Watch Out for Those
He wore a robe that flowed behind him. His tassels were neat, and his scripture box was in place. His strides were confident. He was greeted with the nodded heads of respect. Toward some he returned their respectful actions, on others he cast a scowl, a judgement. "Watch out for these." A man dressed in tattered garments said to those gathered round. The words caught the ear of the well-dressed man. He approached the crowd as the man who spoke a warning pointed in his direction. "These teachers of the law," the man at the center of the crowd continued. "Of whom do you speak, Rabbi?" The well-dressed man spoke his final word with contempt. He did not consider the man before him to be anything but a vagabond preacher with no real knowledge of the scriptures. "Answer me this." The man in tattered clothes stood up from the crowd and moved toward the ordained teacher of the law. "Do you not find pleasure in the respect given to you?" ...