And We Thought We Knew You:
Soul Journey With the Real Jesus
Chief Priests
TRUE COLORS
April AD 28
Jerusalem, Judea
    It will take them two years to kill God.�
    The chief priests know it is impossible.� But they are foreign to reason.� Beyond the realm of sanity.� Outside the sphere of compassion.
    After all, wars have no honor.� Especially holy wars.� Wars are for only one purpose.� Destruction.
    Wars require one thing.� Hatred.� Hatred for hatred.� Or hatred for love.
    The dynamic Mind of the universe must be conquered with intellectualism.� The eminent Truth of the universe must be conquered with illogical deduction.� The affectionate Personality of the universe must be conquered with the ever-present pastime of loathing. �����
    Jesus knows it.� They are after him - those holier-than-thou chief priests.
    They have no other choice.� He has forced their hand.� From one end of the country to the other, he has labelled them hypocrites.� To their faces, to crowds of synagogue goers, to hordes of unbelievers.� Everyone is actually listening to him.� They are soaking up his every word like a sponge.� Well, that's about to come to a halt.
    Jesus is prepared.� Not only to name names in his accusations, but to let the accused expose themselves for what they really are at his expense.� Except it will really be at their expense.� Ultimately it will be [1]
    ....The first of many clandestine meetings.� The distinguished reverend attendees all in disguise.� They wear masks; on the surface they look so holy.� They wear voice distorters; they articulate such sacred creeds.� They wear blinders; they see visions of self-grandeur.
     "Well, where is he?� Afraid to show his face in our territory?"
    "How dared he break our creed and heal someone else in the middle of the Sabbath."
     "Did he really heal the man?"
    "Of course he did!� Anyone with brains knows he did.� We'd seen this crippled guy all his life.� But he did it by the power of Satan, not God."  [2]
    "He's dangerous."�
    "He's incorrigible"
    "He's trying to get people to go out and associate with the dregs of society.� Before we know it, no one will be in synagogues and Temple on the Sabbath." [3]
    "He's got to be stopped."
    "What are the people saying?� Do we know?� People aren't talking out loud about Jesus anymore around the Temple.� They know better."
    "Well, we know what they're saying.� Our spies are scattered around the crowds listening and taking names.� Yes, we know what's going on."
    "So, what do they report?"
    "Some people like him, some don't." [4]
Late Summer AD 29
Caesarea, Philippi [5]
    Jesus has been hiding long enough.� And so he heads his band of apostles and other aides south back into Palestine and eventually back into Jerusalem.� The moment of destiny for which humanity has waited impatiently four thousand years is almost here.
    As he travels, he recalls his first serious encounter with the chief priests of the Sanhedrin.� He had just healed a man on the Sabbath, a man unable to walk all his life.� Although the resulting meeting of Temple heads had been behind closed doors, Jesus had known what they were thinking.� And saying.
October AD 29
Jerusalem, Judea
    Jesus shows up in town.�����������
    It is none other than the end of the Feast of Booths and the ensuing Day of Atonement, the one day of the year when everyone's sins are forgiven.� When the Day of Atonement arrives, they must ask forgiveness for another year.� Sins are only forgiven temporarily. [6]
    Most people are glad they do not have to enumerate their sins.� It is too hard.� Or impossible.
    "How dare he show himself in the Temple at the holiest of all times?" [7]
    "He's been gone a year and a half.� Why turn up now?"
    "What are we going to do?� We're all tied up with the holy rituals today."  [8]
    "Pretend it's business as usual.� Stay cool.� He doesn't dare pull anything."
    "I wouldn't be so sure."
    "Well, there's nothing we can do about it for now.� Just pray to God that we will make it through without an incident.� In fact, we need to have a closing prayer right now for God to give us strength."
    "Oh God, we serve you from morning until night.� You know that we represent your holiness on earth.� You know that we only want what you want.� Lord, sometimes the congregation doesn't understand that.� They don't understand the tough part of our job when we must stand up to evil.
    "Oh God, this Jesus is evil.� Just plain evil.� He is a name caller and trouble maker.� He will split our religion right down the middle.� So keep him quiet today, God.� Amen!"
    "Amen!"
    "Amen!"
    "Okay now, let's all get our vestments on and act calm."
    Although ordinary priests usually observe the daily religious rites, on such special days, the more reverend chief priests come in and preside over everything, especially assisting the High Priest.�
    In fact, it is only on this one day of the year ~ the Day of Atonement ~ that the High Priest is allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, a private room in the center back of the Temple.
    Such a holy day.
    ....Most of the rituals now completed, the chief priests take off their vestments to rest before the evening rituals begin.�
    Jesus takes advantage of the break.
    "He's gathering crowd around him!"
    "He's impudent!"
    "Are our people still out there?"
    "Yes, they'll keep us posted.� Now try to get some rest, men.� It's only afternoon.� We've still got a long day ahead of us...."
    "You are making all this up, Jesus!" someone calls to him from the crowd in the courtyard.� "You never went to school here in Jerusalem.� We all know that."
    "I am not concocting anything.� What I tell people comes from God who sent me.� Investigate what I am telling you.� Someone who teaches lies does so to get people to admire him.� But someone who teaches truth does so to get people to honor the one who sent him and does not change the facts." [9]
    Jesus pauses to give people time to reflect what he is saying and to talk it over with whoever is standing near them.� During that time, he spots the spies.� They will report back to the chief priests everything he says.� So he begins to speak to the chief priests directly.
    "Wasn't it Moses who gave you the Old Testament laws?� Well, you break those laws.� So why are you trying to kill me for breaking them?" [10]
    People know exactly who he is talking about.� He has come out in the open with it.� He is depending on the crowd to protect him.� The chief priests do not dare try anything now that everyone knows.� The crowds will be watching the Temple heads and suspecting them of irregularities.
    But the spies must come to the chief priests' defense or lose their jobs.
    "You're out of your mind!" one of the spies shouts.
    "No one's trying to kill you!" another calls out.
    "You're satanic!"  [11]
    The spies carry out their job well.
    "It's been a year and a half since I came to Jerusalem.� Yet you're still talking about me breaking the holy day by healing someone at that time.� You claim you have your rules.� Test what is right, using both your intellect and your heart." [12]
    Others join the crowd.� They are curious.
    "Hey, isn't that the man the chief priests are trying to assassinate?"
     His audience is bold, because Jesus is bold.
    They talk among themselves.� "He is right here in plain sight saying whatever he wants, and those chief priests aren't even trying to stop him."
     "Do you think they know?"
    "Know what?"
     "That he is the Messiah, the Deliverer from God?"
     "We all know he is from up north.� That's not right.� The rabbis always said the Deliverer is just going to literally appear out of no where, right out of heaven."  [13]
    Jesus stops what he is saying.� He knows what they are talking about.� It is time to get more to the point.� Spell it out to all of them.� Maybe even the chief priests will hear from their chambers on other side of the Temple complex.
    "You think you know me!" Jesus shouts from the top of the broad stairway.� Everyone turns and stares.� What's going on?
    "You think you know where I was born!� I wasn't born there at all!" he continues, his words bouncing off stone walls, stone buildings and stone hearts.
    The crowd grows.� "You mean he wasn't born up north?" some respond to those nearby.
     "I did not come here on my own!� My true origin is from God...from God...from God!"
     There!� He has said it.� No doubts.� No whispering it in rooms with closed doors.� No passing the word hundreds of miles away.�
    He is out in the open with it.� He is shoving it down people's throats.� It is time they come to grips with it.
    His words echo and jar their comprehension.
    "God is the one who sent me here!" he bellows. [14]
    Many in the crowd gasp.� They stare at each other in amazement.� Some of them do.� A few stomp their feet in divine disgust at his audacity.
   "He is out of control!" one of the spies says.� "We must get back to the chief priests before it's too late and he takes over the Temple."
    A half dozen men slip away and rush up the portico stairway to the chief priests' chambers.
    "He must be stopped!"; one of them replies after the spies make their report.
    "Have him arrested!"
    "We can't.� There are too many out there.� Too many of them actually believe his lies.� When the true Deliverer comes, he'll do more than perform miracles."
    How hollow the chief priests words are.� They all know it.� But they do not care.� They are afraid of Jesus.�
    "It's now or never.� Have him arrested.� Round up as many Temple security guards as you can and arrest him!� He will not spoil the rest of this holy week.� We've got to complete the Day of Atonement.� Otherwise our sins will not be forgiven." [15]
"No, not today.� Maybe at the end of the eight days.� Then maybe."
    "I hate to admit it, but Priest Micaiah is right."
    "Let's just not pay any attention to him.� Let him have his day in the sun.� In three days we will put his light out for good."
    "Good riddance is what I say."
    "Let's ask God's blessings on this."
    "Oh God!� We come to you in humility.� We don't know how to handle this guy.� But he's a hoax.� We don't know how he's performing those miracles and we don't know how to expose his trickery.� So just be with us.� Help us eliminate Jesus forever.� Amen!"
    "Amen!"
    "Amen!";
January AD 30
Jerusalem, Judea
    "He's back!"
    "In Jerusalem?"
    "No, in Bethany.&"
    "Dared we hope we would be rid of him for good?"
    "He is like a disease that will not go away."
    "Worse."
    "What do you mean, worse?� Things cannot get any worse."
    "We have had a major setback."
    "He healed more than one person on the Sabbath?" one guesses.
    "Herod has decided to back him?"; another guesses.
    "He has returned a dead man to life.� Right under our noses."
    "What a charlatan.&"
    "He had already claimed to have done it up north.� We were not around to prove he didn't really.� Claimed he raised a couple of children from the dead up there." [16]
    "We could at least maintain that the children just imagined they were dead."
    "But this time he raised back to life a grown man."
    "And the man was just outside of Jerusalem over in Bethany.� We cannot deny it.� The man had been dead and buried four days."
    "Who is he?� Do we know him?"
    "Yes.� All of us either know him or have heard of him.� He is one of our biggest donors."
    "A money man?"
    "It's Lazarus."
    "But I went to his funeral!"
    "So did I."
    "Now you understand the problem."
    "But Lazarus cannot be alive."
    "He is.� And Jesus did the honors.� Jesus brought him back to life. " [17]
    "Call an emergency session of the Sanhedrin.� If we cannot arrange for his assassination, we will be attending our own funeral.� We will all be kicked out of office by the Romans."  [18]
    But nothing works, nor can it work.� There is no stopping Jesus.� He is setting all heaven and hell loose, and there is nothing the chief priests, the Sanhedrin, or anyone else can do to stop him.
    Assassination.� They must figure out a way.� Poison.� Rogues in ambush on the road.� A drowning.� Anything.
    But do not let anyone know what you're thinking.� Or saying.� These meetings must be kept closed.� If the people knew, they would riot.� They do not understand the workings of their own religion.� They do not understand the workings of their own God.� God must be defended.� Their religion must be defended.� Their jobs must be defended.� At all costs.
    Who does he think he is, anyway?
    Hide, Jesus.� Hide from Satan.
    Hide, chief priests.� Hide from God.
April 1, AD 30
    Jesus has been in hiding over in Perea.� But not for long.� He is actually headed back into Jerusalem.� He is in a suburb.� That is close enough.
    Passover is just six days away.� The day when the forefathers were freed from slavery in Egypt.� Now they long for a new freedom from a new slavery right there in their own country.� Slavery to the Romans.
    Another assembly of the chief priests.� Another secret assembly.� No one can get their other work done.� Not with this religious menace running around loose, this Jesus who claims to be the next high priest-king of the country [19]
    There has been a banquet on the outskirts of town honoring both Lazarus and Jesus.� Everyone is talking about it.�
    "We must arrange an accident for them both."
    "Can't be helped"
    "For the sake of the people."
    "For the sake of our religion."  [20]
April 2, AD 30�����������
    "It is a matter of time, gentlemen, then we are goners."
    Despite the excitement around the Temple, the chief priests are in another meeting.� Something must be done and fast.
    "Did you see the crowd?"
    "They were acting like it was the Feast of Booths culminating in the Day of Atonement already, waving those palm branches like that."  [21]
    "He stopped traffic.� Right down the main street of one of the most important cities in the world, Jesus stopped traffic."
    "The people were wild."
    "They were out of control."
    "The people are ready for him to take over and kick them all out ~ not just Rome, but the religious leaders too." [22]
    "It is no longer a matter of time.� It is now a matter of days.� Maybe even hours.� We must do something now or it is all over for us.� Jesus will destroy us."
    "Fellow chief priests and elders, I think God has shown us a way...."�
    "What do you mean?"
    "An insider."
    "Who?"
    "Among those twelve men who plan to be his royal advisors is a gentleman by the name of Judas."
    "So?"
    "I know his family.� He is from around here.� I think he could be had for a price."
    "I heard he is their treasurer.� A real money man." [23]
    "We have got to try.� It is our last hope before the death knell.� Got any ideas on how to get to him?"
    "Next time Jesus and his twelve apostles come to the Temple,� we'll get Judas aside." [24]
Once more the meeting adjourns.� Once more men head out of the Temple chambers and back to their offices around the complex.� They begin to go through the scrolls they have kept on hand.� What should they burn just in case it really happens?
    That fund raiser for Germania that never got there?
    Those seamstresses on the payroll who couldn't sew?
    The trips down the Nile to save the pagans and cruise in fine barges?
    Those new wall tapestries for the priestly mansion?
    It is midnight before many of them arrive home.� They are in agony.� Their wives suspect why.� But they do not really know how bad it is.� Well, maybe they're beginning to now.
    "Do you think we'll lose our beautiful house?"
    "I don't even want to think about it."
    "What will we do?"
    "I don't know.� We've just got to keep praying.� God will protect us against that Jesus."
April 3, AD 30
    "He's here!"� The chief priests are talking in the corridor.
    "Right on the Temple premises!"� They get in a huddle.
    "Well, do something!� Have him arrested!"� They wipe the perspiration off their brows.
    "I think the takeover has already started!"������
    Their faces turn red with rage and panic.
    One of the chief priests breaks from the group and runs down the corridor.� The others follow.� They race through the men's courtyard.� He is not there.� They bolt through the doors to the outer courtyard for the general public.�
    There he is!� Don't you see him?�
    What are all those animals doing running wild in here?
    Jesus is insane!� They said he was all peaceful and merciful.� But he is not.� He is showing his true colors.� Look at him.� He has lost control.
    No, maybe he has gained control.
    Jesus is running around like a wild man.
"Get out of here, you crooks!"
    What is he saying?� He is kicking out the men who serve the worshippers by exchanging foreign money for Temple currency.� Has he gone mad?� The Temple can make a lot of money by the fees they charge for the service. [25]
    "Get out of my father's house!"
    Your father's house?� Your father's?� Since when was God your father?� You're a nothing, Jesus.� You're a trouble-making nothing.�
    Look!� They're actually running out.� All the priest-appointed money exchangers!� The chief priests stand there in disbelief.�
    It is starting.�
    The beginning of the end.
    And the shoppers cutting through the Temple grounds as a short cut to the market.� He is running to the gates and chasing them out!� He's a mad man!� But they're leaving anyway!� Are they that afraid of him? [26]
    Where are you going?� He's not God, you know.
    Stand your ground.
    Jesus stands now in the middle of the courtyard.� Angrier than anyone has ever seen him.����������
    "How dare you!" he bellows.� His voice charges from wall to wall, heart to heart.
    "This is supposed to be a house of prayer!" [27]
    Some a little closer to him than others see tears of rage come to his eyes.� Maybe they are also tears of disappointment.�
    Indeed, the holy chief priests continue to disown him.�
    Disown God?
"Call another meeting!� Quickly!� We've got to tell the others!" [28]
April 4, AD 30�����������
    The next day Jesus is back at the Temple.� The takeover is close.� The chief priests are surprised it has taken him this long.� It is time they could use.� They must save their religion.� They must save their skins.
    "We have got to confront him ourselves.� How many want to go out there with me?"
    Several volunteer.� Not only chief priests this time, but theologians too.� They all don their most holy and authoritarian robes and sashes and leave through the chamber door.�
    Heads held high.� In promenade. �Pious promenade.� Present a united front.� They will defend God at all costs.
    It is not hard to find him, this Jesus.� There are always crowds around him.� But he is not teaching.� Now is a good time.� Catch him while he can't think of anything to say.� And when the crowds are down.
    "Uh, Jesus!� Jesus!� May we see you for a moment, Jesus?"
    Jesus stands still, thus forcing them to approach him.� At first their stride is slow and deliberate, like a cat getting ready to pounce on its prey.� But they cannot contain their anger.� With the most righteous of indignation, they lift their fists in rage and all but pounce on him like a savage beast ready for the kill.
    "Jesus, we demand to know who has given you authority to just come over to the Temple and cause a riot like you did yesterday?"� [29]
    Jesus knows he has got them running scared.� But they are not scared enough yet.� They have got to be pushed a little more.� Enough to show their true colors.� That which is behind their hallowed masks.� They are trying to get out of it.� But they will not succeed.
    Jesus gives them an answer they do not like.� Once again he is too smart for them.� They panic.� They must retreat and call another emergency meeting.
    It will be held in two hours.� That gives everyone time to get to their bankers.
    "I need the funds in the missionary account.� They are being transferred to a bank up in Spain."
    "The Temple will be needing most of the funds in the benevolence account.� There is a great famine over in India."
    Or to the Temple treasurer.� ";Give me yesterday's contributions from vows.� I need to make an immediate audit."
    Then the meeting.� Another secret meeting.� What to do?
    "Are our men in place out there?� Jesus must not be left alone for one minute.� We must know everything he is saying and doing.� Are they out there?"  [30]
    "Yes, sir."
    "How many?"
    "Fifty."
    "Send more.� Make it a hundred.� We've got to get a hundred."
    "Where are we going to get so many?"
    "The shepherds are delivering goats and lambs for the sacrifices.� Clean them up and send them.� They don't know the difference anyway.� We'll tell them there's a bonus in it for them."
    "There's not enough of them."
    "How about the new theology students?"
     'That should do it."
    "Tell them to pump that Jesus with so many questions the people have no doubts that he is out to destroy their religion."
    "And question him about our nation's relationship with the foreign occupying government.� Get him to denounce the Romans.� Then they will be forced to arrest him"
"And take care of our dirty work for us."
    "It is for the good of our religion and our country."
    "Let's face it, men.� It is also for the good of our jobs."
    No one smiles.� Things are too bleak.
    A large group of spies is quickly assembled and sent out to Jesus.� If the spies are arrested for inciting a riot, the chief priests' hands will remain clean.� They will denounce all knowledge of them.
    The chief priests remain in hiding.
"Sir, Jesus, one of the spies interrupts.� "I have a question for you."� It is one of the Temple students.
    "We know you are an honest and outspoken man."� He leads in like a cat stalking its pray.� "ot;You don't cater to anyone.� You tell it like it is from the scriptures."
    Jesus gets ready for their death leap.� But it will not work.� It never works.� Jesus knows too much.� Jesus knows everything.� He made mind.�
    "So, Sir, do the scriptures say we should pay taxes to these foreign powers occupying and governing our God-given Promised Land?� Give me book, author and line." [31]
    Jesus sees their desperation.� They are really grasping at straws.� He could call fire down from heaven on them and get the whole thing over with.� But he does not.� He is patient with them.� They must be taught not to use the scriptures for things they were not intended to be used for.
    "Someone give me a coin," Jesus says shaking his head in frustration.
    Someone does. [32]
    Then holding it up for everyone to see, "Whose image is engraved on it?"
    "Well, Caesar's." [33]
    "Then, give him what belongs to him.� Give God what belongs to him" Jesus replies.
    "Man, he is too much for us," one of the spies responds.� "He's not saying anything that could be called treason." [34]
    No one has left the council chambers.� Everyone is pacing.� Sashes are undone.� Turbans thrown on the conference table.� Eyes red.� Nerves raw.
    They get the word.� No one has been able to trap Jesus.� They must think of something.� Some pace.� Some shift their chairs around into a huddle.� Some lean back in their chairs alone and afraid of their own thoughts.
    "Judas!" someone shouts.� "We've still got Judas!"
    The council comes back to life.
    "Wouldn't he be out there no"
    "Probably so.� He goes with Jesus everywhere."
    "Someone send for Judas.� If we cannot destroy him from outside, we will destroy him from within."
    Perhaps some of us had better get him ourselves.� We do not want too many people knowing about this.
    As they expected, Jesus is still on the Temple grounds.� The center of attention.� Jesus recognizes them as they try to make their way through the crowd.� He must protect the crowd.� He must protect his twelve apostles.� He must protect Judas.
    "Charlatans, all of you!"� Jesus is talking about the theologians.� Some of the chief priests are considered theologians.� "Your lives are barricades to heaven!"
    Come on, Jesus.� Don't say things like that.
    "Snakes in the grass!� You think you'll never be discovered?"
    Hey, wait a minute!� You're pushing us too far.
    "Jerusalem!� Jerusalem!� You continually murder prophets!� You are killers of those who only brought you God's good news!"
    So, get out of town.� Get out of the Temple and out of our religion.� We don't need you, Jesus.� We don't want you.
    The chief priests and all their associates grow red with anger.� It is too dangerous to make contact now.� They retreat.� So does Jesus.� Jesus is not quite ready.
    "I am leaving now. The next time you see me, you will shout 'hallelujah!� He's here to establish the new kingdom of God!'  "
    You're a dead man, Jesus. [35]
LIFE APPLICATION
1.�������� There are hypocrites everywhere.� In the office are people who are not really loyal to the company.� In the factories are people who are not really loyal to their unions.� In the charities are people who are not really loyal to the unfortunate.� Does the presence of hypocrites keep others away from the companies, unions, and organizations?� Relate this to hypocrites in the church.
2.�������� There are some preachers/pastors/priests who lead in their religion, not because they believe it, but because of the opportunity to be a leader in an organization that is short on leaders.� If you go to church somewhere, ask one or more of your leaders in a private conversation if they believe in all of the Bible.� It is suprising how many do not.� Then do a study of the archaeological evidence, scientific evidence, or prophecies-come-true evidence proving all of the Bible is true.
3.�������� Even though there were many hypocrites leading the Jewish religion, it did not keep Jesus away from worshipping with them.� After all, he was a Jew too.� Relate that to your own church attending habits.
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1