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

PART II   CHAPTER 13: JURISDICTION

The rulers of the gentiles lord it over them and those who are great exercise authority over them.

---Jesus (Matthew 20:25b)

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.