It has been several months since my friend Simon left the Zealots. Simon had a passion for God that was no less than mine, but at the same time, he was extremely cool-headed. He rarely spoke unless necessary, but when he did, he had an amazing ability to get to the point. He was well-respected within our group of Zealots, but he suddenly left us to follow a man named Jesus. At the time, I tried my best to dissuade him, but I couldn't change his mind.
This incident led to discussions within the Zealots about who Jesus was. Rumors about Him were mostly about healing the sick and casting out demons. It was said that He traveled around synagogues teaching, but there were so many stories that it was hard to know what was true. Therefore, the leaders of the Zealots, Jacob and Simon, sent me to determine what kind of person Jesus was. Based on my judgment, Jesus could either become a friend or an enemy of the Zealots.
Certainly, Jesus is a person with a somewhat ambiguous identity. Given His ability to perform miracles, it seems clear that He is sent by God, but He doesn't seem to use His powers for anything other than healing and teaching. Normally, someone with such abilities would try to do more with them, but He just does those things. His actions are puzzling, which is why not only we Zealots, but also the Pharisees and Sadducees are trying to understand His true identity by sending people to investigate. Even the Essenes, though they are a closed community focused on their own strict routines, must be watching Him with interest. Herod Antipas is currently preoccupied with John the Baptist, but it's clear that he too will soon turn his attention to Jesus. In this sense, I feel the importance of my mission to judge His true identity—not just for the Zealots, but for all of Judea.
Looking around, I see an enormous crowd. Where did all these people come from? I hear the dialects of Galilee the most, but also those from Decapolis, Judea, and Berea. I even hear dialects from the coastal regions of Tyre and Sidon. Foreigners are coming to see this Jesus; how does He attract so many people? If I could understand what draws people to Him, the Zealots might be able to regain their former glory.
Although it was not during my active time, the Zealots had waged a large-scale struggle during the tenure of Coponius, the first Roman governor. At that time, the Zealots attacked many Roman soldiers and collaborators who aided Rome, which led to many Jews gaining freedom. Had they not been suppressed then, perhaps an independent Jewish kingdom would already have been established—a theocratic Jewish kingdom serving only God.
Yes, judging Jesus is important, but perhaps the best thing would be to bring Him into the Zealots. If He shares our vision for the world, just imagine the great things we could achieve. Not only could we regain our former strength, but we could also build a more powerful army. Think about it: in battle, if our enemies are injured, Jesus could heal them. What army could defeat one that fears nothing? In this sense, it might be fortunate that Simon became His disciple first. Through Simon, we might be able to persuade Him.
If Jesus has even a slight intention of independence, it wouldn't be difficult to recruit Him into the Zealots. The Zealots aren't as problematic as people think; we simply believe that no one should be served above God. Even when captured and tortured by the Romans, we would rather die honorably than betray God. Our theology is not different from that of the Pharisees; their teachings are our teachings, and vice versa. We have no issues.
Of course, people might not like our method of struggle. But how can independence be achieved without fighting? In the past, when the Hasmoneans fought for independence from the Seleucids, they didn't just conform to reality like the Pharisees do today. We have chosen the path of struggle, just as the Hasidim did in those days, longing for a theocratic state to rise again in this land. What we want is freedom—to serve God freely. We believe that only God should be our ruler, and we live according to the law He gave us. Therefore, we do not call anyone else "lord," and we consider those who claim to be lords as enemies. How dare anyone call themselves "lord"? That is blasphemy.
As I thought this, I reached for the dagger in my belt. The metal felt cold to the touch. This dagger had already taken several lives. Just as the memory of those killings was about to resurface, someone shouted:
"Look, Jesus is coming!"
"Wow!"
Among the cheering crowd, I looked at Jesus intently. Walking down from the mountain with His disciples, Jesus didn't seem as impressive as people said, but there was certainly something about Him. Even amidst all the cheering, He didn't appear arrogant or proud; He walked calmly, as if doing what He was meant to do. By His side was Simon, my friend who had left the Zealots—still well-respected here. When Jesus reached the plain below, a surge of people rushed toward Him, each one desperately trying to touch even the edge of His clothing. To my astonishment, every time someone managed to touch Him, they would suddenly shout out,
“I’m healed!”
Their voices rang out all around me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing—it was as if a wave of miracles was sweeping through the crowd. To my surprise, the stories about Jesus healing people were true.
Now, the important thing was His teachings. If He preached teachings that could align with the Zealots, I wouldn't hesitate to invite Him to join us.
I followed Jesus with my gaze. After healing the people, Jesus went back up the mountain and sat down where everyone could see Him. Not just me, but everyone else held their breath, waiting to hear what Jesus would say. The crowd fell completely silent, and Jesus began to speak.
* * *
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
"Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven."
"You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.' But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny."
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;' but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna."
"It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,' but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery."
"Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,' but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one."
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you."
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
"Be careful that you don't do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don't sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you do merciful deeds, don't let your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
"When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Therefore don't be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.
Pray like this:
'Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don't forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
"Moreover when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you."
"Don't lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don't break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Mammon. Therefore I tell you, don't be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they don't sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you of much more value than they? Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won't he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
Therefore don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?', 'What will we drink?' or, 'With what will we be clothed?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day's own evil is sufficient."
"Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye."
"Don't give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."
"Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets."
"Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it."
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn't grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
* * *
His teachings continued for a long time. But what on earth did these words mean?
He never said a word about Jewish independence or struggle; he only talked about the Kingdom of Heaven. And what else? He said the poor in spirit are blessed? Blessed are the peacemakers, and blessed are those who are persecuted? Isn't that even more powerless than the teachings of the Pharisees?
Moreover, what he said was completely at odds with the ways of the Zealots. He preached peace and a good life. That sounded more like the Essenes’ way. No, he even called for stronger practice than the Essenes. The Essenes give generously to others but expect to receive the same in return. But he said to act without even that expectation. The Essenes rarely swear oaths because they know how binding they are, but he told people not to swear oaths at all. The Essenes teach to hate the wicked, but he said to love even your enemies. Where do these teachings come from?
What’s even more absurd is that he talked about laws that are impossible to keep. He said that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Even the current laws are so difficult to keep that it’s a struggle to the death, and now he says we must keep even more. And on top of that, he spoke of laws harsher than those taught by the Pharisees. How could anyone keep that? It’s almost like he’s saying, “This is the original law, and this is God’s true standard; if you want to keep it, go ahead and try.” Is this what he means by the fulfillment of the law? Or does he have some new way of fulfilling it?
The man was disappointed. Jesus' words were completely incompatible with the Zealots. He couldn't understand why his friend Simon had joined him. His plan to understand Jesus' identity by listening to his teachings was now in chaos. Jesus spoke like the Pharisees and Essenes, but his teachings were far more severe. He used parables to make his teachings seem simple, but the content was incredibly difficult. His teachings sound gentle on the surface, but in reality, they are harsh and demanding.
While the man was still struggling to make sense of who Jesus was, suddenly a new message reached his ears. Up to this point, Jesus had spoken about people's actions, but now, he turned the focus to himself.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.' Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn't fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn't do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall."
Oh, God! What did he just say? Did he call himself "Lord"? Did he say he decides who enters the Kingdom of Heaven?
The man was shocked by Jesus' last words. Despite knowing that only God can be called "Lord," Jesus referred to himself as such. The man couldn't contain his outrage at this blasphemy. He decided to leave the crowd and climbed a nearby mountain, where he could see Jesus’s back clearly. He reached into his cloak and grasped his dagger.
Just then, Simon, who had left the Zealots, appeared before him. Simon's face was as cold and unflinching as ever.
"Jesus told me to come here, and I found you."
"Move aside. He called himself 'Lord.' How dare he?"
Simon nodded, seeming to understand the man's feelings.
"You only listen to what you want to hear. Do you remember his previous teachings?"
"What do you mean?"
"Listen carefully. Jesus is not the kind of person you think he is. Think back to his previous teachings. Is the ‘Lord’ he speaks of truly the same word, with the same meaning, as the one you’re thinking of?"
The man reflected on Jesus' teachings again. Although they were still incomprehensible, the words that came between the mentions of “Lord” suddenly came to mind.
"'But he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven?'"
"That's right. Jesus is not asking us to follow him; he's asking us to live according to God's will, not his own. That's what he means by 'Lord.' He's not placing himself above God."
"What does he mean by the Kingdom of Heaven, then?"
"I'm not exactly sure, since he hasn't said it plainly, but I think he means a kingdom here on earth, where he will become king."
"A king?"
"Yes. Although he doesn't acknowledge it, we believe he is the Messiah sent by God."
"Do you think God will achieve Judea's independence through him? Is that why you left the Zealots?"
"Of course. Why else would I have left?"
The man glared at Simon’s face, cold and hardened. Simon stared back at him with the same icy gaze. Two convictions clashed in a battle of unyielding principles. However, Simon showed no intention of changing his mind. Realizing it was pointless to argue with him, the man closed his eyes.
"History will be the judge of who is right."
"Whoever endures will be proven to be on God's side."
The man chuckled at Simon's words and began to walk away. As he departed, Simon said to him:
"Jesus will save you too."
"That won't happen, but if it does, I'll entrust everything to Jesus."
Simon watched the man disappear into the distance, finally exhaling a sigh of relief. As the man walked away, another voice echoed back.
"I'll inform the leadership. From now on, the Zealots will not oppose him."
"Thank you..."
Behind the departing man and the standing Simon, a vast crowd could be seen. Unlike the scribes, the people cheered for Jesus, who taught with authority. At last, they had encountered the true light of the world. Just as it is said that a city on a hill cannot be hidden, he stood tall on the mountain, revealed to all. He shone the light of the gospel brightly to everyone. Those who heard the gospel looked upon him and gave glory to God.
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