The Coming of the King

family of Lazarus, at the time of the evening meal, awaited the coming of Joseph of Arimathea who was to spend the night with them and with L

hast thou ever seen aught more gorgeous? In my garden I have a

h will not see Mary's red lily,"

ha called from the ki

o pluck a red lily,"

gain and preparation there be yet to make before we sup. Mary! Mary!" she called, turning toward the court door. When her sister entered a moment

e arranged her choice lily in a vase a

soon will our guest appear, and he is rich. L

with half his posses

" Lazarus said. "He too is given to

in taken with strange teaching

ed him the Messiah," M

is said this Galilean Prophet is no prophet at all, but

the King of the Jews shall come to restore again the throne of Dav

poor? A great head hast thou for busine

Kingdom, what man of Israel would not

mbroidered and his phylacteries were bound on his forehead with wide soft thongs. His tall and stately bearing, his flowing beard and official dress gave him dignity that impressed even Eli w

l the guests, thou come

Come, let us

d bowls of water for the washing of hands. Grace was said and then after a second hand cleansing, w

Prophet were we spea

owd by accusing him of having such speech with a publican and a harlot as the Law doth not allow. With few words did he tell of a man who had two sons. To the one did he say, 'Son, wilt thou do a service for thy father?' and the son said, 'Nay.' To the other, the man did say, 'Son, wilt thou do a service for thy father?' and the son did answer, 'Yea.' And when c

an pleaseth me. When hath a Rabbi spoken such w

Sanhedrin who harken

" Joel

as a hard saying the ears of Nicodemus did hear, for when the Ruler asked wha

thou dost call such speaking wisdom

s is not of flesh, but entereth in like the blowing

being born again. Mary, thou dost spend much time studying the mysteries of life a

or? Smell its rare fragrance? Here is a miracle, for this that is beautiful, is only a changed form of that which was uncomely. A miracle-yet the secret be with Jehovah God. Mayhap the heart of Nicodemus was brown and wrinkled with much tradition and useless custom until

wn to her in surprise and admiration. "Thou hast well spoken," he said

r Joseph. Y

t learn much

n by the Law that a woman be taught

et will the Gali

methinks, will he be

not think himself b

oth grow greater than the prop, because of what the prop hath been to it, is it able to stand in its own strength. So t

rtha observed, "but none hath yet tol

rus. "Martha doth thin

l a new

n. Doth not the Law teach that man is the glo

f the wife of a learned man is of more importance than t

"but tell me whether the kittuna of this Rabbi is

is man?" Lazarus

e white and lavender fringes on his tallith as the Law doth comm

y asked. "His words would I hear. Perhaps I

dom for a woman, will win for thee h

home of Jesus when he was a little lad. Of all she did tell concerning him, that which d

he beard around a mouth shaped for

e coward did pluck the hair of a small child which co

loved bravery," Josep

abbi is br

bra

the wrath of the High Pr

t of a fool,"

e table until a late hour, the

r the door had closed behind Joel and Joseph. "Now must

ened them to long handles. Martha, taking one of them, went to t

last corner searched, "on this eve of Israel's birthday I have a reque

quest of thy he

eet this unafraid yet tender and wise ma

the silver trumpets blowing in the New Year, remember this is thy brot

New Year's Eve. A kiss I have

laughed Lazarus when

od on thee, my bro