THE GOSPEL OF TRAVIS - Chapter Sixteen

TRAVIS COMES BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN
On the temple grounds beyond the courtyard, which had so recently been emptied of business, but before the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies there stood the Chamber of the Rough-Hewn Stone. It was here that the Sanhedrin met to discuss matters of faith and theology, as well as from whence they would order lunch that day.

“So it is agreed,” said Caiaphas to the assembled holy men, “today it is to be soup. As we know, the chicken is perfectly fine and not too fatty.”

“Unless there be mushroom,” piped up one of the older priests, “for indeed, some of us have delicate stomachs and the mushroom will go down easier. Not to mention coming back out.”

At this, many of the assembled nodded. And so Caiaphas sighed. “Yes yes, and we have the splits of who would order which soup, but we can all agree that it’s a soup day and that we can put aside any more asinine requests for cold cuts, yes?”

Most of the assembly signaled their agreement, with only one former holdout crossing his arms in protest. However before they could officially enact their decision, the side door swung open.

“Excuse me. Sorry to bother,” said Travis as he peeked his head around the door frame. “I was wondering if I could have a word with you all.”

“This is the Sanhedrin,” boomed Caiaphas, “you can’t just wander in here. You must make an appointment and besides we’re in the middle of making a very important decision.”

“Yes, I heard. The soup should go very well with a side of unleavened bread I suspect.”

“It would round out the meal,” agreed the older priest. “How big is one order? We may or may not need to order multiples, depending on who’s worried about bloating.”

“Anyway,” continued Travis, “There has been word spread around the city that you are looking for ways to find a certain Nazorean mystic who has been causing trouble for you, is that not so?”

“Who are you?” demanded Caiaphas.

“A friend of this court. And one with intimate knowledge of the man they call the King of the Jews. I’m an Apostle, you see. And one of the more important ones too - not just a minor player. I won’t name who’s least of us. That would be tacky, although I assure you that I could make such a list if I had a dagger to my throat. We’ll just say that Peter is arguably above me, but not by much.

“Anyway, lately I have become very worried about the tone and tenor of Jesus’s teachings. I’m but a simple Galilean without money or prospects. If this venerable body would be willing to part with, say, thirty pieces of silver, I might be persuaded to let slip some vital information about his whereabouts.”

The priests discussed among themselves, and while there was some concern about the truthfulness of Travis’s claims they determined that the fee was worth the opportunity to corner their nemesis. Caiaphas had the treasurer fetch a bag with thirty pieces of silver.

And so Travis shared what information he had gleaned from Thomas about the garden and the Lord’s love for evening strolls. When they had been satisfied, Caiaphas held out the bag of silver.

“What you have just done is cowardly, deceitful, greedy and shortsighted, and on behalf of everyone here we greatly appreciate it.”

“Please. My only reward is the knowledge that I have helped you. Also, the silver. And, just so you all know, Judas is my name. In case anyone asks. Judas Iscariot. Nice to meet you all.”

With that, Travis turned to leave. But before he left, he called back one more time, “Iscariot. Remember. Because it’s a popular name, Judas. I wouldn’t want you thinking I was any other Judas. Judas Iscariot is the name. That’s me. I love silver.”

TRAVIS QUICKENS TOWARDS THE LORD
With his heart nearly leaping out of his chest, Travis sped through the narrow lanes of Jerusalem. More than once he nearly tumbled over an escaped chicken, such was the hurry he was in.

His plan was indeed very risky, but he believed in his ability to pull it off. He need simply plant the money bag on his biggest rival and then warn Jesus of the danger before him, evade the authorities, watch Judas implode under the strict scrutiny of the other Apostles, and then step into the gap.

Though he looked zealous and acted concerned for the poor Travis knew that Judas was nothing more than a meddler, the sort who concerned himself with business not his own. Travis could not abide someone like this, these “do-gooders,” for invariably a person bogged down in their fetish for rules and fairness and equity must necessarily lack vision. They see only their constraints, as the cattle that knows only its pen. They can do nothing but stifle the creative genius of those free from the shackles of facile empathy.

If there can be only Twelve Apostles, it stands to reason that one must go. And when he does, what better mark on your character than saving the life of Jesus?

Travis would be a guaranteed add. An Apostle for sure.

He needed only get to the home where Jesus and the Apostles would be having seder that night. Once there, he could decide on the next steps in his plan. No, he had not yet figured out precisely how he would warn the Lord or frame Judas. In truth, he was letting the inspiration of the moment guide him.

He would move quickly, and if something were to be broken in the scuttle then so much the better, for even unintended consequences offered opportunities to those nimble enough to take them. If there was one thing Travis loved to take it was chances.

He had gone with his gut many times before and had always ended up on his feet. Why should this be any different?

PREPARATIONS BEFORE THE LAST SUPPER
With some questioning and a little guess work, Travis found the house in town where Jesus and the Apostles were set to have their seder dinner. Unfortunately for Travis, the house was sat in front of one of the city wells, a very popular place for people to linger, and his arrival was almost immediately spotted by the others.

“Not you again!” cried out John.

Travis feigned surprise and delight. “What a coincidence! John, what are you doing in the Holy City? What a small world!”

Peter, who was by now formerly known as Simon, shook his head in disbelief. “You dare act like this is a coincidence? I thought I saw you slinking around behind the columns in the Temple courtyard.”

“It hurts my feelings you didn’t say hello,” replied Travis. “But I’m willing to let bygones be bygones. Who’s hungry? What are we doing for dinner?”

“Don’t tell him,” Peter commanded the other Apostles. “Don’t tell him anything. Where’s Thomas? Someone needs to get this jackal out of here.”

“Gatekeeping the Lord, I see,” remarked Travis. “Does Jesus know that his representatives are behaving in such an ungracious and exclusive manner? This seems like the opposite of his teachings.”

Judas stepped forward. “Amazing that you of all people would have opinions about going against the Lord’s teachings. Be gone, snake.”

Travis’s heart quickened. “Judas, my nemesis,” he said. He stepped forward and patted him on the chest. “What a surprise you’d have such a low opinion of me. Very out of character for you. And in case anybody couldn’t tell I’m being sarcastic because he’s the snake, not me.”

By then Thomas, who had been collecting the night’s provisions with some of the other Apostles, had arrived. He cried out, “Why must you always do the opposite of what I ask?! Enough, Travis! Go!”

“I just want to see Jesus,” replied Travis. “It’s important.”

“You can watch a sermon just like the rest of Jerusalem,” said Peter, who moved between Travis and the door to the house.

With the entirety of the Apostles now set against him and determined to deny him passage, Travis knew there would be no way through the front door. Soon they would have no choice but to accept him as their brother. Until that blessed time arrived, there would be no point in forcing the issue further. Better to preserve what little good standing he had with the group by gracefully exiting.

“It’s the Holy City and a holiday. I’m allowed to do whatever I like,” said Travis as he backed away towards the city streets.

THE LAST SUPPER
Travis did his best to look like he was retreating into the streets of Jerusalem. However, when he was just out of sight of the well, he doubled back into an alleyway.

Though to the others it may appear as though he were bungling, Travis knew that his plan was working. Already he had managed to plant the silver on Judas while confronting him at the well. Giving thirty pieces of silver to a man who had already cost him a fortune in Pharmakon interest might seem foolish to the shortsighted, but Travis knew it to be a good investment. His true reward awaited him ahead and besides, he could always add the sum to Judas’s running tab. Obviously, seeing Jesus in the flesh would be a challenge given Travis’s flagging popularity amongst the other followers, but he had come too far to give up.

Around the back of the house, Travis found some rough stonework that led up the wall to an open window. He put hand over foot and scaled the surface, doing his best to muffle his grunts and curses with every misplaced hand hold. There were a handful of missteps and broken fingernails as he slowly fumbled his way up to the window, but finally, Travis pulled himself over the sill and collapsed into the house.

There he found a sizeable room with a big table, spacious enough for thirteen place settings, and a large cabinet in the corner of the room. But no Lamb of God to be seen.

Travis started for the door, reasoning he could search the rest of the house, however just as he reached it he heard a commotion coming from the hallway. Panicking, he scanned the room for some place to hide. With no other space large enough to hold a man, Travis dove into the cabinet and shut himself away.

From within, Travis could hear the arrival of each Apostle. He racked his mind for some means of escape from the cabinet, but it seemed more and more people arrived with each passing moment, and before long he resolved to wait it out until the room emptied.

Then, there descended a hush upon the room. Travis knew immediately. Jesus was there.

And because of the company in the room and because of the circumstances of his hiding place, Travis could do nothing but wait and listen.

It was here that Travis heard Jesus change bread into his flesh and wine into his blood.

It was here that Travis heard Jesus once again foretell his own death, and his rising from the dead within three days.

It was here that Travis heard Jesus predict that Peter would deny him thrice before the rooster crows.

It was here that Travis heard Jesus say something about the world hating them all for loving him and predicting their gruesome, untimely deaths.

In Travis’s experiences with dinner parties, this one seemed to be a bit of a downer. Though, not as bad as one of his own family’s gathering, for at least his mother wasn’t present.

As Travis waited and listened, he noticed that his fingers were dirty beneath the nails from all the climbing and so began to pick them as the Lord spoke. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'

“Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

“Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'

“Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

As the Lord finished speaking, Travis thought about his own uncle and the pet topics he loved to talk about whenever the family got together, much as Jesus seemed to obsess over shepherds and sheep and goats. A boring old codger, his uncle. Travis picked the last piece of plaster from under his fingernail using his teeth.

Then Travis heard Jesus say, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” At this, there was a great commotion among the Apostles and indeed his own heart nearly leapt out of his chest, for it was clear that Jesus had picked up on his plan. He yearned to cry out to Jesus and tell him to avoid Gethsemane and to point the blame at Judas, but he knew the time was not yet right and that if he was discovered now it would doom his plans.

“Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man has been betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

For all of the dour conversations, it wasn’t all depressing. Jesus did mention yet again something about loving one another as he loved them, or so Travis thought he heard.

As the meal wrapped up, Travis bided his time until the room was empty. There was still time to chase after Jesus and get him before he reached the Mount of Olives, if only he could escape the room and secure a moment alone with the Lord.

But as soon as the hall had emptied out and he had the chance to try the cabinet door, Travis was dismayed to discover that it had been blocked by all of the used dishes from the seder meal, including some large and heavy serving trays, which had been piled upon it.

He was trapped.

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