The Redeemer (25 page)
“How bad, Lord?” Thaddeus could barely get the words out.
“There will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. Keep in mind that before the soldiers come to surround Jerusalem, false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the believers. Remember, I have told you ahead of time. As lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. When you see all these things, you’ll know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”
Jesus paused before asking, “Have you understood all this?”
Some heads nodded robotically. Some eyes stared at something off in the distance, unable to respond. I looked closely at each face then went over and sat down next to Jesus.
“In answer to Your question—no, they don’t understand,” I said to Him. “I know humans. You gave them too big a bite. They can’t swallow it. The words got in, but they’re stuck between the ears and the brains. If I were You, I’d forget about trying to share the big picture and give it to them one nibble at a time.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Jesus sighed as He stood up and faced His men. “This is how it is. The Passover is two days away, and I will be handed over to be crucified. Now, come with Me. I want to spend the night in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper.”
Inviting no further discussion, Jesus led the way, and they followed, but I lagged way behind, a bit shaken by what had happened.
I didn’t imagine it. Jesus acknowledged me.
T
HE HARDEST THING
about being a demon with good news is there is no one to share it with. The only person who would care that Jesus acknowledged my existence was Satan, and he’d be mad about it. I could write the script for how he would react if I told him.
“Now you’ve blown your cover, and you’re of no use to me. Go away.”
Demons aren’t friends with one another, so there was no one among the demonic ranks who could be my confidant. If I shared my joy with a fellow demon, the first thing he would do is report me to Satan, who would accuse me of plotting against him before telling me how useless I was. Was there no one in the world whom I could tell? Maybe Jesus would tell someone. I got excited at the possibility.
I wonder if Jesus ever talks about me with the disciples when I’m not around. If He does, though they might not see me, they would take Jesus’ word that I existed, and I would be a part of the team. He could be telling them about me right this minute.
I flew as fast as I could to catch up with them in Bethany. I wasn’t sure of the address, but I figured anyone known as Simon the leper would be easy to find. His would be the house everyone walked across the street to avoid. By the time I got there, I could hear the noise of a party going on. I suppose when one is a leper, he doesn’t let an opportunity to entertain guests pass by.
Jesus reclined at the table, dipping a slice of apple into a bowl of honey. Simon’s friends treated the disciples like celebrities, so they were happy to be waited on as the people encouraged them to tell of their exploits with the Messiah. Simon sat at the head of the table right next to Jesus. I sat down between them, though I admit to crowding Jesus’ personal space a bit. After all, Simon had come by his name honestly. I was squeamish about getting too close to him, though Jesus didn’t seem to mind. Simon told Jesus how he rarely had company anymore and how much he appreciated the honor of having God drop in. I was about to dip a digit into the honey bowl myself when someone at the door caught my eye.
The guests were so busy listening to the disciples embellish their ministry successes that no one noticed her until she was halfway across the room and headed for the table where Jesus and Simon reclined. Right away I could tell she was not a stay-at-home Jewish mom by the way she dressed—or didn’t. She had no head covering at all and not enough covering of any other kind over the rest of her. Her black hair was thick and hung in ringlets past her shoulders and down her back. She had earrings and makeup and a dress that shimmered in the candlelight. I hadn’t seen a woman as beautiful as this one since Bathsheba. She held an alabaster jar in her hands filled with perfume that drifted all through the room. Before anyone could stop her, she knelt down on the floor beside Jesus.
“Jesus, son of David,” she said softly.
By now, all eyes were on her. The guests were aghast. Simon was mortified, and the disciples were stepping all over themselves trying to close ranks around Jesus, which is where they should have been all along instead of showing off for their fan club.
“How did she get in here?” Simon asked his servant.
“A woman like that…tsk, tsk,” clucked a friend to Simon’s wife. “I must say, you are very tolerant of your husband’s—uh, shall we say, acquaintances.”
“What are you implying?”
“Nothing at all; just that they must be good friends if she feels free to waltz into your house whenever she wants.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Simon’s wife retorted. “Do you think a woman who looks like that would give the time of day to my old leper?”
“I’m just saying—if the money’s enough…”
“Puh-leez. Take a good look at her, then take a look at him. There’s not enough money in all of Israel.”
“Get her out—now!” Simon ordered his servant.
The servant reached for her, but Jesus raised His hand to stop him. Everyone else froze in place.
“Lord,” she murmured, as the tears began to stream from her eyes.
Have I mentioned that I am excellent judge of women? From Eve to Sarah to Jael, I can count on one claw the number of times I’ve misread a woman’s intentions. I looked deeply into that woman’s eyes, and I can tell you what I saw was a deep love for Jesus. But not the kind of love a woman in her profession is famous for. I knew how she felt, because it was exactly the kind of love I have for God. Unexplainable. Willing to risk humiliation and rebuke for the chance to be near Him. I would have done the same thing. Come to think of it, I was doing the same thing. Jesus did not touch her but spoke gently.
“Do what you came here for.”
I tell you, there were a few tense moments there for the disciples and me. We’d traveled with Jesus long enough to know there was simply no way to predict how a person was going to react to Him. A naked man running out from the tombs would be an example. I felt fairly confident the woman wouldn’t take off what few clothes she had on, but when she stood up and moved around behind Jesus, every eyeball in the room was on her like a laser. When she poured the entire jar of perfume into His hair and combed it through with her fingers, Simon’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell face-forward into his soup.
The full bloom of the scent of perfume was almost intoxicating. Actually, for me it wasn’t a case of
almost.
Over the centuries I’ve learned that I have a particular sensitivity to the bouquet of some flowers. Once the fragrance filled my head, I went tiptoeing through the tulips of my mind and began to feel much better about life in general. I wasn’t nearly as tense over Jesus’ impending public relations disaster as I’d been moments before. I settled back on a nice pillow and wondered why all the others didn’t whiff deeply and relax.
“Can’t we all just get along?” I sang out to the guests. It didn’t matter that no one heard me. I was so at ease that when Judas stood to his feet and threw his napkin to the floor I wasn’t unnerved by the hostile rebuke.
“Why this waste?” he demanded. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
“Why are you bothering this woman?” Jesus shot back. “She has done a beautiful thing to Me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me. Leave her alone.”
“Leave her alone,” I echoed to show Jesus my support. Feeling unusually bold, I stood up on the table and admonished everyone in the room about their rude behavior.
“Listen, earth people, you’re all overreacting to this trivial matter. I’m an expert in these things, and I assure you it’s entirely innocent,” I said as I stumbled over the cheese and fruit platter. Shaking a fig off my hoof, I continued my address. “What we need to do is take one big group sniff. When I count to three, let’s inhale. Ready? One, two…” Then I saw him.
Reywal was standing beside Judas. I sobered up instantly.
“See how Jesus doesn’t care that His behavior is embarrassing?” Reywal whispered.
“If You knew what kind of woman this is,” Judas said to Jesus.
“If
you
knew this woman’s heart, her humility would shame you,” Jesus retorted. “When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.”
No one saw that coming. The dropped jaws dropped lower.
“Judas, when you are reviled by the whole world, she will be remembered and honored for what she has done.”
His face turned a deep crimson, and saying nothing more, Judas ran out the door with Reywal right behind.
I tore out after them, hoping they weren’t going where I knew they were going. When Judas arrived at the gate outside the high priest’s house, he placed his hands on his knees and breathed deeply, then rapped twice on the wooden door.
“State your business,” said the guard.
“I’m expected.”
The guard opened the door, recognized Judas, and opened wider.
“I’ll let them know you’ve come back.”
Back? When was he here? How did I miss it?
Judas was nervous, jumping at the slightest noise from the street behind him.
If Reywal would leave, maybe I could reason with Judas.
It was only a moment, but it seemed forever before the guard returned.
“They are waiting for you.”
Judas and Reywal followed the guard down a dark corridor into the lavish parlor of the high priest. Caiaphas and his subordinate priests sat at a marble table.
“We’ve been expecting you, Judas,” Caiaphas said. “For the record, tell us why you’re here.”
“You know why.”
“I see. Does that mean you’re prepared to turn Jesus in for His crimes?”
“I don’t want to be implicated.”
“Don’t be concerned. Tell us where to find Him where there will be no crowds around Him. We’ll handle the rest.”
Judas became defensive.
“Is that it? Do you think this is easy for me?”
“Not at all; it takes great courage to do the right thing.” Caiaphas flattered him.
“If I do this, I won’t have access to the money anymore. I have expenses—a ministry to the poor; nothing for myself, you understand.”
“Of course, your concern for others is well known.”
“Yes, yes, well known,” another priest said. “Always concerned about the less fortunate.”
“And Jesus too; if I didn’t think this was for His own good, I would never consider—”
“How much?” Caiaphas interrupted.
“What will you give me?” Judas asked sheepishly.
Caiaphas pulled a velvet drawstring bag from inside his cloak.
“I believe you’ll find we’re generous men. Shall we say thirty pieces of silver?” He stretched out his hand to give him the bag. Judas hesitated.
“You know I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t believe it was the best thing for Israel.”
“And you are right.”
“I admire Him, you know. It’s just that lately, He’s lost focus. Someone has to do something before it’s too late. It’s for His own good. Did I say that already?”
“Yes, yes, we understand. You’ll be remembered forever for your bravery.”
Judas reached for the bag. I couldn’t let it happen. I didn’t care what Reywal thought or what he might tell Satan. I jumped in front of Judas and pleaded with him.
“Don’t do it Judas. You’re deceived. History will never forgive you.”
He grabbed the money and ran away.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Reywal spun me around and shoved me against the table. His eyes said it all. Livid.
“I, uh, well.” I couldn’t think of a thing to say.
“You are
so
found out. Satan’s is going to hear about your disloyalty and how you tried to undo all my work.”
“No, no, you don’t understand.” I grabbed his wing to keep him from leaving. “I wasn’t in my right mind. Thankfully you were here to prevent Judas from hearing me.”
He glared at me suspiciously.
“Let go of my wing,” he growled.
“Sorry, here. Let me fluff your feathers.” He pushed my claw away. “Have I mentioned my severe allergy to certain flowers? Well, when that woman opened that jar of perfume, I became ill and disoriented—developed a splitting headache, could hardly focus…”
“I was there.”
“Oh, right. You were,” I fumbled. “Then you know I got caught up in the moment. What do you say we forget the whole thing, and I’ll stay out of your way from now on?”
“Take it up with Satan.”
He flew away.
But I flew faster. Terror is a formidable energy source.
I
T’S A WONDER
I didn’t have a stroke. I reached the ledge of the second heaven before Reywal, but I was gasping for breath and experiencing vertigo to the point I had to close my eyes and lie down to get over my dizziness. Reywal took advantage of my condition by stepping on me as he raced past, heading for Satan’s den. As soon as I could walk a straight line, I rushed over, hoping to get there before Reywal could finish tattling on me. My only chance to assuage Satan’s certain anger would be to tell my side of the story, although at that moment I wasn’t sure what my side of the story was going to be.
I managed to get past the guard by wheezing like I couldn’t talk. I made my way into Satan’s throne room just as Reywal was giving his closing remarks. He pointed at me.
“That’s him, Your Evilness. The traitor you see darkening your doorway as we speak, tried to undermine my work.”