Miracle cure rumours attract crowds

Judea, AD 30 - Reports have been circulating in Jerusalem all week about miracles attributed to Jesus, the preacher from Nazareth. Crowds of the sick and their relatives are said to be following him wherever he goes. He is believed to have pleaded with people it is claimed he has cured that they keep it to themselves.

Thaddaeus from the village of Nain in Galilee said last night he had leprosy for more than seven years before he heard of Jesus. He spent days travelling around the province before he finally caught up with Jesus, he said. "I had nothing to lose. I was covered in sores from head to foot."

He had great difficulty pushing his way through the crowds. "I begged him, I got on my knees and I begged him. I said, `Jesus, you know that if you want to, you can cure me. Please, please make me clean'. And, I don't mind saying, I cried. Anyhow, Jesus said he wanted to help me. He had tears in his eyes and he touched my shoulder. He said, `Be clean', and the leprosy disappeared. Just like that. I doubt if I had a happier moment in my entire life. You have no idea what it is like," he said.

Afterwards, as Jesus moved away through the crowds, he turned and called back to Thaddaeus. "Don't tell anyone about this. You can see it is bad enough already," he said pointing at the crowd. "But show yourself to the priests," he said.

Thaddaeus, however, could not stop telling people about what had happened to him. "How could I be expected to keep something like that to myself?" he asked, "And there were all the people who knew me beforehand. I had to explain to them why I was so different."

But he was sorry for doing so. He had heard the crowds following Jesus had got even bigger as news of his cure spread.

It has since been reported that Jesus no longer enters a town in daylight, to avoid drawing such numbers. He is believed to retreat often to any quiet spot he can find, and has disappeared for days at a time. But roving crowds continue to search for him everywhere. Currently his exact whereabouts are unknown, though it is believed he may be still in Galilee.

The authorities are keeping a close eye on the situation but so far there have been no reports of any public disorder. A spokesman for the Governor of Palestine, Mr Pilate, said last night that for now there was nothing to worry about. In fact they were more concerned about the reaction of the religious leadership in the country to the increasing popularity of Jesus, he said. But as far as the governor was concerned, there would be no problem as long as Jesus was not responsible for any major disruptions.

Mr Pilate was in Bethlehem with his officials yesterday as part of an initiative to bring government closer to the regions. The visit was marred by protesting shepherds who claimed the army was not paying them enough for mutton.

"Don't wash your hands of this too," read a placard, referring to Mr Pilate's habit of washing his hands in public when the local authorities make decisions he either disagrees with or has no say in. He has been accused again recently of allowing colleagues `hang out to dry".

Meanwhile, the religious authorities have been busy attending annual denominational unity week services involving the Pharisees and Sadducees mainly. While some small progress has been made, unity is not much closer than it was. However, it is still felt important that the event should take place, even if it is little more than a formality.

When contacted last night, a spokesman for the High Priest, Dr Caiaphas, was dismissive of Jesus. "He's from Nazareth," he pointed out. He described him as "just the latest freak people have decided to follow." He said there was "absolutely no proof" that any miracles had been performed by him. He suggested that in instances where an individual's condition may have improved following contact with the preacher, it would more than likely be found to be "perfectly rationally explicable."

Faith-healing was not unusual in Palestine, he said. And such was the power of the mind that in instances it was possible that individuals had actually willed themselves better. "But all this talk of miracles is irresponsible. It excites innocent, ignorant people and will cause trouble yet. So if I were Jesus I'd go easy on the miracles," he said.