Logos

commitment to that ideal against weakness, tempta- inside his head urging him to capitulate. The Gospelstion, and ultimately violence and death, contrast Jesus' behavior to a similar struggle withinPerhaps the most famous passage in this regard is Peter, the chief apostle and leader of the movementrecorded by the Gospel of St. Matthew. In it, the that would succeed Jesus upon his death.story is told of Jesus going "into the wilderness to be Though forewarned that he would succumb totempted by the devil." After fasting, three times Satan pressure to deny his links to Jesus' movement, immeappearsto offer Jesus first bread and finally "all the diately after the arrest of Jesus the apostle Peter iskingdoms of the world, and the glory of them." Says frightened by the frenzy of the cult followers of theSatan--now representing both the evil cults and, Pharisees and the growing witch-hunt atmosphere.more symbolically, the grasping, infantile pleasures of Three times confronted by people who accuse Peterthe senses--"All these things will I give thee, if thou of being a follower of Jesus, saying, "Surely thou artwilt fall down and worship me." And an enraged one of them," Peter explodes:Jesus replies, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only But he began to curse and swear, saying, "I knowshalt thou serve." (Matt. 4:1-11)not this man of whom ye speak."And the second time the cock crew. And PeterEVEN MORE DRAMATICis the scene in the Garden ofcalled to mind the word that Jesus said untohim, "Before the cock crow thrice, thouGethsemane. Taking with him his chief disciples, shalt deny me thrice." And when he thoughtPeter, James, and John, Jesus visits the Gethsemane thereon, he went out and wept bitterly.garden just outside Jerusalem. By now, Jesus knows (Mark 14:66-72)that his death sentence has been written, and that it isonly a matter of days before he is arrested and sent to The unwavering morality of Jesus of Nazarethcertain death. Seeking support and companionship was the powerful force that, in a few short years,from the three Apostles, Jesus goes to Gethsemane to would build the Christian movement. The grandpray for strength and to search his own soul about design of Jesus and his followers must, however, bewhether he can somehow avoid his fate without understood. Jesus could not afford to become incompromisinghis principles and everything his life volved in the constant turmoil and rebellious politicalhas stood for. As the Gospel of Mark records the environment of Jewish Palestine at that time. Obstory:viously, for almost all Jews, continued rule by Romewas intolerable. Like PhiloJuclaeus, Jesus of NazarethAnd he went forward a little, and fell on the rejected out of hand the idea of a nationalist revolt.ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, Amid the bestiality of ancient Rome, humanists couldthe hour might passfrom him. only seek to establish a movement and a tradition thatAnd he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible would ensure the creation of a leadership force necuntothee; take away this cup from me: essary for the political transformation of the verynevertheless, not what I will, but what thou Empire itself.tTo "liberate" Palestine from Rome--orwilt." (Mark 14:35-36) worse, to die in a futile effort--would accomplishnothing at all. But to rebuild the Platonic heritage asReturning a little ways to where the three Apostles the dominant political-philosophical current wouldwere waiting, Jesus finds them asleep. Three times guarantee the future of the human race.Jesus prays, and each time, when he returns, the Tensions were already high in Palestine duringApostles haveagainfallenasleep. Finally, summoning the life of Jesus. The simmering resentments andup his strength Jesus exclaims quietly, "Rise up, let us hatreds by the Jews against Rome often exploded ingo; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand." Immediately, rebellions and terrorism--and, most of the time, suchJudas Iscariot, one of the Twelve Apostles, leads the terrorism was secretly organized and controlled bysoldiers and the Temple Jews to Jesus. Jesus is arrested the Egyptian and Babylonian cults and by the Romanand taken to his trial, secret intelligence service. Increasingly, vigilanteSuch passages underline for the reader of the groups in the style of the Jewish Defense LeagueGospel that Jesus of Nazareth, though having already launched acts of violence and clamored for a suicidalreached the state of reason and thus become'the Son war against Rome. The Jewish nationalists--the firstof God, was himself still tormented by fears, doubts, "Zionists"--demanded a king to lead them into battleand temptations and that his greatness derived from against Rome.his simple courage and morality to reject the voices Repeatedly, Jesus refused to be that king. LikeCAMPAIGNER / August 1980 43