Resurrection?

Resurrection?

Everyone in the inn was now staring at us. Judas was either drunk or crazy. I tried to calm him down.

"Resurrection?" I asked again. Judas suddenly seemed even more nervous than before. His eyes flashed like shooting stars. His nostrils flared and, for a moment at least, it seemed to me that his whole visage began to change into something almost diabolic.

"Yes!" he replied, with a level of intensity that I had never before experienced in a human being. "We were sitting there, enjoying our meal, when Jesus started talking nonsense about what is really going to happen to him, and us too! No kingdom, no royalty, no high positions for those of us who have dedicated our lives to him. No sitting at his right hand for James or John, or any of us in fact!"

I had to admit that did sound disappointing. But then, I really didn't know what to expect, as I had never been in any of these secret meetings with Jesus.

Judas continued: "We sat there looking at each other with puzzled faces. We weren't expecting this. A couple of the guys were nodding their heads as if they knew what he was talking about. You know, Peter, John and a few others. Thomas looked doubtful and so was I.

"But Jesus just kept going on about how he was going to suffer and die, and after that, how we would be persecuted and maybe even killed also. He said that the ancient writings of the prophets foretold all this, that people should have known that he was coming and what he was all about."

I recalled Jesus saying that those who suffer persecution for his sake would have a great reward in heaven, and reminded Judas of that promise.

He exploded with laughter: "Promises, promises, promises, that's all we ever got! Promise of what?" he cried. "That we will be hunted like animals, suffer persecution and die painful deaths, all for the dream of an unknown reward in a fictitious place called heaven?" He laughed again.

"Jesus explained that all the ancient writers and prophets foretold what the so-called Messiah would have to go through. Maybe so, but most people who have read that stuff still think the Messiah is going to establish a kingdom and smash all our enemies so we can live in peace at last. Now, he's telling us the exact opposite, that there definitely will be no great restoration of our land, and that it will be just a spiritual kingdom instead."

Judas stopped for a moment to take a sip of wine. He was either totally mad or drunk, or, I was repelled by the thought, possessed. Suddenly he blurted out: "You saw all those people out there when he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem! You heard all that singing and shouts of praise. Well, guess what! Jesus says those people who wanted to crown him king are going to turn against him in a matter of days, and before you know it, will be demanding he be put to death!"

I said I didn't see how that was possible, but Judas never stopped talking. "Then, after he is killed, he is going to come back to life. The resurrection!" he shouted, standing up and raising his glass as if giving a toast. Everyone stared at us. He sat down, took a sip of wine, and continued in a low voice: "The whole scheme has been put together by the Pharisees and priests, along with some other elite malcontents he has rubbed the wrong way."

I thought of the moneychangers in the temple and others who had been embarrassed or outwitted by Jesus. On many occasions I had seen the Pharisees huddled together, snickering among themselves, outwardly laughing but inwardly burning with hatred for Jesus. They were a pack of wolves circling their prey. The thought sent a chill through me, as I began to realize Judas might be right, that these people really were that vindictive and cruel.

"When will all this take place?" I asked, attempting to quiet him down a bit. I was hoping he simply had misunderstood what Jesus was talking about. "Soon," was all he said, with a slight nod of understanding. "Soon."