Jesus Page #6

It is not fair to take children's food

and throw it to the dogs.

Yet even the dogs eat the crumbs

that fall from their master's table.

Woman...

great is your faith.

Your daughter is healed.

Go and find her.

Bless you,

Jesus of Nazareth!

Master,

our God is for the Gentiles?

I saw a dying girl.

Would you rather

I let her die?

This woman has taught me...

that my message

is for the Gentiles as well.

If I can learn,

so can you.

Mary...

Come.

Son, this is a new friend

of mine...

Mary Magdalene.

She wishes to join us.

I know Mary.

I am a prostitute, Jesus.

You were...

once...

a long time ago.

Your father

would be so proud.

Which one?

Both.

There's 30 pieces

of silver in there,

and plenty more

where that came from,

if we put our minds to it.

Give it back.

( laughter )

I can't give it back.

It came

from many different people.

Then give it away to the poor.

After what it took

for me to get it?

Didn't you hear

what I just said?

Give it to the poor.

Help us!

Please, help us!

Help me!

We're starving!

A gift

from the Messiah!

- Jesus!

- Yes.

Jesus, do you remember me?

I am Zerah. We met in Bethany.

Yes, of course,

I remember you.

Lazarus is dying!

Mary and Martha

have sent me to find you.

They beg of you.

Come quickly!

Thank you, Zerah.

Thank you for the message.

You can ride behind me.

We will be there before the sun sets.

You go ahead.

But, Lord,

he is gravely ill!

You go ahead.

You're not going to come?

You're going to help?

I'll come

when the time is right.

They said...

you were their friend!

Lord, you have spoken

of Lazarus many times.

If you need

to go to him, you must.

He heals strangers,

but does nothing for his friends.

It smells so good.

My father...

taught me how to get

the best wood from a tree like this.

Were you a good carpenter?

It's a good thing

I started preaching.

See, Joseph used to say

that only his hands were educated.

That wasn't true.

He was the wisest man

I've known.

Wise and generous.

He would give his last crust

of bread to a stranger.

Even to a Gentile?

You question me too, Mary?

No. Never.

I would never question you.

But you question yourself.

I just don't understand how you

could believe in someone like me.

God forgives you, Mary.

If I were a man I would be

your most loyal disciple.

Those who speak for me

are my disciples.

Lazarus was a good man, Mary.

- Yes, he was.

- It's a great loss.

Your brother will rise again.

Resurrection day?

I am the resurrection and the life.

Those who believe in me will live.

Do you believe this?

I know who you are, now.

Jesus!

If you had been here,

Lazarus would not have died.

Where have you laid him?

Lazarus has died...

so you may believe!

You...

take the stone away.

Jesus!

It has been four days.

Take the stone away!

Father...

I thank you

for having heard me.

Lazarus, come out!

He mocks us with a "show."

Trust Jesus, Martha.

Someone should stop this.

It's a cruel joke!

( screams )

It's a miracle.

Unbind him.

God be praised!

( pounding )

Silence! Silence!

Raised from the dead?!

I was there, Caiaphas.

I saw my friend Lazarus

come out of the tomb.

I smelled the rotting flesh,

but he walked out

of the tomb alive!

A dead dog thrown in the cave

just before it was closed.

I marched

with the funeral procession!

I watched the body

being put into the tomb,

and the door shut and sealed.

Examine the evidence...

Jesus and Lazarus

are old friends.

The sister is in love with Jesus,

by your own account.

- True.

- So, think!

Who better to concoct

this story with?

Lazarus pretends to be dead.

He spends a few nights

in the cave.

The High Priest is right.

All it takes is one

"raising from the dead" story

to make this Jesus a legend.

And suddenly,

he is "the Messiah."

There are reports

of another raising, a child.

There are always reports.

That's how

these false prophets live...

on "reports"!

Gossip

is their lifeblood!

No one...

no one can defeat death.

Think!

You know nothing at all.

How can a gentle man

who teaches the laws of Moses

and keeps our traditions

be a danger?

A man who loves our people,

and gives them the courage

to live a hard life.

Word is spreading

among the population

that the Messiah has arrived.

They will rise up

against Rome!

And the Romans

will crush the revolt!

( uproar )

Only this time, they will

crush us along with it!

We are the peacekeepers,

and if no peace is kept,

Rome will destroy the Temple,

along with the nation.

Pilate has made that clear.

You...

you...

you.

You will die!

And along with you, the blood

of Abraham, Moses, and Elijah.

We cannot allow this

because of one false "Messiah"!

Judas lscariot,

do you know us?

You were with Barabbas.

Barabbas has been arrested.

The Zealots have been driven

into the mountains.

But your rabbi

could rally them once again.

There is an army waiting.

This triumphant entry

into Jerusalem--

On a donkey in torn robes,

it's brilliant!

It makes Herod and Pilate look like

the asses they actually are.

When will Jesus call

for revolution?

Soon. Soon.

We'll be watching

for the right moment, Judas.

- Praise Jesus!

- Praise Jesus!

This man must be arrested.

In the middle of this

ridiculous festival...

Passover.

No, no!

Block, then thrust, Giannario!

Whoever heard of a festival

to celebrate that your own god

didn't destroy you.

-These Jews are mad.

-These Jews are dangerous!

I can't arrest

their current hero

while there are thousands

of them in town.

I'd have a riot on my hands.

Think, Livio!

Then do it at night.

Find someone to betray him.

Get him alone, I don't care.

But if you don't stop him,

he's going to bring Rome

down on us all.

He must be stopped--

dead!

I thought you were a better

politician than this, Livio.

Paolo, teach him

to counter that attack!

If there is another rebellion

in this miserable place,

Rome will throw both of us

to the lions!

I could kill this "Messiah"

tomorrow...

and there will be another

right behind him.

- Or...

- Or?

We could see to it

that he becomes

a problem for some

of his own people,

and they could solve

the problem for us.

Bravo, Giannario!

Master?

Master, may I speak with you?

Yes.

Lord, there will never

be a better time

to strike against

Roman power in Jerusalem.

There is an army

of Zealots waiting.

The city is full

of pilgrims for Passover.

They believe in you.

Rise up, ask them to attack

the palace, they will.

Sheer numbers will overwhelm

the Roman guard,

and once we are in charge,

Rome will leave us alone.

Now is the time.

Surely it is your destiny.

In two days...

it will be Passover.

In two days,

I will be killed.

Please, God!

Not now!

No.

No, my Lord!

No, it cannot be.

Lord, the Zealots

will join with your followers.

Thousands at your command!

Freedom, not just

from the Romans,

but from all tyranny.

The tyranny of sin, Judas.

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