Of covetousness; and of fleeing from Death into Life; and concerning the Law of Retribution

Philochristus: Memoirs of a Disciple of the Lord by Edwin Abbott Abbott is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. Of covetousness; and of fleeing from Death into Life; and concerning the Law of Retribution

Of covetousness; and of fleeing from Death into Life; and concerning the Law of Retribution

When we were now drawing nigh to the borders of Samaria, it being (as I remember) about the ninth hour in the second day of our journey, behold, a tumult arose in the front of the band, and shouts as of men contending together. Then those of us that had swords drew them; for we thought surely the hour was now come for battle. But Jesus bade us put up our swords; and going forward he saw a multitude of Samaritans gathered together to oppose us, neither would they suffer us to pass through their country; and they reviled us and began to cast stones at us. When he saw this, Jesus neither reproached them nor persuaded them to let us pass, but straightway commanded that our band should go back a distance of many furlongs on the road whereby we had come, and then to turn eastward; so that we might pass through the country beyond Jordan, thus avoiding Samaria. This seemed to the most part of us a grievous thing and scarce tolerable, that the army of the Redeemer of Sion should be thus turned out of the path by a Samaritan rabble. Therefore we besought Jesus with many entreaties, and some even with tears, that he would suffer us to force a passage; but he would not hear. At the last, when he had now begun to go back, James and John, being filled with wrath because the Redeemer of Israel was thus despised, prayed Jesus that, if he would not suffer them to smite with the sword he would, at the least, suffer them to call upon the Lord that He might send down fire upon our enemies. Hereat we all were in suspense, and hearkened eagerly to what Jesus would say; for in our hearts we had long supposed that Jesus purposed in this way to destroy the bands of the Romans, even as the prophet Elias had destroyed the captains and footmen of Ahaziah. But Jesus looked steadfastly upon James and John and said unto them, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Then he went back by the way whereby he had come; and we followed him, sorely grieving. Some of us also murmured (and Judas most of all), saying that it was a strange thing that our Master should have threatened to cast the Pharisees into the valley of Hinnom, and notwithstanding would not force a passage through the Cuthite strip (for by this name we termed Samaria), nor call down fire on a rabble of unbelievers. Moreover Judas spared not to say that Jesus must be made perforce to shew forth some mighty work against the enemy, or else the Redemption of Sion would not come to pass. And the heart of Judas began from this time to be turned away from Jesus even more than before; and Jesus also, as it seemed to me, began to perceive that Judas was estranged from him. For whensoever his eyes rested upon Judas, then the face of Jesus was as if God had hidden His countenance for a season.

After this we went over Jordan and journeyed through the country that lieth eastward of Jordan, which is called Peræa. Here we tarried some days, even till the beginning of Nisan, which is the month of the Passover: and, about this time, were completed two full years during which we had followed Jesus of Nazareth. Now the people and the land of Peræa are not like unto the people and the land of Galilee. For in Galilee the fields are small, and they till corn and vines and olives; and the men are exceeding stubborn and resolute, neither very rich, nor very poor. But in Peræa they have great pastures, and some are rich in flocks and herds, while others have scarce bread to eat; moreover the men are of an unstable disposition, fond also of wealth, and given to ease, and not so steadfast as the men of Galilee.

Therefore it came to pass that in this country and at this season, our Master testified most of all against covetousness, and lifted up his voice against them which had their good things in this world and wanted nothing more. At this time also he spake many parables, which it needeth not to set forth at full length, for that they are well known among the saints. But among other parables, as I remember, he spake one against a certain rich and foolish farmer (the like of whom we saw many in that country) who thought not of others but of himself only, and had promised unto himself many years of plenty and ease, but was cut off by God that night; also another parable against a rich man that suffered the poor to lie at his gate untended; but afterwards the poor man was comforted, but the rich man punished in hell.

About this time also began Jesus to speak less of the Kingdom of God and more of a certain Eternal Life, which, as he said, the righteous and none other should attain. Some would have it that he changed his words, only for fear of the Romans, lest they should suspect his often mention of the Kingdom of God, and lay hands upon him as one aiming to be king; and these men said that Eternal Life signified the Kingdom of God, though in different words. And perchance it did signify the same thing: howbeit Jesus changed not his words for fear, but partly, as I judge, because the covetousness of the people weighed upon him, and because he perceived them to be wholly given up to the lusts of the flesh, insomuch that they were even as dead, and content to lie in the valley of the shadow of death.

For ever as Jesus drew nearer to Jerusalem, the sins of the people seemed to weigh heavier upon his soul, and death and destruction seemed to grow larger in his eyes; insomuch that now he desired to exhort the people not so much to enter into the Kingdom, as rather to flee from death unto life. Yea, so exceedingly did he fear the power of Satan to slay the souls of men, that about this time, when a certain disciple desired to have left him for a season to bury his father, Jesus would have the young man still continue with him, saying that the dead should bury their own dead. Howbeit, though we understood this afterwards, we perceived it not at the time; but whensoever Jesus spake of Eternal Life, then we would interpret the words still to signify the setting up of his Kingdom in Jerusalem.

Notwithstanding, while Jesus spake day by day more earnestly touching them which would not come into the Kingdom of God, and concerning those whose hearts were satisfied with the good things of this world so that they thought they needed nothing, he none the less was tender and gentle to all sinners, and to the afflicted, and to young children, after his wont; yea, and perchance, even exceeding his wont. For albeit he saw daily more and more of the evil nature of men, yet was he not embittered thereby; but whensoever his burden became heavier to bear, then, as it seemed to me, his gentleness appeared greater likewise. Of which gentleness I will here set down one among many instances. When we were come into a certain village, at the end of a day’s journey, the hour being now late (for the sun had already set), behold, at the going into the village, stood many women with children in their arms; and they besought Jesus to bless them. Then we (who went before Jesus and the rest to prepare a lodging for him) bade the women take away the children and to bring them on the morrow; for we had walked a long journey and were weary and had fasted long; and, said we, it was not seemly at that hour to trouble the Master. But he was sore displeased at us, and took up the little children in his arms and blessed them and said, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” He also repeated his former saying, that none should inherit the Kingdom unless they became as little children. These words seemed to some of us well fit for peaceful times and for quiet talk and meditation in Galilee, but not fit now when the hour had come to enter the Kingdom, as we supposed, by smiting with the sword. Howbeit to Jesus these words seemed always fit and seasonable; so gentle was he and so loving, even to the last.

It came to pass that in the throng, listening to these words of Jesus, there was a certain young man whose name was Tobias the son of Zechariah. He also came that same night to the inn, to hearken to the teaching of Jesus: and he said unto certain of his friends in my hearing that he was willing to do anything that Jesus should say, even to the giving of half his wealth: moreover he made many professions as if on the morrow he would join himself unto Jesus and go forth with us to Jerusalem. Howbeit on the morrow, when we assembled early according to our wont to set forth, the young man Tobias was not with us. But we (for it was usual with us to hear many promises and to see few fulfilments) began our journey without him. But we had not gone more than six or seven furlongs when the young man came in haste running after us, and when he had come near to Jesus, he saluted him and knelt before him. For his heart had been inflamed with admiration of the doctrine which Jesus taught concerning the Kingdom of God; howbeit he trusted not in our Master as the Redeemer of Israel, but he loved him as a very pious Scribe, teaching things lovable and excellent. Therefore, willing to gain the favour of Jesus and yet being unwilling to journey forth with Jesus, he was fain to gain our Master’s favour and also satisfy his own conscience, if it might be, by doing some other good work in lieu of doing that which he had promised to do. So he called Jesus “Good Teacher,” and said unto him, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

Now Jesus perceived that the young man was deceiving himself; for he supposed himself to be righteous, but he was not; moreover he trusted in his wealth and thought to buy the mercies of God with a price. Therefore Jesus took compassion on him; and looking upon him, he loved him, and would fain have opened his eyes that he might know himself and be less content with himself. So he desired to shew him that he was wrapped up in the love of his possessions. Therefore first of all Jesus answered as a teacher (forasmuch as the young man also had called him a teacher), and he bade the young man obey the Law. But Tobias, like unto a pupil reproaching a teacher for that the task appointed is too easy, replied that he had observed the Law from his childhood upward. Then Jesus, knowing what would come to pass, made mention of the watch-word of our desperate journey, calling it the journey of the cross (or halter, as some people termed it); and he said to the young man, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross and follow me.” Then the countenance of the young man fell, for he had not supposed that the teacher would appoint so great a task; for he had great possessions. So he rose up from his knees, and departed, grieving much, and he went back by the way he had come.

Jesus looked after him as he went; even as a physician regardeth the patient which struggleth against the knife of healing. And he stood still, and marvelled much because of the power of the things of this world over the mind of man, and yet more because of the power of the Lord to deliver the souls of men from the things of this world. For when he considered the weakness of men and the strength of this world, then it seemed to him (as he was wont to say) a harder and a greater work to redeem a rich man’s soul than to uproot a tree or a mountain, or what else may be wrought by art of magic. So he turned to us and said, “Children, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” Hereat we were astonished out of measure, saying among ourselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked upon us and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

Afterwards as we walked behind him, we discoursed further among ourselves concerning these words, and Judas said, “How then? Are we never to be rich!” But another said, “He meaneth that none that are rich can enter into the Kingdom; howbeit when we have attained to the Kingdom, then shall we be rich, though we be poor now; but the rich shall be shut out.” But Nathanael said to me privately he thought Jesus meant otherwise; as if he divided the children of men into two parts, the one part having their hopes and treasures in heaven and the other part having their hopes and treasures on earth (according as he had himself commanded us to have our treasure in heaven, saying that where our treasure is, there would our heart be also): now if a man have his treasure in heaven, then though he have five hundred talents on earth, yet they harm him not, for he useth them to good end: but whoso hath his treasure on earth, though he have but five hundred pence on earth, yet they harm him, clogging his soul, and hindering him from looking upwards, because he useth his little wealth to the ends of his own pleasure. “For,” said Nathanael, “as often as Jesus speaketh of wealth, he meaneth ever some spiritual meaning, as when he speaketh of bread and corn and wine, and the like.”

I doubt not that Nathanael interpreted aright the words of Jesus. Howbeit also true it is that very few whom the world calleth rich, entered either then or afterwards into the Kingdom of God. Therefore I judge that Jesus meant also perchance to warn us how dangerous a thing it is for a man to have more wealth than is needful for simple wants. For the experience of the saints hath been, everywhere and at all times, that fewer men come into the Church with five hundred talents than with five hundred pence.

But after we had discoursed a long time concerning the matter, Judas moved Peter to question Jesus, and to ask whether indeed it was true, that the disciples should never be rewarded with wealth. So Peter went to Jesus and said, “Lo, we have left all and followed thee.” He said no more, but Jesus perceived what was in his heart; and he answered and said to us all, “Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the Gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come eternal life.” Then he ceased; but when we thought that he had made an end and we were departing, he added, “But many that are first shall be last, and the last first.”

These latter words of Jesus troubled us not a little. For of late since we had left Capernaum, many new disciples had joined themselves to us, and Jesus had suffered them gladly; and now we thought that his intent was that, in the kingdom of Jerusalem, they, even these new disciples, should have equal reward with us, who had followed him through all his wanderings. Moreover we were vexed because in the beginning of our consorting with Jesus he had set much store upon us his followers, saying unto us, “Whosever is not with me is against me,” as much as to say that only we, which followed with him, were his friends, but all else were his enemies; but now he seemed to set store upon all them that were not siding with his enemies. For of late when John the son of Zebedee saw a certain man adventuring to cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, and yet he followed not with us, John would have forbidden him. But Jesus said “Forbid him not: for whosoever is not against me is with me.” These words were contrary to the words which he had spoken before, insomuch that we knew not what to think.

But as concerning the first words of Jesus, namely, that all our goods, whatsoever we had left for the sake of Jesus, should be multiplied an hundredfold, and that too even in this life, we rejoiced exceedingly. For some that had left small fields, began to reckon that they should have great estates; others that had left houses or boats, counted up whole villages and navies that should be theirs when Jesus should be king in Jerusalem. Moreover a certain Scribe, who followed with us, said “This saying of Jesus is also in accordance with the sayings of the Wise; for it is said all things are done according to exact retribution, whether in way of punishment or reward. Even as Samson (who followed after the desire of his eyes) was blinded by the Philistines; and Absolom (who boasted of his hair) was hanged upon the tree by his hair, so that he died. Moreover also Ham the father of Canaan (who sinned by seeing and by telling, that is with the eyes and with the teeth) was therefore made a slave; as Moses also enacted that whatsoever slave was sinned against by his master in the matter of teeth or eyes, so as to suffer loss thereof, he should be made no longer a slave but free. For this is according to the law of retributions; for with what measure a man measureth, THEY measure to him.”

“Nevertheless,” said Matthew the Publican, “I would fain know how, when we attain to the Kingdom, the mothers of the faithful should be multiplied an hundredfold.” But some one said, in answer to Matthew, that perchance the meaning of that hard saying was, that as many as were in the Kingdom should be as one family; so that all men, esteeming one another as brethren, should look upon the mothers of their brethren as being their own mothers. Howbeit most of us agreed to the words of Judas, who said that we should take our stand upon the clear sayings of Jesus and leave the dark sayings: now Jesus had said that our houses and lands should be multiplied an hundredfold, and that saying ought to suffice for us.

Thus for that season we gave not much heed to the deep saying of Jesus: but afterwards when I wrote concerning it to Quartus the Alexandrine, of whom I spake before, he explained it after a different fashion. For he said that Jesus had in his mind a law of retribution indeed, but not such a law of retribution as that whereof the Scribes spake, but a far deeper one, a certain retribution of the soul. “For,” said he, “the meaning of Jesus is (as I understand it) that whatsoever the mind of man giveth to God, this returneth from God to the mind of man again with increase, in like manner as there returneth from the earth to man whatsoever fruit or produce man trusteth to the earth. For God giveth to man many good gifts, such as food, and houses, and lands, and wealth, and friends, and kinsfolk; and these all are as seed. Now if a man keep these good gifts to himself, and use them for his own pleasure, he is like unto a husbandman that should keep his seeds in a vessel, or closet, feasting himself with the sight thereof, and not venturing to trust them to the earth; wherefore they grow not nor return him fruits of increase. But whoso trusteth all these seeds to God, and useth them according to His will, behold, unto him there ariseth a harvest in heaven.

“For whosoever useth food aright, there springeth up for him cheerfulness and thankfulness and temperance and self-restraint; and whoso useth aright lands and houses and wealth, there springeth up for him liberality and generosity and magnanimity; again, whosoever casteth the seed of friendship into the lap of the divine goodness, behold there springeth up for him a tree of living friendship that knoweth not death. And in the same way, whosoever consecrateth unto God the love of mother and father, he receiveth a new power of love multiplied an hundredfold, and a new feeling of fatherhood, whereby he is drawn nearer unto the Eternal Father. For assuredly, whensoever Jesus speaketh of the increase of houses, and lands, and money, and the like, for them that enter into the Kingdom; he hath not in his mind shekels, and vines of Eschol or Engedi, but he ever seeth a certain spiritual coinage and a spiritual vineyard of the Lord.”

After this manner wrote Quartus unto me; making mention at the same time of the words of Jesus, how he had said that whosoever should receive a righteous man, i.e. an observer of the law, in the name of a righteous man, should receive a righteous man’s reward; and whosoever should receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, should receive a prophet’s reward. “Now by these words,” said Quartus, “Jesus signifieth not that a man shall have more or less of shekels, or more or less of food, or raiment, or happiness, for that he receiveth a prophet or a righteous man; but his meaning is this: that whoso by force of fellow-feeling and by the links of faith shall be bound to a righteous man, or shall be bound to a prophet in his heart, he shall become one with the righteous man or one with the prophet, so that he shall receive the like reward with the righteous man or with the prophet, to wit, increase of righteousness, or increase of the knowledge of God’s will.”

Whether Quartus, or he that made answer to Matthew, be the better interpreter of these words of Jesus, I know not even now: howbeit at that time we gave not much thought to these words, nor to aught else of the doctrine of Jesus. For whatsoever we had learned or whatsoever we thought that we had learned aforetime, while we were in Galilee, concerning the forgiveness of sins, and the not resisting evil, and the becoming as little children, behold, all these lessons now began to seem to us dim and far off, and fit rather for the schools of children than for the stir of the lives of men: because we were now going up to Jerusalem, and because the Day of Decision seemed nigh at hand. For each morning, when we arose, we said unto one another, “Perchance the Romans may this day attack us,” and each day, when we lay down to take rest, we reckoned the time and said, “There wanteth now one day less to the day of the Passover: and on that day, if not before, Jesus must of a surety redeem Israel with the strong hand.”

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