Maximus

by Richard L. Black

  They had already discussed the need for prayer. It was part of the Jews’ tradition. Ezra explained the prayer and demonstrated the movements they should make with head and hands. “You will improve as the days wear on but for now just follow along. They won’t pay any real attention to us, nor do they understand our traditions, so they won’t know if you are making a mistake, but they will be able to sense your intent. Be focused while praying with me. Our people are focused when we pray.” Neither Jacob nor Levi was familiar with prayer. The prayers of Roman soldiers were more curses or warnings: “By the gods!” or “May the gods be merciful.” Levi, Jacob was sure, gave the gods no thought at all. Since the murder of his family, he had shown contempt toward every god.

  Ezra moved toward the bow of the ship away from the crew and stood erect, facing the rising sun. Jacob and Levi followed. He pulled his head covering over his head and glanced at the two of them. The three men stood with heads covered and bowed. Then Ezra began to chant softly in Hebrew, which neither of them understood. He made a palms-up motion with his hands, and at his subtle encouragement they followed suit. Ezra continued chanting and looking to the sky as if he could actually see someone looking back. Jacob and Levi kept their heads bowed, one eye on Ezra to anticipate any movement of body or hands they would have to imitate. Ezra’s chants sounded more like a song than a speech, his voice lilting up and down as he recited the prayer. Jacob had no idea what he was saying. What would you say to a god if you wanted to tell him something? Or ask him something? He assumed Ezra’s prayer was a recital from memory, but at times it sounded like he was actually talking to someone, perhaps even pleading. Soon Ezra put his hands reverently together. Jacob and Levi did the same. Hands were raised upward to the sky, then slowly lowered and folded on the chest, then palms outward and up again, then folded. Finally a long silence with hands crossed and folded over their chests. Ezra touched the shoulders of Jacob and Levi to indicate that the prayer was finished. They retreated to the same area where they sat the day before to begin the long day. Jacob wondered again how he was going to get some exercise. Levi was like a stabled horse that wanted to break down the gate and run. He kept moving his feet. Jacob saw he was going to have to address their restlessness.

  Food was brought up from below: bread, dried fish, and some fruit, which surely wouldn’t last for the entire voyage. A sailor placed a small basket of food at their feet. Not a feast but enough to satisfy three men. Ezra took the bread and broke it, handing a piece to each of them. They ate in silence.

  After a time Ezra spoke. “Gentiles, that’s what we call everyone who is not of the house of Israel. It’s not a derogatory term; it’s just a word we use. We are knit together with the golden thread of a long history of tribulation and trials, from the days of Adam and Eve to the great patriarchs Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who later was named Israel. It is a rich heritage.”

  Jacob and Levi stared at Ezra blankly. The thought of learning all the Jewish gods was daunting. But it was something to distract them from the daily boredom of the voyage.

  “Let’s get started, shall we?” Ezra said.

  Ezra began from the beginning, telling them of Adam and Eve, the first parents of all humankind, and of their sons Cain and Abel and the murder of Abel by Cain. Jacob and Levi found the story interesting. The Jewish gods seemed human, at least. Ezra explained that these individuals were not gods in the Roman sense. They were prophets and patriarchs of the large Jewish family.

  After their midday meal, Ezra told them of Noah and the great flood. Jacob was taken aback by a god that would destroy his people out of anger; in that sense the Jewish god seemed no different from Roman gods. Ezra explained that the flood was a cleansing. “The children of God had become evil and no longer heeded the warning of the prophet Noah. In fact, they mocked everything he said and did. Jehovah decided to make a fresh start. But being merciful, he promised mankind that a purging by water of such magnitude would never happen again.”

  “So your God Jehovah made a mistake?” Jacob observed.

  “No, not a mistake,” Ezra clarified. “He destroyed children who had become so evil there was no turning them around. In his infinite wisdom, he made a new covenant to future generations. The Jewish God is a covenant God. He makes promises with us based on our ability to obey his laws.”

  “Why are the gods so controlling and demanding of people?” questioned Levi. “It seems they want complete obedience but give little in exchange.”

  Ezra intently scrutinized the men before him. They are so naïve, he thought. They had grown up in a pagan environment with little or no understanding of their own gods, let alone the one true God. Romans considered themselves such an advanced race, yet they couldn’t see that their true gods were the sword and the gold they stole with it. They would not understand fealty to a true God when worldly riches were not the reward. They invented mythical gods to justify behavior contrary to godliness. He shook his head in frustration. He had to remind himself that his job was not to convert Jacob and Levi but to give them a basic understanding of the Jewish way of thinking and aid them in their disguise and mission.

  Ezra regrouped. “Let’s not discuss God philosophically. I merely wish to provide you with a basis for understanding my people.”

  Jacob preferred philosophical discussions of God, such as those he’d had with his mother when he was a youth. He could tell Ezra’s knowledge of this Jehovah was far greater than he was choosing to share. Jacob decided to find time alone with him to have a deeper conversation.

  Ezra’s comment seemed to satisfy Levi, who nodded his head and was ready to proceed. Ezra sensed, however, that Jacob was reasoning on a far different plane. He decided to filter out the details and stick to the surface level of Jewish history. What was important to the mission of these two Romans was understanding the claims of Jesus of Nazareth, whom they were tasked with investigating, and why these claims were of such concern to Pilate, whose directive they were following. That might prove to be the simpler path. Ezra realized he would have to keep Jacob on track and fill in the details when opportunities presented themselves.

  “Jacob, Levi.” Ezra addressed them directly and quietly to avoid any curious ears. “Your mission is clear. You are emissaries from the emperor Tiberius to investigate a threat to the Roman prefecture of Judaea. This threat is in the form of a man named Jesus of Nazareth, the son of a carpenter. On the surface this mission may seem straightforward. However, there are details to the story that don’t add up, even for me. I am Jewish, and I have my own ideas about what is being professed by him and his followers, who call themselves disciples. He is not the rebel leader Pontius Pilate would have you believe. He is a peaceful man with peaceful teachings, but he commands with an authority that is almost palpable, and I can understand why Pilate is concerned. Pilate is a weak ruler but is a kind man when it suits him and is somewhat sympathetic to the Jews over whom he rules; he has even aided in the improvements to our temple. But when he perceives threats to his power, he overreacts. Even though having the ear of Rome and the friendship of the son of a powerful senator should be confirmation to him of the security of his status as prefect, his fear overcomes his reason.”

  Jacob interrupted, “What makes Pilate so afraid of this carpenter’s son? Are these disciples armed? Are they plotting against Pilate and Rome?”

  “Legitimate questions, my son.” Ezra put his hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “You and your good brother, Levi, will have to answer them for yourself.”

  Ezra checked their immediate surroundings with a sweeping gaze under his heavy eyebrows. He arose, gesturing for Jacob and Levi to remain seated. He looked out to the sparkling horizon, contemplating his next topic of discussion. He inhaled deeply the fresh sea air and then returned to sit with his charges.

  He began his tale. “Long ago in Jewish history, thousands of Jews were enslaved and put to work building the land of Egypt. A great Jewish prophet named Moses was raised from an infant as an Egyptian,
but when he grew to manhood, he discovered his true heritage, and it became the driving force of his life. He was eventually called by Jehovah to obtain from Pharaoh the release of his countrymen so they could return to the land of their inheritance—the land of Judaea, as we know it. I will spare you the story of Moses’s negotiations with Pharaoh. Suffice it to say that with the aid of Jehovah, Moses ultimately prevailed, and Pharaoh let the children of Israel leave Egypt.

  “Moses led thousands of Jewish men, women, and children out of Egypt. It was a monumental undertaking. Almost as soon as Pharaoh granted them leave to go, he sent his armies after them, whether to collect them or destroy them, we will never know.”

  Levi interjected, “What happened? Did the army overtake them? Did they do battle?”

  “You are a curious student, Levi. That is good. It will aid in your understanding.” Ezra smiled at the large man sitting cross-legged to his right. “Moses guided the massive throng to the borders of the Red Sea where the soldiers of Pharaoh caught up with them. Moses called upon Jehovah for deliverance a second time. Miraculously, the waters of the sea parted, and the children of Israel crossed to the other side on dry land. When the armies of Pharaoh pursued them, the sea consumed them, every one.” Ezra paused to let the scene sink in. He knew this story to be absolutely true. He felt that Jacob and Levi would more than likely accept it on the basis of its similarity to stories told of the feats of Roman gods, but it didn’t matter to Ezra whether the two Romans believed him or not.

  Jacob asked, “What did the Jews do then? How long did it take them to arrive in the land of their inheritance?”

  “They immediately got down on their knees and thanked God for delivering them,” Ezra answered. “The story of their journey to the land of Israel is a little more complicated.”

  “As are all journeys,” Jacob noted.

  Ezra looked at Jacob with a twinkle in his eye. “Yes, Jacob, as are all journeys.” He continued. “It was forty years before the children of Israel entered the promised land.”

  “Forty years?” Levi exclaimed.

  “Yes,” responded Ezra. “It seems incomprehensible, but it’s a long story.”

  “A forty-year-long story, no doubt.” Levi laughed. “So what took this god Moses so long to make the trip?”

  “Moses was not a god. He was a prophet, whose actions were directed by the Jewish God, Jehovah. During their forty-year sojourn, Moses was directed by Jehovah to climb a mountain known as Sinai. There, Jehovah met with Moses face to face and gave him stone tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments, which he wanted the children of Israel to obey. The children of Israel had lived in Egypt for so long that many had adopted Egyptian gods and pagan forms of worship. They had forgotten the traditions of their fathers. Jehovah wanted to purify his people and bring them back to the fold, so to speak.”

  “Why didn’t he just swallow them up in the Red Sea along with the Egyptian army?” interrupted Levi. “That seems to be your Jehovah’s temperament.”

  “That is an interesting observation, Levi,” Ezra rejoined, “but you’ll recall that Jehovah had made a new covenant with the children of Israel.”

  “Was that why it took forty years to arrive in Judaea?” Jacob asked. “Forty years of purification?” he added.

  “Very perceptive, Jacob. You are correct. Paganism had so infiltrated the people that Jehovah needed time, once again, to purge his people. It was another generation that finally arrived at the promised land. Sadly, Moses wasn’t among them. Ultimately the Ten Commandments he carried down from Sinai became the basis of the Law of Moses. These laws are still adhered to today and fiercely defended.”

  “What are these ten commandments?” questioned Jacob.

  Ezra smiled at his student’s inquisitive nature. He recited the commandments as they were written, without embellishment or explanation. When he had finished, he said no more. He looked at Jacob and Levi, gauging their thoughts. They both had seemed to check off each commandment and weigh it in their minds as Ezra recited it.

  “Simple, logical, and straightforward,” Jacob responded.

  “Yes,” answered Ezra. “They are simple and to the point. Frankly, any man or nation would be better if they adhered to these fundamental laws.” Ezra saw Jacob and Levi nod in agreement.

  Levi commented, “‘Thou shalt not kill.’ How does your Jehovah justify war?” He was thinking of all the men he had killed for Rome in battle.

  “Jehovah doesn’t justify war, my son.” He put his hand on Levi’s muscular forearm. “War is a tool of the devil.”

  “Does he justify killing?” Levi pressed.

  Ezra weighed what really was behind Levi’s question and proceeded cautiously. “A lot of Egyptian soldiers were killed when the Red Sea came back together after the children of Israel passed through. However, I am not qualified to answer your question as it applies to all situations.” Ezra turned his glance to Jacob, whose eyes were locked on Ezra, waiting for a deeper explanation. “God gives man life; therefore, only God can take that life away.”

  “That’s not good enough,” Levi blurted out. “Sometimes there are men that need to be killed.” Jacob knew Levi was referring to his family having been ruthlessly killed by marauders, whom Levi thought should be dealt with in the same way. He determined to inform Ezra of Levi’s experience in private.

  Ezra asked Levi, “Are you speaking of revenge?”

  “Justice!” Levi declared.

  Ezra leaned back and sighed. “That is an interesting dilemma. Again, my son,” he looked at Levi, his eyes heated with thoughts of some past enemy, “I am not qualified to answer that for you. I can only tell you that man does not look at things through the eyes of God. Perhaps if we could,” he continued, “we would be able to make better decisions and understand God’s reasoning for his actions.”

  Jacob spoke. “I think the gods are fickle and self-serving.”

  “With all due respect, my son, if a god is God, vacillation would not be in his nature. Jehovah has a purpose for his children. Jehovah requires obedience to simple principles, as would any leader of men. Obedience begets order, and order begets progress. Certainly a man of your position understands that truth.” Ezra looked directly into Jacob’s eyes and saw agreement. “God is entitled to be demanding of his children—in a way any loving parent would be. And God is entitled to jealousy.” Ezra closed his eyes, raised his face to the sky, and quietly recited: “‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God . . . ’” He kept his face toward the heavens for a moment, then lowered his head and looked deep into Jacob’s eyes.

  Jacob stared back at his mentor, realizing Ezra was an incredibly intellectual and spiritual man. He could learn a lot under his tutelage. “That would put Rome and Judaea at odds about the nature of God.”

  “Yes, my son, the most basic of all, and the first of many differences.” Ezra smiled at Jacob, enjoying his inquisitiveness and wishing he could ask Jacob more about his understanding of God, but he felt that question would be best reserved for another time.

  “You speak of your Jehovah as if he were the one true God,” Jacob challenged.

  “He is,” Ezra answered without hesitation. His conviction was so strong that Jacob hesitated to argue.

  “Jews, move your lazy bones from the deck of my ship! Do these masts remind you of the shady olive trees of your homeland?” Akhom had suddenly taken an interest in them. “Get below. This is not a barge floating a great river at sunset while royalty eat sweet dates and abuse wine.” His hand was on the hilt of his sword, and it appeared he was willing to run it through anyone who disobeyed his command. Levi gathered his robe about him and stood with Jacob and Ezra. He had the fleeting thought to reach out and crush Akhom’s larynx with one han
d.

  “My good man,” Ezra politely rejoined, choosing diplomacy over conflict, “thank you for your patience with us. We were relishing the fresh air and the smooth sailing of your skillful crew. We could indeed have thought we sat under a welcoming tree in our homeland. But we do not want to interfere with your duties in any way. We shall honor your wishes and go below for a time. However, our passage here does not require imprisonment below decks. We shall return when it is more prudent.” Ezra assumed that Akhom knew they had paid a hefty passage, almost a ransom, to be passengers on his ship.

  Ezra motioned for Jacob and Levi to follow him. Levi had to exercise exceptional restraint not to glare into the eyes of Akhom and silently challenge him. He was not afraid of this chest-pounding Egyptian. The three men slowly descended the ladder to the lower deck. It was hot and smelled of unclean humans and spoiled food. They found their sleeping area and made themselves as comfortable as possible. Jacob put his back to the hull of the ship and stretched out his legs. He looked at Ezra, who seemed content. Levi was boiling. “You won a battle without drawing a sword,” Jacob commented to Ezra. Ezra smiled as he lay down in a pile of fresh straw without saying a word.

  14

  Jershon and his family were anxious to hear the discussion of a text from the Law. As usual, the women sat on one side of the synagogue and the men on the other. The rabbi began with the usual prayers, but instead of reading from the Torah or the Prophets, he asked carefully worded questions to entrap Jesus. The representatives of the Sanhedrin sat with smug looks on their faces, waiting for Jesus to say something inconsistent with their interpretation of the Law. Jesus answered each question masterfully. He left no doubt about his knowledge and deep understanding of the Law and the Prophets, and he left his questioners with no opening for dispute. After an hour of intense questioning, they were visibly uncomfortable as they shifted in their seats, avoided his direct gaze, and did not make a rejoinder when he spoke of things peculiar to them. To his enemies he was just the carpenter’s son and a thorn in their side.