The Didymus Contingency

by Jeremy Robinson

  Tom turned to the voice, not realizing that his lips had spread into a smile and his eyebrows rose with anticipation. Mary smiled back at him.

  “Why did you leave?” Mary asked.

  “Just wanted to...” Tom wondered how he could say it right. “...forget some thoughts.”

  “Of me?”

  “No.”

  “Then maybe...of someone else?”

  Tom’s heart sank. Mary could see right through him.

  Mary frowned. “If your heart belongs to another, I’ll—”

  “I’m married,” Tom said.

  Mary appeared stunned and afraid. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to—”

  “No, you... she... I was married. My wife died. You—you just remind me of her,” Tom said with a smile, as his eyes began to water.

  “If the sight of me hurts you, then I will hide myself from your eyes.” Mary began to turn away.

  “No,” Tom said, as her placed his hand gently on Mary’s cheek. “Don’t.”

  Mary leaned her face into Tom’s hand. He felt the warmth of her skin in his palm and on every ridge of his fingertips. He let his hand linger a moment, as he gazed into her mesmerizing dark brown eyes. “Go back inside,” Tom said. “It’s getting cold and I should find David before it gets late. I’ll return soon.”

  After squeezing Tom’s hand with her own, Mary turned toward the house. “I’ll be waiting.”

  The door closed behind Mary, as she entered the house. Tom turned away and felt a surge of guilt churn in his stomach. He had done it again! Tom took a step and tripped on a root. He quickly kicked the root as if it had caused him to stumble emotionally as well as physically. Tom glared at the root, while a pot full of separate feelings swirled and battled for supremacy in his head. He walked around the house, stomping his feet with every step. Stupid women! Stupid root! And where the hell is David?!

  * * * * *

  Tom circled the home in search of David. If he had gone back to the future again, Tom was going to put his foot down. But before Tom could formulate the verbal beating he’d give David for skipping out of town, he saw something that made his heart palpitate. A body, lying in the grass! “David? David!”

  Tom ran to the body sprawled face up. “David!”

  Tom stood over the body, and looked into the eyes of David, that for a moment looked glossed over and empty. Tom’s fears were instantly suspended when David cracked a smile. “You should see your face,” David said.

  “Damnit, David, I thought you were dead!”

  David’s smile grew wider. He enjoyed the panicked look on Tom’s face. It was an expression he didn’t see too often, and it showed their friendship was still as strong as it had ever been. “I was just looking at the stars,” David explained.

  Tom glanced up, but paid no attention to the dazzling array of twinkling stabs of light above. “Everyone’s wondering where you are.”

  “Have you ever seen so many stars?” David asked.

  Tom looked up. David was right. The sky was awash with glowing pinpoints—so many that the sky seemed to be glowing. Tom took a seat in the grass next to David, keeping his eyes on the stars the entire time.

  “In two thousand years we’ll have television, rocket ships, cherry Pepsi and satellite radio, but...we won’t have this. The world seems so much simpler now. So much smaller. So much more alone in the universe.”

  Tom looked over at David. He had never heard David speak like this, but he suspected where it was coming from. “You’re thinking that maybe you’re the one who’s been blinded? Maybe I was right from the beginning and Jesus is a fake?”

  David took his attention off the stars and faced Tom. To Tom’s surprise, David wasn’t angry at all. “Something like that.”

  “We can go home if you want.”

  “Why would we go home? You haven’t seen him die and rise from the grave yet,” David said.

  “What? But you just...”

  “You think this is the first time in my life I’ve had doubts?” David let out a chuckle. “I used to believe in Jesus based on what is recorded in the Bible. Fully man, fully God, kind of a hard concept to grasp, so most of us picture him as human in body and God in mind and spirit...”

  David sat up and continued, “But now I’ve met the man, and...he’s so human it’s frightening. Fully human, fully God… Let me ask you this. Have you ever seen the man sin? Even once?”

  Tom sat up, intrigued by the line of questioning. “What do you consider to be sin?”

  “Use your instincts.”

  “Well...he teases people a lot.”

  “I noticed...and it caused me some doubts, but have you ever felt bad about yourself or someone else as a result?”

  “Umm...no... Have you?” Tom asked, truly curious now.

  “Not once. I usually end up feeling better about myself and the other people he’s teased. He’s brought out parts of my personality I haven’t seen since I was a child.”

  “He’s a good guy, that’s established. But can’t you see through that? It’s a façade, David. C’mon. I can find holes in everything we’ve seen him do so far.”

  “And you’ve conveniently missed some of the rather more spectacular events,” David quipped.

  “Yeah, I planned to be knocked unconscious on the boat. You got me pegged, David,” Tom said, growing annoyed, “He’s one hundred percent man, that’s it, nothing more. Even you have seen that.”

  “He’s more of a man than I expected, but maybe that’s the idea,” David said.

  “If he’s God, why doesn’t he just cure everyone in the world with a snap of his fingers. Why doesn’t he stop all the injustice in the world, all the crime, war, and famine? It’s within his power if he’s God. So many people from the beginning of time to our time are suffering. What did they do wrong to deserve it?”

  David took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he gazed back at the stars. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

  “That’s a great idea. I will.”

  —THIRTEEN—

  Tomorrow

  30 A.D.

  9:30 A.M.

  Jerusalem, Israel

  The streets of lower Jerusalem, slender and flanked by homes squished together like bricks, were abnormally calm on that morning. Typically, the smells of cooking food, ripening fruit and steaming leather filled the air. But today, only the bright roses and dusty road reached the nose. Jerusalem, the capitol city of Israel, often buzzed like a beehive, but today—on the Sabbath, the day of rest—all was serene. Tom couldn’t decide if it was the kind of peace felt on a warm day at the beach, or an ominous calm before the storm. Either way, Tom was determined to use the lull in activity to spring what he believed would be the question to undo Jesus’s charade.

  Much of Tom’s previous night was spent in deep thought and careful plotting, inspired by David’s insistence that he ask Jesus why bad things happen to good people. There had to be a way to catch Jesus, and Tom was sure he could find it. He hadn’t planned on taking all night, but Jesus was a crafty adversary and these things had to be carefully thought through. But his effort paid off and Tom was confident his plan was bulletproof.

  That morning Tom insisted they take a walk through the streets of Jerusalem. The sun was rising, the streets were quiet and Tom would have all the time he needed to find a helper. Of course, he never mentioned his ulterior motive for taking a stroll, but the idea was quickly supported and they had set out, first thing that morning.

  Tom’s feet quickly grew heavy and his eyes were sagging a bit, but his plan was masterful and the thought of executing it successfully gave him energy to walk the hard streets, though his body protested and cried out for sleep. He strode next to Jesus, in front of David and the other disciples. He was waiting for the perfect moment, the supreme opportunity. He knew that in the city, he wouldn’t have to wait long for the occasion to reveal itself. He wasn’t disappointed.

  “Some coins for a blind man?” asked a decrepit man, who
se body was soiled like a dust-covered rag. The man looked toward the sky as he spoke in the direction of the approaching footsteps. “Please, I hear so many of you. One of you could surely share some money, some food, something, please.”

  This was it! Tom hustled forward and stood between Jesus and the blind man.

  Jesus stopped walking and looked at Tom with an expression of expectation. The rest of the group slowed to a stop behind Jesus. David moved around for a better look at what Tom was doing, face crisscrossed with concern, but remained silent.

  “Something troubles you?” Jesus asked Tom calmly.

  “Explain something to me. Why do you allow this?” asked Tom, as he stabbed a finger at the blind man.

  “What did he do to deserve this?” Tom said, and then he turned to the blind man and asked, “How long have you been blind?”

  The blind man perked up, realizing he was being spoken to. He stood to his feet and stumbled toward the voice that had addressed him. “Since birth, Master.”

  “Since birth,” Tom said, “What sin could he have done at birth to deserve this? Or maybe it was the sins of his parents? I’m not really sure how these sin things work.”

  Tom waited, sure that his line of questioning would make Jesus stumble. Surely, this was the hardest question addressed to Jesus thus far. Tom’s mind raced with anticipation. He would finally outdo Jesus!

  Jesus didn’t miss a beat.

  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no man can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world,” Jesus explained.

  Tom stared, dumbfounded for a moment and said, “You lost me. What’s all that supposed to mean? Was that another parable?”

  Jesus replied by spitting onto the dusty street. He bent down and rubbed the spit into the dirt, creating a small blob of oozing mud.

  Tom worried that he had offended Jesus and that Jesus was planning to fling the mud at him. Tom took a step back and prepared to duck. Perhaps Jesus was growing impatient with Tom? Maybe his constant meddling with Jesus’s plans had gone on too long and Jesus was going to expel him? Maybe Jesus would lose his temper and strike him? Tom only wished it were true. That would surely do more to discredit Jesus then this dirty, blind man. He was both relieved and disappointed to see that the intended target for the mud was not himself, but the blind man.

  Jesus took the mud and smeared it across the confused blind man’s closed eyes. Tom’s eyebrows furrowed with confusion and his nose crinkled with disgust. What in the world was Jesus doing?

  “What is your name?” Jesus asked the blind man.

  “Timothy…” the blind man said. Then the man’s eyebrows shot high and he sucked in a breath of air as though he had just been astonished. He spoke again, “Are you...are you Jesus?”

  “Yes, Timothy,” Jesus said, “now go, wash in the pool of Siloam.”

  Timothy smiled and grew excited, “Yes, Master!”

  Timothy turned and began to hobble down the street. Jesus turned to John, one of the disciples whose kind eyes were hidden by thick eyebrows, and Peter. He motioned with his head toward Timothy. The two instantly reacted and moved to help the man on his quest to wash in the pool of Siloam.

  “That’s it?” Tom asked, confused and slightly disturbed by the surreal event, “That’s your answer?”

  “He’ll be back soon enough,” Jesus said, “Wait and see for yourself. Or maybe I should rub some mud on your eyes as well?”

  “Riiight, the whole, “those with eyes that cannot see,” stuff again. I’m not blind. I can see fine.” Tom said, frustrated. “And I can see right through you.”

  Jesus chuckled and began walking away. The other disciples followed him and smirked at Tom as they passed. David brought up the rear and joined Tom.

  “Is it possible to get a straight answer from that man?” Tom asked, not expecting or desiring an answer.

  “If you weren’t deaf as well as blind, you might have understood the answer,” David replied with a crafty smile.

  Tom looked at David. “Funny.”

  David smiled and laughed, clearly pleased with how things had played out.

  Tom stayed quiet. He’d let David have his moment. This wasn’t over yet. Not by a long shot.

  * * * * *

  After Timothy went to the pool of Siloam and washed as Jesus had instructed him, he ran up and down the now crowded streets shouting praises to God. For the first time in his life, he could see the sun, people’s faces and dirt. But what was more amazing was that he understood everything he was seeing. He knew a bird was a bird, though he had never seen one in his life. With sight came vision, with vision came understanding—as though he had been able to see since the day he was born.

  Timothy’s loud praises didn’t go unnoticed for long. Like vultures to a kill, a small group of men called Pharisees, the keepers of the law, descended on Timothy. The four men, all dressed in extravagant purple robes, were led by Tarsus, an old man with knobby knuckles and a graying beard. They stepped in front of Timothy. “You say you are the man who earlier today was begging here, at this corner?” Tarsus asked.

  “I am the man,” Timothy replied.

  “How then were your eyes opened?” Tarsus asked.

  “The man they call Jesus!” Timothy said, “He put mud on my eyes and told me to wash at Siloam. I did as he said and I can now see!”

  “Where is this Jesus?” Tarsus asked with a tinge of disdain in his voice.

  “I—I don’t know... I didn’t see where he went!” Timothy giggled with enthusiasm.

  Tarsus gripped Timothy’s arm tight and said, “Come with us.”

  Timothy had never seen the look upon Tarsus’s face before, but he understood its meaning clearly. Timothy gave no objection and followed Tarsus.

  Tarsus led Timothy inside a large, ornate building, which glowed brilliant white as sunlight streamed through several windows and reflected off the polished interior. Timothy’s eyes had a hard time adjusting to the light and the number of decorations, but he soon took in his surroundings. The roof was open, like an atrium, and sunlight illuminated the room. Encircling him were eight Pharisees, seated around the atrium, all possessing an arrogant scholarly quality. Timothy stood nervously at the center of the room, waiting for something, anything, to happen. Not a word had been said since the initial rapid-fire question and answer session that was launched upon Timothy.

  “You say...with mud he returned your sight?” Gamaliel, one of the younger Pharisees, asked the man.

  “Yes, and I washed in—”

  “The pool of Siloam. We know,” Tarsus said abruptly, “The facts of the story have been covered, but there is more to be concerned about.”

  “Indeed,” said the prune faced Simeon, “He performed this act on the Sabbath! He cannot be a man of God.”

  Silas, a monster of a man with muscles as large as his ego, nodded his head and added, “No work is allowed on the Sabbath. Any child brought up in the law knows this, and certainly a man of God. He knowingly breaks the law in God’s name!”

  “But...how then can a sinner, which he must of course be, do such...miraculous signs?” asked Gamaliel, and then he turned to Timothy, “What do you have to say of him? It was your eyes that were opened.”

  “He is a prophet,” Timothy said without missing a beat.

  Tarsus reeled back like he had just been slapped. He looked back to the closed doors at the front of the building and yelled, “Let them in!”

  The door swung open and an old man and woman entered. They looked horrified to be standing in this room, before these men. They stared at the floor where they were sure not to make eye contact with the probing eyes surrounding them.

  “This is your son?” Tarsus asked the old man while pointing at Timothy.

  The old man glanced up briefly, just enough to see Timothy standing a few feet away
.

  “Your son, the one that was blind, but now can see,” added Tarsus as though the information might be useful in identifying Timothy.

  “He is our son...and he was born blind, as you have said,” the old man responded.

  “And what of the man who gave him sight?” Tarsus asked.

  “As for who opened his eyes, we will let him speak. He is of age; ask him,” the old man said.

  Silas turned to Timothy, clearly frustrated, and yelled, “We know this Jesus is a sinner!”

  “Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know,” Timothy said with a modicum of patience, “What I do know is that I was blind, and now I see!”

  Simeon jumped in and shouted, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

  “I already told you!” Timothy shouted, “And you do not listen! Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

  Every Pharisee in the room gasped.

  “You are Jesus’s disciple?” asked Silas, aghast.

  Simeon interrupted, “We are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from!”

  Timothy had heard enough and couldn’t stand to listen for another moment. He burst out with emotion, “You’re unbelievable! All of you! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners. He listens to godly men who do His will. Have you ever heard of a man born blind being healed? Have you ever? But here I stand before you, healed! If this man were not from God, he could do nothing!”

  In all their years as Pharisees, not one of the men in the room had been spoken to in such a way. Silas leaned forward, his eyes twitching and said between clenched teeth, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!”

  Grabbing Timothy by the back of his robe like an angry lioness to its cub, Tarsus dragged him violently toward the door.

  Timothy crashed through the door and onto the street, skinning his knees and tearing his hands on small stones. A number of passersby stopped in their tracks and watched as Tarsus burst from the doorway and yelled, “This man is in sin! Stay clear of his wretched influence!”