As the gathering broke up and the others—save for Silas—left one by one to return to their own hovels, Mark presented Peter and Esther with food and supplies. “You are too good to us,” Esther said.
“Not at all. But I do worry about you.”
“We worry about you, Mark,” she said. “But if you don’t mind and will forgive my lack of hospitality, I will do my worrying in bed.”
“Please, feel free. Silas and I plan to keep your man here up late.”
When Esther had moved to her cot in the other room, Mark asked Peter if he was up to working.
“Nothing would please me more,” he said. “I feel as if I am in prison again. I love to teach the young people, but I miss addressing the whole church. Through your gospel and my letter, we can influence many more believers.”
When the men had pored over the manuscript of the ministry of Jesus one more time, Peter declared it ready to be read publicly and copied privately. “Mark, we must enlist many with legible handwriting so this can be spread abroad. And it must not fall into the hands of the Romans until we have our own copies. I pray it will influence even them, should anyone of import read it before destroying it.”
“So I have my orders,” Mark said. “Now then, you wanted Silas to write a letter for you if I could find the supplies. It wasn’t easy, but here they are. I ask only that I be allowed to sit in.”
“It’s certainly all right with me, rabbi,” Silas said, “if it’s all right with you.”
“Of course.”
Mark spread fresh papyrus on a small table and set out his quills before Silas in the dim light.
“First,” Silas said, let’s identify you. ‘Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ…’”
He looked up. “To whom?”
“Well, Silas, I want to communicate what we have been teaching here to all the pilgrims who have been dispersed to various parts of the Roman Empire. They suffer much as we do, and I want to identify them further as well. Call them the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”
And Peter continued to dictate as Mark listened and Silas quickly wrote:
“Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.”
Mark held up a hand as Silas finished the paragraph. “Rabbi, you are more eloquent than you know. That is just thrilling.”
“Stop, Mark. I am warmed by your enthusiasm, but it is the Lord who gives utterance, and I daresay being in the presence of scholars like you two makes me concentrate all the more. Anyway, all three of us have benefited from hearing our brother Paul express such sentiments for years now. I don’t expect my letters to compare with his, except as the Lord blesses, but it is the Spirit who gives utterance. Most of all, I long to fill the fearful with courage during such a time as this.”
“Then let me hear what else the Spirit is telling you.”
Peter rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat.
“Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”
“How true, how true,” Mark said.
“Yes, and now let me try to fill them with boldness. Ready, Silas?”
The prophet nodded.
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’
“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
“He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”
“Peter,” Mark said, sighing, “you must never again discount your own scholarship. This will be so encouraging to its hearers.”
“Let me also teach them,” Peter said.
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Peter quoted more of the ancient Scriptures, then exhorted his readers: “…[Y]ou are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Peter stood and stretched. “Mark and Silas, this next is going to clang in their ears at first, but I believe it from the core of my being.”
“Then speak it, sir.”
“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.”
“Oh, my, Peter, you’re right,” Mark said. “You realize this will be read and heard first by the body here in Rome.”
“Babylon, you mean. Has any city on earth better fit the description of Babylon from the ancient word?”
“I agree, but you’re suggesting that we submit our
selves to evil rulers?”
“Let’s say it this way: Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if you take it patiently when you are beaten for your faults? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
“For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
After exhorting believing husbands and wives how to conduct themselves within the bonds of marriage, Peter discussed suffering for Christ and serving others. He closed by addressing church leaders directly.
“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
He urged younger people to submit themselves to their elders and for all to be submissive to one another, clothed with humility, “for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
“By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. She [the church] who is in Babylon [Rome], elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”
TWENTY-NINE
Perhaps we should have left separately, Mark,” Silas said as the men crept through the deserted streets of Rome.
“I do not mind the threat,” Mark said. “When will you leave with the letter?”
“At dawn. I wish I could stay and help copy your gospel. I pray God will use it widely.”
“Do you need a place to stay tonight?” Mark said.
“No, but my dwelling is past your district. I’ll accompany you as far as that.”
But when they came within several streets of Mark’s place, they hesitated at the sound of excited voices and agreed to split up. As they embraced, Mark said, “I bid you Godspeed. Greet all the brothers for me.”
“Be careful, Mark. And be safe.”
As Silas disappeared into the shadows, Mark took the long way around his block and entered from the west side, only to find bands of his friends and brothers and sisters in Christ being bound and led away by soldiers on horseback. “Spare yourselves!” a centurion shouted. “Give us Peter and you may return to your beds!”
“They don’t even live near here!” a woman wailed, and Mark grimaced.
Offer nothing! he wished. They leap on every clue.
“They?” the centurion said. “Who is with him?”
“No one!”
“Then what did you mean by they? Give me one name and I will reunite you with your children.”
“Esther, his wife!”
“And where do they lodge?”
Please, woman, say no more.
“I do not know. But not near here.”
Thank God!
“Now, sir, you promised. My children.”
The centurion laughed.
If these poor people were so quick to give up their spiritual father, how long would it be before Mark himself was revealed? Slinking back the way he had come, he moved slowly and quietly until he knew he was out of range of the soldiers. Then he sprinted back to Peter’s place.
“You must leave and soon!” he told the old couple. “Stay on the move. Don’t alight in any one place too long.”
“I am wearing of fleeing, Peter,” Esther said. “Sometimes I feel we should just resign ourselves to our fate.”
“Never!” Mark said. “We need you. We need you both.”
“I fear she is right, Mark,” the old man said. “As things stand now, we are a burden on the people. How can they be expected to continue to hide us, to lodge us, to feed us, to help us stay on the move? At some point we become much more trouble than we are worth.”
Fortunately no one else in the church agreed with Peter and Esther, and for the next several months they were shuttled from place to place every few days. Even Mark, on the move himself, found it difficult to keep track of all the places they were hidden. Somehow, however, enough members of the church body were able to find them and show up at all hours to sit under his teaching. Peter had lost much of his strength and energy, but none of his passion.
“Most troubling to me, Mark,” he said late one night, “is the word coming back from Silas that false teachers seem to have sneaked in to many of our fellowships abroad. They teach heresy. He is fighting it for all he is worth, but he fears the leadership needs to hear directly from me. Would you be willing to help me with a second letter to the churches?”
“Of course.”
Remaining covert while still able to trade on the streets was becoming much more difficult, but in his search for more papyrus, quills, and ink, Mark came upon a group of Christ followers from the northern district who brought him greetings from Paul. “He wants to see you,” they said.
“Are you sure? We had agreed to keep our distance so as not to give him away.”
“That was his specific request.”
When Mark found him near midnight one night, Paul pulled him into a tiny room that served as both sleeping chamber and workshop, where he appeared to be plying his old tentmaking trade. “What could people need more than these right now?” he said. “I have had even Romans bring me materials in exchange for crafting them a dwelling. I tell you, Mark, the city remains in an uproar over Nero. He had better watch himself or he will be assassinated. He is hated within and without the palace.”
Paul reminded Mark that he had always had the ability to make friends, even endearing himself to his enemies. “Not always, of course, as my scars prove. But being a Roman citizen has its advantages. Do you know that even if I am arrested and convicted for being an enemy of the state because of my work for the gospel, I cannot be tortured?”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely. As fate would have it, I could be executed, but it must be humanely.”
“Forgive me for smiling, rabbi, but is there a humane way to kill a man?”
“Of course there is! I am willing to die for my Lord, Mark, but I am human. I wouldn’t choose it. And when that day comes, I would certainly rather my end come swiftly and without unbearable torture and pain.”
“I pray it never happens, but that if it does, you are granted your wish.”
“I pray I will in some way honor my Lord in it.”
Mark brought Paul up to date on all that was happening among the believers to whom he
and Peter had been ministering. “When I met you I was searching for the materials necessary to aid Peter in his second letter to the churches.”
“He should have written as many as I have by now,” Paul said. “He is wise and deep with much to say, and his earnestness comes through. But listen, I told you of my ability to befriend my enemies because I have done just that with some old friends and acquaintances of Julius. They say that he told them of seeing me heal the sick and prophesy based on words from an angel, and he convinced them that I am a man of God. They are not so persuaded, but they trust me, and on occasion they tell me what is happening at the palace. They are apparently not brave enough to plot an assassination or even to support an insurrection, but they feel they are doing their part by aiding me with information.”
“What kind of information?”
“Who is targeted for arrest. What the centurions and soldiers know. That kind of thing.”
Mark told Paul how he and others had been keeping Peter and Esther on the run. “Any surprises? We know Peter is one of their prime targets.”
“The prime target, as it turns out,” Paul said. “The empire seems to view me as damaged goods, a man with no influence or audience or impact. I am no threat.”
“If they only knew.”
“Were it not for my pen, I would feel the same as they do. I am but a feeble old tentmaker, of some value even to them. When they learn of my epistles being spread abroad, my days will be numbered. But there is good news.”
“Tell me. It’s been a long time.”
“You are entirely unknown to them, Mark. I have been given lists of names and meeting places. If you keep your distance from known believers, you can easily spare yourself arrest.”
“I don’t know if I could do that, master. It sounds cowardly.”
“On the contrary. Everyone knows you are no coward. I believe you could be much more effective for the church because of your ability to move about freely in society. Disguise yourself as someone from a specific trade. As no one in authority is looking for you, you will have access to places most believers cannot go.”