The Scribe and the Sword

By Myron Humble

Samuel had just begun in the temple school when Miriam brought the baby to the temple. What he saw and heard and after meeting Miriam and Yosef his excitement over the apparent coming of the Messiah blossomed only to be met with rejection, ridicule and rebuke from his peers and Temple leaders in Jerusalem. Chastened Samuel left work at the templ

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Nov 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9781643452425

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Preface

The scripture narrative is derived from different translations of the Bible and the gospels were harmonized based on texts from KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, and Amplified New Testament. In most cases, scripture is paraphrased to achieve an informal conversational style without compromising the accuracy. Old Testament scriptures are from Jewish texts and has been paraphrased to make them comprehensible to a general audience. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of all scripture portions even though paraphrased. I have added footnotes for scripture references from the Hebrew Bible. These scriptures have been paraphrased from the Hebrew script.

Acknowledgment

I want to thank retired Reverend Elmore Brampton and his wife, Doreen, for taking the time to meticulously review the manuscript while on holiday in Florida. Their help was invaluable in assuring the accuracy of scripture references. I must credit the Youth Group of Sheridan Park Alliance Church in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, for providing the inspiration to write this novel.

Chapter 1

The year was thirty days old and the crowds had dispersed. The people were returning to their homes. One would not know that the High Holy days were long over, seeing the throngs in the temple courts.

My new friends and I were enjoying the day in the temple. We had been in Jerusalem for two months, and the awe we felt at seeing the Holy Temple had not diminished.

I am Samuel Ben Yoseph, and I was born in Hebron in Judea. I had accompanied my father and brothers to Jerusalem many times and still my awe could not be dampened, no matter how many times I saw the spectacle. Now, I would be living and working in the school at the temple. My chest could barely contain my excitement.

I had made many new friends though we had all been in the city for less than three months. My father would find some of the friends I made strange. Philip was perhaps the strangest.

I am not an outgoing or boisterous person and do not fare well in debates because of my reluctance to be forward. However, Philip thrives on debate, as do many of my peers. A sage is reputed to have remarked that if you put twelve scribes in a room you will have thirteen opinions, and I think my friends strive to validate that. I think my friend Philip will always be the thirteenth opinion; he loves to take issue with every argument—oftentimes I think he argues with himself.

Our discussion today as many days concerned the coming of the messiah. We were in the women’s court and had just seen the old lady Anna praying in the temple again. She was a fixture in the court having been there for many years.

Tobias, one of my friends, said, This old woman has lived in the temple for over sixty years. She is a widow. She was only married for a few years and her husband died. She has no children.

Mathias said, I don’t know why the priests allow this. They should make her leave.

That was just the thing to energize Philip. He said, What, Mathias? Would you deny a daughter of Abraham her consolation? By what authority would you cast a sister or a brother out of the House of the Most High?

Mathias was taken aback by Philip’s intensity. I am just saying. She is an idler lazing about in the Holy Place and wasting her life and taking up space that others would use.

Ah, but she is not idle, Mathias. Taavi said, She teaches the younger women, and besides, it is not idleness to devote oneself to prayer, and she hardly takes up any room at all. It is a large court.

Perhaps, I said, you should leave the affairs of the women’s court to the women, Mathias.

Maybe so, Samuel. Mathias answered, "But what about this fellow, Simeon? He also spends all his time here in the inner court. They say he is ‘waiting for the consolation of Israel.’ What is that supposed to mean?"

Taavi said, Do you not know what the consolation of Israel is, Mathias?

Mathias looked irked, Y-Yes, of course I know what the consolation of Israel is. I mean, what does it mean that he is waiting for it all the time?

Elam, another friend, explained, "Simeon comes to pray and worship every day. He also teaches. He is often sought after for his views on the messiah. He is very devout and is present for all the high festivals: Passover, Feast of Weeks, the Festival of the Booths, and the Day of Atonement.

Simeon says that the Lord has promised him he would not die until he has seen the coming of messiah. Simeon says that he would be revealed in His house, here in the temple.

So, what does he expect? That this despot Herod will produce the messiah? Mathias asked.

Or one of the Sadducees? another of our companions asked.

Why should it be Herod or a Sadducee? Philip wanted to know.

Surely the messiah will be high born, of royal birth certainly, Tobias said.

Why? Philip asked. David was chosen from among shepherds in the hill country. He was not high born. And besides, who among the Sadducees is of the lineage of David. I would think he would more likely be born in Bethlehem.

Several of us laughed. Mathias said, Surely you don’t believe these reports from the south.

Tobias laughed. A bunch of drunken shepherds saw a vision. He laughed again.

Perhaps not, Philip conceded, but nevertheless, the messiah may not be born in a palace. He could be from any maiden of Israel. Why he could even be this child. Philip pointed to a young couple entering the temple carrying a baby. A newborn for dedication. The very young mother was carrying two turtledoves, which she gave to the priest. The man appeared to be a carpenter; he had a plumb line at his waist.

Tobias and Mathias laughed together. You cannot be serious, Philip. Mathias threw up his hands. When the messiah comes, he will be born to a nobleman, not some lowly carpenter.

Another scholar sneered, And a poor one at that. Look! They have just two turtledoves. They cannot even afford a lamb.

Simeon seems to be interested in them, I pointed out.

We noticed that Anna had stopped praying, and she was watching the couple.

Bah! Tobias exclaimed. "Now I know they are addled. This couple could not possibly be the progenitors of the messiah." He threw up his hands, and they all walked away. I was curious however and stayed to watch what would happen. I thought Philip had gone also but learned later he lingered nearby.

The couple presented their offering to the priest while Simeon watched. He stepped up to the couple and took the child, a boy, in his arms. A look of pleasure, or perhaps of revelation, crossed his face and he was openly filled with joy. I listened as he spoke and made a pronouncement. Anna had come and was watching. She too had a look of pure joy about her. Had they both gone mad at the same moment?

Simeon held the baby up, presenting him to the Lord, and spoke in a loud voice. Everyone could hear him clearly as he spoke, Now, Lord, you are releasing your servant to depart in peace according to your word, for with my own eyes I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and praise and honor and glory to your people Israel.

He handed the child back to his parents and then looked intently into the face of the young woman. She was a mere child herself, certainly no more than seventeen, but she had an air of maturity about her. Her face was clouded now with concern, not fear but wonder at what Simeon had just told her when he gave her the child. He had not spoken as loudly as at first, but those of us standing nearer could hear. He blessed the couple and then said to her, "Listen, this child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against, and the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. Yes, a sword will pierce your very soul also."

The woman was flushed, embarrassed, I thought, by all the attention. The young couple departed, making their way unhindered through the crowd, which quickly turned to other interests.

A crowd had gathered around Anna as she spoke excitedly about the child, saying he was for the redemption of many. I was intrigued, though my companions had lost interest along with the rest of the throng. The people went about their business and though Simeon’s proclamation was the subject of conversations for a few hours, most people paid little heed. Many teachers made declarations in the temple. Many learned teachers of the law were there with their students; therefore, there was a lot of noise.

Chapter 2

One of the leading directions of my studies was the prophecies concerning messiah. I set off in search of the young couple. I caught up to them in the crowded market below the temple. The woman held the baby and stayed close to her husband. I could see there was immense affection for the man from the way she looked at him. His devotion to her was obvious as he kept his arm around her, protectively, lest they become separated by the throngs. However, they did not hurry and perused the merchandise along the way. They annoyed many merchants because they made no purchases. They were enjoying themselves, exchanging comments and laughing at private comments; they were simply a young couple from the country enjoying their visit to the great city.

I caught up with them and introduced myself. They were affable, and I asked if they would come to my home to refresh and have something to eat. They were reluctant at first, saying they had to see to accommodations for the night. They had traveled from Bethlehem, and there was not enough daylight for them to return that day. I persuaded them to accept my hospitality and stay at my home. I had more than enough room. She was reluctant, but after a little private conversation, the young man prevailed, and they graciously received my hospitality.

His name was Yosef Ben Ya’aqov and her name was Miriam. The baby was named Yeshua. We sat at the table after a light meal; and I asked them about their background, where they were from, and their marriage. They told how they had come from Nazareth just before the festival.

I was amazed. Why did you travel so far when you were so near your birth time? You were certainly excused from coming to the festival under the circumstances.

Miriam sat quietly nursing the infant as Yosef explained, We did not plan to come but Caesar sent out a decree for us all to be counted, and we are of the house of David and had to come, though it was a difficult journey. It was impossible to get a room in the Bethlehem because of the crowds.

I would think so with the festival and those who came to be registered, though I doubt that Caesar got a very accurate tally. Many of the Jews ignored the decree and instead came to Jerusalem for the festival. There was too great a multitude for the officials to interfere. We do not go out of our way to please the Roman authorities. Herod, for all his cruelty, tries to play the part of a good Jew. The Lord does not call us stubborn and stiff-necked for no reason.

"Yes, but Nazareth is a very small village, and we are known in the district.