THE GOSPEL OF TRAVIS - Chapter Eight

TRAVIS MEETS WITH THE PHARISEES
Not long after, as Travis was travelling back to Tiberias to check on his affairs at the sculptor’s studio, he came upon a group of Pharisees arguing the finer points of obscure and arcane law and also snacking on dates beneath a tree.

As you know, dear Theophilus, in those days the Pharisees were a sect of strict religious adherents to the law. Travis took a liking to them, since many were respectable figures of their communities. This made them wealthy, which in turn made them people to admire and flatter in the hopes of extracting a sale or two from them at a later time. For with the right compliment the proud can be made to purchase double what they first intended to spend.

Travis approached and hailed them. After swiftly wrapping up their debate about free will versus predestination, the Pharisees hailed him back.

“Have you heard, dear learned men, about the man they call Jesus the Nazorean?” asked Travis.

“We have heard of no such Nazorean,” said the Pharisees in unison, for they were known to speak almost like a chorus from one of those profane and absurd Grecian dramas. Their manner of communal speech was mildly off-putting to Travis at first, but he set aside his irritation and continued.

“He has some fantastic teachings about love and mercy. Really life altering stuff.” Travis licked his lips. “He also has some wild beliefs about women and poor people and I just sort of wonder whether those are strictly legal. From a Mosaic Law standpoint.”

On hearing more about the Lord and his ministry, the Pharisees began to worry that Jesus may not be teaching the letter of the law, which they felt bound by honor to spell out for him even if it risked great tedium for everyone involved. For indeed, the Pharisees took great pride in their spelling and even greater pride in the quality of their tedium. And so they resolved to travel deeper into Galilee to put the Lamb of God to the test.

“Naturally, you didn’t hear any of this from me,” Travis said with a wink.

“But we did so hear it from you. You did speak these words unto us just now. We are all witnesses,” declared the Pharisees, again in unison.

“Yes, but. If anyone asks you, perhaps you might omit my part in this business.” Travis winked again.

“What are you doing with your eye?!” the Pharisees shouted together.

AN ATTEMPTED STONING
Travis concluded his work in Tiberias, whereupon he negotiated to pay his sculptors less than he originally promised, then returned to the other Apostles.

As he arrived at the well where Jesus and the rest had gathered, for the well truly was a great place for a nice long chit chat, Travis saw the Pharisees push a woman towards them.

“Is there a man among you whom they call Jesus the Nazorean?” asked the chorus of Pharisees.”

The Lord nodded. “I am.”

“Teacher,” they continued together, “this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. In the law, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. What do you say?”

“A test!” remarked Travis as casually as he could. “Perhaps it would be wise to listen to what Moses and the Pharisees have to teach us, for much wisdom do they... what is he writing?” And indeed, Travis saw that Jesus was bent down, writing in the dirt with his finger.

The Pharisees shared a confused look amongst themselves before repeating their combined request, “Come, teacher. The law commands us to stone this woman. We have brought linen sacks filled to the brim with the finest stoning rocks. What say you?”

Jesus stood, wiped the dust from his hand, and turned to the Pharisees. And he said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Then he bent down again and resumed writing in the dirt.

The Pharisees and the Apostles all looked at one another. And as they reflected on their own lives, each knew that indeed none amongst them was blameless or pure. And so Travis, who himself had already picked up the smoothest stoning stone and was stretching out his throwing shoulder, watched in dismay as each man turned away.

Now alone, Travis understood that it might look awkward if he was the only one to chuck that smooth stone at the woman’s head. So he let it drop from his hand.

Jesus stood again and approached the woman. “Has no one condemned you?” he asked.

The woman, equally amazed and relieved, shook her head no.

Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now on do not sin any more.”

EVEN MORE TESTS OF THE PHARISEES
But the Pharisees wished still to entrap the Lord, and so they made a habit of following him and his Apostles through the countryside.

When Jesus and his disciples, much to the chagrin and consternation of Travis, sat and ate with tax collectors and other sinners, the Pharisees would call out “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

To which Jesus replied, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

“How do these men know where we will be eating?” wondered Thomas. Travis replied, “I have absolutely no idea.”

And when the Apostles picked the heads of grain from a field during the sabbath, the Pharisees would say, “Behold, they are working on the sabbath - surely this is unlawful.”

To which Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and his companions were hungry? How he went to the house of God and ate the bread offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions? The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Each time, the Pharisees would arrive as one big gaggle, conveniently at the moment when Jesus was most at danger of breaking the law. And each time, Travis hid his face so as not to be recognized and hailed by the Pharisees.

Finally, Jesus entered a synagogue where he found a man with a crippled, withered hand.

The Pharisees hid in the back to witness whether he might cure the man on the sabbath, though they were such a large group of similarly dressed and similarly behaved men that they were not terribly successful at concealing themselves. Indeed, other worshipers were made to move their seats so that the whole group could sit together.

Jesus called out to them and asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil? To save a life rather than destroy it?”

Though the Pharisees could speak and had until now shown little restraint in doing so, they were collectively struck silent.

Jesus shook his head, grieving at the hardness of their hearts, before turning to the man. “Stretch out your hand,” he said.

In that very moment, the poor man opened his hand, which was instantly restored. The man wept for he was so amazed.

THE DENUNCIATION
When Jesus left the synagogue, he found his Apostles among a great many of his disciples. And also Travis was there.

The Pharisees followed after, convinced that Jesus must be punished. But before they could act, Jesus spoke to the crowds, saying, “The Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all the things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they teach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of Heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgement and mercy and fidelity.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.”

As Travis watched the revered Pharisees submit to such a savage public upbraiding, the only word he could mutter was, “harsh.”

For until that moment Travis had mistaken Jesus as an entirely peaceful and even passive teacher, and yet here he witnessed the Lord’s righteous fury loosed upon hypocrisy and pride. In that moment, Travis knew that he was dealing with not just a holy man, but one of immense power.

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