“Hosannah, Hosannah! Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
And so great was the jubilation, and so irrepressible was the love that strove heavenward in these welcoming shouts that Jesus wept and His disciples proudly exclaimed:
“Is this not the Son of God who is with us?”
And they also cried out in triumph:
“Hosannah! Hosannah! Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
And that night for a long time they remained awake thinking over the solemn and triumphant entry, and Peter was like unto a madman; he was as one possessed by the demon of merriment and pride. He shouted loudly, drowning the speech of others with his leonine roar, he laughed uproariously, flinging his laughter at the heads of others like large rolling boulders, he embraced John, and James and even kissed Judas. And he boisterously admitted that he had harbored fears concerning Jesus, but now feared no longer, for he saw the love the people bore for Him. The Iscariot’s unsteady eye strayed from face to face in amazement. He mused for a while, listened and looked around again, and then led Thomas aside. Then, as if impaling him against the wall with his piercing glance he questioned him with wonderment and fear not unmixed with some dim hopefulness:
“Thomas, and if He is right? If it be He that has the rock beneath His feet, and I merely shifting sand? What then?”
“Of whom art thou speaking?” inquired Thomas.
“What will Judas of Kerioth do then? Then I shall have to strangle Him myself to bring out the Truth. Who is playing Judas false, ye or Judas himself? Who is deceiving Judas? Who?”
“I cannot understand thee, Judas. Thou speakest in riddles. Who is deceiving Judas? Who is right?”