He was very wealthy. The people of Jericho feared and hated him. He had spies at every keyhole listening for some rebellious whisper. Anyone suspected of grumbling about the Government was assessed higher taxes, and if he protested, he was charged with treason. Zacchaeus had built a beautiful home on a knoll at the southern boundary of Jericho and lived like a prince. There were landscaped gardens and lagoons--and scores of servants.'
'But no friends,' surmised Marcellus.
'Neither among the rich nor the poor; but Zacchaeus did not care. He had contempt for their hatred. Well, on this day, having heard that Jesus was proceeding toward Jericho, Zacchaeus came down into the city for a glimpse of him. The waiting crowd was so dense that he abandoned his carriage and struggled through the multitude to reach a spot where he might see. A legionary, recognizing him, assisted him to climb up into the fork of a tree, though this was forbidden to anyone else. Presently Jesus came down the street with his large company, and stopped by the tree. He called to Zacchaeus, addressing him by name, though they had never met, saying, "May I dine with you to-day?"'
'And what did the people of Jericho think of that?' wondered Marcellus.
'They were indignant, of course,' said Miriam. 'And Jesus' closest friends were very unhappy. Zacchaeus had been so mean, and now Jesus had singled him out for special attention. Many said, "This Galilean is no better than the priests, who are ever truckling to the rich."'
'I suppose Zacchaeus made the most of their discomfiture,' commented Marcellus.
'He was much flattered; hurried down from the tree and swaggered proudly at Jesus' side as the procession moved on. And when they arrived at his beautiful estate, he gave orders that the multitude might enter the grounds and wait--'
'While he and his guest had dinner,' assisted Marcellus. 'They must have resented that.'
'They were deeply offended; but they waited. And saw Jesus enter the great marble house of Zacchaeus. After they had sat waiting for almost an hour, Zacchaeus came out and beckoned to the people. They scrambled to their feet and ran to hear what he might say. He was much disturbed. They could see that something had happened to him. The haughtiness and arrogance was gone from his face. Jesus stood a little way apart from him, sober and silent. The great multitude stood waiting, every man holding his breath and staring at this unfamiliar face of Zacchaeus. And then he spoke, humbly, brokenly. He had decided, he said, to give half of all he owned to feed the poor. To those whom he had defrauded, he would make abundant restitution.'
'But what had happened?' demanded Marcellus. 'What had Jesus said to him?'
Miriam shook her head.
'Nobody knows,' she murmured; then, with averted, reminiscent eyes, she added, half to herself: 'Maybe he didn't say anything at all. Perhaps he looked Zacchaeus squarely in the eyes until the man saw, reflected there, the image of the person he was meant to be.'
'That is a strange thing to say,' remarked Marcellus. 'I'm afraid I don't understand.'
'Many people had that experience,' said Miriam, softly. 'When Jesus looked directly into your eyes--' She broke off suddenly, and leaned far forward to face him at close range. 'Marcellus,' she went on, in an impressive tone lowered almost to a whisper, 'if you had ever met Jesus--face to face--and he had looked into your eyes until--until you couldn't get away--you would have no trouble believing that he could do anything--anything he pleased! If he said, "Put down your crutches!" you would put them down. If he said, "Pay back the money you have stolen!" you would pay it back.'
She closed her eyes and relaxed against the cushions. Her hand, still in his, was trembling a little.
'And if he said, "Now you may sing for joy!"' ventured Marcellus, 'you would sing?''
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http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks04/0400561h.html#c14
'Something tells me I am going to feel quite out of place in Rome,' he confessed. 'I have been much impressed by what I have heard of your brave Galilean's teachings about human relations. They seem so reasonable, so sensible. If they become popular, we could have a new world. And, Miriam, we must have a new world! Things can't go on this way! Not very much longer!'
Miriam put down her work and gave him her full attention. She had not seen him in such a serious mood before.
'During these past few days,' he went on, 'I have had a chance to look at the world from a different angle. It wasn't that I had never stopped to think about its injustice, its waste, its tragic unhappiness. But--out here in this quiet country--I lie at night, looking up at the stars, and suddenly I recall Rome!--its greed and gluttony at the top; its poverty and degradation, growing more and more desperate all the way down to the bottom of damp dungeons and galleys and quarries. And Rome rules the world! The Emperor is a lunatic. The Prince Regent is a scoundrel. They rule the world! Their armies control the wretched lives of millions of people!' He paused, patted a damp brow, and muttered, 'Forgive me, my friend, for haranguing you.'
'Would it not be wonderful,' exclaimed Miriam, 'if Jesus were on the throne?'
'Impossible!' expostulated Marcellus.
'Maybe not,' said Miriam, quietly.
He studied her eyes, wondering if she were really serious, and was amazed at her sober sincerity.
'You can't be in earnest!' he said. 'Besides, Jesus is dead.'
'Are you sure of that?' she asked, without looking up.
'I agree that his teachings are not dead, and something should be done to carry them to as many people as can be reached!'
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks04/0400561h.html#c14
'This faith,' he declared deliberately, 'is not like a deed to a house in which one may live with full rights of possession. It is more like a kit of tools with which a man may build him a house. The tools will be worth just what he does with them. When he lays them down, they will have no value until he takes them up again.'
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Controversy
In October, 2006, Iraqi Shiite residents of Baghdad's Sadr City expressed outrage over an image of ‘Buddy Christ’ that appeared in pamphlets and posters in the area following a joint US-Iraqi operation. The posters contained the image of Buddy Christ, a forgery of a US military crest and the outline of a plan to subjugate the area. Residents protested because they believed the images were mocking the Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer of Islam.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology the Mahdi (transliteration: Mahdi, also Mehdi; "Guided One") is the prophesied redeemer of Islam. The advent of Mahdi is not a universally accepted concept in Islam,[citation needed] and among those that accept the Mahdi there are basic differences among different sects of Muslims about the timing and nature of his advent and guidance. Most Muslims believe that the Mahdi will change the world into a perfect and just Islamic society alongside Jesus before Yaum al-Qiyamah (literally "Day of the Resurrection" or "Day of the Standing").
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cara ... Thomas.jpg
