Episode 205
The square, once buzzing with energy, fell into an abrupt silence.
Even the animated conversation between Cencio and Ibn came to a halt, as did the chatter among the gathered kings from various nations, all of whom now stared, mouths agape, at the Jewish faction.
In the midst of this profound quiet, the only audible sound was the hushed exchange between Philip II and Richard, seated nearby.
“It seems I’ve won the bet, Your Majesty Richard.”
“Not so fast… There’s still a chance they might twist it around with a ‘so I thought’ kind of revelation.”
“If that were the case, they should have added something by now, but it seems that’s not happening,” Philip II replied with a wry smile.
The rabbi, who had boldly accused me of being a fraud, sat back down, his mouth shut. If Elazar was right, this rabbi was likely Judah, known for his activities in Europe. He was reputed to be a staunch fundamentalist, and his audacity to make such a claim in this setting was shocking, to say the least.
Just as Cencio and Ibn were about to open their mouths to counter, the crowd, having grasped the situation, erupted into a cacophony of curses and shouts.
“What the hell did they just say?”
“Get them out! Get them out!”
“Move aside! I’ll drag those bastards out myself!”
“Stay in your seats! Anyone causing a disturbance will be arrested!”
“Arrest those Jewish bastards instead! Guards, are you heretics too?”
As some enraged members of the crowd tried to push their way into the square, soldiers stepped in to hold them back, resulting in a chaotic scene.
The Jewish faction, the source of all this turmoil, seemed far from unified in their stance.
“Are you insane? What are you trying to achieve by saying that here? Are we all supposed to die together?”
“If you’re afraid of death, you shouldn’t have come here! Elazar, are you the one willing to abandon your faith to save your skin?”
“This isn’t about being afraid of dying! I warned you not to act recklessly, and now you’ve gone and done this. What are the rest of us supposed to do?”
“Now, now, let’s all calm down. While Judah may have acted rashly, he didn’t say anything untrue, did he?”
“No! You stubborn fools!”
Elazar’s voice was so loud it reached us on the platform. Philip II chuckled dryly, while Richard rubbed his forehead, shaking his head.
Salah ad-Din, observing my expression, offered an awkward smile and spoke up.
“It seems they haven’t reached a consensus over there.”
“It looks like they’re split into three groups: the hardliners who act without thinking, the moderates opposing them, and those who don’t act rashly but still defend the hardliners.”
“So, with a 2-to-1 ratio, the moderates’ views won’t be accepted.”
“Judging by their seating arrangement, the moderates seem to make up only about ten percent of the delegation, so it’s no surprise they’re being ignored.”
It wasn’t unexpected, as I had already anticipated this outcome. The only surprise was how quickly it unfolded.
Poor Elazar. Even from a distance, his expression and voice made his feelings crystal clear.
But if this chaos continues, the meeting itself will become impossible to conduct, so it’s time to step in and restore order.
Though unlikely, there’s a chance the Jewish hardliners are deliberately causing this disruption.
“Everyone, please calm down. Citizens, regain your composure and follow the guards’ instructions.”
Though my voice might not have reached everyone, the mere act of standing up seemed to quell the chaos in the square.
After a few minutes, the frenzy subsided, and the atmosphere became conducive to resuming the meeting.
“In this assembly, no external pressure, violence, or coercion will be tolerated. Everyone is free to speak, and any evaluations should be made after the meeting concludes.”
Silencing the Jewish hardliners would be easy, but it wouldn’t benefit us. In fact, the more they speak, the more Christianity and Islam will unite.
And honestly, I’m a bit curious. What kind of mindset allows them to act so recklessly in this situation?
This might be their last chance to dance their final dance, so let’s give them the stage.
Being nearly dragged away by an angry mob would be enough to intimidate anyone, but for the Jewish hardliners, armed with a resolve to fight to the end, such threats were meaningless.
In fact, they seemed invigorated by the current situation.
Initially, the Christian and Muslim delegations didn’t try to suppress the Jews outright. The great prophet Marshall had always emphasized acceptance and love.
They couldn’t afford to show discord in front of him.
“I ask the rabbis of Judaism, why do you still cling to your stubbornness? After witnessing so many miracles and evidence, do you still refuse to open your eyes?”
“What evidence? Where is this evidence? All evidence must be based on the word of God.”
“Is there a passage in God’s word that denies the great prophet before us? If so, we are willing to listen.”
“If Marshall is indeed sent by God, as Christianity and Islam claim, then he must be the Mashiach. In that case, as the Mashiach, he should lead us and transform this world into Olam Haba. But has this world become Olam Haba? Olam Haba is when all wars cease, and all humanity recognizes the one Creator in eternal peace.
But Marshall has not achieved this. Therefore, the only conclusion is that Marshall is not the Mashiach.”
Judah, having finished his speech, confidently surveyed the other delegations and the audience, but naturally, he was met with hostile reactions.
“There’s never been a sane person named Judah.”
“Exactly. He’s just like those who couldn’t recognize the prophet sent by God and persecuted him.”
“Those who sold the Messiah and called for his crucifixion are all the same. If not for the prophet’s teachings, we’d have dealt with him already.”
Though they couldn’t resort to physical violence, the harsh words were unfiltered, yet they failed to break the resolve of Judah and the hardliners.
Cencio began to worry that trying to persuade them was a futile effort.
“You’ve made a good point. The Olam Haba you believe in hasn’t arrived yet. But it seems you’re blind to the fact that the world is moving in that direction. The long-standing war between Islam and Christianity has ceased, and the Mongols, who threatened us with disaster, have been defeated.
And now, we are here discussing the construction of lasting peace. The world is indeed moving towards the Olam Haba you speak of.”
“But it hasn’t arrived.”
“Let me ask you this. When the Mashiach you so eagerly await arrives, will the world suddenly transform into Olam Haba? Like the creation of the heavens and the earth, will the world change without us even realizing it?”
“That, I don’t know.”
“No. Absolutely not. From the Torah to any era in the Old Testament, God has never shown miracles in such a manner.”
Following Cencio’s words, Ibn stepped in to support him.
The sight of Islam agreeing with Christianity was a rare spectacle, especially for those who remembered the times of the Crusades.
“While I don’t agree with all Jewish doctrines, I fully support Cardinal Cencio’s statement. It seems the Jewish representatives are unaware that they are becoming obstacles in the process of leading the world to Olam Haba.”
“That’s sophistry. We are the last deterrent preventing this world from falling into further corruption!”
“Well, who here would agree with that? I doubt anyone outside of your group would.”
As Ibn subtly turned his head, the surrounding crowd erupted in cheers.
But Judaism had never received support from other nations, even before Rome built its empire.
This familiar pattern of isolation and persecution was nothing new.
Isaac, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward to join Judah.
“We have one more reason for our refusal. In fact, it’s hardly worth discussing. Previously, when Christianity claimed Jesus as the Messiah, at least he was Jewish. But what is Marshall? Let me make it clear: no one who isn’t Jewish can be the Mashiach! Of course, the Mashiach comes to save not only us but all people. However, the fact that God chose our people remains unchanged.”
“Are you kidding me…?”
“Are they really saying that here?”
Predictably, reactions of disbelief and exasperation erupted from all sides.
Everyone present was aware of Judaism’s concept of being the chosen people.
Strictly speaking, the Jewish belief in being chosen doesn’t mean only they will be saved.
Rather, it suggests that God uses Israel as a crucial tool for the salvation of the entire world.
But because of this belief, those who follow Judaism are convinced that the Messiah will be Jewish.
Thus, the idea of Marshall, who isn’t Jewish, being the Messiah was simply out of the question.
No matter how many times you make that argument, it only disgusts those who follow Christianity and Islam.
Realizing that the discussion was going nowhere, Cencio sighed and sank back into his seat.
“I understand that Judaism’s stance is firm. Very well, you may continue to hold your beliefs.”
“The Islamic side shares the same view as Christianity. It seems we’re the only ones willing to refine our doctrines through discussion, so we’ll proceed on our own.”
In other words, they were being told to leave, but the Jewish representatives had no intention of doing so.
Even a fool could see the consequences of walking away now.
Faith is important, but so is survival.
“We’ll stay until the meeting concludes. We need to know what decision you reach.”
“Fine… suit yourselves.”
“Just remember that we did our best to persuade you.”
Cencio clicked his tongue lightly and turned his back completely on the Jewish side.
Ibn adjusted his posture as well, leaving the center of the square with only the Christian and Islamic delegations facing each other.
“Let’s begin the real discussion. First, we need to address the irreconcilable differences between Christian and Islamic doctrines.”
“Exactly. If we can’t agree on that, everything else will be pointless.”
Ignoring the distractions from the sidelines, the meeting proceeded with remarkable clarity.
“Then let’s start with the question of whether humans can possess divinity.”
The atmosphere in the square froze, as if the previous commotion had been nothing.
This was the most contentious and controversial issue.
A new chapter in history was about to be written.