Mythicist? I don't follow him.
The Rebels ....from the imagination of a badger
- Thread starter badger
- Start date
In the end it just shows a person can get the gospels to say whatever they want them to say -- by ignoring or rejecting as corrupted the bits that don't agree -- and everyone is certain theirs is the correct take. It's been going on for ever, imo
badger
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Speeches
From now on we all stayed together, and Yeshua embarked upon a vigorous touring campaign, sending us ahead to villages in groups, and whichever group stopped at the nearest village would go to its centre and begin to call out the message that Yeshua, the Lord's own messenger, was on his way to heal the sick, caste out demons, offer social advice and give the good news that with the Lord's help the working people could gain back our land, poor-laws, rules and values.... Meanwhile the others would range ahead, making sure that he would be given lodgings, food and a decent audience.
Big Simon was always cautious. On more than one occasion he spied informants running out of villages, and he would let them go, then insist that we all get right away from that township, or even as far as Genessaret where our boats gave us some protection from surprise. When we were by the lake villagers would come to the shoreline, for healing or listening to Yeshua. As usual John and James called out Yesh's speeches to crowds on-shore.
It was at about this time that Big Simon began to warn Yeshua of increasing numbers of informants and priests hiding within the crowds, obviously reporting everything that he said. Yeshua discussed this with his close circle and then promised them that he would have an answer to all this by the following day.
The next morning it was agreed that we would bring crowds to the shores of Gennesaret and Yesh and some disciples would remain in boats just offshore, but that the rest of us could go ashore and mingle with the crowd to identify informants if possible. Big Simon understood the risks that Yeshua would be exposed to as the movement grew.
'Crowds Conceal Killers!' was his maxim. Judah the one time hitman would smile when Big Simon said such things, because large crowds and the dagger had been his living in times past. Judah had offered to go into the crowds as well, but Yeshua forbade it for obvious reasons.
Yeshua wanted to make speech to the crowds about the treachery, corruption and greed of the priesthood without directly calling out for rebellion, so that if he was later accused of treachery no witnesses could allege that he had incited insurrection. But there were problems with this technique and even though we knew exactly what he wanted we could not always interpret his meanings.
The problem with many of the people was that they wanted change and looked great as they postured their intentions, but more experienced followers like Judah and Big Simon knew that when facing the slightest risks most would disappear. The question was, how to sift out those who would give in easily from those who would stand firm.
One morning Yeshua faced a large crowd, many crying out for him to go ashore and heal them, or calling for their ancient rights to be returned to them. Yeshua held up his hands, calmed the crowd down, and then, through James and John he told the tale of the farmer who sowed seed, some of it onto shallow ground, some among choking thorns and places where it failed, and onto good soil where it grew up and produced ten times the number of seeds. Most of us looked around at each other's reactions, but nobody seemed to understand the reason for the story. The crowd did listen, but didn't show any reaction..... the whole shoreline was stilled to silence. I don't think they understood any message in that story. When they realised that Yesh was not going ashore the crowd slowly dispersed to find shelter and food. Later on, when both our boats were lashed together and we were anchored offshore for the night, Thomas asked Yesh about the story of the seed.
'Nobody understood! We didn't even understand! Why did you tell that story?' he asked.
'If you didn't understand that, how are you going to grasp the rest of the speeches?' answered an exasperated Yeshua.
'Look, I can't say to a crowd full of spies that we're looking for followers who will stand fast under pressure, who will hold up the spirits of scores of others in any conflict, or we'll definitely be reported as rebels! So I'm trying to send messages without actually spelling them out. I was hoping that brighter minds might grasp the connection!'
'Do you think your technique can work?' Jude asked.
'Yes.... definitely! We want the best minds, strongest hearts and bravest souls'. answered Yeshua,
'We need men who can hold others firm, and as 'seeds' they will build into a huge 'tree', just like a mustard seed does. And then this movement can grow and expand even when we need rest. Most of these people are weak and will break at the first sign of trouble. We need strong minds and bodies! I'm tired of this area just now. Let's sail over to the East shore...... I know that the pickings are small there but we need to throw the authorities off our trail.'
We hauled in our anchors and made sail. Yeshua was tired from the mental strain of it all and lay down in the stern of James' boat. He was soon soundly asleep.
From now on we all stayed together, and Yeshua embarked upon a vigorous touring campaign, sending us ahead to villages in groups, and whichever group stopped at the nearest village would go to its centre and begin to call out the message that Yeshua, the Lord's own messenger, was on his way to heal the sick, caste out demons, offer social advice and give the good news that with the Lord's help the working people could gain back our land, poor-laws, rules and values.... Meanwhile the others would range ahead, making sure that he would be given lodgings, food and a decent audience.
Big Simon was always cautious. On more than one occasion he spied informants running out of villages, and he would let them go, then insist that we all get right away from that township, or even as far as Genessaret where our boats gave us some protection from surprise. When we were by the lake villagers would come to the shoreline, for healing or listening to Yeshua. As usual John and James called out Yesh's speeches to crowds on-shore.
It was at about this time that Big Simon began to warn Yeshua of increasing numbers of informants and priests hiding within the crowds, obviously reporting everything that he said. Yeshua discussed this with his close circle and then promised them that he would have an answer to all this by the following day.
The next morning it was agreed that we would bring crowds to the shores of Gennesaret and Yesh and some disciples would remain in boats just offshore, but that the rest of us could go ashore and mingle with the crowd to identify informants if possible. Big Simon understood the risks that Yeshua would be exposed to as the movement grew.
'Crowds Conceal Killers!' was his maxim. Judah the one time hitman would smile when Big Simon said such things, because large crowds and the dagger had been his living in times past. Judah had offered to go into the crowds as well, but Yeshua forbade it for obvious reasons.
Yeshua wanted to make speech to the crowds about the treachery, corruption and greed of the priesthood without directly calling out for rebellion, so that if he was later accused of treachery no witnesses could allege that he had incited insurrection. But there were problems with this technique and even though we knew exactly what he wanted we could not always interpret his meanings.
The problem with many of the people was that they wanted change and looked great as they postured their intentions, but more experienced followers like Judah and Big Simon knew that when facing the slightest risks most would disappear. The question was, how to sift out those who would give in easily from those who would stand firm.
One morning Yeshua faced a large crowd, many crying out for him to go ashore and heal them, or calling for their ancient rights to be returned to them. Yeshua held up his hands, calmed the crowd down, and then, through James and John he told the tale of the farmer who sowed seed, some of it onto shallow ground, some among choking thorns and places where it failed, and onto good soil where it grew up and produced ten times the number of seeds. Most of us looked around at each other's reactions, but nobody seemed to understand the reason for the story. The crowd did listen, but didn't show any reaction..... the whole shoreline was stilled to silence. I don't think they understood any message in that story. When they realised that Yesh was not going ashore the crowd slowly dispersed to find shelter and food. Later on, when both our boats were lashed together and we were anchored offshore for the night, Thomas asked Yesh about the story of the seed.
'Nobody understood! We didn't even understand! Why did you tell that story?' he asked.
'If you didn't understand that, how are you going to grasp the rest of the speeches?' answered an exasperated Yeshua.
'Look, I can't say to a crowd full of spies that we're looking for followers who will stand fast under pressure, who will hold up the spirits of scores of others in any conflict, or we'll definitely be reported as rebels! So I'm trying to send messages without actually spelling them out. I was hoping that brighter minds might grasp the connection!'
'Do you think your technique can work?' Jude asked.
'Yes.... definitely! We want the best minds, strongest hearts and bravest souls'. answered Yeshua,
'We need men who can hold others firm, and as 'seeds' they will build into a huge 'tree', just like a mustard seed does. And then this movement can grow and expand even when we need rest. Most of these people are weak and will break at the first sign of trouble. We need strong minds and bodies! I'm tired of this area just now. Let's sail over to the East shore...... I know that the pickings are small there but we need to throw the authorities off our trail.'
We hauled in our anchors and made sail. Yeshua was tired from the mental strain of it all and lay down in the stern of James' boat. He was soon soundly asleep.
badger
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The 5000
It was late morning when we landed to the East of Capernaum, just beside where the Jordan flows into Northern Gennesaret, and by now there was quite a gathering along the shoreline which had followed our boats, probably for more spectacles and healing.
'Let's sail on to the other side of Jordan's mouth by the Gergesene,' suggested Yesh, 'Just my closest followers. Let's get away, out of Galilee for a short time. We could talk and see how we all feel after some rest.'
Some of the juniors including myself asked to be dropped ashore so that we could go back to Capernaum. I wanted to check on Imma who I had not seen for several days. The others took the second boat up to Bethsaida to see family and friends.
At Capernaum there was a fairly strong wind that night that blew from the West and I woke early because of it and walked down to the shore to check that all was safe, and to my surprise Yesh was returning that same dawn, and the crew landed their boat. A few of the others had also wandered down to the boats to see if everything was secure, and Yeshua who approached and greeted us. His disciples said nothing to each other or to us, but went about their various tasks as if they had been in a disagreement or had been moved by some event.
Eventually I got the story out of Cephas. They had sailed just beyond Jordan and landed in a quiet place at midday, but word of their arrival had spread and by early afternoon there was a large crowd gathered for free healing and any other spectacles. To Big Simon's dismay Yeshua told his disciples to rest while he went among the crowd and spoke with them, healing, counselling and answering questions. He was with the crowd until late afternoon when an exasperated Big Simon took Cephas to find him, which was easy to do just by looking at where the throng was at its most dense, and they demanded that he return with them and send the crowd home because the people must be hungry by then.
Yeshua had asked the disciples to find food for all the people which was quite impossible because none of the disciples had any, and no money to buy anything since Judas's money bag was somehow empty. Thomas had guessed that it would have cost over 200 denarii to buy enough food for all.
Yeshua had insisted that they search for food and they produced five small loaves which a young boy sold to them and two fishes taken from the boat's wet-well. Yeshua called to the crowd to organise themselves into groups and to sit down.
When he had the whole crowd's attention he held a loaf high in the air and broke it up, handing it to disciples to take to nearby people. Then he held up the next loaf, broke and distributed it in the same way, then the third.
An amazing thing happened; other people who must also have had food with them, having watched Yeshua gain so much attention as he broke bread and gave it out, they stood up as well, and holding some food high for all to see, and started to hand it out as well. The wish for attention and reputation raced through the crowd, and before long anybody who had anything to eat was standing, holding it high and giving it out. 'Look! I am giving as well! I can afford to give!' ...and so on, until food was being handed out throughtout the multitude! Amazing!
But the disciples had not had the chance to eat anything themselves, although Cephas had seen Judah stuffing some bread into his own mouth as he walked through the groups of people. Within a short time anybody who had brought food had given it out but the disciples had not kept anything back. As usual Thomas was mumbling and the discontent grew through the team
Once he had torn and distributed the bread, and the two large fish (which Galileans liked to eat fresh and raw), Yeshua sat upon the ground, crossed his legs, relaxed and seemed to go to into a trance, but with a wonderful countenance upon his face.
Cephas told me that he was so amazed at how easily Yeshua had caused an impromptu feast 'out of nothing' that he just sat down beside him and waited for him to 'come back' to them all. Other disciples sat together and spoke in low voices. Cephas heard Big Simon talking with Andrew, James and John, and heard him mention words like 'incredible' and 'brought thousands of people into action in minutes'. Clearly Big Simon still hoped that Yeshua would end up commanding a huge army.
'Others seemed angry', Cephas told me, '...and Judas spoke loudly. 'He made us give our food up! I'm hungry! This is crazy!'
Judas was swaying the majority of the disciples to his way of thinking.
When the crowd had finished eating, the disciples being mostly boatmen, had taken fish baskets from the boat and walked through the crowds collecting disgarded scraps of food, because as already mentioned, when scattered over the water they attract fish for easy netting. But to look at these baskets of discarded scraps made hungry disciples even more irritable. So Yeshua had sent them all on their way to net the waters off Capernaum and get themselves a good meal, promising to find his own way over after he had spent some time alone.
Cephas and the eleven had launched the boat and headed for Capernaum. A Westerly wind built up that night and before long they were rowing steadily into it, the boat's bows lifting and falling in steep short seas, buffeting spray up over them. Progress was slow, and the wind was continuing to build. They had to row because there was no point in trying to sail into a head-wind. The dawning moon lit up the sea astern of them, and Cephas explained how John was looking astern to see how they were progressing when he let out a scream of alarm.
Everyone had stopped and stared where he pointed, back towards the East, and there in the sea something raced towards them bursting the waves apart as it closed with their boat. Jude and Thomas collapsed in the bows, yelling about lake demons. And then something crashed through the wave crestsand raced up to pass them by, with limbs rising up and thrashing down into the sea, it had stopped and called out to them.
It had been Yeshua, swimming through the waves on his way to Capernaum. I have told you before that Yeshua was the strongest and fastest swimmer that I ever knew, so Cephas's tale didn't surprise me at all.
Only Big Simon could swim, like a dog can paddle through water, but Yeshua could race through water by kicking his legs and using his arms like wheels, rising forward and then thrusting down and underneath. Even in the short Gennesaret waves the way that Yesh swam looked so easy. Cephas felt that it must be easy to do. Cephas had called out to Yeshua to wait and let him come to him, and had dropped over the side of the boat and made to swing his arms as he had just seen Yeshua doing, but almost immediately he lost control and began to sink. He called out in terror to Yeshua, who raced in to grasp Cephas and tug him back to the boat. Yeshua was furious with his friend for such a crazy attempt.
The whole crew had been so amazed by what they had just seen, transfixed to stillness as they stared at Yeshua while he had sat down on a thwart and rung out his loincloth, then untied his tight rolled tunic and sandals which had been tied to his girdle. Cephas admitted to me that they had nearly all lost faith in Yeshua over his giving away their bread and fish despite their own hunger, and after such a difficult month had begun to believe that he was not the one to unite the people. But having seen him swim so far so fast so easily and with such bravery as they had never seen before, their trust had been strengthened. It was like a miracle, but then, Yeshua son-of-man was miraculous!
They all took to the oars, two men to each blade, and by false dawn were closing with Capernaum where I stood on the shore. The disciples were tired, sightly annoyed with and amazed at Yeshua, all at the same time.
By mid morning yet more desperate people were bringing their sick with hopes of cure, and Yeshua was immersed into healing duties. Over the next month he travelled from village to village, and people gathered their sick and demon-possessed in the market areas for him to free from their sicknesses and sins. Folk clustered around to touch him, even the hem of his cloak in the hope of his salvation. But nobody wanted to risk anything of theirs for Yeshua's mission, to bring back and fulfill all the old laws. They didn't even seem to care about any return of their poor-laws.
It was late morning when we landed to the East of Capernaum, just beside where the Jordan flows into Northern Gennesaret, and by now there was quite a gathering along the shoreline which had followed our boats, probably for more spectacles and healing.
'Let's sail on to the other side of Jordan's mouth by the Gergesene,' suggested Yesh, 'Just my closest followers. Let's get away, out of Galilee for a short time. We could talk and see how we all feel after some rest.'
Some of the juniors including myself asked to be dropped ashore so that we could go back to Capernaum. I wanted to check on Imma who I had not seen for several days. The others took the second boat up to Bethsaida to see family and friends.
At Capernaum there was a fairly strong wind that night that blew from the West and I woke early because of it and walked down to the shore to check that all was safe, and to my surprise Yesh was returning that same dawn, and the crew landed their boat. A few of the others had also wandered down to the boats to see if everything was secure, and Yeshua who approached and greeted us. His disciples said nothing to each other or to us, but went about their various tasks as if they had been in a disagreement or had been moved by some event.
Eventually I got the story out of Cephas. They had sailed just beyond Jordan and landed in a quiet place at midday, but word of their arrival had spread and by early afternoon there was a large crowd gathered for free healing and any other spectacles. To Big Simon's dismay Yeshua told his disciples to rest while he went among the crowd and spoke with them, healing, counselling and answering questions. He was with the crowd until late afternoon when an exasperated Big Simon took Cephas to find him, which was easy to do just by looking at where the throng was at its most dense, and they demanded that he return with them and send the crowd home because the people must be hungry by then.
Yeshua had asked the disciples to find food for all the people which was quite impossible because none of the disciples had any, and no money to buy anything since Judas's money bag was somehow empty. Thomas had guessed that it would have cost over 200 denarii to buy enough food for all.
Yeshua had insisted that they search for food and they produced five small loaves which a young boy sold to them and two fishes taken from the boat's wet-well. Yeshua called to the crowd to organise themselves into groups and to sit down.
When he had the whole crowd's attention he held a loaf high in the air and broke it up, handing it to disciples to take to nearby people. Then he held up the next loaf, broke and distributed it in the same way, then the third.
An amazing thing happened; other people who must also have had food with them, having watched Yeshua gain so much attention as he broke bread and gave it out, they stood up as well, and holding some food high for all to see, and started to hand it out as well. The wish for attention and reputation raced through the crowd, and before long anybody who had anything to eat was standing, holding it high and giving it out. 'Look! I am giving as well! I can afford to give!' ...and so on, until food was being handed out throughtout the multitude! Amazing!
But the disciples had not had the chance to eat anything themselves, although Cephas had seen Judah stuffing some bread into his own mouth as he walked through the groups of people. Within a short time anybody who had brought food had given it out but the disciples had not kept anything back. As usual Thomas was mumbling and the discontent grew through the team
Once he had torn and distributed the bread, and the two large fish (which Galileans liked to eat fresh and raw), Yeshua sat upon the ground, crossed his legs, relaxed and seemed to go to into a trance, but with a wonderful countenance upon his face.
Cephas told me that he was so amazed at how easily Yeshua had caused an impromptu feast 'out of nothing' that he just sat down beside him and waited for him to 'come back' to them all. Other disciples sat together and spoke in low voices. Cephas heard Big Simon talking with Andrew, James and John, and heard him mention words like 'incredible' and 'brought thousands of people into action in minutes'. Clearly Big Simon still hoped that Yeshua would end up commanding a huge army.
'Others seemed angry', Cephas told me, '...and Judas spoke loudly. 'He made us give our food up! I'm hungry! This is crazy!'
Judas was swaying the majority of the disciples to his way of thinking.
When the crowd had finished eating, the disciples being mostly boatmen, had taken fish baskets from the boat and walked through the crowds collecting disgarded scraps of food, because as already mentioned, when scattered over the water they attract fish for easy netting. But to look at these baskets of discarded scraps made hungry disciples even more irritable. So Yeshua had sent them all on their way to net the waters off Capernaum and get themselves a good meal, promising to find his own way over after he had spent some time alone.
Cephas and the eleven had launched the boat and headed for Capernaum. A Westerly wind built up that night and before long they were rowing steadily into it, the boat's bows lifting and falling in steep short seas, buffeting spray up over them. Progress was slow, and the wind was continuing to build. They had to row because there was no point in trying to sail into a head-wind. The dawning moon lit up the sea astern of them, and Cephas explained how John was looking astern to see how they were progressing when he let out a scream of alarm.
Everyone had stopped and stared where he pointed, back towards the East, and there in the sea something raced towards them bursting the waves apart as it closed with their boat. Jude and Thomas collapsed in the bows, yelling about lake demons. And then something crashed through the wave crestsand raced up to pass them by, with limbs rising up and thrashing down into the sea, it had stopped and called out to them.
It had been Yeshua, swimming through the waves on his way to Capernaum. I have told you before that Yeshua was the strongest and fastest swimmer that I ever knew, so Cephas's tale didn't surprise me at all.
Only Big Simon could swim, like a dog can paddle through water, but Yeshua could race through water by kicking his legs and using his arms like wheels, rising forward and then thrusting down and underneath. Even in the short Gennesaret waves the way that Yesh swam looked so easy. Cephas felt that it must be easy to do. Cephas had called out to Yeshua to wait and let him come to him, and had dropped over the side of the boat and made to swing his arms as he had just seen Yeshua doing, but almost immediately he lost control and began to sink. He called out in terror to Yeshua, who raced in to grasp Cephas and tug him back to the boat. Yeshua was furious with his friend for such a crazy attempt.
The whole crew had been so amazed by what they had just seen, transfixed to stillness as they stared at Yeshua while he had sat down on a thwart and rung out his loincloth, then untied his tight rolled tunic and sandals which had been tied to his girdle. Cephas admitted to me that they had nearly all lost faith in Yeshua over his giving away their bread and fish despite their own hunger, and after such a difficult month had begun to believe that he was not the one to unite the people. But having seen him swim so far so fast so easily and with such bravery as they had never seen before, their trust had been strengthened. It was like a miracle, but then, Yeshua son-of-man was miraculous!
They all took to the oars, two men to each blade, and by false dawn were closing with Capernaum where I stood on the shore. The disciples were tired, sightly annoyed with and amazed at Yeshua, all at the same time.
By mid morning yet more desperate people were bringing their sick with hopes of cure, and Yeshua was immersed into healing duties. Over the next month he travelled from village to village, and people gathered their sick and demon-possessed in the market areas for him to free from their sicknesses and sins. Folk clustered around to touch him, even the hem of his cloak in the hope of his salvation. But nobody wanted to risk anything of theirs for Yeshua's mission, to bring back and fulfill all the old laws. They didn't even seem to care about any return of their poor-laws.
badger
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The Mountain
Yeshua was not succeeding. None of us could heal like he could, and the small successes that we achieved happened when he was with us. And although people would listen to his appeals for support over the main mission of total fulfilment of the old laws especially the poor laws, their polite nods and calls of encouragement went no further. I think that their spirit was broken, and they all knew what happened to people who rebelled against authority..... if Antipas decided on a sentence then it could be a merciful beheading, but in any more serious uprising Romans would be involved and that would lead to a dreadful and humiliating death on a cross or stake, every second an agony as it took many hours or even days to die. Only people prepared to die fighting could dare to make any stand against the authorities.
Some of us were beginning to lose hope.
Yesh journeyed slowly in his attempts to recruit followers and eventually officials who sought to gather evidence would catch up. They were always grasping at something.....
Yeshua's disciples were receiving gifts of food and drink from the locals and eating as they walked.
'So your disciples eat without washing first, eh? You're above our rules are you?', they called out. Yeshu had seen enough of their hypocrisy to have any care about their opinions. He walked straight over to them, stood before them, then turned to some onlookers....
'These pretentious hypocrites sound good, but they follow and enforce rules made for their own benefits, which are nothing to do with our real laws. Traitors! They break our poor laws while looking to enrich themselves at your expense!'
Yeshu was angry now. Like the Immerser had been, he was not always able to keep calm when faced with liars, cheats, bullies and hypocrites. He looked to the priests in front of him.
'Listen to me! Unclean and evil thoughts cannot enter us from outside. They can only grow within your own minds! What enters your bodies simply passes out again! Evils grow within!,' Yesh turned to the onlookers,
' Do not take any notice of these hypocrites!'
Yeshu continued to travel and make speeches throughout Galilee, and the disciples went with him to assist in every way since they were useless on their own. And once again we found ourselves faced with a large crowd and Yeshu wanted to organise a mass meal, there and then. Just as before, he encouraged the crowd to sit, and just as before he held a loaf of bread high in the air, broke it and sent disciples out to distribute it.
And as before others started to stand up, hold bread and food high and break it..... and almost as many were fed as that time before, only this time the disciples nibbled at the food as they distributed, and thus saved themselves from hunger. We juniors ran back to the boats to bring back fish baskets and then collect food-scraps, hoping for a decent fish-catch the next day.
The priests and officials continued to follow us around, determined to witness any crime. They realised by now that if Yesh should succeeed that their protected lifestyles could be at risk; that was enough to commit them to his and the group's downfall. And the risk of assassins was reason enough for Yeshu and us to stay close together. Big Simon, Judah and Cephas all carried short swords openly to show that any attackers would end up feeling very poorly indeed.
At one point after we had all returned to the boats a very aggressive group of priests armed with clubs and knives approached, challenging Yesh to give them a sign from heaven if he was the true Meshiah. This kind of challenge was intended for the priests to build up their courage to attack us, but Yesh told them straight that they would not be shown anything. He then told us all to get aboard the boats and we rowed out to get clear of them. We sailed right over to the Eastern shore so that we were clear of the dangers.
With regard to Yeshua's refusal to produce any heavenly sign, I think that he was also giving up on most of the Galilean peasants at that time, because they had become self centred, and lost their unity as 'people of the Lord'. I would honestly say that we had lost the protection of the old laws because of our own carelessness as much as the greed and corruption of our leaders.
We hoisted sail and ran free and easy in the North Westerly breeze for the Eastern shore, Judah and Jude found a last loaf of bread which had survived the great feast on the shore, and despite having some bread to share around they were miserable about the situation. I think Yeshu was joking when I heard him say, 'Watch that loaf, there.... it might have the yeast of the Pharisees within!' meaning that they might have poisoned it. But Judas was yet again displeased that we had given our food rations out to others. Yeshu had never been worried about provision of food, because the lake was rich with fish, and he knew that a good enough catch could be had in no time.
'Don't you get it? he asked Judas. 'What happened last time when we collected 12 baskets of scraps ...eh? We got one of the biggest catches you people have ever seen! And how many baskets did we collect this time?'
Big Simon told Yesh that we had seven baskets.
'So.... ,' answered Yesh, 'when we run into the Eastern shallows, we will bait the waters, leave them for a time and then run the nets around them...... and you are worrying about food? Like that lot back on shore your hearts are hardened with 'self'! You need to see the bigger picture! Don't you get it?'
We sailed on for the eastern shoreline to one of the biggest catches we would ever see. We ran inshore, baited the waters and some time later layed the great net out and hauled in to make that great catch. Then Cephas, John, James and Andrew worked the two boats and the rest of us walked along the the shoreline and up the river into Bethsaida while they sailed the two heavily laden boats slowly along the shore thrusting off the shallows with oars. We sold our catch to the local traders and payed the Fisheries charge which was reasonable for once because of our weapons and numbers, which left us with enough to stuff our money bag full, which brightened Judah's countenance immensely.
Later, some of us walked into the village with Yeshu. A group of people brought a man to Yeshu, begging him to touch the man.
'Why?' Yeshu asked.
'He loses his sight...... Can you restore it?' asked an old man.
'Why does he lose it?' asked Yeshu.
'We don't know, but he is terrified of crowded places, and sometimes crawls into corners of buildings and clutches himself, and in worst cases he becomes blind.' answered the old man. 'Can you cure him?'
'Where does he live?' asked Yesh. The old man pointed to the east, inland from the village.
'He lives with his mother in a small house, some way from the village. He is quite happy in the fields, but becomes agitated when she sends him on errands to our market.'
Yeshu reassured the blind man, and taking his hand, led him out of the village towards his home. The people all followed but Yeshu explained that he needed to be alone with the man. Yeshu, Cephas and the man left the village together, and we all sat down to wait for their return.
We chatted amongst ourselves, the main subject being our outstanding catch. When Yeshu and Cephas returned without the man Cephas told us that they had taken the man home. Yesh had spat saliva in the man's eyes, gently rubbed them, spoken quietly to him and calmed him down, and then slowly the man's vision had returned. After some more gentle rubbing the man could see clearly again and Yeshu told him that he was not to go into the village anymore, no matter what his mother or anybody else said. Yeshu was truly amazing.
The next day Yesh suggested that he and his closest should visit new townships and villages in the north around Cesaerea Philipi. I wanted to go along, but Cephas sent me back to the boats with the other younger crew members, and told us to take both boats back to Capernaum and wait there. I dearly loved working the boats, but having such skills could be a disadvantage when I wanted to go with Yesh.
We rowed and sailed the boats back to Capernaum and I took my share of the money to Imma and stayed with her. A few days later after they returned I heard about their travels.
On their way to the northern villages they had talked about the mission and Yeshu had asked what the local people were saying. The disciples had been proud to announce that he was being called Jochanan the Immerser, the promised Elijah and other great titles, and Cephas had told him that he and the other disciples called him 'Meshiah'. Apparently Yeshu had explained that this was very dangerous for their mission, because they needed to win the people's minds in large numbers and get clear before the authorities could arrive and take him. Yeshu had continued to explain 'yet again' that the reason they had left Galilee was because the spirit of the people seemed to be broken and the authorities now searched for him.
Cephas was upset when Yeshu told them that he was almost certain to be arrested soon, his mission rejected by the hypocrite priests and that he would be executed. Cephas had insisted that Yeshu should not talk like that, and given him a pep talk to raise his spirits, but Yeshu had told him to get his feet back on the ground, and to see the real situation for what it was, or they would be lost.
A group of people had followed during their journey towards the north, and Yeshu stopped walking, turned back to the people and called them around him. He was very serious and had spoken loudly to them.
'If you people want to follow me, then you need to give up everything!' He called out, 'This is a deadly serious mission! If you want to still keep your old lives then go home now, but you will then lose the chance of gaining a wonderful life, the old life given to you by the Lord in the past. However, for those of you who are prepared to give up your old lives and ways there is the opportunity to regain the Lord's way which was layed down for us centuries ago and taken away by invaders and careless priests. Make up your minds before you go a step further....... which do you want? Follow us and you may die... but if any of you deny my mission now then you will one day be the ones to be denied! The old ways of the Lord will have returned during your lifetimes!' Almost the entire crowd had stayed still, where they were, and let Yeshu and the disciples walk on, alone.
Cephas told me that they had continued their mission to the north of Cesaerea Philppi, and spent one day at the base of Great Mount Hermon. Cephas was bound to silence by Yesh but we had always trusted each other. He described how Yeshu had taken James, John and himself up the mountain to the very top, a climb which took them till late afternoon, so that they could see the land all around, all the way to the Great Sea, and discuss how they might continue from there. Yeshu had also confided in them that he felt sure that eventually he was bound to be arrested. They had talked, and Yeshu had asked them to go a little way down the west side of the Peak so that he could be alone with his thoughts. Standing further down and looking up towards him, Cephas and the the brothers saw Yeshu lit up by the last rays of the setting sun as they rose up the side of the mountain, and at the very last they could see Yeshu, standing at the very top and facing to the West, he was lit up, his clothing shining brighter than seemed possible, his hair as if on fire, a splendid sight to behold. And it looked as if two figures stood with him.
Cephas had believed that those figures were Elias and Moses, but later, when he had described this to me and I asked how he knew who the figures were, he just grumbled at me and asked, 'Who else they could have been?!'
He was clearly more upset that they had not brought enough sails to make tents for the visitors, but in any event they hadn't followed Yesh down from the mountain.
It was clear the three boatmen were so taken by the sight of Yeshu in those moments that they felt afraid, for he truly looked just as any of them could imagine the Meshiah to look. And then, as darkness fell over the mountain top, low cloud drifted over the mount's upper levels and dowsed all into cold streaming fog.
Next morning they had returned to the others who were surrounded by a group of people and a considerable disturbance. The other disciples had tried, but failed, to caste an evil spirit out of a boy. Yeshu managed to free the boy from it but he layed upon the ground as if dead until Yeshu had spoken quietly to him and then helped him to his feet, alive again!
Yet again it had been shown that the disciples could not heal successfully enough to bring faith and trust into the crowds as Yeshu did. Soon after this Yesh and the others crossed the border into Galilee and came back down to Capernaum. All the way back Yeshu had been worried that they would be discovered and taken.
Cephas told me in a further confidence that the some of the others had started squabbling on the way back, about who was the senior person. It sounded as if they wanted to decide who would lead the mission if Yeshu was taken. Judas had been one of the loudest, and Big Simon had needed to shut him up several times. Yeshu had told them all that to be the first person, one had to be prepared to be the last person to give in, the foundation stone of the mission. He had hugged a small child to himself and explained that those who welcomed such as her truly embraced the Lord's mission to save the people from oppression. Several disciples didn't understand this point, including Cephas, but I could see it. Yeshu was showing how the whole population had to peacefully walk towards salvation, regardless of their losses, rather than recruit a few thousand hard men to be slaughtered in a couple of battles.
As they walked on, John had told Yeshu that some of them had met with a healer who was casting out demons in Yeshu's name, and that John had stopped him. That was typical of John who apart from me was the youngest in the group, he could be a tough, confrontational and aggressive type of guy. Yeshu was so irritated by this and stopped the whole group to tell all that any successful healer who worked in his name had to be doing good because he would be furthering the cause, confusing the authorities about his whereabouts as well as helping people. Yeshu was quite often becoming frustrated with his disciples' lack of foresight.
It was great when Yeshu was safe back in Cephas's home, and Ruth cooked every dish that she knew he liked, and produced what wine she had for his enjoyment. We were all a bit dejected and depressed about how things had gone. Most of the disciples had originally thought that because they supported Yeshu they would also be able to heal like him, talk as he did, and excite the crowd. That belief was now quite dead. And clearly the people had lost any interest in Yeshu's mission and only gathered for free healing and entertainment, not to offer their lives for any cause.
Yeshua was not succeeding. None of us could heal like he could, and the small successes that we achieved happened when he was with us. And although people would listen to his appeals for support over the main mission of total fulfilment of the old laws especially the poor laws, their polite nods and calls of encouragement went no further. I think that their spirit was broken, and they all knew what happened to people who rebelled against authority..... if Antipas decided on a sentence then it could be a merciful beheading, but in any more serious uprising Romans would be involved and that would lead to a dreadful and humiliating death on a cross or stake, every second an agony as it took many hours or even days to die. Only people prepared to die fighting could dare to make any stand against the authorities.
Some of us were beginning to lose hope.
Yesh journeyed slowly in his attempts to recruit followers and eventually officials who sought to gather evidence would catch up. They were always grasping at something.....
Yeshua's disciples were receiving gifts of food and drink from the locals and eating as they walked.
'So your disciples eat without washing first, eh? You're above our rules are you?', they called out. Yeshu had seen enough of their hypocrisy to have any care about their opinions. He walked straight over to them, stood before them, then turned to some onlookers....
'These pretentious hypocrites sound good, but they follow and enforce rules made for their own benefits, which are nothing to do with our real laws. Traitors! They break our poor laws while looking to enrich themselves at your expense!'
Yeshu was angry now. Like the Immerser had been, he was not always able to keep calm when faced with liars, cheats, bullies and hypocrites. He looked to the priests in front of him.
'Listen to me! Unclean and evil thoughts cannot enter us from outside. They can only grow within your own minds! What enters your bodies simply passes out again! Evils grow within!,' Yesh turned to the onlookers,
' Do not take any notice of these hypocrites!'
Yeshu continued to travel and make speeches throughout Galilee, and the disciples went with him to assist in every way since they were useless on their own. And once again we found ourselves faced with a large crowd and Yeshu wanted to organise a mass meal, there and then. Just as before, he encouraged the crowd to sit, and just as before he held a loaf of bread high in the air, broke it and sent disciples out to distribute it.
And as before others started to stand up, hold bread and food high and break it..... and almost as many were fed as that time before, only this time the disciples nibbled at the food as they distributed, and thus saved themselves from hunger. We juniors ran back to the boats to bring back fish baskets and then collect food-scraps, hoping for a decent fish-catch the next day.
The priests and officials continued to follow us around, determined to witness any crime. They realised by now that if Yesh should succeeed that their protected lifestyles could be at risk; that was enough to commit them to his and the group's downfall. And the risk of assassins was reason enough for Yeshu and us to stay close together. Big Simon, Judah and Cephas all carried short swords openly to show that any attackers would end up feeling very poorly indeed.
At one point after we had all returned to the boats a very aggressive group of priests armed with clubs and knives approached, challenging Yesh to give them a sign from heaven if he was the true Meshiah. This kind of challenge was intended for the priests to build up their courage to attack us, but Yesh told them straight that they would not be shown anything. He then told us all to get aboard the boats and we rowed out to get clear of them. We sailed right over to the Eastern shore so that we were clear of the dangers.
With regard to Yeshua's refusal to produce any heavenly sign, I think that he was also giving up on most of the Galilean peasants at that time, because they had become self centred, and lost their unity as 'people of the Lord'. I would honestly say that we had lost the protection of the old laws because of our own carelessness as much as the greed and corruption of our leaders.
We hoisted sail and ran free and easy in the North Westerly breeze for the Eastern shore, Judah and Jude found a last loaf of bread which had survived the great feast on the shore, and despite having some bread to share around they were miserable about the situation. I think Yeshu was joking when I heard him say, 'Watch that loaf, there.... it might have the yeast of the Pharisees within!' meaning that they might have poisoned it. But Judas was yet again displeased that we had given our food rations out to others. Yeshu had never been worried about provision of food, because the lake was rich with fish, and he knew that a good enough catch could be had in no time.
'Don't you get it? he asked Judas. 'What happened last time when we collected 12 baskets of scraps ...eh? We got one of the biggest catches you people have ever seen! And how many baskets did we collect this time?'
Big Simon told Yesh that we had seven baskets.
'So.... ,' answered Yesh, 'when we run into the Eastern shallows, we will bait the waters, leave them for a time and then run the nets around them...... and you are worrying about food? Like that lot back on shore your hearts are hardened with 'self'! You need to see the bigger picture! Don't you get it?'
We sailed on for the eastern shoreline to one of the biggest catches we would ever see. We ran inshore, baited the waters and some time later layed the great net out and hauled in to make that great catch. Then Cephas, John, James and Andrew worked the two boats and the rest of us walked along the the shoreline and up the river into Bethsaida while they sailed the two heavily laden boats slowly along the shore thrusting off the shallows with oars. We sold our catch to the local traders and payed the Fisheries charge which was reasonable for once because of our weapons and numbers, which left us with enough to stuff our money bag full, which brightened Judah's countenance immensely.
Later, some of us walked into the village with Yeshu. A group of people brought a man to Yeshu, begging him to touch the man.
'Why?' Yeshu asked.
'He loses his sight...... Can you restore it?' asked an old man.
'Why does he lose it?' asked Yeshu.
'We don't know, but he is terrified of crowded places, and sometimes crawls into corners of buildings and clutches himself, and in worst cases he becomes blind.' answered the old man. 'Can you cure him?'
'Where does he live?' asked Yesh. The old man pointed to the east, inland from the village.
'He lives with his mother in a small house, some way from the village. He is quite happy in the fields, but becomes agitated when she sends him on errands to our market.'
Yeshu reassured the blind man, and taking his hand, led him out of the village towards his home. The people all followed but Yeshu explained that he needed to be alone with the man. Yeshu, Cephas and the man left the village together, and we all sat down to wait for their return.
We chatted amongst ourselves, the main subject being our outstanding catch. When Yeshu and Cephas returned without the man Cephas told us that they had taken the man home. Yesh had spat saliva in the man's eyes, gently rubbed them, spoken quietly to him and calmed him down, and then slowly the man's vision had returned. After some more gentle rubbing the man could see clearly again and Yeshu told him that he was not to go into the village anymore, no matter what his mother or anybody else said. Yeshu was truly amazing.
The next day Yesh suggested that he and his closest should visit new townships and villages in the north around Cesaerea Philipi. I wanted to go along, but Cephas sent me back to the boats with the other younger crew members, and told us to take both boats back to Capernaum and wait there. I dearly loved working the boats, but having such skills could be a disadvantage when I wanted to go with Yesh.
We rowed and sailed the boats back to Capernaum and I took my share of the money to Imma and stayed with her. A few days later after they returned I heard about their travels.
On their way to the northern villages they had talked about the mission and Yeshu had asked what the local people were saying. The disciples had been proud to announce that he was being called Jochanan the Immerser, the promised Elijah and other great titles, and Cephas had told him that he and the other disciples called him 'Meshiah'. Apparently Yeshu had explained that this was very dangerous for their mission, because they needed to win the people's minds in large numbers and get clear before the authorities could arrive and take him. Yeshu had continued to explain 'yet again' that the reason they had left Galilee was because the spirit of the people seemed to be broken and the authorities now searched for him.
Cephas was upset when Yeshu told them that he was almost certain to be arrested soon, his mission rejected by the hypocrite priests and that he would be executed. Cephas had insisted that Yeshu should not talk like that, and given him a pep talk to raise his spirits, but Yeshu had told him to get his feet back on the ground, and to see the real situation for what it was, or they would be lost.
A group of people had followed during their journey towards the north, and Yeshu stopped walking, turned back to the people and called them around him. He was very serious and had spoken loudly to them.
'If you people want to follow me, then you need to give up everything!' He called out, 'This is a deadly serious mission! If you want to still keep your old lives then go home now, but you will then lose the chance of gaining a wonderful life, the old life given to you by the Lord in the past. However, for those of you who are prepared to give up your old lives and ways there is the opportunity to regain the Lord's way which was layed down for us centuries ago and taken away by invaders and careless priests. Make up your minds before you go a step further....... which do you want? Follow us and you may die... but if any of you deny my mission now then you will one day be the ones to be denied! The old ways of the Lord will have returned during your lifetimes!' Almost the entire crowd had stayed still, where they were, and let Yeshu and the disciples walk on, alone.
Cephas told me that they had continued their mission to the north of Cesaerea Philppi, and spent one day at the base of Great Mount Hermon. Cephas was bound to silence by Yesh but we had always trusted each other. He described how Yeshu had taken James, John and himself up the mountain to the very top, a climb which took them till late afternoon, so that they could see the land all around, all the way to the Great Sea, and discuss how they might continue from there. Yeshu had also confided in them that he felt sure that eventually he was bound to be arrested. They had talked, and Yeshu had asked them to go a little way down the west side of the Peak so that he could be alone with his thoughts. Standing further down and looking up towards him, Cephas and the the brothers saw Yeshu lit up by the last rays of the setting sun as they rose up the side of the mountain, and at the very last they could see Yeshu, standing at the very top and facing to the West, he was lit up, his clothing shining brighter than seemed possible, his hair as if on fire, a splendid sight to behold. And it looked as if two figures stood with him.
Cephas had believed that those figures were Elias and Moses, but later, when he had described this to me and I asked how he knew who the figures were, he just grumbled at me and asked, 'Who else they could have been?!'
He was clearly more upset that they had not brought enough sails to make tents for the visitors, but in any event they hadn't followed Yesh down from the mountain.
It was clear the three boatmen were so taken by the sight of Yeshu in those moments that they felt afraid, for he truly looked just as any of them could imagine the Meshiah to look. And then, as darkness fell over the mountain top, low cloud drifted over the mount's upper levels and dowsed all into cold streaming fog.
Next morning they had returned to the others who were surrounded by a group of people and a considerable disturbance. The other disciples had tried, but failed, to caste an evil spirit out of a boy. Yeshu managed to free the boy from it but he layed upon the ground as if dead until Yeshu had spoken quietly to him and then helped him to his feet, alive again!
Yet again it had been shown that the disciples could not heal successfully enough to bring faith and trust into the crowds as Yeshu did. Soon after this Yesh and the others crossed the border into Galilee and came back down to Capernaum. All the way back Yeshu had been worried that they would be discovered and taken.
Cephas told me in a further confidence that the some of the others had started squabbling on the way back, about who was the senior person. It sounded as if they wanted to decide who would lead the mission if Yeshu was taken. Judas had been one of the loudest, and Big Simon had needed to shut him up several times. Yeshu had told them all that to be the first person, one had to be prepared to be the last person to give in, the foundation stone of the mission. He had hugged a small child to himself and explained that those who welcomed such as her truly embraced the Lord's mission to save the people from oppression. Several disciples didn't understand this point, including Cephas, but I could see it. Yeshu was showing how the whole population had to peacefully walk towards salvation, regardless of their losses, rather than recruit a few thousand hard men to be slaughtered in a couple of battles.
As they walked on, John had told Yeshu that some of them had met with a healer who was casting out demons in Yeshu's name, and that John had stopped him. That was typical of John who apart from me was the youngest in the group, he could be a tough, confrontational and aggressive type of guy. Yeshu was so irritated by this and stopped the whole group to tell all that any successful healer who worked in his name had to be doing good because he would be furthering the cause, confusing the authorities about his whereabouts as well as helping people. Yeshu was quite often becoming frustrated with his disciples' lack of foresight.
It was great when Yeshu was safe back in Cephas's home, and Ruth cooked every dish that she knew he liked, and produced what wine she had for his enjoyment. We were all a bit dejected and depressed about how things had gone. Most of the disciples had originally thought that because they supported Yeshu they would also be able to heal like him, talk as he did, and excite the crowd. That belief was now quite dead. And clearly the people had lost any interest in Yeshu's mission and only gathered for free healing and entertainment, not to offer their lives for any cause.
I was wondering how you were going to explain the loaves and fishes. The people were hiding their food, unwilling to share it, until Jesus held up and broke the bread …
The transfiguration = a trick of the light …
Walking on water = Jesus was a good swimmer …
Oh well
The transfiguration = a trick of the light …
Walking on water = Jesus was a good swimmer …
Oh well
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Ella S.
Well-Known Member
But divine intervention is the whole message of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation? If the drive is to reject divine intervention, by using the Bible ...?
Ella S.
Well-Known Member
Ella S.
Well-Known Member
@badger your interpretation of the miracle of the bread and fishes is the same one that I had when I first heard the story as a young Christian. To me, the story was always about how kindness multiplies. I am no longer Christian now and realize that I read too much into the story but I think it's a good lesson, nonetheless, even if the original passage itself is meaningless to me now.
Since you mrntioned earlier how this was one of your favorite scenes, I was waiting for this one.
Very atmospheric writing! I got a good view of the scene, with the sweeping vista over the countryside below. Somehow, my picture of the scene has always included mists and an overcast sky. But I like yours as well.
What's your opinion (in general, not wrt to the story you are telling here) on the interpretation that the "huts" Peter wanted to build for the three were for celebrating Sukkoth?
badger
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Hello, and thank you for your comments.
I do believe that parts of the story of Jesus really happened, but I'm a Deist, don't believe in divine intervention and have always wondered how the accounts came to be. It's just '...from the imagination of a badger'.
When I see and hear about what has been happening throughout history (and in Ukraine) I feel sure that there is no kind of divine intervention.
badger
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badger
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Thank you for the above......... I think that the boatmen had a place to sleep, take shelter and collect together wherever they went, because they had sails to adapt to tents. With that in mind they could have always carried a sail with them, maybe.....possibly......
I know about adapting sails for tents because when I was an idiot kid I used to clear off out of the estuary with a mate for days, and we always camped under sail-tents. On the side of all this, washed out with tiredness we landed on a top secret military research island and went to sleep under a sail tent by the dinghy, only to be woken up very suddenly in the night by security forces....the Daily Express ran a front page article about national security over all that.......... oh dear..... the daftness of youth.You've never met anybody who believes that the Bible is centred around divine intervention?
See it's not whether a person believes it really happened that way -- God met Moses on the mountain -- but the effort to prove somehow that the Bible does not say it happens that way? That the Bible really intends exactly the opposite of what it says?
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