Aristobulus and Salome; advance chapter from forthcoming Yuya Joseph book

D – Ari Loves Salome

Aristobulus was a son of Antipater at birth, and therefore a great-grandson of Herod the Great. It is not known how long his mother Mariamne stayed with Antipater, only that he was considerably older than she when they were first united. She became engaged to Herod Joseph Polli while Ari was still a baby living with relatives in Egypt, and he was almost two years old when he returned to Nazareth.

After his mother Mariamne IV was wed to the northern King Herod Joseph of Chalcis, Ari was then adopted into this Hashmonein family. His new stepfather was a direct descendant of Johannan Maccabeus, and a builder of many of Tiberias’ finest structures. The city had begun a modernization using Greek architects, and the family of Herod was the major creative and financial force behind the dozens of new buildings that had gone up over the previous three decades.

As per prophecy, Aristobulus was the new Joshua, and his life was to be patterned after previous Holy Joshua’s, or Saviour’s. In time He would grow comfortably into the role, and became the Crown Prince, theKing of the Jews and the Messiah of the new Way, a true prophet of peace and equality.

The royal daughter, Princess Salome, herself of Macaabean strains, was two years older than Ari, and was raised primarily in Jerusalem. Her regal heritage was unassailable, with her father being Herod Philip the Tetrarch, and her mother the internationally known Herodias, daughter of Aristobulus IV and Berenice. She was destined to be married two times; first to Prince Philip Jahn Herod II, as fulfillment of prophecy, then later marrying Aristobulus and bringing forth sons to carry on the Covenant.

Salome was nobody’s fool and she knew the significance of the marriage better than anyone save Aristobulus, but these were not the matters on her mind as the big day approached, No, Salome was smitten, she was dreamy, she was having a hard time believing that it was all really true. Yet it was, she and Jesh had always been destined to be together, and now that was going to be sooner rather than later. Her dreams of being the special princess to the most-loved man were about to be realized, and her heart pounded with the excitement of it all.

As a child, Ari had grown strong under the tutelage of his stepfather, Herod Joseph of Chalcis, who was also Salome’s uncle, her mother Herodias’ own brother. When his father remarried, to Bernice daughter of Agrippa, Ari stayed in the palace after his mother moved away. Mariamne took Jesh’s younger sister Polla with her, but it was clear to all that Aristobulus Jeshua would stay in the palace and continue his education with the spiritual leaders of Galilee and Judea. Nobody suggested otherwise, as there were many roads ahead for young Jeshua to travel.

Over the years Aristobulus had built a reputation as an honourable man, something royal, unwed men were not always able to do, the Roman influence being what it was. The prospect of a life with Salome Mariamme was enough to keep Ari on the straight and narrow path, and his years of abstinence and discretion were paying off with happiness and joy as the moment of union drew closer.

The much-anticipated wedding of Prince Jeshua Aristobulus to Princess Salome Mariamme was the focus of Judaic Brethren and the royal families throughout the Middle Earth Sea region. In Beirut and Damascus, Caesarea, Tyre, Sidon and Tiberias, the wedding emerged as the primary topic in the socialite circles. In Jeru and Alexandria, both the bride’s and the groom’s families were excited, even elated about the new union, and an invitation was considered proof of Chosen status.

Even though many believed that their marriage was pre-destined, everyone who knew Ari and Salome could feel the magnetic energy flowing between them. In any case, they had a felt a deep bond since they were teenagers. Ari had been none-too-happy about Salome’s first marriage, to Herod Philip Jahn. He knew the future exactly, yet that does not mean that he did not ask God, why?

Salome tried hard in her marriage to Philip II, she was devotedin practice and in principle, but in her mind there was turmoil, for she found him to be too old, and considered him unimaginative and dull, relative to Ari. Even though she respected what he did for the purification of the nation, at the river and in the Temple, her thoughts were often elsewhere. True, he had healed many by installing the public baths, and led even more into a stronger belief with his baptisms by Qumran and along the Jordan, yet still Salome searched for meaning in her own life, and she dreamed of how she could be a vehicle for the promise and redemption of Her People. She fell into crying and a remote desperation, detaching herself from day-to-day routines to study and write and otherwise escape the drudgery that was life without Aristobulus.

She believed it was to be her duty and her reward to marry the Saviour and Defender of the Faith, the man she had loved since he was a boy. Finding herself widowed while still in her twenties, her heart, mind and soul turned again to Aristobulus, the man of her blissful visions from her days as a youth, and again during her years as an unhappy spouse. With her second wedding feeling to he like a first and lifetimecommitment,she had never felt so alive, as a woman and as a human being. He was looking to marry and raise children, and Salome had always been the Princess of his heart and his soul; the timing was perfect for both of them.

At the time of their engagement, Salome had to let him know of her one reservation. “You know about my family, and I know about yours, but what about Aristobulus the person? Who are you, that you will now sit on my couch and eat from my table?”

Ari responded. “I am he who is from the One, and the things that belong to the father have been given to me.”

Salome knew that she was every bit as royal as Jesh, moreso in the eyes of the orthodox; still, she was temporarily insecure, as she had been following his teachings for the past four years. “But I am your disciple,” she pleaded.

Ari Jesh was deeply comforting with his words. “When the disciple is divided there is darkness, yet when Unity happens, everywhere is Light.” Salome hugged him and looked forward to a future with the only man that she would ever truly love in all her days on this earth.

As news of their engagement and imminent union spread through the hills of Ephraim and through Shiloh and Hebron to Rafah and Alexandria, from Caesarea and Tyre to Sidon and Beirut, up and down the coast and by the river, people prayed for them. In the hills their names were added into the chants, “May Ari and Salome be happy in this life, May Ari and Salome be blessed in this life. Praise Ari-Sal, Praise Ari-Sal!” In the valleys candles and lanterns were lit, songs were sung and honour feasts were held for locals and travelers alike. Some celebrated the news as if redemption itself had come, as if the Chosen Redeemer had Himself arisen from the dead.

Salome fretted during the days before the ceremony, as family had traveled from Jerusalem, Alexandria, Rome and Athens to be with her on the biggest day of her life. Her first wedding had been rushed and ill planned, a truly sorry affair, and there was no way she would endure that type of humiliation ever again. She had been told that even her first nuptials divinely ordained, even were written in scripture, and she had now come to peace with that stage of her life, appreciating the wisdom gained but believing in so much more. In this moment both will and destiny were colliding to make for the most exciting days Salome Mariamme could imagine; the anticipation was unlike anything she had ever felt in her entire life. She rarely cried during these weeks, and when it happened, they were usually tears of joy, shared with family and close friends.

Many relations arrived three to four days before the actual wedding, so there was enough frantic worrying to go around. Salome’s sisters and cousins were happy along with her, each bringing her finest dresses for this occasion. The young ladies discussed the differences between Egyptian and Roman men, Greek and Syrian, but only in terms of manners and how they treat their wives. The conversation rapidly turned to how Jews generally are being treated, and they exchanged stories of fear and trepidation. It was safe to talk of Judaic concerns, for most of the guests had not even begun to arrive. When the topic returned again to eligible men, unity was found being bolstered by pride, when they all agreed that, “Our men are the best of all these worlds!!!”

The boys and young men had been arriving and introducing themselves, speaking in Greek and in Hebrew. They were eager to impress each other, and draw the eyes of the girls, many of whom had grown into womanhood since they were last all together. It was said that couplings that would affect the next three generations were decided at this gathering, and for the older ladies, matchmaking gossip was more than idle chatter. The family had to stay strong, and each outpost and village had a pretty clear idea of whether they needed more young men or more young women. More than a few introductions were made that may have had wider, though never ulterior, motives.

Produce had been ordered from the best regional markets, and the mothers were reasonable about dividing up some of the duties. Jeshua’s mother Mariamne took on responsibility for fruits and cakes, while Salome’s mother Herodias ordered the vegetables and the ingredients for the sacrificial dishes.

Mother Mariamne had ordered special pastries made by a baker from Gaul, who was living in and operating his business out of Beirut. Eight varieties had been chosen, with three to six dozen ordered of each. Herodias had special meats prepared by Judaic, Greek and Syrian chefs, all supervised by the local chief rabbi. Beef, goat, lamb and chicken were all being smoked, pickled, sautéed, braised and charred to perfection.

Jesh himself also liked to inspect the cooking process, as much to learn technique and artistry as to ensure no dietary laws were broken. In any case, followers of the Way, the Nazarenes, were not strictly forbidden from eating certain foods. If poverty and necessity forced a human being to react in a certain situation, Ari Jesh firmly believed that act of eating for nutrition would not be equivalent to gluttony or other similar transgressions. He could see that people will also eat what their parents have taught them to eat, through no fault of their own soul. Sustenance screams loudly, and arrives in many forms. Jesh was far more concerned about what came out of men and women than with what had gotten into them.

In general the Nazarites were actually more observant of dietary laws than the average Judaic soul in these times, but they were more tolerant of the wider population than were the stricter Essenes. The Nazarites were suspect because they sometimes ate with gentiles and tax collectors, and followers of the Way often came under heavy criticism. The believers were right there at Qumran, at Alexandria, and in the Temple, yet their voices were often silent when the most orthodox elders were around. Ari and the Twelve were always walking a delicate line, and though he sometimes struggled with social graces as a young prince, together with Salome he was really shining, a true and lasting king, yet still in the making. People were amazed to see his radiance, and marriage and fatherhood brought a new appreciation of earthly problems and pleasures to his consciousness.

Royals and dignitaries came to the wedding from nations near and far; Ari and Salome took great care to assure that humble friends and relatives were also included in the celebration. These two were both divinely glorious but each fully possessive of the most genuine humility. Judaic insiders claimed that the marriage was pre-ordained and written in the stars and in Scripture, with many commenting on how peaceful Jews and Gentiles alike are attending the festivities together.

To the Greeks he was a magoi, a mejooseean, what the Persians term a moghan, and the Brits call a magician, but a dearly beloved magoi he was to them. Even at this early stage of his manhood, there were some in Athens who referred to him as Jah Zeus Chrystos, the saviour, Alexander returned; Horus of Egypt, Hercules of Greece. The fact that his namesake was a major participant in and chronicler of Alexander’s travels and conquests was not lost on these people, and neither was the fact that Jeshua’s grandmother had the same name as Alexander’s own mother. The true relevance was for him to know, and for him to understand.

A Greek priest, speaking to his fellow travelers as they reached the gates, confirmed his deep belief in Jeshua and the Way. “Jah Zeus Aristobulus is our awaited Chrystos, the saviour, Alexander returned. See the mothers, and see the names; only the century has changed.”

However fate may have played its mighty hand, everybody was in agreement that this was no marriage of convenience, and that Ari and Salome were deeply in love and exhibited an electric attraction when near each other. Some thought they were too public with their affection, but their duty at this time was only to keep themselves and their mothers happy, everyone else was really just along for the ride.

On the day of the actual wedding, a chapel had been set up inside a tent beside the Capernaum house. Guests were streaming in, from Jerusalem and Jericho, Rafah and Alexandria, Beirut, Damascus and Antioch. These had traveled for a day or much more, while people were also arriving from closer locales such as Cesareas, Cesareas Philippi, Tiberias and Tyre.

Vespasian, Polla and their toddler Titus approached with great fanfare, and were welcomed heartily into the gathering. Mariamne and Herodias greeted the arriving family, friends and assorted travelers, some of whom had heard of the wedding from others and decided to come and beg for admittance, or at least be nearby to feellike part of the celebration. Few were turned away, as a friend of a friend or family was considered to be already within the community, and distant relatives had often traveled along way.

Gamaliel performed the ceremony, and James Herod and Matthew and Simon all stood by Aristobulus. Ruth and Tamar and Taraha stood by Salome. Their mothers beamed with pride from the front rows, and everyone was feeling safer and stronger in their presence; the love in the air was palpable. The bride looked resplendent in her gown, her long regal neck accented by finely beaded lady locks.

Noted spiritual leader and senior Temple Rabbi Gamaliel gave a sermon about unity in trying times, and harkened back to Babylon and Egypt as exiled eras to draw strength from. It was clear that he believed there was no imminent, near-term answer to the Judaic search for respect and nationhood. Everyone listened attentively, as he was considered the foremost speaker from the Jerusalem Temple.

Gamaliel finished his eloquent plea for understanding and unity, let thesilence absorb the lesson, then spoke again. “May the bride and groom join us here.”

Ari Jesh and Salome each now entered with their companions, four men and four women in total walking up the aisle. The choirmaster started into an ancient hymn of love, and the choir and everyone attending was either singing or humming along. There were smiles everywhere, a few tears, and Salome stole a glance at Jesh, as if to see if he was singing along. It was true that he did love to sing, but with for family and friends, and he was respecting of the solemness of this occasion. Salome felt a surge of elation as the sparks of love briefly traveled back and forth between their eyes and into each of their souls for all time.

Ari vowed that he would forever be appreciative of having his lifelong friend as loving wife, and Salome vowed that together she and Ari would lead a loving, fruitful life, and she promised to stand by his side through this life and into eternity. Ari Jesh spoke about his mother Mariamne and the father who had raised him, Herod Joseph of Chalcis, in reverential tones. He spoke of the gloriousness of Salome’s heritage, of Her importance to the Judaic People and faith. He estimated that the union would bring about fifteen families closer together.

They each thanked the ancestors and the LORD and Jesh added that however gracious God is to them, they know and feel that they are meant to represent unity for millennia; Our love is just that strong. There were many fewer dry eyes by this time, and all at that holy union were giving thanks for each of their own breaths, as God was in the very room with them.

Gamaliel blessed the bride and the groom and they embraced before the crowd, and everyone sat down for an amazing feast, and the wine and the tales of travel and life began to flow.

At one point in the evening Ari was told, by his mother Mariamne, that the house wine was running low, saying that they were down to the second-last cask, and that there were only seven bottles of table-quality wine left. She estimated that there were one hundred and twenty more guests than had been planned for, and suggested “we may run out of wine within one to two hours.”

Ari Jesh looked to Salome to see if she had heard what mother just said, and she nodded. Jesh remained looking into Salome’s face, as if awaiting further response, and Salome nodded again.

Ari Jesh then took his main chef aside and whispered quietly into his ear. “Grape concentrate from Gaul; bitters from Briton and Germany …plus the best water you have. Add a small squeeze of lemon and a dash of pomegranate juice. Taste, then add more grape or more bitter.”

The chef looked pleased, smiling, both astonished and puffed up with honour, feeling as if he had been let in on a treasured family secret. “Yes, my Lord. As Our Lord wishes, we shall shortly have.”

After the chef had gone off to replenish the social nourishments, Ari and Salome each made up four plates of food, and they balanced them delicately as they walked across the front yard to the gates of the palace compound. Outside there were about twenty-seven or twenty-eight people, of various ages, mostly in rags and appearing undernourished.

Salome motioned to a mother with three children, beckoning her to approach the gate. “Mother Mari I am not worthy,” she spoke softly, with her head bowed down as she stood in front of Salome.

“Then give most of this to your children, which I already knew you would do. So see, you are worthy. Go now, you are a good mother.” With that she handed the women the plate and heard the woman telling her children, “Thank Jeshua and Mariamme, thank them now” and the two little girls and one boy were each heard saying “thank you Jesh, thank you Salome” as there mother led them off to the side to eat their meal.

Jeshua handed two plates to a family of seven. Four of the remaining six plates were given to others with a child or children. With two plates left, there were seven adults standing. Jesh asked, “Who is hungry?”

The men laughed, and one of them took the bait. “We all are my king; but I have three fruits in my satchel, and if one or two of these men would like to share a plate with me, I shall be grateful.”

Another spoke, saying “I have some bread” and a third man also offered up his meager foodstuffs, saying “I have some small fish, and some really good olives.”

Salome handed the final two plates to the men, and wished them well on their journeys, as they sat in an oval with the two plates and all the additional food they had brought out now in front of them. “You have shown faith and honour by attending our wedding, and Aristobulus and myself bless you, your families and your children. When you are traveling, if someone asks you for sustenance, remember this day, and stay always on the path of the Chosen, the Way.”

At that Salome took hold of Ari’s hand and they walked back to the house, entering through a side door that led to a small room just off the main hallway. Once inside the door, Jeshua pulled Salome close to him and gave to her the deepest, longest kiss she had ever received in her life.

Halfway through the moment, he held her cheeks between his hands and drew a breath, penetrating deep into her eyes and telling her, “We are One.”

He continued kissing her lovingly, then drew her into a tight hug and rubbed his hands up and down her back, and lifted her gently into the air, setting her down a few seconds later. She felt as if she was in a dream, and straightened her hair and her gown before the two of them emerged back into the main party.

Ari and Salome walked down the hallway hand-in-hand, and Aristobulus spoke gently. “My birth father was a ruthless man, and my earth father may seem flawed, but in his way he is loving and loyal. Our Father in Heaven is really really good to Us, to bring these Holy Days to Our People.”

Aristobulus smiled widely for Salome, and looked at her face as he appreciated their togetherness. Salome leaned in to Jesh’ ear, and their slow walk came to a standstill. “You know I will love you every day of my life. I have always loved you Ari honey, and I never have to hide it again.” She kissed him on the lips and then walked off laughing joyously, joining her sisters and cousins at the sweets and fruits table.

Each half of the royal couple fully believed in their ancestor Herod as a modern, re-incarnated David, and thus they had tremendous faith in their own divinity and destiny. Ari and Salome entered into their union with both the promise of bliss and the expectation of tribulation. The Polli family home at Capernaum in Galilee became their first residence (it would later serve as their summer home, and then, briefly, their retirement home), with Ari able to attend to business and government obligations in Bethsaida and Tiberias nearby, and travel easily to Ptolemais, Tyre, Caesarea Philippi, Nazareth and Shechem, with Jerusalem and Chalcis each just two to three days journey away.

Children became a bigger factor in the lives of Ari and Salome, as Herod Timothy, Yuya Agrippa and Aristobulus Justus were all born during the years in Capernaum. The family home would come alive with the sounds of tears and laughter, and in the distance a palace was being constructed for them, but knives were also being sharpened.