Council

Council Atonement

Year 90 AD

XXA - We must determine what we will do about our temple, our worship, our sacrifice. The people suffer without our rituals to reconcile their souls to God. It has been 20 years without our Temple - the people are clamoring for a solution.

XXC - A well-spoken venerated elder speaks - wants the temple rebuilt
The scriptures of Haggai tell us that God does not want us to just sit and be fat, we must build a temple to worship - a House of God!

XXB - But how can we build? We are living in ruins and no peace in this land.

Yaacov - Yaacov is a respected elder Sadducee. He adds to the discussion
Haggai was a prophet - perhaps the Nazarene Rabbi was also a prophet after all. He foretold of the temple's destruction. He told us of a new way to worship our God in prayer. Perhaps we should finally listen now that he has been proven right about the temple.

XXB - Another wise council member
That Rabbi could not have been a prophet of God - he spoke to whores and thieves!

Yaacov - Yes, that is odd. The whores, thieves, tax collectors, even the poor, were blessed and healed by the man. But now look at those people today - they love God. They are contented and share all they have in charity. Their lives changed - thousands of them - live new lives from his healing and teaching. We cannot ignore that.

XXD - I can see they are better off. But what does that have to do with the Temple?

Yaacov - The Nazarene taught that the temple is in within each of us.
Many quizzical looks abound

XXB - No! If he were a prophet of God, he would have spoken to Kings, not thieves!

Yaacov - He did not come to rescue our nation - but to heal our souls and bring the Kingdom of heaven into our hearts. It is more personal than national.

XXD - Yaacov, I have always respected you, but you sound like a mad man. Why on this earth should we re-open the issue about the Nazarene again?

XXF - Yes - that was decided by the council almost 50 years ago. It is done. We must move on. What good can a dead man do us now?

XXG - We must rebuild the temple!

XXH - How can we rebuild? We have no resources, no king? Who would rebuild it? The streets of this city are raging with invaders - No work would be done; they would steal all our bricks and destroy anything we built.

Yaacov - One more point - the Nazarene Rabbi knew scriptures well and he spoke of our temple's destruction. In fact, the day he died, the curtain of the Most Holy ripped - opening the deepest worship area to our eyes. Don't you think this was an act of God? The Rabbi taught that we can pray directly to God and seek forgiveness of our sins in our hearts through faith. The curtain opened that very day. The Rabbi said to have faith in him, the Son of God.

XXG - You talk nonsense - how can a dead prophet serve anyone at all! And - Son of God?!! He was a dirty blasphemer and deserved the filthy cross he was hung on.

....more

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