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

The sun came up early those days, but this day, Pontius Pilate beat it.  He arose early in order to be sure to send the letters to Caesar as he had promised his wife.  So he was a bit tired, physically.  But more than that, Pilate was getting tired of his work and wished for a quick change of circumstances.

As he was about to call for the post, he was startled by the noise of a crowd outside the praetorium.  Curious, he decided to see what was going on.  He found that there was already a small crowd of people waiting for him.  He noticed that they were all Jews and recognized one of them as the high priest.  It seemed that they had brought a prisoner, a man of normal build and simple clothes, whom they were pushing toward the front of the praetorium.

After a quick greeting, Pilate asked, “What could be so important to bring you here at such an early hour?”

Several voices began to talk at once.  Pilate raised his hand.  “One at a time, please.”

“Oh, most noble Pilate,” one man began, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, our king.”

Pilate sighed.  This was just what he needed, he thought, --another insurrectionist.  Looking straight at the man, he asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

To Pilate’s surprise, instead of the expected denial, the man stood calmly and answered, “It is as you say.”

Now Pilate heard a voice behind him.  “Pilate! Pilate!”  He turned to see his wife beckoning to him.

“I’ll talk to you later, Portia.  Can’t you see I’m in the midst of a case?”

“I know.  That’s what I must talk to you about – this man!”

“Excuse me one moment,” he said to the crowd, and, turning to his wife, asked, “What do you know of this man?”

“Only that I have suffered much in a dream because of him.  He is a just man and you must have nothing to do with him.”

He walked slowly back to face the people.  “I find no fault in this man,” he told them.

There was an uproar from the crowd, and he held out his hand to quiet them.  Then another man spoke in a loud voice.  “But, he stirs up the people, teaching all over galilee, as far as this place.”

“Oh!” Pilate smiled. “Then he is a Galilean?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then, he belongs to Herod’s jurisdiction.  Take him to Herod.”

After they left, Pilate went back in to rest and get a drink of water from the pitcher, which had been filled by the servant and left on the small table by the couch.  He found Portia waiting for him there on the couch.  As she handed him his glass, she smiled and said, “That was a really good move, Pilate dear.”

“What was?” He asked, taking the glass.  He took several big gulps of water, emptying the glass.

“Why, sending that man to Herod.  Let him deal with the ticklish situation.”

He sat the glass down on the table.  “That certainly was a strange case – like nothing I’ve ever tried here before.  He didn’t strike out at anyone.  They’re simply going on what he is supposed to have said.”

“Believe me, dear, he is a just and honest man.”

“Your dreams have been right in the past, Portia, dear.  But why would they want to have him condemned?”

“Who knows?  Probably jealousy.”

“I guess you’re right. Anyway, I won’t have to worry about him anymore. I wonder what other kinds of cases await me today.  This may at least turn out to be a less boring day than usual.”

By this time other petitioners had gathered to be heard.  Thus, neither Pilate nor his wife remembered about the letters.

PART II   CHAPTER 14:

NO SIGNS FOR HEROD

 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign.

---Jesus (Matthew 16:4a)

 \Once more, the strange looking black and white chariot made its way up Mt. Zion.  Once more its strange looking owner stopped it, tied the horses to the wall, opened the gate, and walked into the palace.  This time the guard paid no attention as the odd looking man marched toward the royal bedchamber.  Again, he pushed the door open.  “I’ve come for more of my money,” he said in a gruff voice.

There were two empty breakfast trays on the bedside table.  Herod was just finishing his breakfast in bed with his new wife fast asleep at his side.  Herod didn’t move, but looked up disinterestedly at the intruder.  “Oh, it’s you, Manaheem!  Well, I told you you’ll have to wait.  My vacation funds have become quite depleted.  All the rest is back in Tiberius, and I have no intention of returning there just yet.  –not while there’s a shilling left for me to enjoy my stay here with.  Won’t you come in anyway and have some breakfast?  It's quite good.”

At that moment, a messenger was arriving from another part of the building.  “Your Majesty, the Jews have brought a prisoner for you to examine.”

“At this hour?”

“They say he’s a Galilean who calls himself the king of the Jews.”

“The king of the Jews, eh?  What’s his name?”

“I believe it’s Jesus, sir.”

“Jesus!  Ah, yes!  I’ve heard quite a bit about him.  He’s the one who’s supposedly been doing all those miracles.  Well, well!  I’ve been wanting to see him, actually, even though I have a haunting fear at the back of my mind that he could be John the Baptist reincarnated.”

At this remark, Manaheem let out a laugh.  “Ha!  Don’t be silly, brother!”

“Well, it makes sense, doesn’t it?  I mean perhaps that’s why he is able to do all those miracles.  At any rate, this could prove quite interesting, don’t you think?  Perhaps he’ll do a miracle for me.  Come on with me to the courtroom, Manaheem.  You’ll enjoy this.”

“Yes, I’m sure I will.”

But, alas, this Jesus fellow proved to be quite the opposite of what the king had expected.  He stood there all quiet and solemn with his hands at his side.  As the accusers presented their charges Herod was half paying attention, and half sizing up the prisoner.

“So, this is the renown miracle-worker Jesus?  Well, Jesus, why don’t you work a miracle for me?”

The white-robed figure stood silent.

“Ah, what’s the matter?  Have you suddenly lost your power?  Turn these chairs to bread, or walk across that pool over there.  Or better yet, why don’t you make me disappear?  Then you won’t have to face me, eh?”

Still the prisoner was silent.

“So, no miracles today, eh?  Perhaps it’s not the right season for it, eh?  Well, Jesus, tell me, are you really a king?”

Still the prisoner was silent, but the chief priests and scribes who had brought him there began yelling.  “That’s what he said, all right!  He declared himself to be king!  Come on, Jesus, tell him!”

There was still no answer.  Then one of the scribes shouted, “He also said he would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days!”

Herod took a good hard look at Jesus.  “Are these charges true or not?  Answer me!” But the prisoner was silent still.  “So you answer me nothing, eh?  What kind of king is this?”  Herod stood up and walked over to Jesus.  “Why, you don’t even look like a king!”  He beckoned to two of the soldiers who were standing guard.  “Bring us one of our royal robes.”  As they were getting the robe, he tore at the white robe worn by Jesus.  “No, this is not kingly looking at all.  Perhaps with a more kingly gown, you may be able to perform a miracle.  Put it on him!”

So the soldiers took off the white robe from Jesus and put the kingly purple robe on him.  “Now, perhaps you can do a miracle.  Just a small one is all I ask.”  But nothing was forthcoming.  Herod shrugged and told the chief priests and scribes, “I can do nothing with this joker.  Take him back to Pilate!”

As they were escorting the prisoner out, Herod turned to Manaheem, who had watched the whole thing silently from Herod’s side.  “Well, Manaheem, what did you think of that?”

“I did find it quite interesting, brother, quite interesting indeed!”

“But he just stood there and didn’t say a thing.”

“I know.  I see in him an innocence and purity which I have seen in no other man.”

“Then you think he is falsely accused?”

“I do.”

“Then why did he not defend himself?”

“Perhaps he realizes that he is fulfilling some greater destiny.”

“I don’t understand.  What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure I understand it completely either.  That thought just came to me and seemed right somehow.  I can’t really explain it unless he happens to be the Messiah promised in the scriptures.  Anyway, I think I’ll go to Pilate’s and observe the trial.”

“Well, in that case, I might as well go with you.  I wish to talk to Pilate anyway.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?  Let’s go.”

“Shall we take my chariot or yours?”

“We might as well take mine, since it’s ready and waiting at the gate – that is, if you won’t mind being seen in a slightly odd looking conveyance.”

“I’d be happy to ride with you, Manaheem.”

“Let’s go then, shall we?”