All the time, questions.

They assembled their questions

and laid them before him.

Some wanted answers,

reaching towards enlightenment;

for others the goal was to snare and entrap.

Some questions were honest, others devious;

a few asked after truth,

for others the answers were of no account.

Who is he,

why has he come?

By whose authority,

when is the hour,

which is the way,

who can be saved,

what do these things mean?

Who is my neighbour?

The man poses questions of his own.

He does not wait for an invitation;

he asks, who are you, what will you be?

Will you come and love,

and weep, and give?

Will you stand? If you fall,

will you rise and live?

Will you dare?

Questions;

all the time, questions.

© Ken Rookes 2014

The Saducees' question

The Saducees' question

Having ruled in red ink
a line under life,
some Saducees ask their famous riddle
about the woman, seven times widowed;
the one which has caused great rabbis
and learned scribes to stumble.
This self-styled teacher from the northern extremes
should be easily ensnared
and made to look ridiculous.
But the teacher is already captive
to a glorious vision of life in abundance;
a boundless gift from a limitless
and ever-living God.
Laughing at their keyhole view,
the teacher speaks of hope and freedom
in the coming age of resurrection.
Soaring unconfined, his truth
mocks the Saducees' pitiable attempts to enclose.
Rendered speechless,
there will be no more questions.

© Ken Rookes