The Madonna and the Political Prisoner, Chapter 19/2

We set off at sunrise. Our party is much smaller today. All the disciples and their women, Susannah, Salome, the two Marys and me, of course, and around thirty or forty men, mainly those who’ve come with us all the way from Samaria, Ephraim and Jericho. The walk is easier at this hour of the day and the hills look strangely beautiful in the low rays of the sun, the beams picking out the different contours and valleys, the deep clefts looking black and sinister.

We are in the city by the middle of the morning and Jerusalem is already full of pilgrims from all over Judea and further parts, all come to celebrate the Passover festival. We make our way immediately to the Temple for Joshua will take his place once more on the Temple steps as it is one of the best places to catch the attention of the passers-by. As soon as Joshua begins to speak, a crowd begins to form and word spreads quickly for his fame is acknowledged here as well. He addresses the crowd for many minutes on his favourite theme, the coming of the kingdom and its nature, that it will be a society of the caring and the just where wrong-doing will be renounced and forgiven and the oppressed and the poor will have a rightful place, honoured and respected citizens equal to all in the kingdom, sharing together the privileges of the children of God.

Then one or two in the crowd begin to shout out questions and comments to him.

“What about justice here? Are you talking about now in Jerusalem or some time in the far off future?”

Other voices are raised.

“I want justice now!”

“You won’t get much reaction from this lot here!”

“You’d better start with those in the Temple!”

Then someone shouts out a specific demand.

“I’ve been cheated. The rogues in the Temple forecourt charged me double for the sacrificial doves!”

“And me,” calls another. “The money changers are charging extortionate rates. It’s criminal!”

Before long Joshua is besieged by the gaggle of angry men all complaining of the way they’ve been treated by the traders inside the Temple walls. Joshua is listening carefully to them, asking them questions. Then I hear him calling to us.

“We’re going inside. These people feel cheated. I’m going to sort things out.”

Joshua strides off ahead surrounded by his disciples and some of the men who’ve been complaining to him. James comes back to us women.

“I think you’d better stay here. There may be trouble if he intends to challenge the traders. They’re protected by the Temple Guards who’ll expel Joshua and his followers from the Temple precincts if they don’t like what he’s doing.”

“No, I’d rather stay close to him and see exactly what’s happening. They won’t hurt a group of old women.”

“I wouldn’t trust them, but if you must, stay close to me.”

We enter the Temple’s outer court. It’s pandemonium in there. The noise is horrific with the cries of the traders hawking their wares mingling with the bleating of sheep and goats, the calls of doves and the screeches of animals being slaughtered ready for sacrifice. The floor of the courtyard is dirty with animal droppings and rivulets of blood and the stink is horrible. There are angry shouts coming from men as pilgrims barter and argue over the prices they are being charged. Joshua watches all this with a look of sheer contempt on his face. Encircled by many of the men who have complained to him, he goes up to one of the traders who is selling doves and listens to the customer who is trying to buy a bird for sacrifice. The man is saying that the price is more than double of that in his own village.

“Well, you should have bought one there and brought it with you. I’ve got middle-men to pay and the Temple tax on top.”

“But it’s outrageous. You’re taking advantage of all the pilgrims. I’ll find another stall.”

“You won’t do any better. We all charge the same. The priests make certain there’s no undercutting. They have no intention of being squeezed.”

Joshua is seething, but he moves on to the next stall where a money-changer is having a similar row.

“Why do I have to change my money for Temple currency, just to give it away as my donation. What’s wrong with good Jewish coins?”

“It’s the rules. Don’t complain to me, mate. I don’t make them.”

Another trader pipes up.

“It’s purified money. You don’t know where your common currency has been. It might be contaminated by buying unclean food or paying for a whore.”

“I’d like to know what’s pure about money sold in such a scandalous manner, cheating these poor people who can ill afford it.” Joshua has spoken up after listening carefully to the customers’ complaints. “How much is your mark-up? What percentage do you add on for your own profit?”

The first trader will not answer, but another stall-holder shouts out.

“It’s not us. Don’t think it’s our fault. The priests take three quarters of the profit and we only get a quarter for our time spent here in the heat and noise all day.”

The dove-seller has overheard and comes to join in.

“It’s the same with us. We have to pay rent for every day we’re here. The priests make a packet from us. If you don’t like it, go and complain to them and don’t stop us making our legitimate pittance here.”

“Pittance? Don’t make me laugh! You’re all scoundrels, you’re in league with the priests. I know how much you make.”

Joshua is getting really angry. I’ve never seen him so furious as he is now. He storms off round the courtyard watching the other traders, listening to similar arguments raging everywhere. He spots one poor woman weeping.

“What’s the matter?” he asks her.

“I can’t afford a dove,” she mumbles, “and I didn’t realise I’d need to change my Temple gift into a different currency. I’d saved up to make a generous gift for so long and people tell me that half of it will go to the pockets of the money-changer and the value to the Temple will be so much less.”

“Don’t worry,” Joshua says gently to her. “It was your intention that counted. You have made the sacrifice, your love was sufficient. God desires your loyalty and service, not bits of dead birds and valueless Temple currency. Go and worship God in the Temple and leave this travesty of religion behind. If they demand a sacrifice from you, tell them that Yeshua, the prophet from Nazareth, has received your sacrifice and blessed you.”

The woman smiles weakly and looks at me. Joshua notices.

“Mother, take this lady inside to the Women’s Court and see she is treated fairly.”

So the group of us women accompany her and we are scarce at the gateway to the Court when we hear shouts and screams and the noise of coins clattering to the ground and rolling on the stone tiles. I look round and see Joshua striding to every stall in turn and sweeping his hand across the tables scattering the coins in all directions. His disciples are joining him and our other followers take up the action with great enthusiasm, opening the bird cages and releasing the flurry of doves now taking off into the air, untying the sheep and goats so soon there is utter confusion of people and animals, a total madhouse. The traders’ tables get knocked over. The Temple Guards coming running, but there are only half a dozen of them and the crowd with Joshua, there must be fifty, is growing by the second as the pilgrims see what is happening and join in, some releasing the animals, some grabbing at the rolling coins or snatching a bird or animal for themselves.

The crowd is now out of control. And the first guard that attempts to stop them is overpowered by the mob and the others cower back in fear.

Joshua suddenly stands still and shouts at the top of his voice for silence. The hubbub subsides and everyone stands still as if frozen in situ by his command.

“This is meant to be a house of prayer. Look at all of you! You have turned it into a den of thieves. You are all guilty. The priests and Temple authorities who permit and organise such flagrant exploitation of the devout and humble. You traders who profit from it and hide behind the excuse that you are only doing the business of the priests. And those of you who’ve now taken advantage of the chaos to steal the money and the birds and animals for sacrifice. I tell you, these beasts and birds are tainted. If you try to present them at the altar, I tell you, God will not accept these gifts, for they did not come from your heart.”

I can still hear a coin rolling on the stone flags. The doves have flown and circled in the air and some have returned to settle on the Temple ramparts or strut haphazardly round the courtyard. The other animals are wandering aimlessly around while their would-be sellers are frantically trying to round them up again. The Temple Guards have grouped but they look askance at Joshua who now has a crowd of maybe a hundred men around him and they decide they can do nothing.

Joshua, surrounded by his supporters, now moves back to the Temple steps where a large crowd of curious onlookers has assembled, hearing the noise from the precincts of the Temple. The guards have not followed, but are watching as the traders attempt to restore their stalls for business. All the pilgrims seem to have followed Joshua out, intent to see and hear what happens next.

“Fellow Jews and friends here for the Passover from other nations or parts of Israel, those of you who value true religion and not the commerce and betrayal of our faith that you see here, I beg you to offer prayers for the cleansing of our nation and of our great Temple here which should be the spiritual centre of our faith and not the cesspit of all that’s misguided and wrong in it. When I was a boy, I found scholars and men of faith who listened to and obeyed God’s will. I had a relative, much revered as a caring priest here, Zechariah of Ein-Karem. What has gone wrong? Many of you will have heard my cousin, John, known as the Baptiser, and heard him call for the nation’s repentance. Even then, I heard him complain about the hypocrisy and avarice of the priests and Temple officials, but now I see it with my own eyes and am appalled. How can supposed men of God defraud and cheat the poor? Those in charge of us should be our servants, not our exploiters. Have you not read of Isaiah’s prophecy that declares God’s messenger, the Messiah, to be the servant of all, suffering with his people? Do these priests and Pharisees who are meant to be our teachers and our guides not know these things?”

Joshua spots a white-robed Pharisee on the edge of the crowd holding his arms aloft as if in prayer.

“Why is that Pharisee thanking God that he’s one of elite and not sinners like he thinks all of us are, because he believes we desecrated the Temple? God will not hear his pompous self-justifications. Better the men and women who retire privately into their own abode and fling themselves on God’s mercy imploring him to forgive their sins that seem to them so great but pale into insignificance compared with that man’s self-righteous pride.”

The crowd turn as one and jeer at the man, who gathers his robes around him and flees. Men are shouting out their support to Joshua’s words. I’m surprised that Joshua has made his contempt for the man so obvious. He’s usually so sensitive but he’s made an enemy of this man who could be influential. No-one will tackle Joshua now, the crowd around him is too great. I see rabbis and officials scurry past, a few huddled together in deep conversation, pretending not to notice us or hear what Joshua is saying. As Joshua continues in similar vein, speaking out against the corruption of our rulers and the way in which the religious authorities not only condone but are often the chief perpetrators of what’s wrong, James finds me and grabs me by the arm.

“He’s done it now. He’s signed his own death warrant. He’s made an enemy of every man of influence in the city. If the Romans take action against him, none of the Jewish rulers will lift a finger to help him. How could he be so stupid? You’re coming back with me to Bethany now before the priests and Pharisees return with a contingent of Roman soldiers to arrest him for stirring up the mob. Every trader in the Temple courtyard will be a witness against him. You can bet that the Pharisee he so publicly humiliated just now will be complaining to his peers at this very moment, plotting how to avenge himself.”

The disciples are gathered in a huddle. The euphoria of the violent action in the Temple courtyard is draining away, as they realise the offence that’s now been caused and the threat to the very source of so much income that the priests and Levites have relied on for several years. They want to get Joshua back to the comparative safety of Bethany before the Temple Guards are strengthened by the Roman forces. After a long debate, Joshua is persuaded to go along with their wishes. We walk slowly back towards the Jericho road, still accompanied by many of the visitors to the city who see Joshua as a spokesman for their discontent. I don’t get a chance to speak to my son until at length we’re back in Bethany and Martha is ministering to his physical needs, bringing him a cup of wine and fruit while her only servant carefully washes his feet. Before I can speak, Joshua looks at me and smiles ruefully.

“You think I was unwise, Mother. They all do. It’s not just James. Even Simon Peter has had a go at me. Do you think I should have ignored such corruption in the Temple of all places? Do you think I should have condoned such practices by saying nothing?”

“I’m sure the traders who were cheating the pilgrims deserved what they got. And their masters too. The racket they are running is a disgrace. Wise or not, I’m sure you had to say it. I do not criticise you for that. But why did you single out that praying Pharisee and publicly humiliate him? He won’t forgive you for that. It’s not like you to be so condemnatory of anyone.”

“You think I was too harsh.”

“Well, certainly unwise. Did you really have to do that? Couldn’t you have had a quiet word with the man?”

“You obvious didn’t hear what he was saying, Mother. He was taking delight in condemning those around him. He knew they could hear and he was so obviously praising his own standing before God whilst judging everyone else. I had to take him to task in the hearing of those whom he was condemning. He’s like many of the religious leaders that have made compromises with the Romans, not for the benefit and protection of the people for their own greedy ends. The Romans don’t respect them. They use them to control the people but privately they hold them in contempt.”

“I understand. But is it wise?”

“No, of course it’s not wise. But I have to trust my father. I have to stand up for the oppressed, those for whom justice is an unknown concept. This will bring me into conflict with the rulers of this world, the abusers, not the abused. It will cause trouble. I always knew it would. I’ve told you all often enough. I’ve told my followers to be ready to sacrifice themselves for what is right and good. I don’t think they’ve ever really realised just what I meant. It’s coming home to them now.”

“I understand you, Joshua my son, but it’s hard. I fear for you, you’re my own flesh and blood, why should I not be afraid on your behalf?”

“My brother James is not a great help, is he? He feeds your fears and worries. You should spend more time with my disciple, John. He is one of the few that really understands me and he would help you. And Mary of Magdala and Lazarus and Mary in Bethany. I’ll have a word with John. It is going to get tough, I know that Mother, even in the next few days. I’ve not come to Jerusalem and addressed the crowds openly like this before because I knew where it would lead and I wasn’t ready. Or, more truthfully, my disciples weren’t ready. Even now, I worry about some of them. But I can’t postpone the challenge for ever. When we go into Jerusalem tomorrow, walk with John. There will be no danger to us during the day. The crowds are too strongly in our favour – the authorities won’t risk anything that could cause a riot for fear of upsetting their Roman masters."

That night I have a good look at John. I’ve never singled him out before. He’s the only unmarried one – his brother got married last year as his betrothed family put pressure on him. I’ll do as Joshua says and try to get to know him.