The Samaritan 2 - Early Encounters

Azariah and Abigail are Samaritans, outcasts among the Jewish people of New Testament times.  But one day there comes a stranger to the well they use - and life will never be the same..  Written and produced by Colm Flanagan.

Produced by Commission Christian Radio

Transcript

SPEAKER_06 0:06

Commission presents the Samaritan, a six-part drama by Colin Flanagan. Episode 2: Early Encounters.

SPEAKER_03 0:22

After the turmoil in Nazareth, where the people had tried to throw Jesus to his death, I heard no more for a while. Work was steady, and I was happier that way. You always like to have work in hand just in case things don't work out.

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Hello. Hello. Hello. Oh.

SPEAKER_03 0:44

Good morning. How may I help you?

SPEAKER_00 0:46

I'm looking for Azariah.

SPEAKER_03 0:47

That's me.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

I was recommended to you by your friend, Asher.

SPEAKER_03 0:51

Oh, yes, Asher. Um how can I help you?

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Um My name's Abigail. I live in the old part of the town. My late husband was a city tax official here in Sikar. Uh something to do with rents payable.

SPEAKER_03 1:03

I see.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Well, he wasn't always popular with people.

SPEAKER_03 1:06

I can imagine.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

And you're here because I need to dispose of some wooden furniture and want some new stuff built. And there's some work needed on the house as well. Can you help?

SPEAKER_03 1:17

Well, I need to see the house and the furniture, then I could advise you better about costs and so on.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

Yes, of course. I understand.

SPEAKER_03 1:25

I'm uh free tomorrow afternoon if that would suit.

SPEAKER_00 1:27

Oh, yes, that would be fine, Azariah. Thank you. About three o'clock?

SPEAKER_03 1:32

Yes, that would be fine for me.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

I'll let you get on with your work then. Until tomorrow.

SPEAKER_03 1:37

I stood looking after her. I had a strange feeling inside. I liked her. But don't get involved, I thought. Then I went back to my work. But I still find myself remembering her voice. And I was at her house promptly at three. And I wasn't in any rush away. I find I enjoyed her company. Meanwhile, other important events were taking place over in Galilee, not far from Sykar. A week after my first meeting with Abigail, I had another visitor.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

Azariah! Come out from that cabinet. I need to speak to you. Oh, Isaac, it's good to see you, you old rogue. You're still as busy as always, I see. Yes, indeed. What brings you here anyway, Isaac? Is Demetrius well? Yes, he's fine. But he wants you to come over to Capernaum sometime soon. Lots of jobs for you. When could you start?

SPEAKER_03 2:34

As soon as I can, my friend. As soon as I can. While we spoke, another job briefing was going on near Capernaum about which I knew nothing at the time.

SPEAKER_10 2:44

My dear friends, you have followed me, and now I have some work for you to do. Anything you want, Lord. I want you, Peter, and the others, to become fishers of men and women. Go and tell the people around here about God's kingdom. I give you power to heal the sick. Don't take anything with you. Don't take a walking stick or a travelling bag, or food or money, even a change of clothes. My father will see to your daily needs. When you are welcomed into a home, stay there until you leave that town. And if people won't welcome you, leave their town and then shake the dust from your feet as a warning to them. Remember what happened to me at the synagogue in Nazareth. You won't always be welcome. But don't go to Samaria. I repeat, don't go to Samaria.

SPEAKER_03 3:48

I have often pondered that last statement. Why were we specifically excluded? Was it because Jesus, like so many other Jews, had a narrow vision of who his people were? Given what happened later, I don't think so. And at the time, I just heard vague reports of what the disciples did on their journey. I had had an urgent message from a contact in Caesarea that there was a very well-paid job up there, and it was mine for the taking. So I headed off promptly in that direction. And it was in a small Canaanite village that I saw Jesus for the second time. What he was doing there, I don't know. But I was sitting having a drink before carrying on when a strange small procession passed in front of me. It was Jesus, some of his followers, and following them, a local woman.

SPEAKER_05 4:40

Lord, son of David, have pity on me! My daughter is full of demons. Help me! She will surely die.

SPEAKER_12 4:50

Clear off, woman! The teacher is on his way to meet some important people. He hasn't time for your hysterics. Clear off!

SPEAKER_05 4:59

But I know who he is. Lord, speak to me, please. I won't go away.

SPEAKER_12 5:09

Then I hope you've got walking shoes on, for we are moving on. Teacher, send her away.

SPEAKER_05 5:17

I'm still here, Lord. I need help. I've no one else to turn to. I know who you are. I know what you can do.

SPEAKER_10 5:29

What are we going to do with her, teacher? I was sent only to the people of Israel. Oh father. What must I do? They are like a flock of lost sheep. They are all lost.

SPEAKER_12 5:46

Oh for goodness sake, get off your knees, woman.

SPEAKER_05 5:50

Lord, please help me. You know you can. I know you can. Have pity on me, son of David.

SPEAKER_10 6:02

Surely it isn't right to take food away from children and feed it to dogs?

SPEAKER_05 6:07

Maybe that's true, Lord. But I see your compassion. And even dogs get the crumbs that fall from their owner's table.

SPEAKER_10 6:17

Dear woman, what is your name?

SPEAKER_05 6:20

I am called Aisha.

SPEAKER_10 6:22

Aisha, you are well named, for your name means live well. You are living well, Aisha. You really have a lot of faith, and you will be given what you most desire. But I have been given this power by my father. Your daughter will be healed.

SPEAKER_05 6:45

My lord and my king.

SPEAKER_10 6:49

Go and live in peace, Aisha.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

I didn't fully understand what was going on here, but it seemed that somehow this Aisha had given Jesus a new perspective, and this was to affect all of us in the days to come. The job in Caesarea turned out to be nothing, a complete waste of my time. Back in Sikar, I found an excuse to call on Abigail again. I just wanted to see if you were happy with the work I did for you, Abigail.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Oh, yes. Very happy indeed, Azariah. Have you time to stay and take a drink with me?

SPEAKER_03 7:25

Well, I I really should be getting on.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Oh well. If it's important.

SPEAKER_03 7:30

Oh, actually, it's not. Not really. So I stayed. And as time went on, we became closer and closer, and I learned more about her. Abigail had been married, not once, but a number of times. She seemed to have been ill-treated, too, but it hadn't made her hard. I find myself thinking more and more about her as I went about the day-to-day business of working life in Sycar. And soon it was time to go to Capernaum.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

Well, here you are at last, Azariah. I thought the walls would crumble to dust before you arrived.

SPEAKER_03 8:07

And a very good hello to you too, my friend. Oh, given the weight you've put on, I'm surprised you don't want me to widen all the doorways. At your ready pay.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

I'd bankrupt the household in no time. Well, aren't you going to offer me some refreshments? Yes, of course. Come on in, come in. Demetrius wants to talk to you anyway.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

Azariah, come and join us for a moment. This is Gyrus. He's one of the leaders of the synagogue where you're going to be working. Gyrus, Azariah is a very good stonemason, and I want that synagogue roof sorted once and for all. It's practically like living in a leaky arc when it rains. There's so much water coming in.

SPEAKER_04 8:47

Well, it has been bad recently. We're very grateful to you, Demetrius. It's good to be able to tell our people that not all Romans are bad.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

And how do you feel about a Samaritan doing the work on a Jewish religious building?

SPEAKER_04 9:02

I think we need to take people as they are, then make our minds up about them. We're all brought up with prejudices of all kinds. God made us all, and if he's our father, then we are in some way brothers and sisters.

SPEAKER_03 9:18

Hmm. Well that's well put. I try to do that too. Funny, I recently overheard someone you might know talking a bit like that.

SPEAKER_04 9:27

I wonder it wasn't by any chance a man named Jesus, from Nazareth originally.

SPEAKER_03 9:33

Actually it was. And where did you hear him, Azariah? Well, most recently in a Canaanite village on the road to Caesarea, but before that, I was there in Nazareth when the people in the synagogue wanted to hurl him over a cliff. He'd really upset them. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

He has that effect sometimes.

SPEAKER_03 9:49

Well yet it seemed to me that the people he really spoke to regarded him as special.

SPEAKER_04 9:55

I believe he's special. Just as you say. He's here now. In Capernaum. Some of our fishermen are followers. Disciples, as we call it, of his. But I believe he has a larger purpose here than just being a local preacher.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

Hmm, yes, but that's something for another time, Jarus, I think.

SPEAKER_04 10:14

Agreed. We'd better let you get on with your work, Kazariah. No doubt we'll be seeing a bit more of you over the next week or two. You're staying here, I presume.

SPEAKER_03 10:23

Oh yes, Isaac has made me very comfortable.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

Oh that's good. Shall we go now and inspect the leaky corner? Certainly. I'll just get my drawings and tools.

SPEAKER_03 10:31

I'll be with you shortly. Work went well, and one day I was walking with Isaac down at the lakeside, where the fishermen were working on their boats and mending nets. Not my idea of a fun career, but they seemed used to it.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Just a moment, Azariah, there's a man I need to see. John, can I have a word, please?

SPEAKER_09 10:52

Certainly, Isaac. What is it?

SPEAKER_01 10:54

I need to speak to you sometime about the business returns for Demetrius. He has to check the fishing permits for the official statistics.

SPEAKER_09 11:03

More official bureaucracy. Sorry. It's alright, it's alright. I I know you're honest.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

Wish everybody was. Oh, let me introduce you to our technical who's doing the repair work up at the synagogue, uh, Azariah.

SPEAKER_09 11:16

Greetings, Azariah. I don't know you. And I know most folk around there. You're not from these parts, are you?

SPEAKER_03 11:24

No, I'm from Sikar.

SPEAKER_09 11:26

You're a Samaritan, then?

SPEAKER_03 11:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_09 11:30

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 11:31

So, um what uh What am I doing here working on a Jew synagogue? I don't have a problem with that if you don't.

SPEAKER_09 11:39

Well, I was brought up not to trust Samaritans.

SPEAKER_03 11:42

And I was brought up to dislike Jews. Oh look. It's okay, Isaac. I bear nobody any grudge. I know how things are.

SPEAKER_09 11:49

Actually, I apologize if I offended you, Azariah. I should have remembered something Jesus said to me and my brother.

SPEAKER_03 11:55

Jesus? The man who comes from Nazareth. Is that who you mean?

SPEAKER_09 11:59

Yes. Do you know him?

SPEAKER_03 12:01

Not exactly. I've just seen him at a distance. But he leaves an impression.

SPEAKER_09 12:06

Yes, that's uh that's very true. Recently we were going up to Jerusalem and and Jesus sent me and my brother James ahead to arrange lodging for us in a place called Sukkar or something like that. He decided to go through Samaria rather than over the other side of the river Jordan. Well, it was like this. We asked about lodgings.

SPEAKER_11 12:27

Look, we just want a room for the night. Well, you can look all you like. No one here's going to give you lodgings anywhere. You people think you're so holy. With your pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Push off. Go a long way round. You shouldn't be defiling yourself staying with the likes of us.

SPEAKER_08 12:44

James, let's tell the master. Now you do that. Good riddance to you. Oh yeah, well, for two pins, I'd give you a thump you're not forgetting. Yeah, yeah. You and whose army. James, let's go. Leave, okay? I don't think the master wants us to fight anyone.

SPEAKER_09 12:59

So, we went back to where the others were.

SPEAKER_07 13:02

Master, Master! These Samaritans won't even let us into their crummy little village. Yeah, they told us to clear off and go the long way round. How dare they? Jesus, you the power. Call down fire on these wretched Samaritan unbelievers and destroy them like God did to Solomon and Gomorrah. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_10 13:23

How many times do I have to tell you? Do not serve back prejudice and anger with prejudice and anger. Some day they will know more. But the time is not yet. Come, let us try another place.

SPEAKER_03 13:41

As John told me this story, I felt ashamed for both our peoples with our petty differences. This Jesus fellow certainly knew what people were like, yet he seemed to believe that that didn't mean they had to behave as they'd always done. Could we change? I began to want to know more about this man and his message.

SPEAKER_06 14:18

The part of Azor Lion was played by Mark Canney, with other parts by members of the Commission radio drama team. The programme was written and produced by Colin Flanagan at Commission Studios in Belfast, Northern Ireland.