The Plan

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James Michael Becher

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Of Such Is the Kingdom Parts I and II—Christ and the Roman Empire

Literature & Fiction

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Synopsis
[THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT AND IS HERE FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY (to refer to previous bubbles) NO new bubbles will be made from this book) What do a cynical, non-conformist dry-goods salesman, a disgruntled blacksmit, and a musing mendicant all have in common? Down deep, they all seek for something better; and eventually, they all find the childlike humility and faith required for true fulfillment. The non-conformist, Manaheem, Herod's foster brother, helps Herod foment an insurrection against Pilate, using the blacksmith, Barabbas as leader, to the dismay of the latter's Godly but fearful wife. The Mendicant, a young man named Timotheus, joins with an older beggar completely unsympathetic to his musings. Meanwhile, Pilate's wife pushes him to take over Herod's territory. When the insurrection fails, Manaheem turns to blackmail, and Barabbas turns to robbery, enlisting the aid of our two beggars. Manaheem almost loses his one true love, his former wife, Claressa, with whom he is trying to re-unite. The robbery goes bad, and Barabbas and the beggars get caught and are sentenced to death.

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Author Biography
I, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on June 8, 1943 to a Christian family and accepted Jesus at an early age. In Jr. High School, I became interested in writing and drama. I wrote poems, articles and a few short stories, and plays. In college, I won second prize in a contest with a Biblical short story, which now forms part of my first novel, “Of Such Is The Kingdom, A novel of the Christ and the Roman Empire,” published in 2003. In 2010, I wrote the sequel, “Of Such Is the Kingdom, Part III, Power and Persecution, A Novel of the early Church and the Roman Empire.” I also wrote a Sci-fi novel, “Impossible Journey, A Tale of Times and Truth” and a non-fiction book, “Principles of the Kingdom." I graduated from Clearwater Christian College in 1970 with a B.A. degree in Bible-Literature, and from Biblical School of Theology in 1974 with a M. Div. Ordained in November, 1974, I served as assistant pastor/Bible teacher in several churches. I also served in a foreign-student ministry, where I met my wife, Berenice Carett from Venezuela. In 2014 I wrote an American historical novel, called "The Christmas Victory."

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Author Insight

The Plan

This excerpt from Chapter 7 ("The Plan") of my Biblical novel picks up in the middle of dinner conversation between Pilate and his wife. Here we see, as I alluded to in the previous excerpt from "Principles of the Kingdom,) showing both Portia's continued resolve and vision and Pilate's now somewhat changed attitude toward his old friend, Herod. You can see here, that even though Pilate goes along with the idea of sending letters to Caesar, it is his wife, Portia who really orchestrates the whole thing.

Book Excerpt

Of Such Is the Kingdom Parts I and II—Christ and the Roman Empire

Portia asked, “So, tell me, dear, how was your day today?”
“Oh, the usual. Lots of boring cases and pleading faces.”
“Did you stand up to the people? Did you give them what was coming to them? Or did you give in to them?”
“Well, in some cases--”
“I thought so! Pontius Pilate, you have got to stand up and be a man! When are you going to stop letting people push you around? And what about that no-good tyrant, Herod?”
Having finished, Pilate put down his utensils and reached for his wineglass. “What about him? I haven’t heard a thing from him since that visit he paid us. Hope I don’t either. Anyway, I’m through listening to him, the old buzzard!”
Portia reached for her wineglass. “Well, I’m glad to see your attitude hasn’t changed in that regard since his visit.”
“He called me a fool, didn’t he? No one shall call me a fool and get away with it!”
Portia’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed: “Now you’re talking! But, what are you going to do about it?”
“I said I shall have his territory, and I shall!”
“Excellent! That’s my Pilate talking! But, how will you go about it?”
Pilate put his finger to his lips. “Good question. I can’t just take my troops and invade his territory. Caesar might not like that, and I could end up with nothing.”
“True, true,” she said sadly. Then her eyes lightened again. “But, speaking of Caesar, what if we write the old guy a letter?”
“I think I see what you mean.” Pilate’s eyes also began to brighten. “We could write Caesar a letter about Herod.”
“--A letter telling him how bungling and inefficient Herod is getting.”
He scratched his head. “He’s not really bungling and inefficient. He’s just tyrannical.”
“So what?” she smiled broadly. “How is Caesar to know? Do you think he will come all the way from Rome to check?”
“And if he writes Herod--?”
“Of course, Herod would deny it. Who would admit to being bungling and inefficient, even it were true?”
“So it would be his word against ours.”
“Unfortunately.” Portia scratched her head. Then her eyes lit up more brightly than before. “--Unless we could manage to get several letters to Caesar from different people, citing actual cases.”
“You mean, forge letters?”
“An excellent idea! I always said you had a good head on your shoulders, Pilate. Yes, and in fact, we wouldn’t have to send one from us at all. After all, he’d be more likely to listen to the common people on such a matter, wouldn’t you think?”
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James Michael Becher

Of Such Is the Kingdom Parts I and II—Christ and the Roman Empire

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

Book Excerpt

Of Such Is the Kingdom Parts I and II—Christ and the Roman Empire

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