ANTONIA TOWER
8:00 am – YERUSHALAYIM, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, A.D. 30
THE WIND BLOWED harder as Yousef reached Kaiafa and his hosts, one of the two legionaries who were on guard on the north side of the outer wall that surrounded the fortress rushed inside the barracks to announce the presence of that important group of priests.
Apparently, the high priest had informed the sentry that the procurator knew about this morning visit. Yousef and Yohanan looked at each other, deducing that Pontius Pilatus might have been aware of the fact by the Jews who had asked for an escort the night before, which guaranteed any chances of a possible solution on the part of the Roman prefectus.
Be that as it may, Pilatus had been waiting for some time for the representation of the Sanhedrim to arrive. As we waited by the stone parapet, I announced to Yousef de Armathajim that, taking advantage of the order given me by the procurator himself, I would try to get ahead of Kaiafa and his platoon. He agreed, adding that it was his intention to remain at the Rabbi's side and that we would probably see each other again at the prosecutor's residence.
So, forgetting his intention to enter the Antonia Tower through the western wing tunnel, Yousef took the safe-conduct, presenting it to the legionary. The latter, upon reading the authorization, since Yousef had meetings with the prefectus almost weekly, and upon hearing the name of Janus, let him pass, introducing him to several soldiers who were on guard on the other side of the ditch, next to a large door opened in the wall and flanked by two small watchtowers.
As I crossed the drawbridge, similar to the one that facilitated access through the tunnel, one of the guards cut me off. I had to repeat the operation. The sentry went back through the procurator's order document and ordered me to wait. Then he left his guard post and entered the fortress. The monumental door, crowned by a full-length arch, had two large wooden jambs attached to vertical posts, which could rotate in recesses in the stone.
Yousef thought that in this way, in moments of danger or attack, doors could be closed, locking them from the inside. A few minutes later, the legionnaire was calling him from a stone staircase at the far end. He walked alone to the sentry, across a wide courtyard, perfectly cobbled with rounded corners.
At the foot of the stairs, the soldier pointed him to an officer, saying:
— He'll take you to Janus...
Yousef nodded, thanked the kindness and followed the legionary.
At the end of those fifteen steps a centurion was waiting for him. The staircase led to a kind of rectangular terrace, carefully tiled and surrounded on either side by a series of three-foot-high marble balusters. It was the main entrance to the solicitor's private residence.
A sumptuous building, relatively far from the complex, although inside the Antonia Fortress. The officer guided him to an entrance of extraordinary dimensions, from which three staircases, all of white marble, led.
— Wait here - said the Roman, as he headed for the stairs that faced the other double-leaf stairs in the hall.
At the foot of the stairs, two more soldiers stood guard, with their spears and mail, gazing in awe at the series of multicolored glass that lined the walls, providing the court with abundant natural light. In the walls, lined with Siena granite, numerous niches had been opened, where busts of the emperor, Greek vases decorated with mythological scenes and silver candlesticks were found, although Yousef was already used to it, like any Jew, even more so. being of the Sanhedrim, it made him shiver and retch.
The foyer's floor had been worked with an extensive mosaic, which had nothing to envy those he had seen in the ruins of Pompeii. Distracted by the luxurious decor, he didn't notice Janus' arrival. The centurion and legion commander greeted me, smiling. At that time he wore an extremely polished helmet topped with a plume of red feathers. Before Yousef could explain to him that he wished to alter his plans, Janus advanced to the vestibule door and, pointing to the wall gate, announced that the day had become complicated. With a gesture of annoyance, he reveals:
— This morning, Pilatus has to receive several representatives of the Judiciary Council of the Jews.
— I know - replied Yousef - that's exactly what I wanted to tell you... - The centurion looked at him, surprised...
— I've heard that the Jews want to judge a magician. I saw him pass. You know that I am interested in the stars and their designs and I would like to ask you, and to ask the prosecutor, for a small alteration of plans.
Janus continued to listen intently.
— I have heard that this man whom you call Yeshua Natsrat has done great wonders and, abusing your hospitality, would like to be present when he is brought before Pilatus.
Before the centurion could respond, Yousef ended his words with a statement that, as he had expected, only partially aroused the Roman's curiosity:
— I heard that even today, you, the prosecutor, I and the whole city will have the opportunity to witness a strange celestial phenomenon...
The pragmatic and incredulous officer smiled mockingly, limiting himself to replying:
— Okay, Yousef, I'll tell Pilatus...
Janus disappeared down the central staircase to meet the procurator, not before he told me to stay there.
— Those rats," he commented, referring to the priests, who were waiting by the outer parapet, "have no scruples about coming to ask us to execute one of their own, and yet they don't want to enter the praetorium, for fear of being contaminated and not being able to celebrate. - your goddamn Passover...
Janus was right. For the celebration of the annual feast of Passover, Jews, especially members of the different priestly castes, had forbidden the entry into the homes of Gentiles, all of whom were suspected of harboring foods that could contain yeast, and this contact with fermented substances was strictly prohibited. It made him think that the procurator and his men would have no choice but to hear Kaiafa and the Sadducees at the doors of the praetorium, almost certainly, Yousef concluded, very close to those stairs he had just climbed. And he prepared for what was to be Pilatus' first official meeting with the Sanhedrim members for that Passover.
***
YESHUA BEFORE PILATUS FOR THE FIRST TIME
8:15 am – YERUSHALAYIM, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, A.D. 30
THE OBESE PROSECUTOR appeared at the top of the central staircase in the hall where I was waiting, accompanied by Janus and three or four other centurions. Seeing Yousef, he hurried down the stairs, greeting him with raised arms in a notorious sign of friendship.
Pilatus had changed his clothes. At this time, and given his quality as a representative of Caesar, he wore a metal armor, short and muscular, beautifully crafted and shining like a mirror in the style of the best Greek breastplates of the time, even as it was a festive date, drawing attention. of all your presence.
Beneath the armor was a short, half-sleeved, bone-colored silk tunic, carefully starched and edged with golden fringes. The procurator's voluminous belly jutted out from under his cuirass, giving him an ungentlemanly profile. Around his neck, and falling down his back, he wore a cloak, or sago, of a very light purplish-red hue. However, what caught Yousef's attention the most were his legs, which were wrapped entirely in linen bands, which made him suspect that the prosecutor was suffering from varicose veins.
The chief centurion had already informed him of his wishes and of that celestial omen that he had spoken of to Janus, and, unable to contain his curiosity, he questioned him, at the same time inviting him to walk with him to the front door of the house. official residence.
Yousef explained how it was that dreams had announced an ominous omen for that very morning and that, for the good of all, he should take every precaution.
There was no time for more.
Pontius Pilatus and his people stood on the terrace while one of the centurions descended the stairs, meeting, no doubt, Kaiafa and that Galilean who had begun to spoil the procurator's peaceful day.
The strong wind ruffled Pilatus' hair, putting him in trouble with his wig, which added to his bad temper. The fact that he had to go to the doors of the praetorium to receive the high priest and the members of the Sanhedrim did not make him very happy...
A little later, Yousef saw the group that Kaiafa was leading appear through the arch of the wall, and they entered first. Right behind, Yeshua who stayed in the anteroom, the Roman legionnaire who had escorted him all night, Yohanan and the Levites and servants of the Sanhedrim.
When they reached the steps, the Sadducees stopped, warning the procurator that their religion prevented them from taking a single step further. Pilatus looked at Janus and, with a gesture of annoyance, advanced, until he was at the very top of the stairs.
Once there, and in an open tone, he asked them:
— What accusations do you have against this Man?
The judges exchanged a glance and, on Kaiafa's order, one of the Sadducees replied:
— If this man hadn't been a criminal, we wouldn't have brought him.
Pilatus was silent. He grabbed the cloak and started down the stairs. Immediately, Janus and the other centurions rushed to follow him, surrounding him. The Roman, still silent, approached Yeshua, watching him with curiosity.
— We know that he is the son of Yousef ben Jacob the carpenter, and that he was born of Myriam of Natsrat, and he calls himself the Son of God and King, and besides, he profanes the Sabbath, and still intends to abolish the law of our fathers.
Pilate said to them:
— And what does he do and what does he intend to abolish?
The Jews said:
— We have a law that forbids healing on Shabbat, well, this one, using evil arts, healed on Shabbat the lame, injured, blind, paralyzed, deaf and demoniacs.
Pilate said to them:
— If he honestly performs his healings, he does no harm.
The Jews replied:
— If he performed his cures honestly, it would be no greater evil, but to do them he uses the virtue of Beelzebub, prince of demons, expels these and all who are subject to them.
Pilate said to them:
— This is not taking away demons by virtue of an unclean spirit, but by virtue of the god Aesculapius.
The Jews said to Pilatus:
— We beg your authority that he be brought before your court so that he can be heard.
Pilatus then called them and said to them:
— Tell me how can I, a mere procurator, submit no less than a king to interrogation?
They answered:
— We didn't say he's a king, but that he calls himself that title.
Then Pilatus called the messenger to say to him:
— May Yeshua be introduced to me here, with all deference.
The messenger then went out, and as soon as he identified him, he worshiped him; then he took off the cloak which he had in his hands and laid it on the ground, saying:
— Sir, he passes over and enters, that the procurator calls you. The Jews, seeing what the messenger had done, began to cry out against Pilatus, saying:
— Why did you use a messenger to bring him in, and not a simple crier? - Do you know that the messenger, as soon as he saw him, began to adore him and spread his cloak over the ground, making him walk on it as if he were a king?
Pilatus then called the messenger and said to him:
— Why did you do that and spread your cloak over the ground, making Yeshua go over it?
The messenger replied:
— Lord procurator, when you sent me to Yerushaláyim together with Alexander I saw him riding a donkey, and the children of the Hebrews were cheering him with branches in their hands, while others spread their clothes on the ground saying: - Save us, you who are on high; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." The Jews then began to shout and said to the messenger:
— The young Hebrews cried out in their language, how then did you inform of their equivalence in Greek?
The messenger replied:
— I asked one of the Jews and I said, 'What are they shouting in Hebrew?' And he translated.
Pilatus said to them:
— What does what they shout out loud sound like in Hebrew?'
The Jews replied:
— Hosanna member; baruchamma; adone
Then Pilatus said to them:
— And what does Hosanna and the other words mean?
The Jews replied:
— Save us, you who are on high; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Pilatus said to them:
— If you yourselves bear witness to the voices that came out of the mouths of young people, what fault did the messenger commit?
They shut up. Then the procurator said to the messenger:
— Go out and let him in any way you like.
Then the messenger went out and proceeded in the same way as before, saying to Yeshua:
— Sir, enter; the prosecutor calls you.
But the moment Yeshua entered, those holding the standards bowed down and worshiped Yeshua. The Jews who witnessed this gesture of reverence and worship to Yeshua began to shout insults against those who carried the flags. But Pilatus said to them:
— Does it not amaze you to see how they bowed down and worshiped Yeshua?
The Jews replied to Pilatus:
— We ourselves saw how they bowed down and worshiped him.
The procurator then called those carrying the flags and said to them:
— Why did you act like that?
They replied to Pilatus:
— We are Greeks and servants of the deities, so how could we worship him? Know that while we were erect, our bodies bowed of themselves and worshiped him.
Then Pilatus said to the arch-synagogues and elders of the people:
— Choose for yourselves some strong and robust men; let them hold the standards and see if they bend of their own accord.
Then the elders chose from among the Jews twelve strong and stout men, whom they compelled to hold the standards in groups of six, and they stood before the procurator's court.
Then Pilatus said to the messenger:
— Take him out of the praetorium and re-enter him as you see fit.
And Yeshua left the praetorium accompanied by the messenger. Pilatus then called those who formerly had the standards and said to them:
— I have sworn on Caesar's health that if the standards do not fold at the entrance of Yeshua, I will cut off your heads.
And the procurator again ordered Yeshua to enter. The messenger observed the same behavior from the beginning and earnestly begged Yeshua to go over his robe. And walking on it, entered. But at the moment of entering, again the standards were folded and they worshiped Yeshua.
When Pilatus saw the scene, he was filled with fear and was ready to leave the court. But while he was still thinking of getting up, his wife sent him this letter:
— Don't get involved with that righteous one, for during the night I suffered much because of you.
Then Pilatus called all the Jews and said to them:
— Do you know that my wife is pious and that she tends more to the good than to follow you in your Jewish customs?
They said:
— Yes, we know.
Pilatus said to them:
— Well, my wife just sent me this message:
— Do not get involved with that righteous one, for during the night I suffered much because of you.
But the Jews answered Pilatus saying:
— Didn't we tell you he's a magician? - No doubt it sent your wife fantastic sleep.
Pilatus then called Yeshua and said to him:
— How do these testify against you?" Do not say anything?
Yeshua replied:
— If they didn't have the power to do that, they wouldn't say anything, because each one has his own mouth to speak good and bad things: they'll see.
But the elders of the Jews answered, saying to Yeshua:
— What are we going to see? - First, that thou camest into the world by fornication, second, that thy birth in Bethlehem brought in consequence a slaughter of children; third, that your father Yousef and your mother Myriam fled to Egypt because they were threatened in the city.
Then some of those present, who were pious Jews, said:
— We do not agree that there is fornication, but we do know that Yousef married Myriam and that he was not generated through fornication.
Pilatus told Jews who claimed their origin through fornication:
— What you say is not true, since the betrothal was celebrated, according to your own countrymen.
Then Ananus and Kaiafa said to Pilatus:
— All together we affirm and do not believe that he was born of fornication, these are proselytes and his disciples.
Pilatus called Ananus and Kaiafa and said to them:
— What does the word proselyte mean?
They answered:
— Who were born of Greek parents and made Jews now.
To which those who affirmed that Yeshua was not born of fornication contested, that is, Elazar, Asterius, Antony, James, Amnes, Zeras, Samuel, Isaac, Crispus, Agrippa and Yehudhah:
— We were not born proselytes, but we are children of Jews and we tell the truth, because they found us present at the wedding of Yousef and Myriam.
Pilatus called these twelve who claimed that Yeshua was not born of fornication and said to them:
— I conjure them by Caesar's health, tell me, is it true what you said, that he was not born of fornication?
They answered:
— We have a law that forbids swearing, because it is a sin; let them swear by Caesar's health that what we have just said is not true, and we shall be condemned to death.
Then Pilatus said to Ananus and Kaiafa:
— Nothing responds to this?
They replied:
— You give credit to these twelve who affirm the legitimate birth of Yeshua, meanwhile, all of us, en masse, are crying out that he is a son of fornication, that he is a sorcerer and that he calls himself the Son of God.
Then Pilatus ordered the entire multitude to come out, except for the twelve who denied the origin of fornication, and ordered that Yeshua be separated. Then he said to them:
— Why do you want to kill him?
They answered:
— They're jealous of him for healing on Shabbat.
To which Pilatus replied:
— And for a good deed they want to kill him?
Yeshua continued with his head down and his hands tied behind his back. His hair, tossed in the wind, partially hid the wounds on his face. Pilatus made a complete circle around the Nazarene. Then, without comment, but with an obvious grimace of disgust on his lips, he walked back up the steps. Undoubtedly, and Janus would confirm Yousef's suspicion shortly afterwards, the prosecutor had been informed of the morning session of the Sanhedrim, as well as of the differences that had arisen between the judges, when establishing the charges.
Nicodemus stood before the governor and said:
— I beg you, kind as you are, allow me to say a few words.
Pilate replied:
— Speech.
And Nicodemus said:
— I have spoken in these terms to the elders, to the Levites, to the entire multitude of Israel gathered in the synagogue: 'What do you intend to do with this man? He works many miracles and wonders such as no other has ever been able to do. Leave him alone and plot nothing against him; if his wonders are of divine origin, they will stand firm; but if they are of human origin, they will dissipate. For Moshe also, when he was sent from God to Egypt, did many wonders, previously marked by God, in the presence of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And there were some men in Pharaoh's service, Jamnes and Jambres, who in their turn wrought not a few wonders like those of Moshe, and the inhabitants of Egypt had Jamnes and Jambres for gods. But as his wonders were not from God, they perished, as well as those who believed in them. And now, set this man free, for he is not worthy to die'.
The Jews then said to Nicodemus:
— You have made yourself his disciple and that is why you speak in his favor.
Nicodemus said to them:
— But then the governor also became his disciple because he speaks in his defense? Didn't Caesar put him in this position?
The Jews were very angry and gnashed their teeth against Nicodemus.
Pilatus said to them:
— Why do you grind your teeth against him when you hear the truth?
The Jews said to Nicodemus:
— To you your truth and your share.
Nicodemus said:
— Amen, amen, so be it as you have said.
But one of the Jews came forward and asked the governor to speak. This one said to him:
— If you want to say something, say it.
And the Jew spoke thus:
— I have been lying in a litter for thirty-eight years, in pain. When Yeshua came, many who were demon-possessed and subject to various diseases were healed by him. Then some young men took pity on me and, picking me up, litter and all, took me to him. Yeshua, seeing me, took pity on me and said to me: 'Take your stretcher and walk – I picked up my stretcher and started walking.
Then the Jews said to Pilatus:
— Ask him what day it was when he was healed.
And the interested man said:
— It was Shabbat.
The Jews said:
— Didn't we already tell you that he healed on Shabbat and cast out demons?
Another Jew came forward and said:
— I was blind from birth, I heard voices, but I saw no one, and when I saw Yeshua pass by, I shouted aloud: 'Son of David, have mercy on me.' And he took pity on me, laid his hands on my eyes, and I immediately regained my sight.
And another Jew came forward and said:
He was arched and straightened me out with a word.
And another said:
— I had contracted leprosy and he cured me with a word.
And a certain woman named Berenice began to shout from afar, saying:
— Finding myself sick with bleeding, I touched the edge of her robe and the bleeding I had been having for twelve years straight, she stopped.
The Jews said:
— There is a precept that forbids presenting a woman as a witness.
And some others, many men and women shouted, saying:
— This man is a prophet and demons submit to him.
Pilatus said to those who asserted this:
— Why didn't your masters also submit to him?
They answered:
— We do not know.
Others claimed that he had raised Elazar from the tomb, who had been dead for four days. Then, filled with fear, the governor said to the crowd of Jews:
— Why do you strive to shed innocent blood?
Then the governor cast a glance around him at the crowd of Jews who were present, and when he saw that many of them were weeping, he exclaimed:
— Not all the crowd wants you to die.
The elders of the Jews said:
— That's why we've all come in droves, so that you die.
Pilatus asked them:
— And why must you die?'
The Jews replied:
— Because he called himself the Son of God and King.
One of the servants and interpreter of Pilatus' wife, Claudia Procula, knew the teachings of Yeshua of Natsrat, having informed the procurator of the miracles and of the Rabbi's preaching.
As he was halfway up the stairs, Pilatus stopped, and turning on his heel turned again to the Hebrews, saying to them:
— Since you do not agree with the accusations, why do you not take this Man, so that he can be judged according to your own laws?
The prosecutor's words fell like a bucket of cold water. The men of the Sanhedrim who had not expected such resistance from Pilatus replied, visibly nervous.
— We have no right to condemn a man to death. And this troublemaker of our nation deserves death for what he said and did. This is the reason why we have come to you: for you to ratify this decision.
Pilatus grinned mischievously. The public acknowledgment of the Jewish impotence to pronounce and carry out a death sentence, not even against one of his own, filled him with satisfaction. His hatred for the Jews ran much deeper than he could have guessed.
— I will not condemn this Man without a trial," the Roman intervened, pointing to Yeshua with his right hand. "And I will never consent to be questioned without receiving, in writing," he emphasized with emphasis, "the accusations, however, the prosecutor had underestimated the Sanhedrists.
When Pilatus thought that the matter was closed, thus suspending the tedious question, Kaiafa handed one of the scrolls he had brought to a court scribe who accompanied them, asking the procurator to hear the charges, as he wished. The maneuver surprised the Roman, who had no choice but to stop his steps at the door of his residence. Increasingly irritated by the tenacious insistence of Kaiafa and the Sadducees, he set out to listen to the contents of the scroll.
The scribe unrolled it and, in solemn tones, began to read:
— The Sanhedrim court considers this Man to be a malefactor and a disturber of our nation, based on the following accusations: 1st For perverting our people and inciting them to rebellion; 2nd For preventing the payment of tribute to Caesar; 3rd By considering himself king of the Jews and propagating the creation of a new kingdom.
Upon learning about the official charges, Yousef understood that the text, which had nothing to do with what had been discussed in court, had been prepared by Ananus and the other members of the Council in their absence in the Courtroom, while the Rabbi and all the others waited in the Sanhedrim's central courtyard. Now he could understand the reason for the bitter arguments between Kaiafa, Ananus and the judges, and the sudden appearance of a second scroll in the high priest's hands, moments before leaving for the Antonia Tower. Very cunningly, the Sadducees had prepared those three charges so that the Roman procurator was inevitably involved in the process.
Pilatus asked Janus to come closer and whispered something in his ear. The centurion nodded in the affirmative. (That confidential consultation, as I learned from the commander-in-chief of the legion, had focused on information in the procurator's possession which, as we all knew, indicated that the conspiracy against the Nazarene had roots purely and entirely religious.)
Pilatus immediately understood that the priests' change of strategy was solely due to their fanaticism and blind hatred for that visionary, who had been able to challenge the authority of the supreme pontiff, ridiculing the priestly castes. Without intending to, Kaiafa and his servants managed with that falsehood that Pontius Pilatus immediately leaned, from the beginning, not in favor of Yeshua, whom he practically ignored, but against that rabble, in the words of the Roman himself. It was extremely important to take these facts into account, given the conduct and successive attempts of the Emperor's representative to free the Rabbi. Nothing would have given more satisfaction to their contempt for the supreme Jewish authority than to have them bite the dust and set the prisoner at liberty.
But events against the prosecutor took unexpected paths, Pilatus was silent, cast a contemptuous look at the judges and, descending the stairs for the second time, made his way to Kaiafa. Once there, in the face of general expectation, he asked the prisoner:
— Do you have anything to plead in your defense?
Yeshua did not look up.
Janus, who followed in the chief's footsteps, raised his vine staff, ready to injure Galileo for what he considered disrespectful. But the prosecutor stopped him. Although his confusion and annoyance grew, the Roman realized that this was not the most suitable place to interrogate the prisoner. The presence of the Jews was enough to imagine an obstacle, both for him and for the defendant.
Turning to the first centurion he gave the order:
— Take him to my residence.
Janus signaled to the soldier escorting the prisoner, and both of them, in the company of Yohanan Zebedee and some of the Sanhedrim's servants, followed Pilatus and the officers.
Kaiafa and the judges remained in the courtyard. The annoyance reflected on their faces made clear their frustrated desire to accompany Yeshua of Natsrat and attend the private interrogation. However, their religious fanaticism had just turned against them, indeed, I very much doubt that Pilatus would have authorized their presence at the interrogation.
As he passed Yousef, the prosecutor gestured to him, inviting him to accompany him.
— Tell me, Yousef — asked Pontius Pilatus, as we crossed the hall toward the front staircase — do you know this man? Do you think he might be a zealot?
It was an especially delicate moment for him. A few explanations would have sufficed for the unstable procurator's balance to tip in favor of the Rabbi. However, it was not his mission according to the dream he had had.
And Yousef answered his question with another question:
— I hear your men were posted last night to a farm in Gethsemane to see if there was a zealot camp there. Did you find these guerrillas?
The procurator, who was making a great effort to climb the twenty-eight steps of the staircase, stopped, panting:
— And how do you know that?
As Janus led the Nazarene and the small party down a luminous Numidian marble corridor, with statues on Carrara pedestals to the right, he reassured Pilatus, recounting his chance encounter with the two legionaries who were chasing one of the Nazarene sympathizers. The prosecutor then confessed that his information about the Yeshua of Natsrat dated back years, especially since one of his centurions confessed to him how the prisoner had cured one of his dearest servants in Capernaum, and how he had cured his own son.
Little by little Pontius Pilatus had gathered enough data and confidences to know whether or not the group that Yeshua was leading was dangerous, only from the point of view that could interest him: that of the rebellion against Rome.
The agents of the prosecutor with the Sanhedrim had warned him of numerous meetings held with the aim of arresting and losing the Nazarene. Pilatus, was, therefore, the current of the intentions of those who waited in the courtyard and of the mystical and visionary character, according to his expression, of the movement that Yeshua guided.
— Why should I please those envious," concluded Pilatus, "by arresting some poor devils whose only harm is to believe in fantasies and spells?"
The revelations of the Judean prosecutor definitely opened the eyes of those present. It was clear that he, for his part, had also underestimated Pilatus' power. It was natural that, in a province like that, so rebellious and difficult, the power of Rome should have the means and the tentacles enough to know who was who. And, of course, Pilatus knew who Yeshua ben Yousef was, descended from one of the most renowned families and who at times provided services to them at the direction of Yousef.
— Then why did you agree to send a platoon of soldiers to Gethsemane?
The prosecutor smiled mischievously again.
— You still don't know these people. They are stubborn as mules. In addition, my relations... shall we say business, with Ananus, have always been excellent. I will not deny that the prosecution receives substantial sums in exchange for certain favors.
Yousef didn't dare ask what kind of favors that corrupt representative of Caesar was doing, but Pilatus himself provided the clue:
— Ananus and that butcher whose son-in-law amassed great wealth at the expense of the people and the trafficking of coins and animals for sacrifice... prisoner?
Yousef nodded, he remembered very well...
***
YESHUA DRIVES OUT THE TEMPLE EXCHANGERS FOR THE SECOND TIME
YERUSHALAYIM, SUNDAY, APRIL 2, A.D. 30
WHEN THEY CAME NEAR YERUSHALAYIM and arrived at Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them:
— Go into the village opposite you, and you will immediately find a donkey tied, and a colt with her, untie her and bring them to me. If anyone says something to you, answer him that the Lord needs them, and he will soon let you bring them.
Now this happened, to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
Say to the daughter of Zion: Behold, your king comes to you, Meek and riding on an ass, And on a colt, the foal of an ass.
When the disciples went, they did as Yeshua had commanded them, brought the donkey and the colt, put cloaks on them, and made him ride. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks along the road, and others cut branches from trees and spread them on the path. The mobs that preceded him and those that followed him cried out:
— Hosanna to the son of David!" Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heights!
As he entered Yerushaláyim, the whole city was stirred, asking, Who is this?
The crowd replied:
— This is Yeshua, the prophet of Natsrat of Galilee.
Yeshua entered the temple, the Temple of Herod, whose courtyard is filled with animals and the tables of the money changers, who exchanged Greek and Roman money for Hebrew and Tyrian money. The city was crowded with Jews who had come for Passover, some 400,000 pilgrims, and he drove out all who were selling and buying there, he overturned the tables of the money changers, and the chairs of those who sold the doves; Making a whip with some ropes, "he drove everyone out of the temple, the sheep as well as the oxen, he poured out the money of the changers on the ground, overturned the tables and said to those who sold the doves:
And he said to them:
— Take these things away from here, do not make my Father's house a house of business, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers.
In the temple the blind and the lame came to him, and he healed them.
This is the only account of Yeshua using physical force. Yeshua forbade people from doing any kind of commerce in the Temple – a sanction that would surely ruin the priests.
BUT THE CHIEF PRIESTS and scribers seeing the wonderful which he was which he did, and the children crying in the temple:
— Hosanna to the son of David.
They were indignant, and asked him:
— Do you hear what these are saying?
Yeshua answered them:
— Yea; have you never read: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings have you drawn perfect praise?
Having left them, he left the city for Bethany, where he spent the night.
In the morning, on returning to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he approached it, and found nothing but leaves on it; and said to him:
— Never ever be born fruit of you. Immediately the fig tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed and asked,
— How did the fig tree suddenly wither?
Yeshua answered them:
— Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Get up and cast yourself into the sea, it will be done; and whatever you ask in your prayers in faith, you will receive.
When Yeshua had entered the temple, while he was teaching, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him, asking:
— By what authority do you do these things? - Who gave you such authority?
Yeshua answered them:
— I too will ask you one question; if you answer me, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was Yohanan's baptism from? From heaven or from men? They reasoned among themselves:
— If we say: From heaven, he will say to us: Why then did you not believe him? But if we say, Of men, we fear the people; because everyone considers Yohanan as a prophet.
They answered Yeshua:
— We do not know. He in turn declared to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. But what do you think? A man had two kids; coming to the first, he said: Son, go work today in my vineyard.
He replied:
— I will, sir; and it was not.
Coming to the second, I told him the same. But he replied:
— I do not want; later, touched with regret, he went. Which of the two did the father's will?
They replied:
— The second.
Yeshua declared to them:
— Truly I say to you, tax collectors and harlots will enter the kingdom of God before you. For Yohanan came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the publicans and the harlots believed him; and you, when you saw this, did not even repent afterward, that you might believe him. I heard another parable.
There was an owner, who planted a vineyard, surrounded it with a hedge, dug a wine press there, built a tower and leased it to farmers, and left for another country.
When the time for the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen to receive the fruits that fell to him. These seized the servants, wounded one, killed another, and stoned another.
He sent still other servants in greater numbers; and they treated us in the same way.
Finally he sent his son to them, saying:
— You will have respect for my son.
But the husbandmen, seeing him, said among themselves:
— This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance; and seizing him, they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those husbandmen?
They answered him:
— He will make these wicked men perish horribly, and he will lease the vineyard to others, who will bear him the fruits in their own time.
Yeshua asked them:
—Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected, this is made the cornerstone; This was done by the Lord, And is it wonderful in our eyes? Therefore I declare to you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and offered to a nation that will bear the fruits of it. Whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but he on whom it falls shall be reduced to dust.
The chief priests and the Pharisees, hearing these parables, realized that Yeshua was speaking of them; and though they sought to arrest him, they feared the people, because they regarded him as a prophet.
***
THE ATTORNEY'S ROOM
YERUSHALAYIM, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, A.D. 30
— WELL, MY INTERESTS in this business compelled me, in part, to save face and help the former high priest in his pretense of catching the supposed prophet... That blatant nepotism of the Ananus family, putting the members of his clan at key posts in the Temple, it was a jumping jack secret.
The prosecutor's actions seemed entirely credible to him. At the end of the corridor Janus opened a door giving way to Pilatus. Behind, and by order of the centurion, entered Yeshua, Yohanan Zebedee, two more officers and Yousef. The legionnaire and servants stayed outside.
Entering that room, Yousef immediately recognized the oval office where he had had his first interview with the prosecutor a few years ago, when he signed his first contract with Rome. The north wing of the fortress was therefore in direct connection with Pilatus' courtroom. Yousef understood now why he had not seen guards at that door: possibly communicating with the Roman's private quarters through which he had seen the servant who had announced lunch appear on Wednesday morning.
Pontius Pilatus went to his table and invited the Nazarene to sit in the chair that Yousef de Armathajim had occupied. Yohanan timidly did the same with the one I had used. The officers stood on either side of Yeshua, while Janus took his usual position at the end of the table, to the left of the procurator.
The light coming from the large window on the Roman's back allowed him to easily explore the face of Yeshua, who had partially abandoned that attitude of permanent absence. He now raised his head. The nose and the right zygomatic arch were still very swollen, having affected one eye. As for the left eyebrow, the blow looked pretty closed. The blood clots in his nostrils and lips had dried up, blackening his mustache and beard.
Pilatus picked up the thread of the conversation, indicating to the Rabbi that, to begin with, and for his peace of mind, he did not believe the first of the accusations.
— I know of your steps — I said to him with a conciliatory air — and I find it hard to believe that you are a political agitator.
Yeshua watched him wearily.
— As for the second charge, did you ever say that tribute should not be paid to Caesar?
Yeshua with his head indicated Yohanan and replied:
— Ask this one or whoever has heard me.
The procurator questioned the young Zebedee with his eyes and Yohanan clumsily explained that both his Rabbi and the rest of the group always paid the Temple and Caesar taxes. When the disciple was about to dwell on other teachings, Pilatus waved his hand, ordering him to be silent.
— Enough – I told him. "And be careful not to tell anyone what you told me. And so it was.
Pilatus addressed Galileo again:
— As for the third of the charges, tell me, are you the King of the Jews?
The prosecutor's tone was sincere. That, at least, was the impression both Yosef and Yohanan had. And the Rabbi gave a faint smile. As he did so, one of the cracks in his lower lip opened up again and a trickle of blood ran through the hairs of his beard.
— Pilatus – answered Yeshua – do you ask that question for yourself or did you take it from the accusers?
The prosecutor opened his eyes indignantly.
— Am I a Jew? Your own people handed you over and the chief priests asked me for the death penalty...
Pilatus tried to regain his composure and, showing his golden teeth, added:
— I doubt the validity of these accusations and seek only to find out for myself what you have done. So I will ask you a second time, did you say that you were the king of the Jews and that you intend to form a new kingdom?
The Nazarene did not delay in replying:
— Can you not see that My kingdom is not of this world? If that were so, My disciples would have fought to keep me from handing me over to the Jews. My presence here, before you and bound, demonstrates to all men that My kingdom is a spiritual domain, that of the fraternization of men who, through love and faith, have become children of God. This offer is the same for both Gentiles and Jews.
Pilatus got up and, striking the table with the palm of his hand, exclaimed, unable to suppress his surprise:
— Therefore you are king!
— I am," replied the prisoner, looking straight at the procurator. – I am a king of this kind and My kingdom is the family of those who believe in My Father who is in heaven. I was born to reveal My Father to all men and to witness the truth of God. And at this very moment I declare that the lover of truth hears me.
The procurator took a few steps around the table and, placing himself between Yohanan and the prisoner, remarked to himself:
— The truth? What is the truth? Who knows her?
Before Yeshua could answer, he made a sign to Janus, ending the interrogation.
The officers forced Yeshua to his feet and Pilatus opened the door ordering his men to take the Nazarene to Kaiafa's presence. As they walked down the hall again, Pilatus stood beside Yosef, making a single but eloquent comment:
— This man is an honest one. I know his teachings and I know what they preach, the wise man is always a king and... - Pilatus seemed to hesitate for a moment.
— Did something happen.
He nodded.
— I owe a lot to Ananus and Kaiafa, as I have already stated, we are partners in several ventures, but I also owe a lot to this man.
Yousef did not understand the statement.
— Do you know my son, Pilus?
Yousef nodded, met the boy at a business dinner.
— If it hadn't been for this man, to whom I owe my son's life, I don't know what would have happened to him, he had already been given up by several doctors.
After that thought, Yousef concluded that the Roman was willing to release Yeshua. When he appeared for the second time before the Jews, his attitude confirmed my presentiment. Shortly before nine in the morning, Pilatus came to the terrace and, assuming an authoritative tone, sentenced:
— I questioned this man and I see no fault in him. I do not find him guilty of the charges. For this reason, I think he should be released.
Kaiafa and the Sadducees were disconcerted. But they soon reacted, shouting and expressing great indignation. Janus questioned Pilatus with his eyes as he reached for his sword. But the prosecutor again asked him to calm down. One of the officers hastily returned to the praetorium, possibly in search of reinforcements. Very angry, one of the Jews separated himself from the group, and ascending three or four steps, confronted Pilatus with these words:
— This man incites the people! ... he Started in Galilee and continued through Judea he IS a troublemaker and a malefactor. If you let that man go, you will regret him for a long time... Without meaning to, that Sadducee had just given Pilatus a reason to evade the unpleasant subject, at least temporarily.
The procurator then approached his chief centurion, telling him:
— This man is a Galilean. Bring him immediately to Herod...
Janus prepared to carry out the will of Pontius Pilatus, and as he made his way to the legionary in charge of escorting the prisoner, Pilatus returned to the top of the platform, adding:
— Oh! And when I have questioned you, bring me your conclusions.
At this point it was Janus himself who was responsible for escorting the prisoner.
The spirits of the Jews were so high that, with very good judgment, the centurion surrounded himself with a small escort of ten legionaries, setting out for the residence of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, and, like Pilatus, a visitor, at that time. , from Yerushaláyim.
This Herod was the son of Herod Magnus, who had ordered the slaughter of children in and around Bethlehem. A slaughter very typical of the character and trajectory of that king, hated by the people and whom they contemptuously called an indumean servant.
Behind, the soldiers, defending the prisoner and formed in two lines. And a short distance away, the rest of the group: Kaiafa, the handful of judges, Yehudhah Ish Qeryoth, Yohanan Zebedee and the elder Yousef of Armathajim.
As they left the fortress Yohanan turned to the open gate in the north wall and confusion reigned in my mind again, a great multitude had flocked to those very doors of the Praetorium.
But how could that be? – The young man thought, completely intrigued, for, for the moment, the interviews with Pontius Pilatus had been more or less private. Only that reduced representation of the Sanhedrim had been able to enter the Antonia Tower.
Furthermore – he continued to reflect as they continued towards the Bairro Alto of the city – without the express consent of the procurator or his officers, no Hebrew could pass the outer wall or parapet, much less the moat that surrounded that area. from the Roman headquarters.
Herod Antipas inherited the government of the northern lands, Galilee, on the death of his fatal father, in the year 3 BC, he was seventeen years old. According to his father's first will, Antipas was to receive the kingdom of Judea. But Herod Magnus changed his mind and replaced Antipas with his other son Archelaus, who took over the kingdom of Judea. Herod Antipas received Galilee. A third son, Philippi, was also designated tetrarch of Perea. It was precisely from the latter that Herod Antipas would take his wife, the no less famous Herodias, responsible for the murder of Yohanan Baptista, first cousin of Yeshua of Natsrat.
***
THE DEATH OF YOHANAN BAPTISTA
JORDAN RIVER, PEREIA AD 26
YOHANAN BAPTISTA was submerged up to his waist in the cold and murky river called Jordan, which rises on the slope of Mount Hermon, crosses Lake Hule and then flows to the Sea of Galilee, to empty into the Dead Sea. The Jordan River was famous for having been opened for the people to pass through when, after the death of Moshe Joshua, he led the people to the long-awaited return to the Promised Land and for Elisha cutting the waters and passing dry when he assumed the mantle of Elijah after being raptured. by chariots of fire.
Yohanan was patiently waiting for the next pilgrim to cross the water and arrive beside him. He looked to the shore, where large numbers of worshipers lined up on the muddy banks of the Jordan River, ignoring the heat as they waited to undergo the ritual immersion that would wash away their sins, among them were Cephas, Yohanan Zebedee, Yehudhah Ish Qeryoth and Shim- on zealot.
The faithful are mostly were working poor. They were delighted with Yohanan and his radical teachings. The young man with the long hair, sunburned skin and shaggy beard disciplined himself to live alone in the desert, surviving on a diet of locusts, which gave him protein, and honey, which gave him energy. His attire was not the elaborate toga of the arrogant Pharisees who watched him from the riverbank, but a rough tunic made of camelskin, fastened tightly around his waist by a simple leather belt.
Yohanan was celibate and a Nazirite, a person consecrated and set apart for God, within the Torah it was the term that designated a person for the services of God, the most common mark of the separation of this person who could be a man or a woman, was the use of the uncut hair and abstinence from the consumption of wine or any other food made from grapes and had seven braids in her hair.
The Nazirite vow had been institutionalized and regulated in the Torah in the Book of Numbers 6:1-21. In virtue of this consecration, the Nazirite had to abstain from taking certain fermented foods and drinks, from cutting his hair and touching corpses, in addition to not eating meat in many circumstances. These particular requirements reflected the following principles: keep oneself mentally sane ("abstain from wine and fermented drink") and in subjection to God (symbolized by not cutting one's hair) and keeping oneself ceremonially pure (not touching dead bodies). ).
In the event of contact with dead bodies, the voting days taken would be considered invalid and the vote would have to be resumed. However, before resuming the vow, the Nazirite underwent a full week of purification, at the end of which he shaved his hair. Samson and Samuel were Nazirites from birth. In virtue of this consecration, both the mother, during pregnancy, and the future Nazirite had to abstain from certain foods such as meats and fermented drinks, from cutting their hair and touching corpses. Not touching corpses, led some philosophers to believe that they did not eat meat, and others said that they did not eat only those said to be impure, seen in the Book of Leviticus, by Moshe.
After completing his vow, the Nazirite performed the purification ritual and made three offerings at the Sanctuary. A vow said "in the likeness of Samson" was a vow for life, and it is clearly indicated in many historical records that the terms Nazirite and Nazarene had nothing to do with a town or village called Natsrat.
The last Nazirite on record is exactly Yohanan Baptista.
His passion was dedicated to God and God alone. Some considered him an eccentric, others a rebel, and many found his direct way of speaking harsh, but all agree that he had the gall to promise them something that not even Rome, let alone the priests, could offer:
Hope...
Thus, the faithful came to collect this promise.
— The end of the world as we know it is near – preached Yohanan. – A new king will come to do justice. Get in the water and cleanse yourself of your sins, or this new anointed ruler, this "Christ" will punish you in the most horrendous way possible.
It was a message both religious and political, which directly challenged the Roman Empire and the hierarchy of the Jewish Temple.
Yohanan extended his arm to the next approaching pilgrim. But before he can baptize the man, a tax collector exclaims in the margin:
— Rabbi, what should we do?
He spoke for his profession, knowing full well that he is despised for extorting Jewish money for a heathen king in Rome.
— Don't collect anything more than what's stipulated – Yohanan replies.
There was little shade on the banks of the Jordan, and the faithful had been waiting patiently for the opportunity to be submerged in the cold water of the river. But despite the discomfort, everyone listened attentively to what Yohanan had to say.
— And we, what should we do? – Asks a soldier.
It was common knowledge that many soldiers had committed reprehensible acts in the name of Tiberius, the perverted and hated new emperor.
Yohanan's response, however, was not damning.
— Do not practice extortion or falsely accuse anyone; be content with your salary.
Yohanan Baptista turned his attention back to the man standing beside him on the river. He listened intently as the man confessed his many sins.
So pray for him:
— I baptize them with water. But someone more powerful than I will come, so much so that I am not even worthy to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize them with the Holy Ghost.
Only a slave would be given the task of untying a man's sandals, so those words were powerful, an immense show of respect. As the pilgrim nodded, Yohanan placed a hand on the center of the man's back and lowered him slowly towards the water, keeping him submerged for a few seconds and then lifting his torso.
The pilgrim, relieved, his sins now forgiven, crosses the slow current back to shore. Before he reaches the river's edge, another believer is already approaching to experience the same sensation.
— Who are you? – A voice from the shore asks firmly.
Yohanan was waiting for this. The question asked in an arrogant tone came from a priest, sent from Yerushaláyim to assess whether Yohanan was committing heresy. The holy man was not alone, having made the journey in the company of other Pharisees, Sadducees, and Levites.
— I am not the Christ," exclaims Yohanan in response.
The priests knew he was referring to the new Jewish king, a man like Saul and David, the great rulers of past generations who were chosen by God to lead the Israelites.
— So who are you? – Asks one of them. – Is it Elias?
Yohanan had heard this comparison before. Like him, Elijah was a prophet who preached that the end of the world was near.
— No – Yohanan answers firmly.
— Who are you? – Asks the priest again. – Give us an answer, so that we can take it to those who sent us.
Yohanan preferred to invoke the words of the prophet Isaiah, a man whose name means "the Lord saves." He had lived 800 years earlier and it is said that his martyrdom was being sawed in half because of the many audacious prophecies he made. In one of these predictions, Isaiah said that a man would come to tell the people about the day when the world would come to an end and God would appear on earth. This man would be "the voice of one crying in the wilderness," asking them to "make a straight path for the Lord."
Yohanan had prayed and fasted for several days. He truly believed that he was the man Isaiah wrote about. Even though he suffers a terrible death, he feels obliged to travel from town to town, telling everyone that the end of the world is near and that in order to prepare, they must be baptized.
— Who are you? – Ask the priests again, raising their voice, becoming more irritated and insistent.
— I am the voice that cries out in the desert – Yohanan replies.
Temple priests weren't the only officials watching Yohanan Baptista closely. From the new capital Tiberias, built on an even grander scale than Sepphoris, Herod Antipas sent spies to the Jordan River to watch his every step. Yohanan the Baptist was the main issue in Galilee, and Antipas feared that this charismatic evangelist would eventually lead the people to rebel against him.
Antipas was prepared to deal with Yohanan the same way he dealt with Yehudhah ben Hezekiah nearly 20 years ago. But Yohanan's nonviolent message made him a much greater threat. Life in Galilee has become even more difficult since Yehudhah's execution.
The decision to erect Tiberias on the sunny shores of the Sea of Galilee a decade after rebuilding Sepphoris added to the Galileans' tax burden. As with all of Antipas' architectural projects, he spared no expense. Peasants in Galilee had to pay even more taxes to cover these costs.
The name Tiberias was given to the new city in honor of the Roman Emperor who succeeded the late Caesar Augustus. Tiberius had been a great general in the past, defending Rome from the Germanic barbarians. But a life of personal misfortune has turned him into a horrible man. He knew no limits. One of his amusements was swimming with handpicked "little fish", naked boys whose job it was to chase him around the imperial pool and nibble on him between the legs. Of the emperor's innumerable depravities, this is the least serious, but Antipas knew he was in no position to morally condemn him.
Even after more than two decades of power, he ruled solely on the orders of Rome. And besides, Antipas has his own history of depravity. He divorced his wife and married his brother's wife, an abomination in the eyes of the Jewish people. So, in addition to plotting to kill Yohanan Baptista – a man whose only crime was to speak openly of his passion for the coming of the Lord – Antipas named the capital of the devout Jewish province after a 68-year-old pagan who held orgies in his home. particular and eliminated his enemies by throwing them from the top of a cliff 300 meters high. And while Antipas refused to morally condemn Tiberius, the cruel man who controlled his destiny, Baptista did not have the same modesty.
In Yerushaláyim there was an uneasy alliance between faith and politics, and this unholy relationship also follows in the Baptist's footsteps.
Since Augustus had declared Archelaus, son of Herod Magnus, unfit to rule 20 years ago, four other Roman procurators have been in control of Judea.
The fifth had just arrived. His name was Pontius Pilatus.
WHILE YOHANAN BAPTISTA was preaching on the banks of the Jordan River and Yeshua of Natsrat is about to break the years of self-imposed silence regarding his identity, Pontius Pilatus was landing in the fortified city of Caesarea to fill the post recently vacated by Valerius Gratus.
Pilatus came from central Italy and was a member of the equestrian class and a former soldier. Corpulent and arrogant, he was married to Claudia Procula, who accompanied him to Judea. This was a disheartening appointment, as Judea was known to be very difficult to govern. But if her husband stands out in this remote diplomatic post, Rome's mighty might be able to secure Pilatus' transfer to a better place.
Pilatus was not a friend of the Jews. One of his first official decrees was to order Roman troops at Yerushaláyim to decorate the standards with busts of Emperor Tiberius. When the people protested against these images, which were idols prohibited by Jewish law, Pilatus made the decision to order his soldiers to surround the protesters and draw their sword as if intending to start an attack. The Jews don't even think about retreating. Instead, they lean forward and crane their necks, making it clear that they were willing to die for everything they believe in.
It was the first time that Pilatus had seen with his own eyes the power of the Jewish faith. He orders his men to retreat and the standards are removed. Pilatus then develops a new strategy for dealing with the Jews: he decides to form a complicated alliance with the most powerful priest in the Temple of Yerushaláyim.
Kaiafa came from a family of priests and lived in a luxurious house in the Upper City. He had full power over the religious life of the people in Yerushaláyim, including the enforcement of Jewish law – even if it meant putting a man or a woman to death. Obviously, although he passed this kind of sentence, it was the Roman procurator who decided whether or not it would be carried out.
Pilatus was a pagan Roman, Kaiafa was a Jew. They worshiped different gods, ate different foods, had different expectations for the future, and spoke different languages. Pilatus was under the command of a god emperor, while Kaiafa was supposedly under the command of God. But both were fluent in the Greek language and believed they had the right to do whatever it took to stay in power. In this way, politics and faith kept Judea in a straitjacket. And now it is Kaiafa who has played his part in that partnership, sending a group of religious authorities to take a critical look at the ministry of Yohanan Baptista.
— Breed of vipers! – Exclaims Yohanan to the Temple priests who came to the riverbank to question him. – The ax is already laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
All eyes turn to the stunned religious authorities and then stare at Yohanan again, waiting for what he will say next. Although everyone knows that some of these learned men were extremely hypocritical, no one dared criticize them in public. But Yohanan defiantly demanded that the Pharisees and Sadducees be baptized or burned in eternal fire.
The clerics are shocked by Yohanan's words, but say nothing.
Yohanan was once again paying attention to the many faithful who had come to be baptized. Peasants, artisans, tax collectors and soldiers – all respected his monastic way of life, as well as his frankness and vigor. There was a fearless independence to his demeanor that many wanted to emulate, but none of them dared to do.
He seemed immune to Rome's threats. Some in the crowd were curious as to whether Yohanan paid his taxes and, if not, what will become of him. Above all, what each of those present wondered in their hearts was whether Yohanan himself was not the Messiah he insistently preached about.
The answer came the next day.
Yohanan was once more standing in the waters of Jordan. The village of Bethany is behind him, on the opposite bank. As usual, the day was hot and the faithful were waiting in long lines to be baptized.
In the distance, Yohanan noticed a man walking towards the river. Like him, Yeshua ben Yousef, his cousin, had long hair and a beard. He wore sandals and a simple tunic. His eyes were clear, and his shoulders were broad as a workman's. He looked younger than Yohanan, but not by much.
Suddenly, a dove lands on Yeshua's shoulder. He made no mention of scaring her off, and the pomp seemed content to remain there. That dove changed everything.
At this moment, the anger that so often seemed to fuel Yohanan Baptista's words completely disappeared, it was a peace that not even he had experienced in his entire life. She is replaced by her amazement as she realizes that his vision has come true.
Under the gaze of the crowd of pilgrims, Yohanan approaches Yeshua, open-mouthed.
— Look! He is the Lamb of God. I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining on him. I would not have recognized him if the one who sent me to baptize with water had not said to me:
— He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
— I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God.
The faithful get down on their knees and press their faces to the earth. Yeshua does not react to this gesture of worship, but neither does he do anything to discourage it. The Nazarene simply enters the water and stands beside Yohanan, waiting to be baptized.
Yohanan is perplexed.
— I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?
Yeshua does not clarify his identity. He is a simple carpenter, a builder who has worked his whole life. He memorized the Psalms and Scriptures, paid his taxes, and took care of his mother since he was sixteen years old. To the average observer, he was just one of many Jewish workers. There was no obvious sign of his divinity.
In Jewish culture, self-proclaimed God was a capital crime. Then, speaking quietly to Yohanan Baptista, Yeshua declares his identity. Bowing his head to accept the water of baptism, Yeshua says to Yohanan:
— Leave it that way for the time being, it is fitting that we do so, in order to fulfill all justice.
Yohanan places a hand on Yeshua's back and slowly submerges him in the water.
— I baptize you with water for repentance – says Yohanan as he plunges Yeshua into the stream.
He then lifts it.
— I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God – shouts Yohanan.
— Son of God – was a title of royalty, indicative that the one so called was the Messiah. It was the title he had bestowed on King David. It was believed that when the Messiah returned, he would be the King of the Jews, just like David, the perfect monarch. The people around them understood "Son of God" as a Davidic title, the anointed one, who comes to assume the role of ruler and king.
The crowd remained kneeling while Yeshua returned to the shore and went on his way. He goes to the desert to fast for 40 days and 40 nights. This was a journey he took spontaneously, knowing that he needed to confront and defeat any and all temptations to purify his mind and body before publicly preaching his message of faith and hope.
Yohanan Baptista's work was done. But along with that, his fate was sealed.
Yohanan Baptista was the rarest kind of prophet: a man who lived to see his predictions come true. People still desired to be cleansed from their sins through baptism, and great crowds continued to follow him wherever he went. His entourage, in fact, becomes larger and larger. And although there was no longer any need to prophesy the coming of a new Christ, Yohanan had an exceptional gift for oratory. He was not the kind of man to shut up in the face of immorality and injustice. So when he discovered that Herod Antipas had divorced his wife and violated Jewish religious law by marrying his brother's ex-wife, he could not ignore the fact as the Sanhedrim priests did.
In his country travels, Yohanan Baptista openly rebuked the tetrarch, wherever he was, turning the populace against their ruler.
Antipas then ordered the spies who had been watching Yohanan to arrest him. He is chained and, after being forced to march twenty-four kilometers through the scorching desert, finally a vision appeared before his eyes. It was the mountaintop fortress at Machaerus. Yohanan must walk the more than 900 meters to the citadel, which is surrounded on all sides by ravines.
Antipas intended this castle to be impenetrable. He feared attacks from Arabia, which lies to the east, so he enhanced these natural fortifications by erecting 60-foot-thick walls and 27-meter-high towers at each corner, equipping the citadel with a plethora of javelins and other machines. of war, endeavoring to provide it with everything that could contribute in any way to the security of its inhabitants for the longest of sieges.
The view from the palace, which stood at the center of the fortified structure, is breathtaking. If Yohanan had had a chance to enjoy it, he might have seen the dark, narrow curves of his beloved Jordan River winding its way through the distant valley below.
Yohanan stopped for one last look as he was led through the great wooden gates that led into the citadel. But the gates closed too quickly behind him. Still in chains, he is taken to Antipas' throne room, where he presents himself, insolent and fearless, before that man who claimed to be King of the Jews. And even when he is given the chance to recant, Yohanan has refused to do so.
— You are not allowed to live with your brother's wife," he says to the ruler.
The woman in question, Herodias, was seated next to Antipas. In making this accusation, Yohanan condemned not only the husband, but the wife as well. Despite this, Herodias noticed that the tetrarch feared the prophet and did not have the courage to order her death. But Herodias was a patient woman and knew she would find a way to get her revenge.
How dare this filthy savage insult her like that?
Yohanan was eventually thrown into Machaerus' dungeons and left to rot there until Antipas decided to free him, but Herodias anticipated his steps and ordered his death.
Meanwhile, a much greater threat to Antipas begins to emerge. Yeshua of Natsrat has now begun a spiritual journey, a mission that will challenge the most powerful men in the world.
BAPTISM AND WATER RITUALS were quite common throughout the region. Bands of "baptism groups" roamed Syria and Palestine initiating the faithful into their orders by immersing them in water. Gentile converts to Judaism often took a ceremonial bath to shed their former identity and enter the chosen tribe. Jews revered water for its liminal qualities, believing it to have the power to transport a person or object from one state to another: from dirty to clean, from the profane to the sacred.
The Jews had plenty of ablution practices with objects such as: tents or swords that were sprinkled with water to be dedicated to the Lord, lepers and menstruating women were fully immersed in water as an act of purification. The priests of the Temple of Yerushaláyim poured water into their hands before approaching the altar to make sacrifices. The high priest underwent one ritual immersion before entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, and another immediately after taking upon himself the sins of the nation.
The most famous sect at the time to practice ablutions was the Essene community. These were not strictly a monastic movement. Some lived in towns and villages throughout Judea, while others separated themselves completely from the rest of the Jews, in communities like Qumran, where they practiced celibacy and kept all property in common, the only items of personal property they could have were a cloak, a linen cloth, and a hatchet to dig a latrine in the desert when the need arose. As the Essenes saw the physical body as vile and corrupt, they developed a rigid system of total immersion baths that had to be completed over and over again to maintain a constant state of ritual purity.
The Essenes also practiced a unique water initiation ritual, baptism, which was used to welcome new recruits into their community.
Yohanan went to the Judean desert when he was little, which was in keeping with the Essene practice of adopting and training the sons of priests. Both Yohanan and the Essenes rejected the Temple authorities: the Essenes maintained a distinct calendar and their own dietary restrictions, and they rejected the concept of animal sacrifice, which was the main activity of the Temple. Both saw themselves and their followers as the true tribe of Israel, and both were actively preparing for the end times.
The Essenes eagerly awaited an apocalyptic war, when, they, "the Children of Light" would fight "the Children of Darkness", the Temple priests, to gain control over the Temple of Yerushaláyim, and would purify and sanctify again under their leadership.
Both Yohanan and the Essenes identified themselves as "the voice crying in the wilderness" spoken of by the prophet Isaiah.
His message is not exclusive, but open to all Jews willing to turn from their evil ways and live a life of righteousness. More remarkably, Yohanan did not seem to be obsessed with ritual purity, his baptism had been specifically designed to be done once, not to be repeated over and over again. Yohanan was influenced by the water rituals of Jewish sects, including the Essenes
Yohanan was a highly respected and almost universally recognized popular priest and prophet. His fame was too great to ignore, his baptism of Yeshua too well known to be hidden.
— THAT MAN is Yohanan Baptista! He rose from the dead and that is why he has this power to perform such miracles.
Herod is the one who had Yohanan arrested, bound and put in prison. He had done this for the sake of his sister-in-law Herodias, wife of his brother Philip. Yohanan had said several times to Herod:
— You cannot live with your brother's wife, for that is wrong.
Although Herod wanted to kill Yohanan, he was afraid of the Jews, as they considered him a prophet.
On the day of Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter danced for him and his guests, and she greatly pleased Herod, who promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. But the girl, persuaded by her mother, asked her:
— I want you to give me Yohanan Baptista's head on a silver platter.
Herod was very sad, but because of the oath he had sworn before his guests, he determined that they give the girl what she had asked for:
— Do as she wishes!
And he ordered them to cut off Yohanan Baptista's head in prison. Yohanan's head was taken on a plate and given to the young woman who, in turn, gave it to her mother.
Yohanan's disciples came and, taking the body, buried it. Then they went and told Yeshua what had happened.
***
THE BELOVED DISCIPLE
YERUSHALAYIM, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, A.D. 30
SO WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN...
So that the Jewish crowd could reach the steps of Pilatus' private residence?
Yohanan, the beloved disciple of Yeshua, immediately informed Cephas, who was waiting outside, and the messenger of what had happened at the praetorium and in the procurator's private interrogation.
Young Zebedee had regained hope. He was optimistic about Pilatus' statements. In fact, he was right. If the process had remained within that line, practically limited to the small circle of the men of the Sanhedrim and the foreign attorney, perhaps Yeshua's luck would have been different, however, the machinations of Kaiafa and his men did not stop...
Once the latest news about Yeshua had been gathered, the courier said goodbye to the Rabbi's friends, leaving at a run for the Gethsemane camp. It was as he passed the Fish Gate that Yousef of Armathajim, seeing how a large group of Hebrews, presided over by several heads of the Temple and other Pharisees, were united with the high priest and the Sadducees, expressed his dismay.
While waiting in front of Antonia's stone parapet, Yousef had received information that complicated everything, by mutual agreement with the judges, Ananus had begun secretly distributing gold coins belonging to the Temple treasury. After taking note of the names of each of the bribed, the three gisbarim, or official treasurers, had issued a common slogan:
To cry out before Pontius Pilatus the death of the imposter of Galilee.
Seeing how the initial group of Sadducees increased significantly, Yohanan asked Yousef of Armathajim how Kaiafa thought to introduce that crowd into the fortress precinct.
— I very much doubt that Pilatus and his troops will consent to it, perhaps they know what is happening.
Yousef dispelled his doubts in a second. Precisely on that Friday morning, the eve of Passover, the Jews enjoyed an ancient prerogative. Hundreds of Hebrews used to go up to the vicinity of the Praetorium and watch the release of a prisoner. That grace, power that belonged to the procurator, constituted one of the gestures of friendship and sympathy of Rome towards its subjects. Consequently, it had a manifest festive character and, during the preceding days, both the inhabitants of Yerushaláyim and the thousands of pilgrims argued, betting on this or that candidate.
At that time, the name most heard among the Hebrews was that of Bar Abbas, an active member of the Zealot revolutionary group, a son of an unknown, vile and bloodthirsty father, captured by Roman forces in a revolt the night before.
It was evident, the city had awakened that Friday morning, April 7th, without the slightest knowledge of Yeshua's arrest of Natsrat. Only a few knew, the upcoming and imminent demonstration of Jews in front of Pilatus' residence had nothing to do with the Rabbi of Galilee. Even if Yeshua had not been arrested, he would have celebrated in the same way. It was, as I said, the perfidious maneuvers of the Sanhedrim and the almost total absence of friends and supporters of the Nazarene in the aforementioned popular demonstration, to ask for the release of a defendant, that led to what we all know.