Final Confrontation (33 page)

He looked at Bazael.

“You know nothing at all! You do not realize it is better for you that one Man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.”

Zichri smiled.

“And so He must die, my priest?”

Caiaphas looked at the men in the darkened room in his home in which they were meeting. The lamp gave an eerie glow so that only their faces shown in the light. He shook his head in dismay.

“This is a rotten business,” he said resignedly. “But for the good of the nation we must find Jesus and have Him arrested and charges brought.”

The group grunted in affirmation.

“I am appointing Zichri in charge of the effort,” he continued. He looked at Zichri’s black eyes. “Find a way, Zichri. But not until after the coming Passover! Otherwise there shall be a riot among the fools who love Him.”

“Finding Jesus is not the problem,” said Zichri. “One need only follow the crowds. He is even now in Bethany where a dinner is being given in honor of the great miracle there.”

“Lazarus,” muttered Caiaphas.

“Yes, Lazarus,” said Zichri. “Ever since he was supposedly raised from the dead, many Jews have been going to Bethany to see for themselves. And many are believing.”

The High Priest nodded grimly.

“Then perhaps it becomes expedient that two must die for the good of the nation,” said Caiaphas. “As I said, this is a rotten business.”

Zichri bowed his head in agreement.

“I will see to Lazarus as well,” he said.

“Now—as to Jesus. I suggest we have our best opportunity immediately after the Passover,” Caiaphas continued. “That is when they shall all be together.”

“It’s only Jesus we want,” said Caiaphas. “He will come to Jerusalem for the feast. Once their Shepherd is killed, the sheep will scatter!”

“Yes! Find where they shall celebrate the Passover!” someone said.

“Set spies throughout the city,” said another.

“Enough!” said Caiaphas. “Zichri will handle this discreetly.” He turned to Zichri. “What will you need from us?”

“What we need is help from someone who knows Him,” mused Zichri. “Someone who shares His meals. An intimate of His would be ideal.”

“A traitor among the disciples?” said Bazael doubtfully. “They have declared their lives to Him.”

“Yes,” said Caiaphas. “But have we not heard a rumor of one who is perhaps disappointed with Him…One who is not quite with Him… someone who has borne His life but no longer bears Him love.”

“Yes, my lord,” said Zichri. “In fact, I have heard of such a one…”

“Rabbi?”

Jesus turned to see a group of Pharisees standing near a well off to the side of the road they were taking through the region of Ephraim. The disciples, weary from the trip and ready to get to Jerusalem for the Passover, were not ready to be patient with these men. Peter turned to say something, but Jesus held His hand up to keep him quiet.

“Yes,” answered Jesus. “What is it?”

“Rabbi, You honor us by moving through our land,” one of them said. “We would ask You to further honor us by joining us in some refreshment.”

“My Lord we must push on if we are ever to get to Jerusalem,” said Judas, who had pushed through the other disciples to see what was happening.

“Be patient, Judas,” said Jesus. “I shall arrive in Jerusalem in plenty of time for the feast.”

Judas shook his head and resignedly sat at the side of the road. Jesus walked to the Pharisees and sat with them. After a few moments of bread and freshly drawn water, they began discussing points of His teaching. One of them, Shallah, an acquaintance of Zichri, finally stood, his black robe billowing in the wind.

“Rabbi, You speak of a Kingdom and yet we see no Kingdom,” he began. “We too believe the Lord will one day restore our nation. But we know only God Himself knows when this shall be. May we ask when Your Kingdom shall come?”

Judas perked up at this question. His interest was not lost on Shallah, who had been told by Zichri to observe the peculiarities of the different disciples, especially the one called Judas. Jesus considered Shallah’s question and then proceeded to answer him.

“Do you really believe that the Kingdom of God is something that you can observe with your eyes?” He asked them. “You cannot simply say, ‘There it is!’ or ‘Over there!’ No! The Kingdom of God is within you.”

Jesus watched as Lucifer suddenly appeared with several demons, who began mixing in with the Pharisees, attempting to stir them up. Lucifer ignored the customary warrior angels who accompanied Jesus and the disciples, and instead wandered over near Judas. It was quite evident now to Jesus who His betrayer would be.

“I wonder the value of a Kingdom born from within?”
Lucifer purred in Judas’ increasingly frustrated heart.

Judas shifted uncomfortably. Jesus turned back to His disciples and continued teaching, loudly enough for the Pharisees and others milling around to hear.

“I tell you all, the time will come when people will search for the Son of Man but He will not be found! And just like these who are seeking a Kingdom of this world, people will run all about saying, ‘Look! There He is!’”

Jesus shook His head.

“But don’t you go after them. I promise you that the day of the Son of Man shall be like lightning that flashes in the sky lighting it up from one end to the other!” Turning to the Pharisees, He added, “But first He must be rejected by His own people and suffer much at their hands.”

Shallah scoffed at these words.

“Look here,” he said. “Either You are here to establish a Kingdom or You are not. Why do You deceive these poor men who follow You? Go home! All of you! You are wasting your time here!”

Judas looked up and saw only the fixed gazes of resolve on the faces of the disciples. His own face belied his true feelings.

“Enough of this Kingdom from within,”
Lucifer spoke, sitting next to Judas.
“The priests are correct. You are wasting your time with these unlettered men!”

“When the Son of Man does come, it will be very much like it was in Noah’s day,” Jesus continued. “They were going about their business as usual—eating, drinking, buying, selling, marrying…”

“Doesn’t sound so bad to me!” someone called from the crowd of onlookers.

The people laughed.

“Ah, but think about it,” said Jesus, looking at the young man who had made the comment. “It was all well and good until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and swept all the people away. Same with Sodom. It was well with Sodom until the day Lot departed—and then the city was overthrown!”

He turned back toward His disciples.

“This is how it shall be when the Son of Man is revealed. Two people shall be in one bed, but one shall be taken and one shall not! Or two women shall be working together, but only one of them shall be taken. The other shall be left!”

“And where will this take place?” asked Shallah.

“Wherever the dead remain, that is where the vultures gather.”

“He speaks in riddles as always,”
said Lucifer.
“He is leading you to destruction…”

Judas stood to join the group as they continued on their way. Nathaniel waited for him and the two walked together behind the others.

“Where to?” asked Judas. “Jerusalem?”

“Not yet,” said Nathaniel wearily. “Jericho.”

“Ah, Jericho,” said Judas sarcastically. “I wonder if the walls are still down?”

Nathaniel smiled at him and said, “Come on!”

“How is your little task coming along?” asked Kara, as Lucifer followed the twelve disciples who moved up the road from Jericho. Judas, as usual, lagged behind the others. He preferred his own company these days and was seriously considering leaving the band of disciples altogether.

“Judas?” asked Lucifer. “See for yourself. He is increasingly vexed and withdrawn. But I have very little to do with this change of heart.”

Kara and Lucifer continued walking along. From time to time a holy angel moved in close as if to ascertain their movements, and then pulled out again. Kara would scowl at or curse them.

“So Judas is a natural traitor?” asked Kara. “Interesting.”

“As natural as anyone with freedom to choose his destiny,” said Lucifer. “He grows weaker by the day in his love for Jesus. And I can feel his envy of the others for their closeness to Him. But mostly it is Jesus’ own teachings that are driving him away.”

“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done,” scoffed Kara. “Sounds as if Judas will not bend to that will!”

“Why should he?” asked Lucifer. “Judas has ambition to live. He follows a Man whose ambition is to die. Judas seeks position and prominence. His Master teaches humility and prudence. Judas seeks a Kingdom from without. Jesus promises a Kingdom from within.”

“Quite a dilemma,” agreed Kara. “But delightful.”

“It is the talk of death that will push him over,” said Lucifer matter-of-factly. “Just listen to the Man! How could anyone with even a spot of ambition follow such a depressing scoundrel?”

They listened in as Jesus continued speaking.

“Thus it must be,” He said. “We shall go to Jerusalem and I shall be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes and I shall be condemned to death.”

The disciples looked at each other, but said nothing. They had learned long ago they didn’t always understand what Jesus was saying. They comforted each other with the possibility that Jesus was speaking in parables once more.

“I will then be turned over to the Gentile rulers who shall mock and scourge Me and then crucify Me.”

He stopped and turned to His disciples.

“But on the third day, the Son of Man shall rise again!”