Interview with a Servant Girl

Denial of St. Peter, Gerret van Honthort

Quiet Spirit: Hello. Today we have with us one who can tell us a bit about one of the events at the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest. Welcome! Would you like to give us your name and tell us a little bit about yourself?

Servant Girl: Thank you for asking me to visit your blog today. It is an honor to be here. My name is not important; it is long forgotten in history. I was a servant girl in the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest. His family chose me to be in their service when Caiaphas received his appointment from a Roman official. When I had been in service for 15 years, the Feast of Passover brought tensions to Jerusalem. The religious leaders brought that rabbi, Jesus, to Caiaphas to go on trial.

Q. S.: Did you have knowledge of who Jesus was? Had you ever heard Him teach?

S. G.: A few days before the night in question, I was returning from purchasing supplies for the household in preparation for the Seder meal. I came upon a large group of people as they listened to the Rabbi preach. I asked a woman in the crowd who that Rabbi was. She told me he was Jesus. Another man stood close to this Jesus. I asked who that man was. She told me the second man was Cephas, who also was called Peter.

Q. S.: What happened on that night?

S. G.: Some of the others who were in service built a fire in the yard. A lot of people who were in town for the feast began to arrive at the gate. Soldiers brought in this Jesus for Caiaphas to interview. When the crowd brought that man Jesus into the courtyard, one of his followers came with him. Later, I recognized someone among the people who had been allowed to come into the yard. My friend told me this man hesitated outside the gate, talking to another man. That first man entered the yard and said something to one of the senior servants who went to Caiaphas’ son-in-law, Annas, conversed with him and returned to that first man. The senior servant accompanied him to the gate and spoke to the one waiting on the other side. The second man entered the yard and headed to the fire to get warm. I stood right by him and realized he had been with the Galilean. I told him that he had been with the Nazarene, but he responded with anger as he denied it. Suddenly, a rooster crowed and this man standing by the fire broke down and started sobbing. He then bolted from the fire and into the crowd.

Q. S.: Is there anything else you remember happening that night?

S. G.: Later, those in service talked about the events of the evening. Two others had confronted this man with the fact that he had been with this rabbi. Each time, he became agitated and, when I spoke with him, he seemed to not be able to contain himself any longer.

Q. S.: Servant Girl, you have given us new insight into the events of that event at the high priest’s home. Thank you for stopping by.

S. G.: Thank you for inviting me.

Interview with Malchus

http://www.germanicmythology.com

Q.S.: Hello, thanks for dropping in. Today we have with us Malchus, one of the male servants in Caiaphas’ household.

Malchus: Good day, thank you for inviting me here.

Q.S.: Could you tell us about your life of service?

Malchus: I started in service as a young boy, about eight or nine. My duties at that time were working with the animals. You know feeding them, cleaning the stalls, and replacing the hay in their stalls. As I got older, those duties changed.

Q.S.: How did you meet Jesus?

Malchus: The year I was 20, on the night of Passover, I found myself going in a group of about 200 men, some were assigned to Caiaphas, others were Priests and there also were Roman soldiers with us. It was dark; we carried torches to illumine our way through Jerusalem, up the Mount of Olives, and into the garden Gethsemane.

As we approached this man Jesus, the one we followed there gave the sign to identify him. He kissed this Jesus person.

Jesus asked who we were looking for. The priest answered. Jesus asked another question and again the priest answered. One of the men with Jesus asked yet another question and suddenly I felt something hit the side of my head. I reached up with my free hand and felt something warm on my skin. Someone near me held his torch closer to me and shouted, “This man is bleeding; his ear has been cut off.”

 Jesus chided one who was with him “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” He took my severed ear in his hand, placed it against the side of my head; said a few words, and removed his hand. This itinerant preacher, whom everyone wanted to die, healed me!

 My fellow servants told me which one of the men with Jesus did this to me. Later, after they brought Jesus to my master’s house, I recognized that man. I approached him and asked if he was with the Galilean. (Pause) Of course, he denied it.

Q.S.: How has your encounter with Jesus affected your life?

Malchus: All I knew about Jesus was what I overheard from Caiaphas, Annas, and the other priests. I really didn’t care for him. That’s why I didn’t mind going in that group to find him that night. However, after he healed me, I thought about how he showed compassion to me by taking the time to heal me, someone unworthy. If Jesus had not healed me, I don’t know what my life would have been like. I could have been reduced to a life of begging. He will always have my thanks.

Q. S.: Thank you, Malchus.

An Interview with Pontius Pilate, part 2

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Today, we continue with our visit with Pontius Pilate. Let's begin.

Q.S.: What were your thoughts about Him? Did anyone in your palace offer any advice as to what to do?

Pilate: When this Jesus stood before me and didn’t respond to my questions, I was amazed. I was torn between what the Jews wanted and the fact that I saw nothing that told me He was guilty of those charges. Then my wife sent me a message. She had experienced a sleepless night She told me not to condemn this man, Jesus. I found it strange. I wasn’t aware she even knew Him.

Q.S.: What was your alternative plan?

Pilate: I offered to let him go in exchange for another criminal. It was the custom for the governing authorities to release one being held in custody during Passover. The crowd said no, (shakes head) they wanted Barabbas, a rebellious thug, A REBELLIOUS THUG, freed...I was desperate, I HAD TO DO AS THE CROWD WANTED.

Q.S: Did you have any options?

Pilate: I had a job to do. If I let Jesus go, it would mean my post. I’d get called back to Rome and would be at my superior’s mercy. I HAD NO CHOICE. I ordered this Jesus scourged. The soldiers mocked him and his claim. After they were through with him. I brought him out before the crowd again. I felt sorry for this Jesus.

Q.S. How did the crowd react to seeing Jesus?

Pilate: The moment the chief priests and the scribes saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” The rest of the crowd joined in. I declared I found no charge against him—in my sight, he was innocent. I told them they could take him and crucify him themselves. I wanted no part in this.

Q.S.: On what did they base their desire?

Pilate: Those Jews were hard to deal with; they wanted this Jesus dead. They claimed they have a law saying he must die because he has claimed to be the Son of God. I went inside again and questioned this Jesus. He chose not to answer. His not speaking frustrated me. He seemed unconcerned even though I had the power to either let him go free or crucify him.

Q. S.: How did He respond to your questions?

 Pilate: He had told me any power I had, came from above. And those who had handed him over were guilty of a greater sin. I tried very hard to give him back to the Jews, but they didn’t want him. They wanted him crucified. I had no recourse. I had to do as they insisted. I believed he was speaking the truth- he was the Son of God.

Q. S.: Looking back, what was your reason for turning Jesus over to the crowd?

Pilate: Three times I told the Jews of Jesus’ innocence. I couldn’t understand why these people wanted to kill him. But they could make trouble for me with my superiors in Rome. I had to do as the people wanted.

Q.S.: Thank you for stopping by, Pontius Pilate, and for giving us this insight.

An Interview with Pontius Pilate, part 1

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Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. This year, we will be receiving visits from Biblical people who were involved in the story of Christ's last days on our earth. A few of these will be shared with you in two parts. 

Quiet Spirit: Hello! We have with us today Pontius Pilate. governor of Judea from 26 to 36 A. D. One year during the Jewish Passover, he had the task of presiding over the decision-making process dealing with Jesus Christ. Welcome, Pontius Pilate to Following My King.

Pontius Pilate: Thank you for inviting me to share my story.

Q.S.: This must have been a stressful time for you. What was the first thing you saw that told you this would be a difficult time?

Pontius Pilate: I looked out onto the street, I saw a mob of people heading to my palace. I thought, “Oh, no. Here comes a crowd of soldiers with that man Jesus. A lot of the Jews follow Him.” They could not enter my palace; if they did the Jewish Law would say they were unclean. Then they would not be able to partake of their Passover Feast. I had to go out to them. If I didn’t take care of this properly, my superiors in Rome would send someone to replace me and I would have to go back to Rome or worse.

Q.S.: How did the people of Jerusalem respond to you?

Pilate: Now keep in mind, the Jewish people did not like me. The city of Jerusalem needed a way to transport water from its source into their city. Their funds were low. I made what you would call an executive decision and ordered the priest to give me the funds in their treasury to cover the cost of this project. The people had the notion that I stole that money from them. I lived with the possibility that these Jews could go to Rome with their story and cause me to be recalled to Rome and placed in a lesser post or worse.

Q.S.: What was the reaction of the people to Jesus? How did you find Jesus? Did anything about what He said puzzle you?

Pilate: These people did not care about this man Jesus. In my conversation with him, he said this was the reason he was born. He said he was a king and he was here to testify to the truth. This stunned me, I found myself asking, “WHAT IS TRUTH?” I found no reason to charge him. I did not find him guilty of anything of which the crowds accused him.

Q. S.: Why did they have to consult you about Jesus and the charges they brought?

When the Roman government overcame the people of Judea and took over their land, Rome relieved them of their power to inflict capital punishment on those they took to trial.  I tried three times to turn this Jesus over to them so they could do what they wanted with him. 

February Reflections

What good thing can I say about February? The only thing I can think of is that it is short. People are tired of the winter weather, snow, ice, freezing rain-sometimes all in one day. We have a good weather day and six days of weather to remind us it is still winter.

I have been praying for something for a while. I felt the need to share my concerns with our Sunday school teacher. He asked me to prepare a list of names of people directly involved in a decision that will affect all of those in our local church and the church at large and share them with the class so that each class member pray for one person by name. God led me to ask him to talk to the teacher of the other adult class to see if that class would want to pray as well.

I have been adapting a script from a play I wrote into interviews for Lenten Blogs.

One night, when I really couldn’t sleep, I found myself talking to God about the phrase, “What would Jesus Do?” I found myself asking it with different emphases. I realized that following morning that I could use that on my blog and in my column, I contribute online.

Our friend group met in January, we only had four of us. For February, we met on what turned out to be a good-weather day. We had eight ladies. One younger lady, whose mother and grandmother came, also came to join us. One of the women there told us that a couple who moved to the northern part of our state said that when the weather breaks, they will join us one day.  

                                                            Grandma and granddaughter

                                             The lady in the light blue is the daughter/mother of the ones in                                                   the earlier picture. The lady in the darker blue is the         

                                            one who gets us all together each month.

                                                   The lady on the left (print top) works a few hours a day at the                                                       school in her town. 

                                                         This lady usually sees the bright side to things. 

Our UMC denomination has scheduled a Special General Conference that may have major changes in our doctrine. (Today is the last day of the main meeting,) Just before this meeting, our Pastor announced his retirement from the denomination. At this time, we are unsure as to when our pastor will leave us. These two events caused several of us to spend quantity time in prayer and in Bible study.

If you remember, my word for 2019 is faith. I must say, God either knew what He was doing when He allowed me to choose it or He exercised His sense of humor. 

His Mercies Never End

Compassion, God’s Love

 

quiet spirit.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

Great is your faithfulness.

‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,

‘therefore I will hope in him.’

Lamentations 3:22-24

            Jeremiah witnessed the fall of Jerusalem. In the book of Lamentations, he reflects on the event. In our focus passage, He gives hope to those who are exiled.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; Jeremiah reminds those in exile that God still loves them and will always do so.

his mercies never come to an end; God will always look down on His people with love we don’t deserve.

they are new every morning; Each day, He gives new mercies to those He loves.

Great is your faithfulness. Here Jeremiah gives witness to God for His faithfulness. God is always faithful, even when we are not.

’The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’  Jeremiah gives testimony that he will share the privilege of worshiping God forever. He is present in his soul and he will trust in Him.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

I need to be reminded of this passage and this hymn. I chose this verse and this hymn when I worked on this month's blog posts in January. This past Sunday, our pastor announced that he was retiring from the United Methodist Church. This Saturday and next week our General Conference meets to make a crucial decision about the doctrine of the church. Please pray for our local church and the church-at-large.

Jesus Speaks on Love

quiet spirit.

You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest commandment. And a second one is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39(ESV)

Jesus responds to a lawyer’s question with our focus verse. I wonder why the why the man posed the question. Was he seriously seeking an answer to something that bothered him? Did the group of Sadducees put that lawyer up to asking a question to trick or embarrass Jesus?

His answer may have surprised those in the crowd. The question, as presented, asks about a high thing, the greatest commandment. The Master told the group three ways in which to love God.

 

“with all your heart,” The human heart thought to be the seat of our emotions. When we choose to love another person, we want the best for that person. When we love God, our desire is to live for Him.

“with all your soul,” The soul is man’s true self, who we really are. Said another way, our soul is our inner core. When we say we know a person’s soul, we know his or her inner being.

“with all your mind.” Our minds control our thoughts as well as our movements. What we think at times dictates what we say or do. Our words convey more than we realize. Sometimes they convey hurt and cause problems. As followers of Christ, we are to represent Him in the world. Because we are his His emissaries, we are to live for Him hourly and daily. Jesus continued instructing the Sadducees. With the last seven words of our focus verse, the LORD gets down to the very core of human relationships, how we treat those around us.

“You shall love”

Our neighborhood has changed over the time we have lived here. People have passed away, others have moved away. Those houses that were owner-occupied might now be rentals, several which seem to be vacant. Because of these factors, we no longer know most of those who live along our section of the street. As Mother Teresa told us, we must “Do it anyway.”

“your neighbor”

I found a way to love these neighbors and these supposedly empty houses. I have a section of my prayer list devoted to my neighborhood. In checking a neighborhood social media site’s message board one morning, I found I needed to expand my section to include a few more houses on a street down the way from our home.

“as yourself.”

As we continue to live in our world as things become more conflicted for those of us who love the LORD, we may need to look again at the values we hold and search for ways to please God as we pray for those near us and for those dear to us.

We can learn from the teachings of Jesus and apply them to our daily lives as we walk with Him. We can learn to seek His guidance before we comment on the events and actions of others that we don’t understand. We can give Him the glory for the uplifting things He does and not try to take credit for anything He has done for us. We can encourage our neighbors as they try to improve their homes. We can be patient with those who do not have a like-minded viewpoint about certain events that affect our homes and our lives.

Father God;

I thank You for Your lesson on how to love You. I ask that You help me to love You according to this verse in order that I may truly represent You in this fallen world. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. AMEN