THE GOSPEL OF TRAVIS - Chapter Fifteen

PASSOVER
Now the Passover was near, which meant many would leave their homes in the towns and villages of the countryside and enter into the city of Jerusalem, there to celebrate the holiday, to purify themselves and also to eat a lot of food.

Travis felt he deserved a vacation. His return to Tiberias had been somewhat rocky, and not just because there was a large, brooding, supremely disgruntled sculptor looking to chisel his face off over a billing matter. In truth, though Travis enjoyed his life of luxury and had looked forward to sleeping in his own, much nicer bed, the road had changed him. And though he disagreed some with Jesus, he missed his lost closeness to the Lord and to his wondrous works. His home city, once the center of his world, suddenly struck him as dull and provincial. It felt as though Travis had tasted honey for the first time but now, having fallen in love with the flavor, was denied so much as even a sniff of a bee’s ass.

As a way to push the indignity of his ejection from the Apostles out of his mind, Travis busied himself with his business. At first, he had been excited to imagine new uses for his Jesus merchandise, perhaps by adding outlandish moustaches or beards to the busts.

However, even this gave him no comfort. For he had seen the profit potential of discipleship. Travis’s thirst for glory could not be sated by selling yet more silly trinkets, no matter how popular the goat they’re shaped after.

And so, bored by what had become a slow, sedentary, unfulfilling career in Tiberias, Travis decided it was his year to visit the holiest of cities. There’s nothing that can’t be fixed by a few relaxing days in another place - not even spiritual hollowness.

And if Jesus and the other Apostles happened to be in town at the same time, so much the better.

THE CHANGING OF MONEY
After he had found lodging for the week in the nicer side of town, in close proximity to the palaces of the wealthy and notable, Travis settled into his well-appointed room. Though it had most of the amenities he usually desired, he found the quality of the towels to be poor. After lodging his complaint with the inn keeper, he decided to take a stroll down to the temple to get a feel for the city.

The temple courtyard was well known throughout the land as a place of commerce, where livestock was often bought and sold and where money was exchanged for other currencies.

Travis hoped to change some denarii into shekels if he could find a favorable exchange rate, as well as to see if there was any interest among the animal traders in a gently used camel with a spitting problem.

However, just as he was about to shake hands on a mildly disappointing offer to take the camel off of his hands, a commotion broke out near the steps into the courtyard.

Travis turned to look. There he witnessed none other than Jesus - but where before he had seen a friendly itinerant preacher, now he saw a man seemingly possessed - his eyes ablaze with righteous indignation, flipping over a money changer’s table.

The coins clanged upon the stone pavement and scattered across the courtyard. Travis thought briefly about going after some pieces of silver before realizing it might be better not to be recognized by any Apostles standing nearby.

Jesus’s anger built into a frenzy. Cages busted open and doves escaped into the sky. Livestock fled into the narrow streets. The money changers frantically took their wares into their arms as quickly as they could before the Son of Man could lay waste to their businesses, their livelihoods.

Shocked and eager not to be seen, Travis slunk behind a pillar and watched as Jesus finished driving the merchants from the temple. As he did, the Lord bellowed, “Is it not written? ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves!’”

“Good thing he never saw my little turd loafs,” muttered Travis, drawing a confused glance from a passerby.

Then, after the courtyard had been cleared of these supposed thieves and after Jesus managed a breath or two, the blind and the lame began to approach. The Apostles led them to Jesus, who cured them of their ailments.

As Travis watched, he overheard the Temple Priests, who had gathered near the entrance to the sanctuary to witness this brazen act of anti-commercial zeal.

“We must do something about this Nazorean,” said a man whom Travis recognized as Caiaphas, then the Head Priest of the temple.

Caiaphas was from a long line of well respected priests and had himself come from a fabulously wealthy family, something which Travis very much respected. He was known to be pragmatic and to have a good working relationship with the occupying Romans. Travis suspected, with the right introduction, that they might get along.

“I fear that this Jesus may ruin us all. If we let him continue on like this, and if the people begin to believe in his dangerous ravings and ramblings, the Romans could come and once again lay everything to waste. These Romans! They love to lay waste. There must be a way to put the Nazorean to death. Better to sacrifice one man than to surrender our temple and our nation.”

Travis ruminated on Caiaphas’s words before slipping away into the streets of Jerusalem, crowded now with just as many goats as people.

REUNION WITH THOMAS
Travis returned to his rented room but he could not get the Lord out of his head. Indeed, the mere sight of him reignited the fires of his zeal, even if the Lord’s intemperate outburst had cost him a half-decent quote on his camel.

Later in the day, as the sun began to dip lower in the sky, Travis went back out into the winding paths of the city, careful not to be seen by those who wanted to keep him apart from the Son of Man. Though he knew not where he went, he believed that serendipity would bring him before the Lord again.

After a fair time searching, Travis saw one who had very recognizable earlobes: the same earlobes that in truth dangled from the sides of his own head.

It was none other than Thomas, his cousin, stopped to grab a ladle of water from a watering hole and to kick goat manure from his sandals.

“Imagine seeing you here,” remarked Travis while casting his gaze around the small plaza to make sure they were alone.

“No. You? But why?” asked Thomas, perhaps with a note of despair in his voice.

Travis patted his cousin’s shoulder. “Have no fear. I am only in town for the holidays and not to bother you or your precious rabbi. It is the season for Passover. I thought I could use a trip to take my mind off of my woes.”

“Why do you keep turning up wherever I go? What have I done to deserve this misfortune?”

“Misfortune? Is this truly what you think of me, my dear cousin?”

“What do you want?” demanded Thomas.

“Relax, would you? Can’t a man reconnect with his kin on a holiday? Isn’t that the whole point? This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Take a breath. I don’t want anything from you.”

Thomas gave Travis a skeptical glance, but then returned to scraping the sole of his sandal against the paving stones.

“If I had one criticism, and I’m not complaining” said Thomas, “it would be releasing the livestock into the city. I’m all for purifying the temple, but now the animals are defiling the streets. This is my one good pair of sandals...”

“Yes, the smell is very bad - worse than usual. Tell me,” said Travis as he appeared to absentmindedly pick at his fingernails, “where are you staying while you’re in town?"

“We’re all crammed together in a house not far from the temple,” shrugged Thomas. “The Lord likes to be near the Gethsemane gardens and the Mount of Olives. He often enjoys an evening stroll there. Lovely view of the city.

“Speaking of, I have to run. Listen: for your own good and the good of everybody involved, try to stay clear of us. Please? Just, enjoy your time away and stay clear of us. If Judas or the others see you, it might be a problem. And that’s the last thing any of us need right now. This city is on edge enough as it is.”

With that, Thomas hurried off into the streets, dodging a recently freed rooster celebrating its freedom by pecking at some trash on the ground.

Travis watched his cousin depart. There would be no problems, he thought - for anyone except maybe for Judas.

For he knew that if there were to be only twelve Apostles, and if Travis was to gain his rightful place at the side of the Lord, then one Apostle must go.

As Travis smiled, his plotting was briefly interrupted by the braying of a nearby ass.

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