Of Such Is The Kingdom, A Novel of Biblical Times in 3 parts

PART II  CHAPTER 17: THE TRUTH

 Tell the truth and shame the devil.

---(unknown)

 The truth shall set you free.

---Jesus (John 8:32)

 If the truth doesn't save us, what does that say about us?

---Lois Masterly Bulldog

There was a small hole in the cell wall, made by previous prisoners.  Through it Timotheus could see into the judgment hall of the praetorium and could faintly hear the proceedings there.  The judgment hall was an immense room, opening onto an outdoor platform in front of which all Jerusalem seemed to be gathered.  Center stage stood Pilate.  The Nazarene stood at his side clad in a purple robe and with a crown of thorns on his head.

“What are you lookin’ at now?” asked Lucas.

“I’m watching the trial.  Quiet!”  Timotheus’ mind eyes and his ears were all fixed upon the quiet stranger in the next room.  He listened intently to the ensuing dialogue:

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Are you saying this of your own initiative or did others tell it to you?”

“Am I a Jew? Your own people have delivered you to me.  What have you done?”

The prisoner was silent.

“You are a king, then?”

“You said that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.  Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.”

“What is the truth?”

The truth!  If only he, Timotheus, could know it!

      What kind of man this Nazarene?

      Who spoke of truth so bold

      And seemed to fear not Pilate

      Or the thriving throng so cold?

Was he a king?  Perhaps.  He might even be the long-promised Messiah.  All Timotheus knew was that somehow his every hope and dream seemed to culminate in this one man.  If only he could be sure!

Meanwhile, in the praetorium itself, Manaheem was also impressed.  He had seen many trials in his life, but none like this one.  At first, he thought, ‘why doesn’t this man defend himself?’  But then he seemed somehow to know the answer to his own question.  This man seemed somehow to embody the essence of pure innocence itself.  Truth seemed to be shining out from him and to be its own answer.  In one sense he seemed to need no defense, although in another sense he seemed to be demanding an answer from the heart of every man.  Was this a glimmer of the spiritual truth for which he, Manaheem, had been searching all his life?  Did spirituality and the meaning of life somehow lie bound up in this one man?  No, he thought, it’s impossible.  But somehow he couldn’t get the thought out of his mind.  Perhaps, he thought, this man doesn’t really want to defend himself.  Perhaps he wants to die.  Perhaps he’s even supposed to die.  Perhaps it’s part of some broader Divine design.

Suddenly the thoughts of both men were strangely interrupted by cries of “Barabbas! Barabbas!”  In the din, Timotheus thought he heard his friend’s jocose, yet sinisterly haughty reply, “Good enough!”

Manaheem too thought he heard something coming from the insurrectionist who earlier had asked him to put in a good word for him, but to Manaheem, it sounded strangely like a shout of victory.

Now the cry was changed to one of “Crucify him!”  “Crucify him!”  It grew to an intensity that shook the praetorium, even as the reality of its message shook both Manaheem, in the praetorium, and Timotheus, watching through the hole in his cell wall.  Was Pilate going to let them do this thing?  Manaheem just shook his head, sighed, and accepted his earlier thoughts of this being a part of a plan of some sort.  But, it really bothered Timotheus.

Now the beggars could hear the sound of footsteps approaching.  It was to be their turn to be tried.

As they were being led into the judgment hall from the rear, Timotheus caught sight of the Nazarene being led down the front steps.  His back looked like a raw piece of meat from the beating the soldiers had given him earlier, and blood was pouring down his cheeks from the crown of thorns, which was pressed into his head.  He glanced back, and Timotheus noticed the deep pain in his eyes.

At their trial, Lucas did a good job of lying. “We just came there to ask alms of the shopkeeper and found him stabbed and the other man standing over him.”

Timotheus could stand it no more.  As pictures of the Nazarene filled his mind, he blurted out, “It’s no use, Lucas.  Why don’t you just tell them the truth – that we were in on it?”

“What?  Are you crazy?”

All eyes were now fixed on Timotheus.  “It’s the truth,” he answered.  For once he had told the truth, and, in spite of his impending fate, he felt good.

They were sentenced to death by crucifixion.

They were taken back to the cell to await their fate.  On the way Lucas scoffed: "Why did y' have t’ tell 'em?   We could have gotten away with it.  Do you realize how painful it is to be crucified?"

Timotheus' head was bent.  "Sorry, Lucas.  I didn't think they would sentence us so severely just for being accomplices.  But, I just couldn't keep lying about it."