He Came To Town Today

I heard he came to town today
with his rag-tag fishermen,
ignored the warnings of the Temple guards,
denounced the Pharisees’ sin,
then gathered a crowd in the marketplace.
Will his arrogance never end!

They say he comes from a wretched place,
that he boasts no claim to fame,
but the Rabbi told me privately,
“Use caution just the same.”
For evil is done by men like this.
They’re in it for personal gain.

I must admit that it puzzles me
how he does those miracle acts.
I’d like to believe he’s a charlatan,
but I can’t dispute the facts.
He speaks of peace and selfless love
and ignores the Temple’s attacks.

He seems to possess both mercy and strength.
He invites the poor and the lost.
His followers say they will go with him
no matter the threat or the cost.
I worry, though, what the Romans will do
if they think that he might toss
their kingdom aside in favor of his.
He’ll end up, for sure, on a cross.