Killing Jesus Page #5

---

You have a court.

Try him. Stone him.

Yes, that would, of course,

be my first thought,

but with shame I must say

that even among us,

even among the Sanhedrin

are those he has corrupted.

My laws are Roman.

His crime is not sedition.

Is it not? He rails

against Roman taxes.

If I were to crucify every Jew

who rails against our taxes,

I would have to level the

cedars of Lebanon for wood.

His crime must be an attack

against our emperor, our rule.

He attacks those

who support your rule.

Does that not inspire concern?

Concern, but nothing

that validates action.

Make a case for sedition,

with evidence.

Learn where he speaks

and with whom.

Prove that he is

a threat to Roman rule...

and I will have him crucified.

Each day I hear the

servants speaking of him.

What is the message

of this Jesus?

Oh, many things.

Nothing that concerns us.

What?

It'll bore the slaves.

The curse of being a

slave is boredom in all we do.

Not all we do.

Enough!

What does he preach?

That God wants the meek

to inherit the earth,

the poor to be rich,

the weak to be strong.

Platitudes of popular appeal.

None of it to be believed?

Well, it flies

in the face of history.

Caesarea is named

after a conqueror.

To the south of us is Alexandria,

also named for a conqueror.

If there really is one single,

all-powerful God,

as Jesus and these Jews claim,

he clearly favors

the strong over the weak.

Things are as the gods intend.

The meek, such as

this lovely creature,

will never inherit the earth.

Ha!

This man, Jesus,

he has drawn many to cast away

their wealth to follow him.

He lures sane men

from their wealth?

He speaks of a time,

soon coming,

when rich men will be poor,

powerful men cast down...

and... the temple itself

destroyed by God's wrath.

The priests are right.

This Nazarene is a menace.

Search among your ranks, Chuza.

Find those

who are most trustworthy.

All information about this

Nazarene is of value to me.

Matthew!

Far from the old days when

squeezing taxes from peasants...

was like wringing water

from stones.

How astonished I was to hear...

that you'd given up all your

wealth to follow the Nazarene.

Who is he?

A tax collector who feels

as Matthew once did,

regretting what he must do.

And you would be?

Judas Iscariot.

I'm Asher.

And your caution

is well-advised.

The Nazarene's fame

breeds envy, even hatred.

But I, for one, admire

the choice that you've made.

Change your ways and follow us.

How I wish.

How I wish,

but the burden of hungry mouths.

And the burden of a fine horse?

Yes.

I admit weakness.

Isn't that one step

towards redemption?

It is said that the rabbi goes

to Jerusalem for Passover.

It's his intention.

I know of a dwelling there.

I have well-placed friends.

A place has been offered.

Is the dwelling within the city?

I may seek you out, Matthew.

A morning's walk from the gate.

Home of a landowner...

Lazarus.

Godspeed your journey!

I have urgent news for the

tetrarch's steward. Open the gates.

Asher.

Send word to the tetrarch.

I have news of the Nazarene.

And be ready to open

your coffers, Chuza.

What I bring is of great value.

Jesus is staying

outside the city...

at the house of

a landowner named Lazarus.

He can't be arrested there.

Too many people.

We must know his movements

when he comes to Jerusalem.

We need somewhere quiet.

I'll put a watch on the house.

Have you seen anyone leave?

Wait here as long as it takes.

Outside the

wall dressed as pilgrims,

spies are watching us.

To report on our drunkenness,

hey, Lazarus?

My debauchery.

That I consort with sinners and

tax collectors, right, Matthew?

Former sinner and tax collector.

And I know the labels put on me.

- We will put them on trial?

- Put whom on trial?

- Them.

- Those who are against us.

When you're king,

James and I wish to sit by your

throne as sentence is passed on them.

See you condemn them

to eternal flames.

That's how you imagine

the kingdom of God?

Me on a throne?

Well, do I wear a gold crown?

I would think a crown

of the purest gold.

Oh, like some earthly king?

Do I preside over lackeys

and ring kissers?

I mean, you travel with me.

Your ears are open to every word,

but you hear nothing.

Nothing.

Have you so failed

to understand,

being who I am, what I must do?

Whoever would be a master

must first be a slave.

Who wants to be served

must first serve.

I am here to give my life

as a ransom for the many.

In the kingdom of God,

there are no thrones,

no crowns, no rule of nations.

My reward for earthly

service will be suffering.

Understand that.

Suffering.

To bring the message

of God's love,

I am the resurrection

and the life.

And those who believe in me,

even though they die, will live.

If you are praying, I'll leave.

I came here to pray...

pray to control my anger

and my frustration.

But then I heard my father's

voice in that song...

in the sweetness of that song.

Your anger is gone.

Do you know the prophets... what they

say awaits the one God that's sent?

There was little talk of prophets

in the barracks of Magdala.

Well, you know my words.

Yes.

And that's enough.

Yeah.

Then I'll leave you to pray.

Mary.

The cup from which I must drink,

how very bitter it is.

Go, Mary of Magdala.

What is this?

This beast is little more than a yearling.

He told us

to find a donkey colt.

Prophecy of Zechariah.

He enters Jerusalem

on that for Passover?

The Messiah will arrive at the

holy city astride a donkey colt.

Now he acts out a prophecy.

Why should he not?

What more is there in the

prophecy of the Messiah's coming?

Say it. We will share

however it goes.

The Messiah

will be falsely accused.

He'll be beaten, spat upon.

He'll be killed,

and all those who love him will look on,

unable to stop the agony.

And those who follow him?

I see.

Hosanna!

Hosanna!

Hosanna

Hosanna!

I'm told of a great rabbi who

was asked to recite the Torah...

while standing on one leg.

He said, "Do not unto others as you

would not have them do unto you."

This is the true wisdom

of the Torah.

The rest is all commentary.

Go and learn it.

Do you share his belief?

I do.

Say simply,

"Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

But I put one commandment

even before this.

Hear, O Israel,

the Lord our God is one.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

your mind and your strength.

Saying this,

you are close to the kingdom of God.

Rabbi.

While some oppose you,

the wisdom of your words is not lost on us.

Rabbi, what say you of taxes?

Should Jews pay taxes

to this man in Rome?

What do you say, Rabbi?

Give him an answer, Rabbi!

Let me see the coin.

Who is this?

You know.

That's Caesar Tiberius.

What do you think?

Should Jews pay taxes to Caesar?

Give to Caesar

that which is Caesar's...

and give unto God

that which is God's.

Leave in peace!

Lamb of God!

Their Lamb of God

will be our lamb of sacrifice.

That you still read

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes