Simon bar Jacob - Simon, son of Jacob - had just finished the pruning of his olive trees, ending with the three old trees farthest from the road. He was pleased with his work and looked at it for some time, complimenting himself with satisfying grunts. "Job well done!" He turned to look out upon the full olive grove of 57 trees. Each one had received his careful work, talents learned through the years and taught to him by Jacob, his father. But as he looked toward the roadside near the orchard his heart stopped. There, walking into his orchard was an army of people, a larger crowd than he had ever seen. They filled the spaces between the trees. One young child actually swung from an olive branch, nearly breaking it off, Simon was certain!

The crowd filled the lower part of the orchard and c…