Maximus

by Richard L. Black

  “And what business is that, Jacob?” Jershon asked in a tone less kindly than he’d used with them earlier.

  “We came to follow Jesus, sir, to learn more about him,” Jacob weakly tried to make his words seem less harsh. “Jesus is here in Capernaum, but he has been holed up like a hunted fox.” Levi couldn’t hold back a smile. Those were the exact words he had used earlier.

  “Is something amusing, Levi?” Jershon asked in a serious tone.

  Levi quickly lost his smile but could offer no explanation.

  “We have enjoyed your company immensely,” Jershon said, glancing at both Jacob and Levi. “We owe you a debt of gratitude for saving our son.”

  Jacob started to speak, but Jershon held up his hand. “Our hospitality has not continued out of a feeling of indebtedness, Jacob, if that’s what you were going to say. The two of you have fit into this family, and in a short time have become part of us. It is no secret that we are all very fond of you.” Liora and Sariah both squirmed in their seats and blushed. “We have been open and honest with you. We have shared our beliefs about Jesus. That in itself is a dangerous thing to admit, but you have earned our trust, despite the many things we do not know about you.” Jershon’s last comment hung in the air, causing Jacob some discomfort.

  Jershon continued. “Jacob, I said to you today that I wanted to have a word privately. But let us be frank.” Now Jacob was really squirming. “I understand your desire to be a disciple and follow Jesus; you said those were your intentions when we first met, so I am not surprised that you prepare to leave as he leaves. But I am sensing something deeper that you are not sharing with us, especially since you have indicated you will not return to us. That you have business in Jerusalem is acceptable, but that you would leave and not return is puzzling to me, my son.”

  Jershon’s eyes softened as he looked at Jacob. Jacob stared straight ahead. Jershon sighed, shaking his head almost in disbelief at what he was about to say, then spoke softly. “It seems that since this family’s commitment to become followers of Jesus, it has become easier to stray from other traditions we have long held firmly to.” He looked at Naomi, whose eyes were wide in anticipation. “It is bold to speak so openly about this, but we are family, and we should not have secrets and speak in whispers. I believe what I am about to say will be no surprise to anyone sitting here. I propose a union between you, Levi,” he motioned with his hand toward Levi, who sat stupefied, “and my daughter Sariah.” Sariah lowered her head and seemed to want to pull her head covering over her face from embarrassment, but she sat still, eyes downcast. “I have discussed this with Sariah and her mother, and we believe you are worthy to be her husband.” Before Levi could open his mouth, Jershon held up his hand, commanding silence. “And to you, Jacob, I propose a union between you and my lovely niece, Liora.” Liora was so shocked she trembled. “I have spoken to Naomi and Liora about this matter also and have the blessing of Liora’s brother.” David was astonished at his uncle’s openness but managed to nod his head in approval.

  Jershon continued. “Jacob, it has come to my attention that you and Liora have made known to each other your feelings of affection.” Levi glanced at Jacob with a bemused grin. “I know this is unusual to make these proposals in such a manner, but these are unique circumstances, and I believe my boldness is warranted.” Jershon breathed out like a man who had been relieved of a heavy burden. “There, it is done,” he said resolutely.

  The room was silent and heavy. No one dared speak. Naomi was flushed and held her hands over her mouth. Everyone avoided eye contact. David put his arm around Liora, sensing she was about to faint. Then Esther’s suppressed giggle broke the tension. Seth chuckled, then Lamech. Levi joined in, and then Raisa and Sariah began to laugh lightly behind their hands. Only Jacob sat expressionless.

  “Do you all find this amusing?” Jershon said in a more lighthearted voice.

  Finally, Jacob spoke. “No, it’s not amusing. In fact, it is not funny at all.” His tone was serious. The room fell uncomfortably silent again. In a calm but commanding voice, Jacob began. “Jershon, you honor us. We are honored by your proposal, but Sariah and Liora deserve better men than we are.” There were immediate objections from Jershon and Lamech. This time it was Jacob who held up his hand for silence. “You have taken us in like sons. I don’t remember a time feeling more at ease with people and . . . more loved. But we are not worthy of this honor.” Tears flowed down Naomi’s and Sariah’s cheeks. Liora’s heart ached.

  Jacob continued. “In the spirit of openness that you have so graciously introduced, Jershon, I too must speak boldly. Our intention is not to hurt or offend, but Levi and I cannot accept your proposal.” Liora slumped onto her brother’s chest. “I cannot give you further explanation, and our decision to leave tonight may never be understood. The fault lies with us solely.”

  Suddenly Lamech set down his wine cup with some force. Everyone looked his way.

  Jacob said, “I would beg you not to be angry with us, Lamech, but I can understand that you may be. We never intended to take advantage of your hospitality or feelings. But our explanation must remain unspoken for the safety of all of us.”

  Jershon stared at Jacob in disbelief at the rejection. The air was taken out of him, and he couldn’t speak.

  “You are good people—no, you are great people. God will bless you for your generosity.” He looked at Jershon, aching to explain, but he was constrained by the discipline of the general he was. “Jershon, it is better you hold tightly to your traditions; they are good ones. Our continued presence would only further disrupt what you hold dear.” Jacob suddenly stood. He looked down at the sad, confused faces staring up at him. “Jershon, Naomi, I beg your forgiveness. I beg forgiveness of all of you.” He looked at Liora, who was quietly weeping in David’s arms. “Liora, I especially beg your forgiveness. It is no secret I love you, but you deserve to be loved by a better and more honest man than I.” With that he turned and walked out into the night. Levi soon appeared behind him. Without speaking they walked down the road. A mournful wail followed after them.

  Levi had remembered to grab the two bedrolls with their meager belongings. He handed Jacob his bedroll, Jacob slung it over his shoulder, and the two men kept walking.

  It had been an emotional day. Jacob’s heart had been filled with his vivid realization of a living God; it was now equally empty. He felt as guilty as if he had lost a legion in fruitless combat with the enemy, only there was no enemy. None except circumstance and fate, both of them foes difficult to vanquish when they are against you.

  They walked an hour before Levi spoke. “Why don’t we stop here for the night?”

  Jacob turned off the road and walked fifty more paces into a dark meadow. He stopped and threw his bedroll onto the ground and sat down.

  Levi looked around, surveying their location in the dark gray of the night, determined they were safe enough, and sat down quietly. He had seen his friend and general in this condition before. Not all had gone well in the many campaigns they had fought together. They had suffered many setbacks—this had the feeling of one. He knew Jacob would have a restless night but eventually sleep enough to clear his head and talk in the morning. Levi rolled out his blanket and lay down. He never found it difficult to sleep and was soon breathing heavily, not to wake until the light of the rising sun touched his face.

  Jacob brooded. He leaned against a rock and looked back at the city. He could see the glow of a few fires and torches. The moon had not yet risen, and the sea was black against the horizon. Everything was black. Juxtaposed with the influx of supernatural light and warmth he had felt earlier in the day, he was confused about how he could have moved so swiftly from one polar emotion to another. The general’s thoughts were of duty and responsibility. The man’s thoughts were of truth and honor. His entire life he had questioned the Roman gods—questioned the idea of God itself. Today he had received an unanticipated and convincing response to his prayer. It hadn’t supplied hi
m with all the answers, but he certainly had a solid witness of truth he could never deny. That was a start. He had found a woman he could be happy with for the rest of his life. Even though they had spoken little, there was a connection and feeling of closeness he had never experienced with anyone else. His life had been filled with the business of men and war; it was cut and dried, matter-of-fact, and at times brutal. No emotions were involved in his decisions as a general; they were purely strategic for the good of his men and the empire. Never was a decision made for his personal gain. Decisions were made from necessity and expediency. The consequence was life or death. Indecision was the road to failure. His decision process tonight had been driven by the general—strategic, precise, and carried out quickly to minimize further pain, suffering, and loss. But Jershon and his family, particularly Liora, were not the enemy; they were not a campaign; they were people he had come to love and respect. He began to question his actions. He was resigned to one thing, however: there was no turning back. He would move on, get the information required, and report back to Gaius Valerius. When he returned to Rome, he would sort out the internal confusion he had felt for some time, though it appeared that was only getting more complicated. For now, he would honor the campaign and complete his assignment. He tried to relax but knew it would be a long night. When he was this restless, it was usually when he would be facing the enemy in the morning. This time the only enemy he had to face was himself.

  ◆ ◆ ◆

  As soon as Jacob and Levi disappeared out the front door, Liora and Sariah ran into the bedroom, crying inconsolably. Naomi and Esther followed. Lamech and David stood together in an attitude of anger to discuss pursuing their recent guests.

  Finally Jershon raised his hand. “Your emotions are blinding your reason, my sons. To pursue them would not be prudent. I believe what Jacob told us—their sudden departure has good reason. They are honorable men, and I will tell you, their intentions were never evil in any way. We should respect their decision. As in all things, we will eventually come to a fuller understanding.”

  Jershon could hear Liora, Sariah, and Naomi in the back room weeping and talking in indecipherable tones. He would leave them be. Women always seemed to have a better insight into matters of the heart. He pondered the implausible events of the past few days, his own acknowledgment of his belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the birth of a grandson, the near-fatal injury to his son Lamech, the sudden appearance of two strange young men who had quickly become part of their family, the idea that they could become husbands to his daughter and niece, and now their disappearance. It was all too much. He closed his eyes and spoke silently with God, pleading for understanding and guidance.

  A frantic Naomi interrupted his prayer. “You must stop them,” she pleaded. “They are young men who sensed our eagerness and are running scared. Surely you can reason with them.” She was holding her hands over her heart as if to keep it from bursting out of her chest.

  Jershon held out a calm hand to offer Naomi comfort and sympathy. She embraced her husband. “My dear, they are grown men. I do not have answers for you today. There is something Jacob wanted to tell us but couldn’t, and the only way he had of communicating the conviction of his message was to depart. I heard in his words and saw in his eyes a resolute decision tempered by much thought. Jacob didn’t make the decision to leave just a few minutes ago. He wanted to leave the first day when we invited them to stay and eat with us. But he had a greater wish not to offend us. We made it easy and comfortable for them to stay.”

  “Are you suggesting we enticed them and then trapped them?” Naomi said with a scowl on her face.

  “No, my dear, but I remember how hard it was to leave your parents’ home when we were courting. Your mother was a very good cook, and you, as you continue to be, were the prettiest thing my eyes had ever seen.” He held her head to his chest as she wept less painful tears. “I think these two men came here on a mission they were unable to divulge. Jacob realized that they had lost focus and couldn’t indulge any longer in fishing and sharing philosophy around the hearth. They sacrificed comfort and association with us to once again pursue what they originally came for.”

  “How do you know all this?” Naomi asked without moving from his embrace.

  “I don’t know, but I know their decision wasn’t malicious,” he said in a calm voice.

  “We have two girls in the next room with broken hearts. You know as well as I do that there are no men in Capernaum or parts roundabout to compare to Jacob and Levi,” Naomi said with exasperation.

  “What did we really know about them?” Jershon asked.

  “We know enough,” Naomi replied.

  “Enough for them to become husbands of our beloved Sariah and Liora?” Jershon asked.

  “You yourself were convinced enough to make them a proposal,” Naomi came back.

  “Yes.” Jershon let out a heavy sigh. “And perhaps they have done us a great favor in protecting us from our impetuousness and saved our daughters from greater pain.”

  “You may be right, but the pain each of them is feeling right this moment is exquisite.” Naomi looked up into the tired face of her husband and stood to return to Sariah and Liora.

  Jershon could only stare straight ahead, realizing he had no consolation for the acute emotions of disrupted love. He turned to his sons and nephew, who sat brooding on the far side of the room. “Lamech, do you feel up to fishing tomorrow? We could use your help.”

  “Yes, Father. I am well enough to go,” Lamech said quietly.

  Jershon nodded. “We should retire early and get our rest. There will be difficult days for a while.” His voice trailed off. He quickly drained the last of the wine from his cup in the hope it would help him sleep. He pushed his meal away, no longer hungry.

  The following day proved to be a long one for Jershon. He had not slept well, and he questioned his judgment of Jacob and Levi. He pondered the possibilities of the untold part of Jacob’s story and had no answers for the questions posed to him by Naomi and his sons. Liora and Sariah were devastated. He had thought of staying home for the day to try to comfort them but quickly realized that would only make the day pass more slowly. Perhaps the activity and the fresh breeze on the sea would bring him some clarity.

  Jershon prepared food for the men. Sariah had finally fallen asleep early in the morning, and he did not have the heart to wake her. There was little talking as Lamech, David, and Seth prepared the boat and set sail. Each knew his duty and did it quietly, but the boat soon proved too small for four somber men.

  “Lamech, did you sleep well?” Jershon asked, trying to start a conversation.

  “No, Father, the baby was fussy, and Raisa needed help. It was a long night.” Jershon met his son’s eyes, and they shared a look of understanding. Jershon turned to see Seth slouched in the bow of the boat, sound asleep.

  “When there are no fish, there are no duties. Sleep well, my son,” Jershon said to the sleeping boy.

  By midday they had caught nothing. Each man showed increasing signs of fatigue from the long, restless night. Jershon surprised them all and set sail early for home.

  The house was quiet when they arrived. The women were sitting in the main room talking when the men walked in. Jershon immediately noticed that they all had red, puffy eyes. The women abruptly resumed their duties, embarrassed that they had been discovered neglecting them. Jershon, sensing a resolution must be struck quickly, addressed them all. “My dear family, please gather round. We must talk,” he said in a kindly voice. Naomi returned from the kitchen, drying her wet hands on a towel. Jershon embraced her affectionately, then in turn kissed Sariah and Liora on the cheek. They sat in chairs and on the floor around him.

  “My children, we are all hurt by the departure of our new friends. Most troubling is not knowing the reason for their actions. Jacob and Levi entered our lives and immediately became part of our family.” Jershon paused for a moment, wondering how best to proceed. “Perhaps we made a m
istake—not in giving them our trust but in allowing ourselves to think these two wanderers would be content to stay with us.” He looked directly at Naomi. “They were strong men, men on some purposeful journey. They were honest with us about the reason they were here: they came to follow Jesus. If that was their original intent, why would we not expect Jacob and Levi to follow him when Jesus left Capernaum for Chorazin today?” He let his observation sink in. All eyes were lowered. “I suspect they were informed of Jesus’s departure somehow and that is why they left.”

  “But why did they leave so abruptly?” protested Lamech. “They left without warning, as if they had been offended by something,” he added.

  “I agree, Lamech,” answered Jershon. “I would have expected a more cordial parting,” he sighed, “but as I told your mother, they had also become attached to us and perhaps found it hard to express themselves. I suspect, my sweet daughters”—he looked at Sariah and Liora—“I suspect that Jacob and Levi have the same feelings you have. It’s difficult for a man to know how to express feelings of love. We are like little boys in so many ways, and sharing our inner feelings with the women we love can be most difficult, even when we’re older.” Liora sagged into Naomi’s lap and sobbed.

  Sariah collected herself. “Will they return, Father?”

  Jershon looked at his beautiful daughter, wanting to give her hope but at the same time wanting not to mislead her. “I don’t know, daughter. I don’t know.” Jershon lowered his head, then raised it again. “I will say this. If Jacob and Levi feel about you the way I suspect they do, then they will come to a crossroads and decide to return. If they don’t feel that way, then it will be better for you both that they have left.”

  Despite their claim of traveling from Egypt, there were things about Jacob and Levi that seemed more foreign than that story would account for. Were they truly Jewish? Jershon laughed to himself at the thought. Did his confession of belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God change things in any way? Did that make him less Jewish or more Jewish? If Jacob and Levi believed in Jesus as the promised Messiah, did that belief unite them with Jershon in some way that transcended their identity as Jew or Gentile? It was a puzzling dilemma.