Song of Mark, Phase Eight: The Children of Light

PHASE EIGHT

THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT

Section I--A Tribute To Levi
(Friday morning, the twenty-fourth day of March)

_A_ ND on Friday morning, the twenty-fourth day of March, leaving my Genez`areth home I again went forth, going by the nearby sea-side of Alepheus to pay my mother's taxes; and all the multitude that had gathered in the city of Levites to pay tribute to Levi came to me; and for the first time, I ministered unto their needs and listened to their long suffering.

02 And when I was passing by the sea-side of Alepheus, I approached Levi the first born of Alepheus, the father of renown, who was sitting at the receipt of custom; and after sitting down to pay tribute to Caesar, and after we had conversed a little, I saith unto him: Follow me. And wishing to hear more about my stay in Beth`an, inviting me to sup with him, rising up together, I followed him home, so that we could continue our exchange of thoughts concerning the Kingdom of Heaven.

03 And it came to pass that Friday even, as I sat down to meet in Levi's house for a private consultation to discuss the possibility of a merger, that many other Levites sat down together with me and with Levi. For there were many disciples who also followed him; among whom was his younger step-brother James of Magdala.

Section II--Parables of Darkness

04 And coming down from Jerusalem, the pharisees who were teachers of Hebrew and doctors of darkness, seeing that I ate with Levi and men who they considered to be outcasts, said to Patsar who was eating and drinking outside with the twins: Why doth your master profane the high priesthood of John by plating and sleeping with monstrous men and sinners?* For Like lepers and locusts they devour the flesh of men.

05 And renouncing the authority of the priests who claim that I was John restored, comparing me to the Lord's Anointed, they said to them, again in the Hebrew: When John was alive the disciples of John the Anointer used to fast, as do all the Essenes. For who comes first? the Lord's Anointer, or he that has been anointed? But they answered nothing!

Section III -- The Lamp of God
(The Sabbath night, the twenty-fifth day of March)

06 And when the Sabbath night had arrived, that is to say, the twenty-fifth day of March, in a darkened attempt to deny my baptism and my apostleship to the lamp of God, when I had gone outside to be with my friends, they also came and said to me: Why did your master, eat nothing but curd milk and wild honey, and you do not? For Immanuel was Zadok, a 'teacher of righteousness' who taught his disciples to do what was right, for God's light was with him. But you do not teach your disciples to do what is right.

Section IV--Parables of Light
(The Sabbath night, the twenty-fifth day of March)

07 And hearing that they called me a sinner on account of my association with Levi and the children of light; I saith unto them in a light-hearted parable: Have you not yet heard the good news? They that are lepers and sinners, have no need of doctors: For only John who has been resurrected up has any authority. For I come to the house of Levi, not to call upon the disinherited and downtrodden of heart who have been afflicted, but the righteous.

08 And wedding John to Moses, I saith unto them, again in parables: Can the children of light fast as long as the groom is with them?* As long as they have the lord of hosts with them, they cannot fast.* But the time of sorrow will come when their gracious host shall be taken away from them; and then they shall fast.

09 And no bride putteth out a tablecloth of white linen over a darkened table; otherwise the old table taketh away from the new, and there is made a greater uncleanliness when the plating is put out: 'But the Lord's table is clothed with the brightness of new cloth;* and mine enemies are clothed in shameful old rags'.*

10 And when the table has been set, no groom serveth new wine in darkened cups; otherwise both the wine and the wedding guests will be made bitter. But new wine must be put into clean cups: 'And if you honour the Lord with your substance instead of your own thought, your plates will be filled with plenty, and your hearts will be bursting with joy'.*

Section V--The Wheat Fields
(The Sabbath even, the twenty-fifth day of March)

11 And it came to pass again, as I walked through the wheat fields of Alepheus on the even of that same Sabbath, that my three disciples Patsar; and, James and John, who were not even baptized, began to pluck the grains of wheat, and did eat thereof.

12 And accusing my disciples of not fasting on the even of that Sabbath day, the same pharisees who were sent from Jerusalem to spy on me, said to me directly: Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful? For according to the Manual of Discipline, the Essenes and all their disciples eat not before attending a house of God. And when they come from the fields unless they be cleansed, they enter not: And many other priestly rules and regulations there are that have been given to them to observe.

13 And determined not to flee from them who walked behind me, I saith unto them, again in another light-hearted parable: Have you never read what David did when he had need of spare bread?* How he went to Nobe, the city of priests, and then into the house of God under Ahimelech the High Priest, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which was not lawful to eat but for the Levitical priests only, and gave to them who were with him.*

14 And going about my teacher's business, I saith unto them: The Sabbath was made for man, and not the other way around.* For is it not written: 'My king hath commanded me a business'* Therefore the sons of David are lord of their Sabbath also.

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