Conversations on the way to the Cross 2: The Commotion

Two temple traders complain about the recent ruckus

"Three days' takings I've lost, Samuel. Three days of my money down the drain, thanks to that joker."

"Tell me about it. Did you see my pigeons? Everywhere, they were. Some even got into the Holy of Holies, and the priests didn't like that, I can tell you! It took me ages to round them up."

"Pigeons? Well they're OK - they're homing birds, aren't they? You shake a bag of food, and back they all come. My coins don't do that. You know what all those beggars are like in the temple courts - one chink of a coin and they come running like chickens round seed. When that madman turned my table over, half the money didn't even hit the floor before it was gone!"

"At least you didn't get in the way of his whip, Hosea. Poor old Jedidiah got driven right out of the courtyard. I know those Ark of the Covenant models he sells are pretty tacky, but he didn't deserve that."

"No way! I tell you, crucifixion's too good for guys like that. And what do we pay the temple guards for, anyway? They should be making sure these lunatics don't even get in - especially if they're armed. There's been too much of it lately."

"Damn right. They all come in spouting about freedom and holy war, and next thing you know it's poor hardworking guys like us who are suffering for it. Mind you, sounds like this one's got a vendetta against the religious leaders, too. Did you hear what he was calling the Pharisees?"

"Sounded like 'hypocrites' from where I was standing."

"Oh yes, and that wasn't the half of it. Poisonous snakes, dirty graves - that man had a mouth on him!"

"Brave guy. Tell you what though Samuel, if he's insulting that lot in public he's not going to be around long. They don't want anyone disturbing their holy little bubble. You mark my words, they'll disappear him double-quick. I bet they're cooking up some scheme right this minute."

"Well, I look forward to seeing it. Even if he was just saying what the rest of us have been thinking for years - and you know it, Hosea."

"Yes, but that's the point, isn't it? We are smart enough not to say it to their face. And we don't cause a commotion right on their home turf. And so, my friend, we are still going to be alive by the end of the week."

Mark 11: 15-19

Other Conversations from the Cross
1: The Donkey

3: The Authority
4: The Anointing
5: The Betrayal
6: The Burial
7: The Precaution
8: The Resurrection

Comments

Dove Valley Walk: Going round the bend

Somewhere between Marchington and Uttoxeter, the wiggles of the River Dove stop wiggling west to east, and start wiggling north to south. If it went in straight lines, it would make a right-angled bend. As I'm following the river upstream, this was my last section walking west. After this it's north to the Peak District and Dovedale. here the Dove swings north The main walk of this section was all on the south side of the river. But I also did a separate, shorter walk, to explore the village of Doveridge, and the old Dove Bridge which is tantalisingly glimpsed from the A50. Walk 1: Marchington to Uttoxeter I liked Marchington even more as I arrived there for the second time. I parked opposite the village shop - noting the "ice cream" sign outside for later - and near the brick-built St Peter's Church, with a war memorial built in above the door. A few streets took me to the other side of the village, where I found a path alongside a stream, then across some hay m

Dove Valley Walk: Meeting the Limestone Way

At Uttoxeter my route along the Dove Valley met some official long-distance trails. First the Staffordshire Way north to Rocester, then the Limestone Way continuing up towards Dovedale. Graham joined me on today's walk, which included the Staffordshire Way section and the first part of the Limestone Way. Unusually, it was a one-way hike; we got the bus back. Uttoxeter to Ellastone Graham and I parked at Uttoxeter train station. It's very cheap for the day if you park after 10am, but I was worried about getting back in time for the school run, so we got there at 9:20 and paid the more expensive rate (still only £3). We started off across flat fields towards the A50 and Dove Bridge. A group of young cattle gave us hard stares as we walked past. I posted a photo of a wonky gate on the Gate Appreciation Society with the caption "Parallelogate" and it quickly accumulated 200 likes - many more than this post will get! Passing the old Dove Bridge again , we ploughed t

San Antonio

San Antonio is towards the south of Texas and feels very much more Mexican than American. The balmy evenings, the colourful Mexican market, the architecture of the buildings, and the number of people speaking Spanish around us all added to the impression. The city, in fact, grew out of a Spanish mission and presidio (fort), built in 1718 as part of Spain's attempt to colonize and secure what was then the northern frontier of the colony of Mexico. Texas was then a buffer zone between Mexico and the French-held Louisiana, and Spain was keen to cement her hold on the area by introducing settlers and converting the natives to Catholicism and loyalty to the Spanish government. The missions in general had no great effect, but the San Antonio area was the exception to the rule, growing into an important city with five missions strung out along the San Antonio river. The first of these, San Antonio de Valero, later became well-known as the Alamo, where 182 Texans died in 1836

Martha's Marvellous Munchies

Search This Blog