Stephen Paul Schulz

Stephen Paul Schulz Poems

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The Nazarene

[Hast Lebanon not cedars born? Senir, her fabled firs?
Doth Egypt not boast Pharaoh's shrines - while Greece, philosophers?
O Israel, thine mountains low - raised art thine valleys green,
For ne'er, was e'er such power sent as in The Nazarene.
From the land of the Beershebites to coasts of Northern Dan,
The prophets saw the vision - "Son of God" as "Son of Man."
O Israel, with seers stoned, thy temple's veil tore twain
When in thy dark Golgotha was the Rose of Sharon slain.]
He brake his bread with sinners to the holy men's contempt,
While drawing crowds and multitudes that high priests never dreamt,
He showed them signs and wonders such the world had never seen,
And said he was the Son of God - albeit, Nazarene.
The first of mighty miracles at Cana's wedding feast,
Where turned He water into wine with neither grape nor yeast,
Yet when that comp'ny's governor had put it to the test,
While knowing not from whence it came, declared he it "the best."
The demons knew that he was both "God's Son" and "Nazarene,"
When came there forth one from the tombs - demonic; Gergesene.
Commanding that the devils "Go", he set the captive free,
And went they then into the swine - but thence, into the sea.
They brought forth an adulteress, by law to be stoned dead.
He wrote upon the ground, then stood against the crowd and said:
"Let he among you without sin, be he to cast first stone."
When one by one they walked away, he stood with her alone.
Rebuking scribes and Pharisees as "blind guides - full of sin,"
He said: "Ye care for outward show but, not for that within.
Before ye wash the cup's outside, make first the inside clean."
Then marvelled they, for he was but a humble Nazarene.
With twelve he had ordained there walked "The Man of Galilee,"
Who said that, "Ye shall know the truth. The truth shall make you free."
He taught, delivered, healed the sick, while not for price nor cost,
And told Zacchaeus he had come to seek and save that lost.
The murmur from the synagogues, nigh to Passover Feast,
Brought scribes, chief priests and elders, to the Sanhedrin's high priest.
They sought out all false witness that required Jewish law,
To bring a Nazarene unto a Roman judgement hall.
He fell down in Gethsemane - three prayers sending up:
"Father, if it be thy will, remove this bitter cup."
But then, unto the husbandman, there spoke the one, true vine.
Obedient, he said the words: "Not my will done, but thine."
They brought him first, before the Jews that by them he be tried,
Then to the Roman governor that he be crucified.
He answered his accusers not, resisting not their scorn,
But unto Pontius Pilate said: "To this end was I born."
With ev'ry driven Roman nail, resounding echoes sent
The message of The Nazarene: "Believe ye, and Repent."
He looked upon, in agony, the Roman and the Jew,
And prayed: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
With power over all death, rose The Holy Nazarene,
Appearing to the woman first, called Mary Magdalene.
Then calling the eleven forth, commissioned that they go,
And preach the Gospel to all earth that ev'ry creature know.
[O Israel, lift up thine eyes, that mercy might abide,
There comes a new Jerusalem with he ye crucified,
And one shall rule that kingdom there, where naught shall intervene,
As "King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords" - The Mighty Nazarene.
"I am the way, the truth and life," he, early on had said,
"And he that would believe on me shall live, though he were dead."]

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