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<\/a>\u201cI know your name,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat does an important man like you want with me?\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cA conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve come here to fast, in solitude.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know why people come here; this spot\u2019s popular for doing the spiritual thing. But I also know no-one fasts for more than a day or two. They bring food and drink, or friends bring provisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been here forty days and nights. Nothing has passed my lips.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that\u2019s what you say.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019d spoken with three people who had seen him in the city the previous week, and no-one survived up there for more than a week with no water or food.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an intrusion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI apologise, but it\u2019s better that we talk here, in a quiet place.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t reply, but stared at me in a way that made me realise why his meeting with the Baptist had caused a lot of noise. Once he made eye contact it took an effort to look away.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were noticed,\u201d I said. \u201cWhen you went to the Baptist.\u201d<\/p>\n
A faint smile appeared. His gaze lightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were clever,\u201d I continued. \u201cShowed you can think on your feet when something unusual happens.\u201d<\/p>\n
His smile grew a little wider.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a moment of divine intervention,\u201d he said. \u201cMy father revealed himself to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve spoken with people who were there. As the Baptist lifted you out of the water some birds came out of the bushes, it made a lot of noise and one of them fluttered above your head for a moment. Then you declared that was God telling the world you were his son, and for a reason I don\u2019t get the Baptist agreed and said you should have been baptising him. It was a lot of nonsense but a good show for the people at the riverside. Some of them laughed and some took it seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n
I kept eye contact with him, but the combination of his intense stare and the smile made me uneasy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey witnessed a revelation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey witnessed a man who can manipulate events, then they blew it into something else in their own minds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they are so simple, why are you worried?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause they talk to their simple friends who lap it up and pass it on to their simple friends, and in no time there\u2019s a round of babble about a holy man who can talk to the Almighty. That can cause trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
The smile became a smirk. I felt tempted to hit it but fortunately he turned away and walked out of the shade. I followed until he sat on a bolder inside a cut in the rock that provided more shade, although not enough for the two of us. I took the water bottle from my bag, took a swig and offered it to him. He declined. I opened the bag on the floor and showed him the food.<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you like to share?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m keeping the fast.\u201d<\/p>\n
I noticed his own bag was still at his side and guessed he had enough for as long as he planned to stay. I couldn\u2019t resist a joke at his expense.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo how do you survive for so long without bringing food?\u201d I kicked at a couple of stones on the floor. \u201cWhat do you do? Turn these into bread?\u201d<\/p>\n
He glanced at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMan shouldn\u2019t live by bread alone,\u201d he said. \u201cBut what comes from the mouth of God.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked away from me, towards some secret presence in the distance. It felt like he was having some fun at my expense. I decided to get to the point.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here on behalf of the tetrarch. He\u2019s heard of what happened, and we agree you may have a useful talent.\u201d<\/p>\n
His expression changed. I might have offended him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou belittle it with that word,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd whatever power I possess should not be used in the service of a tetrarch, or a king, or a caesar.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a hint of contempt that irritated me, but I suppressed it and asked if I could show him something. His eyes narrowed but he followed me across the slope, to a point where it dropped sharply to one side. I looked over the edge, saw that a fall would break a few bones, and cracked a joke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suppose if you throw yourself over the side the angels will catch you.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t find it funny.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shall not tempt the Lord your God.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t tempting the Lord \u2026\u201d I broke off, realising he wasn\u2019t one for jokes, then took him a little higher to a point where we could see clear across the desert to the city. Even from a distance I could sense the life throbbing within its walls.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see the city,\u201d I said. \u201cThousands of people down there, all with their own little ambitions, desires, urges, grudges and squabbles. Most want to do good for their families and friends, but they can be selfish, obstinate, belligerent. It could all go mad; but most of the time it\u2019s peaceful, and it works. That\u2019s because it has a government, people with some common sense and foresight who can take a lead, make the big decisions, keep the peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean those lackeys of the Romans.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I mean people who want to keep the world sane, ensure that everybody has food to eat and clean water to drink, and that they get it without cutting each other\u2019s throats.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSane on their terms.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was contempt in his voice. It was familiar; ego feeding on claims of injustice. I tried some constructive flattery.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou vilify them, and I\u2019ll acknowledge there are always things that could be changed for the better, but you should come down and meet with them, learn about what keeps the city and its people alive. You\u2019ll get a different impression and then \u2013 a man with your gifts and concern for the common people \u2013 you can work with them. You have the potential to rise, assume influence, and do more good for more people.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t reply. I made more of the dream.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat could be just a beginning. The Romans take an interest in talented men and raise them to positions of greater power. Over time you could extend your influence throughout the province, even into other parts of the empire. Just think about what you could achieve, how many lives you could touch. You can work with us to be a force for good.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was another silence. For a moment I thought I had touched his thoughts, but then he spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou serve the Romans, but it is written that you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI serve those who are on this Earth,\u201d I replied. \u201cAnd I do so to maintain peace, bring prosperity, provide hope for better lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned towards me, his face full of righteous anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cBegone!\u201d<\/p>\n
I held his stare for a moment, not wanting to back away; then he stepped back and coughed, several times, as if he was choking on his disdain. I saw a final opportunity, took my flask from the bag and offered it to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake a swig. It\u2019ll clear your throat.\u201d<\/p>\n
He paused, set his eyes on me, then swung his arm to knock the flask out of my hand. As it hit the floor the stopper came loose and half the remaining water spilled out. I grabbed it up, replaced the stopper and gave it a shake. Less than a third of the water remained. That was going to make it a dry, exhausting walk back to the city. I stood up and slapped his face. It prompted a look of glee.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you want to slap the other cheek?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
I threw him a dirty look then turned away, acknowledging to myself that the trip had been a failure. I took a few steps. He shouted after me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re the Devil!\u201d<\/p>\n
I swung back to face him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019ll wind up nailed to a cross!\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned again and walked off, my stride quickened by frustration and anger. I could tell he was going to mess up a lot of lives.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
More like this in Perversities of Faith<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Image by David Shankbone (own work) CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"