Daddy, Who's That Man?

By Rick Wilcox and Cliff Robison

Caleb, a boy in first century Judea, finds himself celebrating Passover in Jerusalem at the first Easter. He and his family see the Holy Week up close. Who is this prophet, and why is he making so many people angry?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rock & Fire Press
• Release date: Nov 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9780986265761

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Daddy, Who's That Man?

Daddy, Who’s That Man?

By Rick Wilcox and Cliff Robison

Daddy, Who’s That Man

By

Rick Wilcox, and

Cliff Robison

© 2015 by Rick Wilcox and Cliff Robison

All Rights Reserved.

This book may not be reproduced in any manner, including manually, by electronic duplication, by Photo static or xerographic duplication, or by any other means, without the expressed written consent of the authors.

Cover Art © 2015 by Ron Miller

ISBN: 978-0-9862657-6-1

Rock and Fire Press

Salinas, CA

Chapter One

Daddy, who’s that man?

Daddy was watching the people who were crowding along the street, waving branches and palm leaves. He didn’t hear me, so I tugged on his cloak and said it again.

Abba! Daddy, who’s that man?

Which man, Caleb? he said, steering us through the crowd, towards a small tree.

The one there, on the donkey. I pointed at the man who rode on the donkey. It was a young one, just a colt, barely big enough to ride.

Hosanna! shouted the crowd. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

I don’t know, Caleb, said Daddy. Let’s stand by the tree. I don’t want to get trampled.

We stood by the tree. I pulled myself up by a branch so that I could lean on Daddy’s shoulder and look above the heads of the people lining the road. We were going into Jerusalem to visit Daddy’s cousin, Eli. Eli wanted to sell Daddy a field of barley.

But the road was blocked, because of this crowd, around this man.

The man had a gentle face. He was wearing a long white robe with a blue cloak over one shoulder. He was sitting on the donkey, and another man was holding a rope, leading the donkey. People kept shouting at him. Hosanna! Hosanna! they shouted. Hail the Son of David!

Daddy, what does Hosanna mean?

It means ‘Praises to God,’ he said.

That man… he looks important. He’s riding.

Yes, said Daddy. But he’s on a donkey. If he were really important, he’d be riding a stallion, or a war horse.

People are throwing palm branches in front of him.

I don’t know why, Caleb, said Daddy. Maybe when we get into town, someone will know.

The man went by, and the crowd went after him, singing and shouting as they went.  I jumped down from leaning on Daddy’s shoulder. As we started walking in the now empty street, I tripped on a palm branch and nearly fell down. 

Easy does it, laughed Daddy, catching my arm.

Daddy, what does ‘Son of David’ mean?

Well, you remember the stories I’ve told you about King David, right?

The shepherd boy who killed the giant, right?

Yes, that was him. Well, if someone was his great, great, great, grandson … you know, many generations … well, we would call him a Son of David.

They called that man ‘Son of David.’

Maybe, said Daddy.

We walked into the town. I didn’t say anything else. But all the way into town, I kept hearing the crowd singing, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Cousin Eli met us at the door of his house. He was wearing fancy robes and a fancy hat. He held his arms wide and embraced Daddy, wrapping him in a big hug. It only lasted a second, and then he turned inside. He didn’t look at me. 

The whole house was one big room. It seemed very dark after the bright sunlight. There was a woman in the back of the house, mixing something in a bowl. There were two boys, a little older than me. They stood up when we came in.

Cousin Eli led Daddy to a carpet in the corner, where there were pillows and a low table. There was a lantern on the table. I