves as he has done, they will have peace and joy. As the three walked on the strangers talked. When they reached a Maes they came to the home of one of the disciples. They said to the stranger, Come in and stay with us. It is evening. The day is very nearly over. They went into the house. Someone lighted the lamps and food was placed before them. The stranger took some bread and said a prayer of thanks and broke the bread. The disciples had seen something like that before, breaking bread. They looked up quickly. Why this man was not a stranger at all. It was Jesus. They knew him as they looked into his face. And as they looked, he vanished out of their sight. And they were alone again. They said to each other, Didn't you have a strange feeling as he talked to us along the road and explained the scriptures? Although it was now night, they returned to Jerusalem at once. They found the other disciples and told their story. The Lord is indeed alive, they said. We knew him the moment he broke the bread. While they were speaking Jesus was suddenly among them again. Jesus said, Peace be with you. They were frightened then, but Jesus spoke again. Do not be afraid, he said. I am not a spirit. They still could hardly believe it. It seemed too good to be true. And while they stood there not daring to believe that Jesus was alive, he said, Have you anything here to eat? They set a piece of broiled fish down before him and Jesus sat down to supper. One of the disciples was not there when Jesus appeared to the others. His name was Thomas. And no matter what the other said, Thomas could not believe that Jesus was alive again. Unless, he said, I see in his hands the marks that the nails made when he was crucified. And unless I put my finger into those marks, I will not believe. Eight days later the disciples were all together. This time Thomas was there with the others. The doors were shut. Suddenly Jesus appeared again and said as he had before, Peace be with you. Then Jesus turned to Thomas and said, Put your finger into the nail holes in my hand and doubt no more, but believe in me. Thomas fell down on his knees. He cried out, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, You believe in me because you have seen me with your own eyes. It is still better when people believe, even though they have not seen me. After this the disciples saw Jesus many times and at many places. But a day came at last after which they did not see him on earth again. On this day Jesus appeared to them outside Jerusalem and said, All power has been given to me in heaven and earth. I am Lord and King of all men. Go and tell people of every nation about me so that they will believe in me. Baptize everybody in my name. Teach them everything I have taught you. You will not be alone, for although you do not see me, I shall be with you always. Then Jesus said to them, Wait a little while, wait in Jerusalem, and some day soon you will know that the time has come to go out and preach. God will give you the power to make other people believe in me as their Savior. You shall tell them about me in Jerusalem and in the country all around. In Samaria and in the farthest parts of the earth he lifted his hands and blessed them. And as he blessed them a cloud covered him and they did not see him any more. Jesus had gone home to his father. They stared up into the sky where he seemed to have gone. As they looked they heard voices saying, You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into the sky? The Lord Jesus will come again. Then they remembered that they had worked to do before they would see Jesus again. They had to go and preach as Jesus had told them. They had to tell about him to all people everywhere. They walked back into Jerusalem. They had to wait, but now they were not waiting for Christ the Savior to come. They were waiting only for the sign that would tell them. It was time to go out and preach that Christ had already come. The Passover was finished for another year and the farmers of Palestine had worked to do. The warm spring weather spread over the land and the wheat was growing in the fields and on the hillsides. Farmers reaped their crops and gathered in grain and got ready for another feast at Jerusalem. For when the wheat was gathered it was time to go and give thanks to God for the harvest at the Feast of Pentecost. The disciples waited while the weeks of spring went by. Every day they went to the temple and praised God for his goodness because they knew that Christ had come. Seven weeks passed by. The hot sun ripened the crops and the farmers cut their grain. The day of Pentecost came around and the streets of Jerusalem were thronged again. There were men there from near and far, from every country of which anyone had ever heard. The harvest was over and the feast was on. That morning the disciples were all together when they heard the sound. It was the sound like the rushing of wind bringing messages from God. They saw a vision too and what they saw seemed like tongues of fire come down to each one of them so that they all could speak what God wanted them to say. The disciples went out and began to speak. Everyone who heard them understood what they were saying. Excitement went through the city. This is strange, the people said. We have come from near and far. We speak many different languages, yet when these men tell us about the wonderful things that God has done, we understand what they are telling us. What is it that has happened? Peter stood up beside the other disciples and boldly raised his voice. Listen to me, everyone who is here at Jerusalem. You have read in the scriptures how God said that he would send his Holy Spirit to his people. That is what has happened. The time has come to preach to you. Therefore listen to my words. God sent Jesus of Nazareth to you and he did many wonderful things among you which you saw for yourselves. God let you take him and put him to death with your own wicked hands. But it was not possible for him to be held forever by death. God has raised him from the dead and we have seen it. He is king and he has given us the power to tell you about him and you can hear what we are telling you. Let everybody know this for a fact. This very Jesus whom you crucified is Lord and Christ. And when the people heard these words they were greatly troubled. What shall we do? They cried. Peter answered, repent, give up your sins and begin a new life. Believe in Jesus Christ and let us baptize you in his name. Then your sins will be forgiven and he will send his Holy Spirit to change you. Many were glad when they heard this and they were baptized in Jesus' name. That very day about three thousand people became believers and followers of Christ. They joined with those who had been disciples before, praying together and sharing with each other everything they had. Jesus had a church which believed that he was Christ the Savior. Every day many more were added to the church. Every day the church of Jesus Christ grew stronger. It grew like the grain fields in the spring.