Phil Cook

I was enjoying a fine, though cool, spring day thinking deeply about a familiar episode I was re-reading. I decided to get to know the characters a little better. It went something like this:

“Hey, be careful, please. Not that I can feel it when you bang my legs like that. But what does it matter, anyway?” Ze’ev’s complaining was halfhearted as he at least had friends who cared about him.

“We’ve got you, Ze’ev. And we’re carrying you to him,” said Levi.

“Yes,” added Asher, Ze’ev’s cousin. “I was told he’s speaking in a house around the corner.” They walked a little further along the dusty street. “Oh no, look at that crowd trying to get in. That must be the place.”

“Let’s just hang out on the street here. We can listen that way,” said Ze’ev.

“No. We’re taking you to him. We’ll find a way,” said Levi.

“Why bother? How are we going to get in?” asked Ze’ev. “Look. I’m used to this. And I probably deserve this condition. I’ve done some really bad things. He’s not going to want to help me. Ouch! My arms can still feel that! Be careful.”

Asher frowned. “Standing around here isn’t helping. Let me try.” He spoke up. “Excuse me. Can you let us through? We need to get through the door to help our friend…”

“They’re not moving,” said Levi.

“It’s OK. I don’t want to make a fuss,” said Ze’ev. “This is embarrassing.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re taking you to him.”

“How? What are you going to do? Take the house apart?”

After a slight pause, Levi and Asher looked at each other.

“Great idea!” said Levi.

Asher pointed, “The roof! We’re going to carry you up there, Ze’ev… Dude, you need to lose some weight. Get some exercise.”

“How am I supposed to do that? I’m not able to walk and…”

“Soon will be,” interrupted Levi. “If we could just lift you up to the roof over there, we could walk to this…”

“Or you could take those stairs on the side of the house,” said Ze’ev.

They did.

Looking around, Levi said, “Anyone know how to take the roof apart?”

“Well, I know how,” said Ze’ev quietly. “That’s how I ended up in this position. Fell off Jonan’s house while doing repairs before the rainy season. Um, I waited too long and things got wet and… I probably deserved it anyway. I’ll watch.”

Levi and Asher got to work.

“Put those pieces over here. Try not to make too much noise.”

“Great. Hey, we can tie that clothesline rope to Ze’ev’s mat.”

“Gotta make the hole a little bigger…”

“Sorry. Sorry about the mess down there!” called Levi to the irritated gathering below. “Sorry, you’ll have to move out of the way. Sorry, but this is happening. Here he comes!”

Asher shook his head as they lowered Ze’ev, forcing people to move aside. “OK, he’s down. I hope this works. We can watch from up here. Be careful, Levi. We don’t want to drop more dust and roof crumbs on them. Look at Ze’ev. Ah, he’s so deep in shame. Do you think Jesus will just reject him and make us lift him back up?”

“What we did was kind of rude. Those religious leaders look very irritated.”

“Well, what do you know? Jesus looked right at Ze’ev and smiled and said his sins are forgiven. That’s the first thing he said! How did he know?”

“Those scribes are really angry. How can they…”

“Look! Ze’ev is standing up! Walking! He’s picking up the mat! We don’t have to haul him back up! He’s walking out!”

“Oh! Jesus is looking up at us! He just made a fist with his thumb in the air at us. What does that mean?”

“I don’t know, but he’s smiling.”

“How can the Scribes be angry at this? They’re angry that Jesus says he can forgive sins? That he can have mercy on someone? That he can heal him?”

“Hi guys! Thanks for bringing me up here, or down there I should say.” Asher and Levi sprang up shouting to greet their friend. “You all give good hugs. And we should probably stop jumping up and down on the roof. They’re still meeting down there. Here, let me help you put the house back together.”

A few minutes later, Ze’ev stood on the edge of the roof. “Ah, what a view!”

“You mean of the countryside or the crowd?” asked Levi.

“No, no. I mean I’m seeing my real life now. My future. He saw me. He knew me. He knew the cry of my heart.”

“He healed your legs.”

“Yes, of course, that. But it’s a much deeper healing. I have hope now. And we need to listen to him.”