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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Action & Adventure
- Subject: Philosophy/Religion/Spirituality
- Published: 02/20/2012
The Outlaw Jesus
Born 1945, M, from Fayetteville, AR, United StatesChapter 1
1 Jesus came out of his tent as the sun rose over the desert and stretched and yawned and inhaled the clean desert air.
2 Around him, his men lay still in sleep, except for Peter who was standing guard and gazing across the sands toward Jerusalem. Peter was an insomniac. Sometimes he went for days without sleep. Jesus walked over and joined him and they stood together, watching the morning light gather. It was that brief time of the morning when the desert was cool and comfortable, after the cold of the night but before the heat of the day.
3 "Did you sleep?" Jesus asked.
4 Peter looked at him for the first time, his red hair fiery in the early light.
5 "I napped a little. Then I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I got up and took over the watch from Simon."
6 The other members of the outlaw band were emerging from tents, rubbing their eyes, looking over the new day.
7 "Are we going today?" Peter asked.
8 Jesus nodded and smiled.
9 "Today, the thieves in the temple will be shamed," he said. "And we’ll take their shekels and cast them out into the street."
10 "So be it," said Peter.
11 John came over and joined them and he brought them each a piece of flatbread laced with honey and a pitcher of cool water. He was the second in command, but you wouldn’t know it from his humble manner or his willingness to do the most basic of tasks. The three of them chewed in contented silence for a while.
12 "Are the men ready?" Jesus asked.
13 "We leave on your word," John said.
14 Jesus nodded. There was no need for haste. Let the men enjoy the morning freshness for a while. They didn’t need to be in Jerusalem until late in the afternoon, when the moneychangers would be flush with coinage.
15 "What about the Romans?" Jesus asked.
16 "Our spies say they’re off on military maneuvers, drilling the troops. We shouldn’t encounter any resistance."
Chapter 2
1 By mid-morning a strong hot wind was blowing in off the desert making the tents flap and pop. Jesus assembled the men for a short prayer of consecration and then, putting their backs to the gale, the outlaws moved out toward Jerusalem, Jesus walking at the back like a shepherd.
2 It was a long hot march. The wind picked up sand and swirled it into their hair and faces. The sun radiated off the desert floor like a fiery furnace blast and dried the sweat off their skin almost as fast as it oozed out. When they came across bushes, they stopped and sat under their scant shade and rested and drank water.
3 Halfway there, the wind accelerated into a full blown sandstorm and they lowered their heads and slogged along, the horizon browned out, and the sand stinging their exposed skin. They trudged on through the storm, but it seemed to be following them and they could not escape it. Twice, Jesus saw Peter look back with a supplicating glance.
4 The third time, he stopped the march, and gathered the men around him in a circle. He closed his eyes, raised his arms to the heavens, and there was an intense look of concentration on his face. The wide abated, the sand fell back onto the dunes, and the sun reappeared. They moved on toward Jerusalem.
Chapter 3
1 The sun hammered down in the cobbled streets of the city. Jesus and the outlaws found shelter from the heat in a small, out of the way inn. A boy brought them cups of wine and they sipped at it with parched lips. Years before, Jesus had healed the boy of a club foot and he walked perfectly now. The boy’s father owned the inn, and the whole band ate and drank free whenever they visited.
2 The boy was respectful and attentive and refilled their cups as quickly as they emptied them. Jesus drank heartily of the new wine and talked and laughed as if he was on holiday.
3 The outlaws drank hard too, but were somber, building their courage for the raid, but only Judas got really drunk. Jesus kept an eye on him, aware that Judas’ weakness was overindulgence. He called the boy over and had a few words with him, and the next round of drinks was watered down and weak. Judas was too drunk to notice.
4 The owner came forth laden with trays of food, fresh fish, bread laced with olive oil, and later, cheese and dates. They outlaws ate with gusto.
Chapter 4
1 Back on the street, the band walked toward the temple. The angle of the sun was low and buildings shaded the street. Jesus walked in front now, leading the way, his face gleaming with sweat but smiling, radiant with joy.
2 Some of the townspeople recognized him and began to follow along behind the apostles and by the time they reached the temple, the entourage had swollen into a large crowd.
3 The moneychangers had set up their tables just inside the temple’s columns. The outlaws ran up the steps and rushed the tables. Most of the moneychangers were old men, so it was easy to shove them aside and grab their purses. In a matter of seconds, the outlaws were at the top of the steps throwing the coins into the street.
4 The crowd went crazy, grabbing up the shekels as quickly as they hit the ground.
Jesus grabbed a staff and went after the moneychangers with it, cursing them.
5 "You have defiled the temple," he shouted, whacking one of the younger of them across the back.
6 "You are an abomination," he roared, and the moneychangers cringed and ran out of the temple in fear of his wrath.
7 Jesus stooped and gathered up coins that had been scattered on the temple floor. The temple had been cleared and cleansed. In the street the crowd was cheering and laughing.
Chapter 5
1 The celebration of their victory was at Mary Magdalene’s villa. The wives and girlfriends of the outlaws were there and Mary had a good supply of red wine and had laid out a feast of cheese, olives, yogurt, figs, grapes, honey and fresh-baked bread. There were cakes, baklava and sweetbreads.
2 After everyone had partaken generously of the repast, Jesus rose and spoke.
3 "We have struck a great blow for righteousness today. I’m proud of all of you, for your courage and your dedication to the cause of good. A blessing be upon you and your houses."
4 Jesus raised his chalice.
5 "To my brothers and sisters."
6...All the assembled raised their cups in the toast and smiles adorned every face.
7 Jesus gave Mary the coins he had picked up in the temple. Anon, they retired to bed.
8 The outlaw band got a late start the next morning, saying their farewells to the women and then setting out across the desert to the outlaw camp.
9 John and Peter walked on either side of Jesus, carrying baskets of food packed by Mary Magdalene.
10 "What will we do now?" asked Peter.
11 Jesus smiled.
12 "We shall walk in the light."
The Outlaw Jesus(Ron Pruitt)
Chapter 1
1 Jesus came out of his tent as the sun rose over the desert and stretched and yawned and inhaled the clean desert air.
2 Around him, his men lay still in sleep, except for Peter who was standing guard and gazing across the sands toward Jerusalem. Peter was an insomniac. Sometimes he went for days without sleep. Jesus walked over and joined him and they stood together, watching the morning light gather. It was that brief time of the morning when the desert was cool and comfortable, after the cold of the night but before the heat of the day.
3 "Did you sleep?" Jesus asked.
4 Peter looked at him for the first time, his red hair fiery in the early light.
5 "I napped a little. Then I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I got up and took over the watch from Simon."
6 The other members of the outlaw band were emerging from tents, rubbing their eyes, looking over the new day.
7 "Are we going today?" Peter asked.
8 Jesus nodded and smiled.
9 "Today, the thieves in the temple will be shamed," he said. "And we’ll take their shekels and cast them out into the street."
10 "So be it," said Peter.
11 John came over and joined them and he brought them each a piece of flatbread laced with honey and a pitcher of cool water. He was the second in command, but you wouldn’t know it from his humble manner or his willingness to do the most basic of tasks. The three of them chewed in contented silence for a while.
12 "Are the men ready?" Jesus asked.
13 "We leave on your word," John said.
14 Jesus nodded. There was no need for haste. Let the men enjoy the morning freshness for a while. They didn’t need to be in Jerusalem until late in the afternoon, when the moneychangers would be flush with coinage.
15 "What about the Romans?" Jesus asked.
16 "Our spies say they’re off on military maneuvers, drilling the troops. We shouldn’t encounter any resistance."
Chapter 2
1 By mid-morning a strong hot wind was blowing in off the desert making the tents flap and pop. Jesus assembled the men for a short prayer of consecration and then, putting their backs to the gale, the outlaws moved out toward Jerusalem, Jesus walking at the back like a shepherd.
2 It was a long hot march. The wind picked up sand and swirled it into their hair and faces. The sun radiated off the desert floor like a fiery furnace blast and dried the sweat off their skin almost as fast as it oozed out. When they came across bushes, they stopped and sat under their scant shade and rested and drank water.
3 Halfway there, the wind accelerated into a full blown sandstorm and they lowered their heads and slogged along, the horizon browned out, and the sand stinging their exposed skin. They trudged on through the storm, but it seemed to be following them and they could not escape it. Twice, Jesus saw Peter look back with a supplicating glance.
4 The third time, he stopped the march, and gathered the men around him in a circle. He closed his eyes, raised his arms to the heavens, and there was an intense look of concentration on his face. The wide abated, the sand fell back onto the dunes, and the sun reappeared. They moved on toward Jerusalem.
Chapter 3
1 The sun hammered down in the cobbled streets of the city. Jesus and the outlaws found shelter from the heat in a small, out of the way inn. A boy brought them cups of wine and they sipped at it with parched lips. Years before, Jesus had healed the boy of a club foot and he walked perfectly now. The boy’s father owned the inn, and the whole band ate and drank free whenever they visited.
2 The boy was respectful and attentive and refilled their cups as quickly as they emptied them. Jesus drank heartily of the new wine and talked and laughed as if he was on holiday.
3 The outlaws drank hard too, but were somber, building their courage for the raid, but only Judas got really drunk. Jesus kept an eye on him, aware that Judas’ weakness was overindulgence. He called the boy over and had a few words with him, and the next round of drinks was watered down and weak. Judas was too drunk to notice.
4 The owner came forth laden with trays of food, fresh fish, bread laced with olive oil, and later, cheese and dates. They outlaws ate with gusto.
Chapter 4
1 Back on the street, the band walked toward the temple. The angle of the sun was low and buildings shaded the street. Jesus walked in front now, leading the way, his face gleaming with sweat but smiling, radiant with joy.
2 Some of the townspeople recognized him and began to follow along behind the apostles and by the time they reached the temple, the entourage had swollen into a large crowd.
3 The moneychangers had set up their tables just inside the temple’s columns. The outlaws ran up the steps and rushed the tables. Most of the moneychangers were old men, so it was easy to shove them aside and grab their purses. In a matter of seconds, the outlaws were at the top of the steps throwing the coins into the street.
4 The crowd went crazy, grabbing up the shekels as quickly as they hit the ground.
Jesus grabbed a staff and went after the moneychangers with it, cursing them.
5 "You have defiled the temple," he shouted, whacking one of the younger of them across the back.
6 "You are an abomination," he roared, and the moneychangers cringed and ran out of the temple in fear of his wrath.
7 Jesus stooped and gathered up coins that had been scattered on the temple floor. The temple had been cleared and cleansed. In the street the crowd was cheering and laughing.
Chapter 5
1 The celebration of their victory was at Mary Magdalene’s villa. The wives and girlfriends of the outlaws were there and Mary had a good supply of red wine and had laid out a feast of cheese, olives, yogurt, figs, grapes, honey and fresh-baked bread. There were cakes, baklava and sweetbreads.
2 After everyone had partaken generously of the repast, Jesus rose and spoke.
3 "We have struck a great blow for righteousness today. I’m proud of all of you, for your courage and your dedication to the cause of good. A blessing be upon you and your houses."
4 Jesus raised his chalice.
5 "To my brothers and sisters."
6...All the assembled raised their cups in the toast and smiles adorned every face.
7 Jesus gave Mary the coins he had picked up in the temple. Anon, they retired to bed.
8 The outlaw band got a late start the next morning, saying their farewells to the women and then setting out across the desert to the outlaw camp.
9 John and Peter walked on either side of Jesus, carrying baskets of food packed by Mary Magdalene.
10 "What will we do now?" asked Peter.
11 Jesus smiled.
12 "We shall walk in the light."
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