The Young Boy
A Historical Fiction By The Burning Bush
Nicodemus: You place no importance on him then?
Caiaphas: I'm only saying that when he comes he will only be one man.
Nicodemus: Even if he is the awaited son of David?
Caiaphas: Listen to me, Nicodemus, everyone in this delicate time seems to think they possess the answers for Israel, that they know better than all.
Nicodemus: Who is like that?
Caiaphas: Many people, especially the younger generation. They would rather teach us than be taught.
Nicodemus: (laughs) Do they suppose the older will serve the younger?
Caiaphas: Really. Let me prove my point with that one over there (points offstage).
Nicodemus: (nods) Alright.
Caiaphas: Hello, would you care to join our conversation for a minute, young man?
Young Boy: As you wish.
Caiaphas: Is your father around? Would he mind if you talked with us?
Young Boy: I was actually going about His business. He has a lot of confidence in me.
Caiaphas: (looks at Nicodemus as if to ask, 'You see what I mean?') My name is Caiaphas, and this is my associate, Nicodemus.
Nicodemus: We are among the teachers of Israel.
Caiaphas: I was just speaking of my dissertation with Nicodemus here. My claim is that God's administration is like a role. When disaster strikes it is not that He wishes for anyone to face hardship. He simply has a job to do, as does everyone else. This misunderstanding is why the gentiles blaspheme His name.
Nicodemus: What do you think?
Caiaphas: (aside) How serious he looks!
Nicodemus: (aside) Perhaps we have insulted him somehow!
Young Boy: You are mistaken because you do not know the One you are talking about.
Nicodemus: (aside) What authority he speaks with!
Young Boy: When farmers sell their crops, do they sell only to people they like?
Caiaphus: (puzzled) No, they are farmers and they must do what they can to live.
Young Boy: The One who made the heavens and the earth does not want for employment, for He employs Himself in being who He Is. Who can tell Him to do otherwise?
The gentiles blaspheme because they do not know the One who watches over them. They bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them, but the Lord makes His rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Caiaphus: How are they to know the goodness of the Lord in times of hardship?
Young Boy: The Greeks say that those who find trouble are the ones trying to escape from it, but I tell you that everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks finds, and to him who asks the door is opened for him.
Caiaphus: And what of those who do not ask? Surely we owe them an answer.
Young Boy: Would you say the Lord command armies?
Caiaphus: Yes, legions upon legions of angels belong to the Lord of Hosts.
Young Boy: If God commands armies, as you say, then what need does He have for His children to defend Him? Is it not the wicked who stand vulnerable before Him?
The gentiles blaspheme because their hearts are hard and because of the unrighteous who call themselves His. How different it would be if the sons of Israel treated the gentiles in the same way God treats everyone!
Nicodemus: I understand roles well. We are teachers, and we come here to teach. That is how the people relate to us ... they come here expecting a teaching. How does someone relate to a Being who claims simply that He Is?
Young Boy: You ought to speak to Him as someone who takes personal interest in your deeds and in your welfare. You should pray to Him, not as though he were a distant shopkeeper or cleric who only listens because of his job, but as your Father who is in heaven.
Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs on your head are numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
Nicodemus: I have never heard a teaching like this in my life.
Woman: Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You. (She carries away the young boy by the hand).
Nicodemus: We should keep our eye on this young man.
Caiaphas: He is truly original -the people will notice. The government will be on his shoulders.
Nicodemus: The gravity with which he speaks ...
Caiaphas: I fear that such an individual would bring the wrath of Rome upon us. We could lose this place, and our places here. It might be better for everyone if we were rid of him.
Nicodemus: If only there was a sign ... a miracle to speak on his behalf.
Caiaphas: We will wait and see how he is received.
Nicodemus: I will keep my eyes on him.
Nicodemus: You place no importance on him then?
Caiaphas: I'm only saying that when he comes he will only be one man.
Nicodemus: Even if he is the awaited son of David?
Caiaphas: Listen to me, Nicodemus, everyone in this delicate time seems to think they possess the answers for Israel, that they know better than all.
Nicodemus: Who is like that?
Caiaphas: Many people, especially the younger generation. They would rather teach us than be taught.
Nicodemus: (laughs) Do they suppose the older will serve the younger?
Caiaphas: Really. Let me prove my point with that one over there (points offstage).
Nicodemus: (nods) Alright.
Caiaphas: Hello, would you care to join our conversation for a minute, young man?
Young Boy: As you wish.
Caiaphas: Is your father around? Would he mind if you talked with us?
Young Boy: I was actually going about His business. He has a lot of confidence in me.
Caiaphas: (looks at Nicodemus as if to ask, 'You see what I mean?') My name is Caiaphas, and this is my associate, Nicodemus.
Nicodemus: We are among the teachers of Israel.
Caiaphas: I was just speaking of my dissertation with Nicodemus here. My claim is that God's administration is like a role. When disaster strikes it is not that He wishes for anyone to face hardship. He simply has a job to do, as does everyone else. This misunderstanding is why the gentiles blaspheme His name.
Nicodemus: What do you think?
Caiaphas: (aside) How serious he looks!
Nicodemus: (aside) Perhaps we have insulted him somehow!
Young Boy: You are mistaken because you do not know the One you are talking about.
Nicodemus: (aside) What authority he speaks with!
Young Boy: When farmers sell their crops, do they sell only to people they like?
Caiaphus: (puzzled) No, they are farmers and they must do what they can to live.
Young Boy: The One who made the heavens and the earth does not want for employment, for He employs Himself in being who He Is. Who can tell Him to do otherwise?
The gentiles blaspheme because they do not know the One who watches over them. They bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them, but the Lord makes His rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Caiaphus: How are they to know the goodness of the Lord in times of hardship?
Young Boy: The Greeks say that those who find trouble are the ones trying to escape from it, but I tell you that everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks finds, and to him who asks the door is opened for him.
Caiaphus: And what of those who do not ask? Surely we owe them an answer.
Young Boy: Would you say the Lord command armies?
Caiaphus: Yes, legions upon legions of angels belong to the Lord of Hosts.
Young Boy: If God commands armies, as you say, then what need does He have for His children to defend Him? Is it not the wicked who stand vulnerable before Him?
The gentiles blaspheme because their hearts are hard and because of the unrighteous who call themselves His. How different it would be if the sons of Israel treated the gentiles in the same way God treats everyone!
Nicodemus: I understand roles well. We are teachers, and we come here to teach. That is how the people relate to us ... they come here expecting a teaching. How does someone relate to a Being who claims simply that He Is?
Young Boy: You ought to speak to Him as someone who takes personal interest in your deeds and in your welfare. You should pray to Him, not as though he were a distant shopkeeper or cleric who only listens because of his job, but as your Father who is in heaven.
Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs on your head are numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
Nicodemus: I have never heard a teaching like this in my life.
Woman: Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You. (She carries away the young boy by the hand).
Nicodemus: We should keep our eye on this young man.
Caiaphas: He is truly original -the people will notice. The government will be on his shoulders.
Nicodemus: The gravity with which he speaks ...
Caiaphas: I fear that such an individual would bring the wrath of Rome upon us. We could lose this place, and our places here. It might be better for everyone if we were rid of him.
Nicodemus: If only there was a sign ... a miracle to speak on his behalf.
Caiaphas: We will wait and see how he is received.
Nicodemus: I will keep my eyes on him.
8 Comments:
I fear I may have extended my poetic license beyond its length.
I actually have a large number of posts which I have never finished, and this one was probably headed in that direction -honestly I was afraid that posting it would anger God.
But now I find that sitting on it is more of a burden to Him. So here it is ... may He have mercy on an obscure devotion writer!
By the way, check out the face of the man in the upper right hand side of the picture.
That's exactly what I look like when I get into arguments with people.
Disgusting ...
so you are always out to TEACH others?
You are awfully hard on yourself. These men were human beings, only and I don't think it out of line to imagine such a conversation. It is one that could also be held today in light of Christ's return. There are many Christians today who are hampered in experiencing true faith simply because of their Biblical knowlege and so hardened by it that even a sign that refuted their dearly held doctrine would not cause any kine of change in them. Some things never change and human nature is one of those things.
I know this because I tend to be a Biblical know-it-all. I was that way when I was young and I still struggle with it now that I'm not so young.
Pam
bjk,
I don't know if it's so much that I'm always out to teach people as it is having a superiority grin on my face.
I can remember very clearly a teacher I had in highschool who asked me, 'Why do you insist on having that smug grin on your face? You would be better served without it.' We disagreed on everything else, but I think he was totally right about that.
Pam,
Reminds me of Christ's accusation to the teachers about searching the Scriptures and thinking that by studying them they have life.
There is something to be said for allowing the Scriptures to be 'hidden' inside oneself, rather than using them as a tool of outward promotion.
Or the demeaning of others...
Human beings are very good at taking that which is holy and pure and twisting it to our own purpose. We often do so before thinking to do so. It comes naturally to us.
Pam
Yeah ...
To consider the things said with the same tongue used to praise God ...
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