The Fatal Mistake of Jesus Christ

PART ONE

The Birth of Jesus Christ

CHAPTER ONE

Elizabeth

-How did I get myself into this? - thought Elizabeth,¹ - how could I get pregnant at this age? Throughout her life, Elizabeth tried many things to get pregnant. She even tried using herbs and poultice to make herself more fertile. Despite all the efforts, Elizabeth and her husband remained childless. It was as if god himself shut her womb and sealed it so tight, that Elizabeth and Zechariah² had long lost their hope. Zechariah was no big help either. With age, the only thing Elizabeth could expect from him was his loud snoring. Their lives remained plain, and everyday was a repetition of the previous. Life dragged on, until one day, in these dusky years of her life, Elizabeth fell in love.

Falling in love was not unusual for Elizabeth, as she has done so many times in the past. Every time, however, as some time would pass, her lust would thaw away like the mist that evaporates into thin air. And as for Zechariah, well that’s a different story. They never even talked about love. What love could there be if the two first met on the day of their wedding? As far Zechariah’s role as a husband goes, let’s just say they never had to count their pennies, unlike their neighbours. Maybe he does love her, if you can call the feelings towards a wife love…

And so that’s how they lived, until one day, a young man, John, moved to their city and settled close by.

At first, Elizabeth did not give her new neighbour much thought. Too young she figured, about thirty years old. But she did admit he was handsome, and perhaps many women have cried over him. She thought about this for a bit, and then forgot, until one day her husband left to serve the church.

Elizabeth was preoccupied with her household duties when her new neighbour knocked on her door.

- Come in, - yelled Elizabeth from the other room, and John, his head touching the ceiling, entered the house.

-Greetings neighbour! You get more beautiful everyday! – smirked John.

- Hello John – answered Elizabeth, embarrassed by his flirtation. Does a woman need a lot to feel flattered??

- Where is Zechariah? – asked John, - I wanted to ask him something.

- He’s at the service. He’ll be back in a week, - answered Elizabeth. – Would you like some water?

- Sure, if its not too much trouble.

Elizabeth filled the cup with water and handed it to John. He took the cup with his right hand, and touched her hip with the left. She was so surprised that she jumped back. John laughed and said: – You have the figure of a seventeen year old girl. A woman like that can drive a man crazy.

After John left, Elizabeth kept thinking about what had happened. For a while, she believed that she could still feel the heat of his hand. At night, Elizabeth had strange dreams. For a young woman these dreams would have been appropriate, but at her age, it seemed like a sin. But should one dream according to age? Why can’t women over forty dream about other men?

In the morning, Elizabeth was under the influence of her dreams as she, to her own surprise, kept on making up a sequel for them. In the evening, Elizabeth went to get some water from the well. On her way back she met John, who was walking back home.

- Hey there neighbour, -smiled John, - I had you in my dreams last night.

Elizabeth trembled, and quickly realizing that she should keep her dreams to herself, responded: – were they good?

-Pleasant! I smile every time I think about them! – laughed John and walked away without saying another word.

Elizabeth felt her face burn. She couldn’t sleep that night. She was thinking about her dreams again, and imagining John’s dreams. Just before sunrise, Elizabeth shut her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. The sun came up, but the new day did not bring much relief. John’s eyes and smile kept reoccurring in her head. Her sinful fantasies were becoming more rich and vivid.

That night, Elizabeth went to the well may times, all in hopes to meet John. – I will need all this water to do the laundry tomorrow, - said she, knowing she was lying to herself. Although disappointed that her plan to meet John at the well didn’t work, Elizabeth decided to go one last time. When she finally saw him, slowly walking down the street, Elizabeth got very tense. Although she tried not to show this, John looked at her as if he knew exactly what she was feeling. – Tonight, when it gets dark, I’m coming over, – said he and walked away without an answer, confident that she wouldn’t deny him.

-What is wrong with me, - thought Elizabeth surprised at her inability to tell that creep off. – I am a married woman. I will burn in hell for such a sin.

- No, I will not let him in, – decided Elizabeth, but when she got home, she began to clean the house.

- No, no, there is no way, - she pondered while washing her body.

- If he shows up, I will scream and make a scene, - planned Elizabeth while fixing her hair the best way she could.

- Good thing he did not come, - she lied, burning up with anticipation. At that moment somebody knocked. – Who is it? - quietly asked Elizabeth.

- It’s me, - whispered John.

- I am not going let him in, - she assured herself, and then walked up to the door and opened it.

- Come on in, - faintly said Elizabeth.

As she closed the door and turned to face him, he pulled her close and hugged her.

- You’re crazy, - she whispered, looking deeply into his eyes. As a reply, John touched her cheek with the palm of his hand and said: - You are so beautiful! His hand slowly moved down and gently touched her breast.

Everything became hazy. She couldn’t remember how he was undressing her, how she was helping him undress…

- Oh Johnny, Johnny, my sweet, - thought Elizabeth the whole next day, - I can’t wait for tonight.

CHAPTER TWO

Zechariah

In one moment, Zechariah’s life split in two periods: the one before that moment, and the one after. He was able to cross the borderline between the two with the help of one man- his neighbour, who told him about Elizabeth’s new friend. Until that moment, life was calm and ordinary. As a priest, Zechariah’s future was secure and predictable to the end of his days. The only other thing he wished for, was for god to bless him and his wife with a child. Zechariah used to pray day and night for god to send him a son. Eventually, he came to peace with being childless as it was god’s will. Besides believing that it was god’s doing, Zechariah blamed his wife for their lack of children. For as long as he could remember her, Elizabeth always felt indifferent towards the holy process of making babies. Sometimes it would take hours to persuade her into it, and even then, she wouldn’t show much enthusiasm. He would have to wait weeks before suggesting to try again, and even after all that time, she would try to get out of it, blaming her lack of interest on headache or her old back. Zechariah lived for the days when Elizabeth would burst with passion and enthusiasm. Sadly for him, these days came very rarely, once in a blue moon or so.

And that’s how they lived, until one day, when Zechariah’s neighbour, Gabriel, suddenly showed up at church and told Zechariah about Elizabeth’s night visitor. At that moment, Zechariah experienced a new kind of life, one that was opposite of the one he had been living all these years.

No, he couldn’t believe it. His dear wife deceiving him like this? Never! She has anther man? That couldn’t be! Passion? What passion? You’re making me laugh! Elizabeth is to passion as fire is to water.

Of course Zechariah did not believe Gabriel, but the seed of suspicion has been planted. When he returned home, Zechariah watched his wife closely, closely examining her behaviour. When he was convinced that there was nothing different about Elizabeth, Zechariah became confused. As a result, he got quieter and quieter, to the point that everybody around assumed that he went mute.¹

Of course he didn’t believe his neighbour. However, every time Zechariah was away at church, he couldn’t help but picture his wife with another man, welcoming him into their home, deceiving him.

- This is going to drive me crazy, -thought Zechariah. - As soon as I get home I will talk to Elizabeth and put an end to this. She couldn’t possibly be lying to me. She doesn’t have anybody else. It’s that jealous neighbour who’s lying, and I hope god will punish him for my misery.

But when Zechariah returned home, he just didn’t have the guts to confront his wife. More than anything, Zechariah didn’t want to offend Elizabeth in any way. Besides, what he was informed with was nothing but a cruel joke, a rumour, made out of envy and sent to hurt them both. When Zechariah was with Elizabeth, he was at peace, but jealousy and anger came back as soon as he left home.

CHAPTER THREE

Mary

¹

Why is this world so unfair?

Why are some blessed with wealth, happiness, and charm, while others are cursed with poverty, suffering, and if not ugliness, a plain face?

Why wasn’t she born into a wealthy family?

Why does she instead, live in such poverty where she has to feel ashamed of herself?

Why didn’t god place her parents on the top of the hierarchy, so that she could be born into a high-class family?

Why doesn’t she have a fancy wardrobe, gold jewellery, and such that could help enhance her appearance?

Why was she not born a beauty?

Why, why, why???

Oh, if god only gave her big eyes, an attractive face, and a good figure! Maybe then the handsome prince would fall in love with her and take her away to his castle! Maybe. But Mary knew there was no use fantasizing about it because it would never happen, and just thinking about it made things seem even worse. Certainly, this is how the world works. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. Everyone is born into their own kind and is destined to stay with their kind. It’s an ongoing circle, from which no one can break free.

And so her parents arranged for her to get engaged to Joseph. Who is he? Nobody. A carpenter without a workshop and without any good clients. Plus, his house is a big, old shack that could shatter with a gust of wind. Actually, it’s his parent’s house, who now live in an old house right next door. The only good thing about Joseph is that royal blood runs in his veins. But then again, in this country, who isn’t the product of King David and his son Solomon? Them two knocked up just about every woman out there.

Too bad! All she ever wanted to know is how it feels to be happy. She dreamed of a beautiful and everlasting love, of fresh flowers, picked only for her, of a perfect home…

Most of all, she dreamed of a life where she would never have to feel so helpless. She was exhausted of feeling hungry, and tired of stitching her only dress over and over so that it wouldn’t fall apart. Before, she could always dream of that better life, but now that she was engaged, the only thing that awaited her, was a miserable future as a housewife of a poor carpenter.

CHAPTER FOUR

The News

Why do the nights seem shorter now? Before, Elizabeth had trouble shutting her eyes and staying asleep. At night, Elizabeth patiently waited for the sunrise, which always took so long, that it seemed like an eternity. When John started coming over, this problem ceased, and the night flew by with the speed of light. Only a few moments, it seemed, and the sun would rise, leaving Elizabeth unsatisfied and already anticipating the next sunset. The hardest part was saying goodbye, because she was afraid John wouldn’t come back and she would never see him again. Elizabeth knew that she couldn’t keep this up forever. Bethany¹ was the city of gossip and rumours, and all the secrets soon became known to everyone. It was only a matter of time, a few weeks or so, until her affair would become a scandal. It’s terrifying to even imagine what would happen to them both once the secret was exposed. They would be punished, and death would be inevitable. So does she regret what she has done? It’s hard to say. As a married woman, Elizabeth felt ashamed and guilty. At first she felt very uncomfortable in the presence Zechariah, especially when he first returned from the church. After some time however, Elizabeth felt indifferent towards what she did, and towards her husband altogether. It’s as if he was an object, like a table or a chair, except she couldn’t just throw him away. And so she carried on with her everyday obligations: cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and interacting with her husband.

She no longer saw Zechariah as a living soul and therefore didn’t feel the need to treat him well. All she cared and lived for was John. What a beautiful name that was, and it was hard not to let it slip of her tongue.

- What am I going to do? -asked herself Elizabeth, - How am I going to explain my sudden pregnancy? How can I escape death? Many times Elizabeth imagined her girlfriends crying over her corpse. But love gave her faith in the world, and she believed that everything would turn out good. Sometimes she got really brave, and instead of feeling sorry for herself, she felt sorry for her girlfriends, who never experienced real love. – I feel sorry for you, - thought Elizabeth, - you don’t know what it is like to be so in love that you get goose bumps from a single touch of your loved one.

Maybe it’s not too late to fix things. She could end it with John, get an abortion, put her feelings aside, and forget about the only time she was truly happy. But how can she take the life of an innocent child that lives in her womb? How can she hurt a child that she’s been waiting and praying for all her life? Elizabeth decided to test her luck.

When Elizabeth finally found a spare minute, she sat beside Zechariah, who was reading the Holy Scriptures. He looked at her in surprise, smiled, and asked: - Should I read out loud?

- No, - gently said Elizabeth, - I would like to inform you of great news, which I have been hiding from you for five months.¹

- News? - said Zechariah, and looked at her with a puzzled expression, - how can there be news in our village? This is not Jerusalem, where news are made every minute. There, life boils like water in a pot. The city is full heroes, prophets, and people who love to fish in turbid waters. Here, the big news would be the recent death of Abram’s donkey. How exciting!

In only a few minutes, Zechariah said as much as he usually said during the whole week. When he was finished, Zechariah sat back and waited for Elizabeth to respond. She looked at him and remained silent, as if to tease him.

- She’s always like this, - thought Zechariah, - she gets you excited about little things and then leaves you guessing.

- We are having a baby!

- What? – asked Zechariah, as he was sure he misunderstood what she just said.

Long time ago, Zechariah came to peace with the fact that he can never bring a child to this world.

- What are you talking about?

- I am pregnant, that’s what!

Zechariah looked at her from head to toe in disbelief, as he was sure this could never happen.

- Don’t joke like that Elizabeth, you’re breaking my heart.

It was easier for Zechariah to believe that Elizabeth was the heir of Egypt than that she was pregnant.

- Why aren’t you happy? – quietly asked Elizabeth, - I am due in three months. It’s moving, would you like to feel it? She took Zechariah’s hand and put it on her belly.

- Just wait a little, - she instructed, - the punk is probably sleeping.

Zechariah was trying hard to feel something that would prove that there is a living person inside his wife. Although he couldn’t feel much, he knew she wouldn’t take a joke this far. Suddenly, from such an outrageous discovery, Zechariah’s hair on his head, or whatever was left of it, began to move.

- We are going to have a baby?! A son he’s been waiting for all his life? God had mercy on them? Am I going crazy? All these thoughts were flying through Zechariah’s head, and he couldn’t believe this was happening to him.

Suddenly, Zechariah felt a slight jerk, as if somebody inside Elizabeth’s stomach was kicking. Surprised and frightened, Zechariah quickly pulled away his hand and looked at his wife as if he was seeing her for the first time. Elizabeth laughed at his reaction, and Zechariah finally asked: - How is this possible?

- With god’s help, - answered Elizabeth and added, - it’s getting very hard for me to manage all my duties. I need some help so I don’t overwork myself and lose the baby.

- Why don’t you ask one of your relatives for help, - automatically proposed Zechariah,

- your sister Mary.¹ And then suddenly, with a suspicious expression, Zechariah asked:

-Where could it possibly come from?

-What? – frowned Elizabeth.

- The baby.

- You don’t know where babies come from? – laughed Elizabeth.

- Don’t lie to me, - quietly said Zechariah, - I haven’t touched you in over a year.

- What do you mean over a year? – anxiously asked Elizabeth, - what about that time you and Abram got drunk like pigs, and you came on to me at night?

- So I did it?

- You sure did, - happily answered Elizabeth, - and the proof is in my stomach.

Zechariah tried to recall what had happened the night his buddy Abram and him had a little too much to drink, but he couldn’t even remember the occasion. – God helped us?

That can’t be right. Although Zechariah was a priest, he did not believe in the miracles of baby making that are described in the bible.¹ Maybe his neighbor, Gabriel, was right after all, and Elizabeth was having an affair? But with whom? Zechariah was beginning to consider the possibility of his wife being unfaithful, but Elizabeth’s reassuring words overpowered his doubts.

- Wow! - proudly thought Zechariah, - I still got it!

- All right, - cheerfully said Zechariah, - lets invite Mary, for she is a hard working woman and will be a big help to you. Tomorrow, I shall send somebody to inform her.

- You are so good to me, - complimented him Elizabeth, - I feel safe with you. When Zechariah was convinced, Elizabeth felt as if a huge boulder had lifted off her shoulders. Her worries, which have been piling up inside of her since the day she realized she was pregnant were gone. Even after carefully planning this day, Elizabeth had her doubts, and was therefore very surprised at how easy it was to fool her husband.

- What was I so afraid of? – asked herself Elizabeth, - all men are stupid. You just have to know how to get what you want, and if you do it right, even the a little lamb will believe that he is a lion.

CHAPTER FIVE

Joseph

¹

-How is it that people are not afraid to be spiteful? - thought Joseph.

-How can people not be afraid to lie, steal, cheat, and even kill another human being?

-How can these people, (and there is a lot of them) not be afraid of God’s wrath?

-May be they are hoping that God, with his many tasks, will forget about their sins and his anger will pass them by.

- And what if the sinners are actually God’s allies? Take King David, for example: a nasty and vicious person, and yet God loved him, and helped him, despite the fact that King David was an ignoble murderer. Yes, David was a murderer. Of course it isn’t good to think that way about your ancestor, but it is the truth. This one time, King David ordered to kill his own military commander, Uriah,² so that he could sleep with his wife.

An act so treacherous, so cruel, it makes my skin crawl. As a relative, I could find it in my heart to forgive him for such an act, if it was his only wrongdoing. He made a mistake, he slipped, happens to everybody…But this is not the case. All his life, King David has been a sinner, and amongst the people, he was known as the bloodsucker.³ Even his own son, Absalom,⁴ was appalled by his father’s dirty deeds, and openly showed that he was ashamed of him. It’s frightening to even imagine such situation. Nice ancestors I had!

And so to sum it up: God loved King David, and kept on loving him no matter what David did.

So is God a criminal then, just like King David? Oh, what a sin it is to think of this, but how can you explain the fact that the more wicked you are, the more luck you are given by God? And why is it