SIMON THE LEPER
31 AD – the Journey – Judean Wilderness to Galilee
Simon and Lazarus took the rest of the day working their way out of the rugged Judean Wilderness. By the time the sun set, they had already forded the Jordan River just a mile from Jericho and camped in the Perean valley.
It took them two days to travel the mountain ridges east of the Jordan following a well travelled caravan route. The road they were on was rocky, rough and skirted the edge of a high ridge. Simon was almost dizzy as he looked down a cliff when his donkey was walking pretty close to the edge. There was unusually heavy traffic going the same direction as they were. Last time he had seen so many people on this road heading north, they were pilgrims returning home after an annual Jewish festival. Though Simon was cut off from Jerusalem’s society for ten years, he still knew that the festivals had long past. So, he wondered why all these people were travelling north. He also observed a fair number of cripples and even lepers going the same way.
They camped, as usual, away from the other camps. Lazarus came back after talking to a number of people.
“Father, they say they are all on their to find the miracle worker who has been going from village to village in the Galilee area.”
“Did anyone say who he is?”
“Someone called him the Nazarine and that it was him that caused some incident at the Temple last Passover.”
“What happened at the Temple?”
“I wasn’t there when it happened. We, that is Uncle Tahan, the girls and myself, arrived at the Temple court and found it in turmoil. Do you remember how the court of nations had animal merchants and money changers setting up booths.” Simon nodded. “Well, father, it has become far worse. It had doubled in size and these money changers have been cheating the pilgrims. Some say that the priests were behind it. When we got there, tables were turned over with those changers and others scrambling after spilled coins. Animals were running loose from their pens. Pigeons and doves were flying all over. It was a real mess. And they said that the Nazarene was responsible. Another said that after the festival, the same man went north through Samaritan country and raised the populace.”
“Raise the Samaritans?” exclaimed Simon, a little perplexed. “How did he do that?”
“People think that maybe he might be the Messiah!”
“The Messiah?” This was a little bit too much for Simon to absorb and make sense. But then, he looked around at the numerous camp fires throughout the ridge they were on. There must be more than four hundred people here, a great number of which brought their sick and the infirmed with them. Can this miracle worker be the Messiah? The Messiah according to prophecy is one who would be sent by the Lord. So, wouldn’t the Messiah have powers to heal? Simon was not sure, however, like everyone else here, he hopes it is true.
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