The Madonna and the Political Prisoner, Chapter 9/1

Chapter 9: James, AD 23

It’s another annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover. My brothers Simon and Judas are with me. Joe has stayed at home to look after Mother and Grandmother, widow Anna as she’s known. I intend to find my brother Joshua to discover what he’s up to. My mother made me promise I’d find him and bring news back. It’s two years since he left us and when we came up for the Passover last year there was no sign of him. Cousin Elizabeth was dead and the home sold to strangers. John was gone too, presumably back to that Wilderness community of his. My guess was that Joshua was with him, but no-one knew. We tried our distant relatives out in Bethany but they couldn’t tell us anything.

We went straight to the Temple today along with the rest of the party from Nazareth and bought doves for sacrifice and made our offerings. Then the group split up and we made our way down the winding road through the desolate escarpments to Bethany, along with many pilgrims unable to get lodgings in the city. We were made welcome last year by our distant cousin, Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mariam and Martha’s husband and they told us we’d be welcome again if we came this year. It’s a bit of a trek out of the city but during this festival period it’s safe enough as long as we travel during daylight hours.

The three of us are greeted effusively by this hospitable family and we are soon gossiping around the stove as Martha prepares an evening meal for us after we’ve washed the dust from our feet and hands. We explain that Clopas and Miriam are staying at home this year and that their sons have found other lodgings in the city. They are keen to reassure themselves about the health of Mother – they’d heard much about her in the past from Elizabeth and John. Their parents had both died the previous year and we express our condolences. It isn’t long, however, before the conversation soon veers round to the subject of Joshua and John.

Lazarus tells me all about it.

“Yes, we see Joshua now quite frequently,” he answers to my enquiry about the whereabouts of my brother. “He seems to divide his time between studying with the rabbis at the Temple and visiting the Essene community in Ein Gedi well out into the desert towards the Salt Sea. He calls on us each time he passes and breaks his journey. We’re always pleased to see him. He’s been a good friend to us and comforted my sisters after the sudden death of both our parents.”

“Where is he now?” Simon has joined me while Judas is still stowing our tents and ass in their yard.

“I last saw him about a month ago. He was joining John the other side of the Jordan. I presume you’ve heard all about John and his preaching?”

“No, what’s that about? I thought he had been inducted into the Essene community.”

“We thought so too. But apparently he left them a few months ago and started preaching in the open air down by the river. He’s become quite famous. It’s a wonder you didn’t hear about him earlier when you were in Jerusalem.”

We pause for a moment as Judas rejoins us. Despite they’re being twins, my brothers are so unlike in appearance. Simon takes after our mother, dark and thin-boned and quite animated. Judas is more like Joe and our father, thickset and stolid – well not quite as pedestrian as Joe I grant you. And me? They say I take after my mother too, dark and sharp-witted, but unlike in many other ways. Some say that we quarrel because we’re too alike, impetuous and intuitive. The trouble is our intuition is polarised. And nothing divides us more than what we feel about Joshua. I’ll have to be careful in what I say here for Joshua has obviously ingratiated himself with our hosts. I don’t want to make things awkward and appear ungrateful as they seem so pleased to see us.

“So tell us more. Have you seen John? Or has Joshua just told you about him?”

“All Jerusalem is buzzing. People are flocking out to see him every day. We see groups of people from the city from all walks of life making their way through our village to see him.”

“So what does he do? Does he think he’s a prophet or something? Is he political? Does he cause trouble?”

“He preaches and everyone hangs on his words. Apparently he’s a very powerful speaker. He tells the crowds that they’re full of sin and evil and they lap it up. He tells them to confess and repent and he immerses all those that do in the Jordan. They say it’s like a mass hysteria; grown men weep like babies when they hear him. Even the authorities from Jerusalem go out to listen to him, though I think they are wanting to keep an eye on what he’s up to, in case he threatens trouble with the Romans.”

“And is Joshua mesmerised by him too?”

“I don’t think so. He’s interested in what John has to say, but I don’t think he agrees with everything he does. John’s brought many of the rituals from the Essene community to his actions and words. All the ritual washing he’s got from them. And Joshua says he uses many words in his preaching from our prophet Isaiah, words he learned from the Essene teaching. He seems to be demanding that people repent and prepare themselves for a new beginning.”

“I’d like to hear him for myself.” Simon looks at me and adds, “Why don’t we all stay on after the Passover and go out to see what it’s all about?”

“Mother has asked me to find Joshua, so if he’s with John, that’s what we’ll have to do. I will, anyway. I promised Mother.”

“It’ll just be for an extra couple of days. We can afford that surely.”

“That’s assuming Joshua doesn’t come back here for the Passover. Aren’t you expecting him back for the festival, Lazarus?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s not like him to miss such an occasion and he knows he’d be welcome here.”

And Lazarus was right. Joshua turned up the very next day.

* * * * *

And he’s only been here less than an hour before we quarrel. I suppose it’s my fault. It always is, so Mother says. As long as we’re indoors in the company of Lazarus and his sisters, I manage to keep my temper. However, he goes out into the yard and I follow him.

“Why haven’t you come home? Your mother’s worried sick. It’s over two years since we’ve heard from you. Have you totally abandoned us? Don’t you care about us any more?”

“James, Mother knew I had to come here. I told you all. I didn’t keep it a secret. I have to spend time with the rabbis at the Temple. She agrees with that, in fact she’s always been anxious that I live out the life that’s been anticipated for me.”

“But why so long? Anyway, you haven’t been at the Temple all the time. You’ve been wasting your time out in the wretched desert with fanatics and escapists.”

“I’ve been much of the time with Cousin John. We are bound together by our mission.”

“Mission? What sort of word is that? You’re not still on about the Messiah thing, are you? Be a rabbi if you must. I think you’re opting out of your family responsibilities, but I suppose it’s a respected calling. Most rabbis get married, settle down and father children. Why can’t you do that rather than disappear into the Judean Wilderness and get hooked up with a rabble rouser?”

“I respect John. He’s taken on some of the most powerful people in the country and is telling them things they do not want to hear. He’s courageous.”

“It sounds more like foolhardiness to me. You’re stupid to get involved with him. I always said that you would finish up in trouble. Just don’t involve us in it is all I ask now.”

“If you don’t want to be involved, I won’t involve you. It’s as simple as that. I can invite you, but I’ll never force anyone.”

“Anyway, are you coming home now?”

“Not yet. I need to go back and spend some more time with John.”

“In the name of Baal and Beelzebub,” I explode, “haven’t you wasted enough time with that fake prophet? He thinks he is, the fool, and you’re just as bad. You’re arrogant, you’re selfish, you’re a disgrace to your family!”

Simon and Judas hear my raised voice and come out to see what’s going on. I turn to them.

“This traitorous brother of ours intends to abandon us once more and go back to squander his life in the desert. He doesn’t care about you or me, his mother or his grandmother. All he thinks about is the fame and glory of deceiving people into thinking he’s the Messiah.”

“James, can’t you keep your voice down. Lazarus and Mariam can hear every word you’re saying. We shouldn’t be revealing family conflict at Passover time.” Simon tries to pacify me.

“Well, don’t you think your brother deserves our scorn? Or don’t you think family values and traditions come first any more?”

“What do you say to that, Joshua?”

“Simon, you and your brothers have families to care for. You live in Nazareth and are close to our mother and grandmother. You are conscientious. I know they are well cared for. I have no dependents. I am being called by God to something very different. Would you that I turn my back on God’s voice and finish up like Jonah? Do you really need me? If my presence is essential, then I will come. But you’ll have to have good reason.”

“It would be good to have you at home. The children miss you. Mother misses you.”

“I miss you all too. But I have to obey God. That has to come first.”

I can contain myself no longer.

“So, how do you know what God’s telling you to do? Couldn’t it be your pride, your own wishes for aggrandisement?”

“That’s why I need to stay here. I have to test my calling. I have to be sure that it’s not just my inclination, my will, my pride as you put it. I can only do that by debating with the Temple rabbis, reading the scriptures and listening to their interpretations, seeing John at work, trying to understand the ascetics at Ein-Gedi.”

“You don’t sound very sure.” Judas has made his first intervention.

“I’m not. I nearly am, but I have to be completely sure, otherwise when things get difficult, as they will, I’ll not have the conviction to persevere.”

I don’t know how long our arguments would have persisted, but at that moment Martha calls us to say that the meal is ready. We call a truce and manage to be civil to each other over the next couple of days during the festival itself. We have the Passover meal with Lazarus and his family and we all go to the Temple during the subsequent days, make further offerings and watch the pilgrim crowds. The Temple is a bustling place, full of life and energy, but Joshua seems unhappy with it all. I thought he would have been extra devout within its walls, but he seems uneasy there and wants to get away as soon as he’s spent time in the inner parts of the sanctum. He hasn’t bought any sacrifices either. When I question him about that, he says it’s unnecessary – God just wants the sacrifice of our lives. Just! Hark at him. If he doesn’t finish up arrested by the Romans, he’ll get accused of blasphemy by the priests. Does he think he knows better than them?

We’re due to go back home tomorrow and I make a last effort to persuade him to join us. It’s obvious, however, that he’s made his mind up.

“Why don’t you come and see for yourself? I understand that if I’d not come back for the Passover, you were planning to look for me in the Essene community. In that case, why not come out and judge for yourself. Come and listen to John. See if you think it makes sense. Don’t judge him without hearing what he has to say. Don’t judge me without seeing this bigger picture and trying to understand it.”

“It makes sense, James,” says Simon and I see Judas is ready to go along with Joshua’s suggestion.

“You’re just as curious as all the rest of the city population,” I say, waving my hand at another throng of people tramping past our house towards the desert.