The Truth Shall Set you Free!

[So, how are they?] Ignatius inquired as a weary Joseph stumbled back into the sitting garden of the peristylium where the rest of us waited for... dawn? I suppose?

[They're both asleep.] Joseph replied as he collapsed in the chair next to Ignatius and stared up into the starlit sky. [Can't believe this is happening.] He quietly sniffled.

[We will inquire of things in Arimathea tomorrow.] Ignatius reached out to reassure Joseph. [I will send a messenger to Pilate.]

The two sat in the flickering fire light just looking at each other a long moment; before Joseph turned away.

[I'm sorry he destroyed your pottery.] He whispered.

[They murdered the man's family.] Ignatius muttered an almost angry response. [I'm not worried about a statue!]

Joseph remained quiet for a moment before he suddenly erupted.

[But WE.. are suppose to act justly. We are suppose to be the ones who act rightly and this is what we get for our own wickedness.] Joseph sucked in an angry sob. [We reap what we sow.]

[That book says there's none righteous.] Ignatius pointed.

[But we're suppose to expect more of ourselves than you.] Joseph shot back a theological litany. [My people who I've called of the least of the nations. You will have no other Gods before me. Make no idols. Remember the Sabbath. Be separate. Be holy. I'm not even suppose to be sitting in this house, none the less eating what you give me. How many exhortations have I heard about the dirty goyim...]

[And we're not the ones who murdered the... Pharisee's family.] Horatio growled.

Joseph stopped short, without even the courage to look at any of us.

[No, you're not.] He whimpered.

A servant hurried over when I began to poke at the fire. Ignatius and Cornelius chuckled as I shooed him away with the simple gesture, just to bring more wood. He dutifully retrieved more fuel.

[All of some Rabbi who preached love your enemies; resist not evil and turn the other cheek.]

[He wasn't talking about murderers!] Jospeh blurted out. [That law in Leviticus; an eye for an eye. That's talking about those who cause harm on account of their own foolish negligence. Resist not hardship. Don't seek vengeance. Criminals though are to be executed. That's what the law says!]

[And you don't think Rome understands that?] Horatio started to laugh while Ignatius and Cornelius snickered along.

[That's not what I mean!] Jospeh yelled in frustration.

[We know what you mean.] Ignatius answered calmly, yet sternly.

[Yes, it's true. We live in a blood thirsty world; one of little love and mercy.] Cornelius interceded. [How many battles have I fought? How many enemies have I killed and how many of my own men have I watched die before my face? I'm lucky to be here.] He turned toward Joseph. [I know he wasn't talking about letting evil run ramped. John first told men to repent and Jesus was no different in that regard.]

[Yes! Repent and believe; for without holiness, no one will see God.] Ignatius added. [That's in that book too.]

[Than he says forgive. Do any of you know what that means?] Joseph searched around us all; apparently hoping someone would understand.

[Bring forth; to send forward; to lift up.] Cornelius laughed as he cracked open the New Testament and held it up. [But what are you sending forward and who are you sending it forward to? I'm not a Hebrew scholar, but I do like to think I speak Greek well enough.] He handed the book to Joseph.

[No! You're an ignorant heathen dog!] Ignatius smirked, pointing accusingly at Cornelius as Cornelius peered back at him and jokingly barked in response.

[Yes, we understand, it's not a human authority.] Horatio amended as he handed the book to Joseph.

[No, it's not a human authority. We are sending forward unto God, who says let vengeance be mine. Are we also misunderstanding the meaning of vengeance? How is a holy God vengeful?] Ignatius posed another question. [If God does not transgress His own law; what does that verse mean?] He pointed. [And can men be... holy vengeful too; seeing how your own Scriptures say we are created in His image?]

Joseph only sat dumbfounded staring at the words before him.

[You mean us goyim too... sir?] Horatio flashed Cornelius a subtle idiotic grin.

[Shut up heathen dogs.] Ignatius pointed with a smirk. [By the way, are you a Roman citizen yet?] He raised an eyebrow to Cornelius.

[I've surpassed 25 years of service; yes sir! I'm entitled to a trial now.] Cornelius pointed back.

[Good, you've stepped up in this world and since we can't crucify you now; I better stop calling you a heathen dog.] Igantus chuckled.

[We don't crucify soldiers anyways.] Horatio politely corrected. [Citizen or not; that's the law.]

[Ahh... And we like to think we are a lawful people.] Ignatius raised a finger.

[Yes sir, that is indeed... what we like to think.] Cornelius chuckled.

[How do you know these things?] Joseph whispered in quiet awe.

I still had no idea what they were actually saying; but with the frequent pointing and reference to my books, I did get a sense of the basic conversation. Also, the fact that Joseph (this learned member of high council of the Sanhedrin) was often left speechless, of how these gentiles were responding to his questions. It was a rather intriguing dichotomy to witness; as I kept stoking the fire a bit, while flipping passages by flashlight.

I could at least read the translation from the passages they pointed to and I started to wonder what I could possibly learn from their discussions of law, justice and mercy? After all, I came from a time and place where lawlessness seemed forever on the rise and all in the name of 'tolerance' and 'social justice'. Not that I thought these ideals were bad conceptually speaking; but it ever remained quite obvious to me, that Rome exerted a level of authority that could not be ignored.

If tyranny is exercised justly; is it still tyranny?

I was starting to realize; that I would now beg to argue with that question. Although I knew these authorities never wholly exercised justice as God would; (how could they without His omniscience) I was starting to realize justice was still rightful in God's eyes, even beyond our secular definition of forgiveness.

So what is... real forgiveness? I started to wonder, as I was really beginning to wish I could just ask and get a simple answer.

I leaned over a bit and was peering at what Joseph was reading, when I interrupted him a minute and pointed to a word of this anonymous passage in Leviticus.

"Forgiven" I mumbled.

Without missing a beat; Joseph pointed to another word - Atonement!

[So shall make atonement for him the priest concerning his sin - and it shall be forgiven him.] Joseph read.

A few verses down the page, I pointed again. Joseph pointed the response. It was the same phrase: '...so shall make atonement for him the priest...'

"Forgiveness; atonement." I mumbled to myself. "Forgiveness is predicated upon atonement."

Joseph looked at me and then Ignatius.

[I think she's saying one can only be forgiven when atoned for.] He explained. [Which is correct from the standpoint of God's justice.]

[So if God doesn't forgive someone, does that mean we have to?] Ignatius raised an inquiry. [After all, if God never disobeys His own commands; what makes us think He'd require of us, something He doesn't do Himself?]

[By law you are absolutely correct.] Joseph answered. [God would not command us to do something He doesn't do.]

[But what did Jesus mean by mercy than?] Cornelius asked. [I mean, I'm all for justice and not excusing my enemies; or at least the really obnoxious ones.] He thumped the arm of his chair.

[If forgiveness is only attained through atonement; than forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors doesn't make any sense.] Ignatius thought a'loud. [Because the forgiveness of their debt is not dependent on our ability to forgive; but whether or not they are atoned for.]

[Yes, that is correct.] Jospeh nodded. [Unless the debtors are also atoned for, that phrase makes no sense.]

[How do you know who's atoned for though?] Cornelius posed another question.

[We don't] Joseph answered. [We bear not the omniscience of God.]

[Yet, if forgive means to send forth or lift up;] Horatio spontaneously offered. [Than what your actually doing, is lifting that debt to the judgement of one who's above your pay grade.]

[What?] Joseph suddenly looked at Horatio.

[Spoken like a true soldier!] Cornelius slapped Horatio. [You don't have the authority, so send it up the chain of command!] He pointed at Jospeh. [That's what it means to forgive.]

[I would agree with that.] Ignatius nodded as he gestured at Horatio. [Pretty smart for having won in a bet.]

[You won him in a bet?] Joseph looked at Cornelius.

[No, he did not win me in a bet.] Horatio mumbled through gritted teeth. [Stop bearing false witness... sir.] He glared at Cornelius.

[He said it.] Cornelius laughed as he pointed at Ignatius.

[Yeah, another one spoken like a true soldier.] Horatio made a face at Cornelius. [Passing the pale of dung!]

[Hey, that only gets passed down the chain of command; not up!]

[Their civilians, they don't count sir.] Horatio smiled. [Looks like your left holding the dung.]

[Oh but we can still come under military authority as subjects of Caesar.] Ignatius added. [The Senate actually voted on that.]

[True, and you can also stand by military tribunal.] Cornelius answered. [So would you like a bucket of dung... sir?]

[Only with Pilate's permission to dump it on someone's head.] Ignatius answered without missing a beat.

[And who would that be... sir?]

[Caiaphas?]

[No, Herod!]

They all laughed.

The hour drifted on as they chattered a bit more banter, before it was obvious that we were all starting to fade. How much sleep any of us had gotten in the past 48 hours; I wasn't sure? It didn't seem to matter though, since this all felt like a dream any ways.

Forgiveness... forgiveness is predicated upon atonement. I sat thinking. Who is atoned for and how do you know? The questions popped up like the 'wack a mole' game I apparently was loosing.

Well, all we know of the atoned in this life, is of who actually repents and believes. I at least knew the theological answer to that question. And so we give it up to God; because He's the only one who knows... eternally speaking at least.

So, who is forgiven and now what is forgiveness... not? I pondered some more as I watched the servants scurrying around at Ignatius command. Forgiveness obviously does not mean the state abdicates its God given right to punish the criminal. I suddenly realized; of which on some level I already knew that?

So what of someone like my brother? I questioned as I thought of what Jesus said to me about the 'execute the rapist passage' in Deuteronomy. Should I be praying for justice to prevail; of only but for the sake of stoping him from racking up more victims? I started to wonder; since it never seemed 'praying for his salvation' ever 'worked'? If God says 'let vengeance be mine'; is there something wrong with praying for that vengeance - if it so be God's will?

Well, if it be His will; I guess not?

I stared bleary eyed at my Bible; all the while thinking to myself, if the answer is in there, it will probably be in the psalms somewhere?

O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

O Lord my God, If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honor in the dust. Selah.

Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.

So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.

The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God tries the hearts and reins.

My defense is of God, which saves the upright in heart.

God judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.

He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordains his arrows against the persecutors.

Behold, he travails with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

He made a pit, and dug it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.

His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.

(Psalm 7)