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Thisbookis

dedicatedtothosewholovetheirneighbors

asthemselves

CONTENTS

TitlePageCopyrightNotice

DedicationANotetoReaders

BookI:TheWorldofJesus

ChapterOneChapterTwo

ChapterThreeChapterFourChapterFive

BookII:BeholdtheManChapterSixChapterSevenChapterEightChapterNineChapterTen

ChapterEleven

BookIII:IfYouArethe

SonofGod,TakeYourselfOffThisCross

ChapterTwelveChapterThirteenChapterFourteenChapterFifteenChapterSixteenChapterSeventeenChapterEighteenChapterNineteenChapterTwenty

ChapterTwenty-OneAfterword

PostscriptNotesSources

AcknowledgmentsIllustrationCredits

IndexAbouttheAuthors

CopyrightAlsobyBillO’ReillyandMartinDugard

ANOTETOREADERS

INTHEBEGINNING…

TosaythatJesusofNazarethwas themost influentialmanwhoeverlivedisalmosttrite.Nearly two thousand years

afterhewasbrutallyexecutedbyRomansoldiers,morethan2.2 billion human beingsattempt to follow histeachings and believe he isGod.Thatincludes77percentof the U.S. population,according to a Gallup Poll.The teachings of Jesus haveshaped the entire world andcontinuetodoso.Much has been written

about Jesus, the son of a

humblecarpenter.Butlittleisactuallyknownabouthim.Ofcourse we have the GospelsofMatthew,Mark,Luke,andJohn, but they sometimesappear contradictory andwere written from a spiritualpointofviewratherthanasahistorical chronicling ofJesus’s life. Who Jesusactuallywasandwhatexactlyhappened to him areemotional subjects that often

lead to contentiousdiscussion.In the writing of this fact-

based book, Martin Dugardand I do not aim to suggestthat we know everythingabout Jesus. But we knowmuchandwilltellyouthingsthat you might not haveheard. Our research hasuncovered a narrative that isboth fascinating andfrustrating. There are major

gaps in the life of Jesus, andat times we can only deducewhat happened to him basedupon the best availableevidence. As often aspossible, we relied onclassical works. Our primarysources are cited in the lastpagesofthebook.Aswedidinourpreviousbooks,KillingLincolnandKillingKennedy,we will tell you when wedon’tknowwhathappenedor

ifwebelievetheevidencewearecitingisnotsetinstone.The Romans kept

incrediblerecordsofthetime,andafewJewishhistoriansinPalestinealsowrotedowntheevents of the day. Theproblemisthatitwasn’tuntilthelastfewmonthsofJesus’sshort life that he became thefocus of establishmentattention. Until then, he wasjust another Jewish man

struggling to survive in aharsh society. Only hisfriends paid much heed towhatJesuswasdoing.But those friends did pass

much along verbally, and sowe have the narrative of theGospels. But this is not areligious book. We do notaddressJesusastheMessiah,onlyasamanwhogalvanizeda remote area of the RomanEmpire and made very

powerful enemies whilepreaching a philosophy ofpeace and love. In fact, thehatredtowardJesusandwhathappened because of it may,at times, overwhelm thereader.ThisisaviolentstorycenteredbothinJudeaandinRome itself, where theemperors were alsoconsideredgodsbytheirloyalfollowers.Martin Dugard and I are

both Roman Catholics whowere educated in religiousschools. But we are alsohistorical investigators andare interested primarily intelling the truth aboutimportant people, notconverting anyone to aspiritual cause. We broughtthis dedication and disciplinetoAbrahamLincolnandJohnF. Kennedy, and in thesepages we will do the same

with Jesus of Nazareth. Bythe way, both Lincoln andKennedy believed Jesus wasGod.To understand what Jesus

accomplished and how hepaidwithhislife,wehavetounderstand what washappening around him. Hiswas a time when RomedominatedtheWesternworldand brooked no dissent.Human life was worth little.

Lifeexpectancywaslessthanfortyyears,andfarlessifyouhappenedtoangertheRomanpowers that were. Anexcellent description of thetime was written—perhapswith some bombast—byjournalistVermontRoysterin1949:

There was oppression—forthosewhowerenotthefriends of TiberiusCaesar … what was man

forbuttoserveCaesar?There was persecution

of men who dared thinkdifferently, who heardstrange voices or readstrangemanuscripts.Therewas enslavement of menwhose tribes came notfrom Rome, disdain forthosewhodidnothavethefamiliar visage.Andmostofall, therewascontemptfor human life. What, tothe strong, was one manmoreor less inacrowdedworld?

Then, of a sudden,

there was a light in theworld, and a man fromGalilee saying, RenderuntoCaesarthethingsthatareCaesar’sanduntoGodthethingsthatareGod’s.

And the voice fromGalilee,whichwoulddefyCaesar, offered a newkingdom in which eachman could walk uprightand bow to none but hisGod… so the light cameintotheworldandthemenwho lived in darknesswereafraid,andtheytriedto lower a curtain so that

man would still believethat salvation laywith theleaders.

Butitcametopassfora while in diverse placesthat the truth did setmenfree, although themen ofdarkness were offendedand they tried to put outthelight.

And these men succeeded(at least in the short term).Jesus was executed. But theincredible story behind thelethal struggle between good

and evil has not been fullytold.Untilnow.Atleast,thatis the goal of this book.Thankyouforreadingit.

BILLO’REILLYLongIsland,NewYork

BOOK

I

TheWorldofJesus

CHAPTERONE

BETHLEHEM,JUDEAMARCH,5B.C.MORNING

The child with thirty-sixyearstoliveisbeinghunted.

Heavily armed soldiersfrom the capital city ofJerusalem are marching tothis small town, intent onfinding and killing the babyboy. They are a mixed-racegroup of foreignmercenariesfromGreece,Gaul,andSyria.The child’s name, unknowntothem,isJesus,andhisonlycrimeis thatsomebelievehewill be the next king of theJewish people. The current

monarch,adyinghalf-Jewish,half-Arab despot namedHerod, is so intent onensuringthebaby’sdeaththathisarmyhasbeenordered tomurder every male childundertheageoftwoyearsinBethlehem.1 None of thesoldiers knows what thechild’s mother and fatherlook like, or the preciselocationofhishome,thustheneedtokilleverybabyboyin

the small town andsurrounding area. This alonewill guarantee theexterminationofthepotentialking.It is springtime in Judea,

the peak of lambing season.Therollingdirtroadtakesthearmy past thick groves ofolive trees and shepherdstending their flocks. Thesoldiers’ feet are clad insandals, their legs are bare,

and they wear the skirtlikepteruges to cover their loins.The young men sweatprofusely beneath the platesof armor on their chests andthe tinned bronze attichelmetsthatcoverthetopsoftheir heads and the sides oftheirfaces.

Thesoldiersarewellawareof Herod’s notorious crueltyand his penchant for killinganyone who would try tothreatenhis throne.But thereis nomoral debate about therightorwrongofslaughteringinfants.2 Nor do the soldiersquestion whether they willhave the nerve to rip ascreaming child from hismother’s arms and carry out

theexecution.Whenthetimecomes, they will followorders and do their jobs—orriskbeing immediatelykilledforinsubordination.

Herod’sSlaughteroftheInnocents

The sword’s blade is howthey plan to dispatch thebabies.AllsoldiersarearmedwiththeJudeanversionoftherazor-sharppugioandgladiuspreferred by the Romanlegions, and they wear theirweapons attached to thewaist. Their method ofmurder,however,willnotbe

restricted to the dagger orsword. Should they wish,Herod’ssoldierscanalsousea skull-crushing stone, hurlthe baby boys off a cliff enmasse,orjustwraptheirfistsaroundtheinfants’windpipesandstranglethem.The cause of death is not

important.Whatmattersmostisonesimplefact:kingoftheJews or not, the infant mustdie.

***Meanwhile, in Jerusalem,King Herod gazes out apalace window towardBethlehem, anxiouslyawaiting confirmation of theslaughter. In the cobbledstreets below him, theRoman-appointed king seesthe crowded bazaars, wherevendors sell everything fromwater and dates to touristtrinkets and roast lamb. The

walled city of some eightythousand residents packedinto less thana single squaremile is a crossroads of theeastern Mediterranean. Withonesweepofhiseyes,Herodcan see visiting Galileanpeasants, brightly dressedSyrian women, and theforeign soldiers he pays towage his battles. These menfight extremely well but arenot Jews and don’t speak a

word of the Hebrewlanguage.Herod sighs. Back in his

youth, he would never havestood in a window andworried about the future. Agreatkingandwarriorsuchashewouldhaveordered thatabridle be thrown over hisfavoritewhitechargersothathemightgalloptoBethlehemandmurderthechildhimself.But Herod is now a man of

sixty-nine. His massive girthand incessant medicalproblems make it physicallyimpossible for him to leavehis palace, let alonemount ahorse. His bloated face iswreathed in a beard thatextends from the bottom ofhis chin to just below hisAdam’s apple. On this day,he wears a royal purpleRoman-style mantle over ashort-sleevedwhitesilktunic.

Normally Herod prefers softleather leggings that havebeen stained purple. Buttodayeventhegentlestbristleoffabricagainsthisinflamedbig toe is enough to makehim cry out in pain. So it isthatHerod,themostpowerfulman in Judea, hobblesthroughthepalacebarefoot.

HerodtheGreatoverseeingtheTempleexpansion

But gout is the least ofHerod’sailments.Thekingofthe Jews, as thisnonpracticing convert to thereligionlikestobeknown, isalso suffering from lungdisease, kidney problems,worms, a heart condition,sexually transmitteddiseases,and a horrible version of

gangrene that has caused hisgenitalstorot,turnblack,andbecome infested withmaggots—thus the inabilitytositastride, letaloneride,ahorse.Herod has learned how to

livewithhisachesandpains,but these warnings about anew king in Bethlehem arescaring him. Since theRomansfirst installedhimasruler of Judea more than

thirty years ago, Herod hasfoiled countless plots andwaged many wars to remainking. He has murderedanyonewhowouldtrytostealhis throne—and evenexecutedthoseonlysuspectedof plotting against him. Hispower over the locals isabsolute. No one in Judea issafefromHerod’sexecutions.He has ordered deaths byhanging, stoning,

strangulation, fire, thesword,live animals, serpents,beating, and a type of publicsuicide in which victims areforced to hurl themselves offtall buildings. The lone formof execution inwhichhehasnot engaged is crucifixion,that most slow andhumiliating of deaths, wherea man is flogged and thennailed naked upon a woodencrossinplainsightofthecity

walls. The Romans are themastersofthisbrutalart,andthey almost exclusivelypractice it. Herod would notdream of enraging hissuperiors in Rome byappropriating their favoriteformofmurder.Herod has ten wives—or

had, before he executed thefieryMariammeforallegedlyplotting against him. Forgood measure, he also

ordered the deaths of hermother and of his sonsAlexander and Aristobulus.Withinayear,hewillmurdera thirdmale offspring. Smallwonder that thegreatRomanemperor Caesar Augustuswas rumored to have openlycommented,“ItisbettertobeHerod’s pig than to be hisson.”But this newest threat,

though it comes fromamere

infant, is themost dangerousof all. For centuries, Jewishprophets have predicted thecomingofanewkingtoruletheir people.3 They haveprophesied five specificoccurrences that will takeplace to confirm the newMessiah’sbirth.Thefirstisthatagreatstar

willrise.Thesecondisthatthebaby

will be born in Bethlehem,

the small town where thegreatKingDavidwasbornathousandyearsbefore.The third prophecy is that

thechildmustalsobeadirectdescendant of David, a factthat can easily be proven bythe temple’s meticulousgenealogicalrecords.Fourth, powerful men will

travel from afar to worshiphim.Finally, the child’smother

mustbeavirgin.4What troubles Herodmost

deeply is that he knows thefirsttwoofthesetobetrue.He might be even more

distressedtolearnthatallfivehavecometopass.Thechildis from the line of David;powerful men have traveledfromafartoworshiphim;andhis teenage mother, Mary,swears that she is still avirgin,despiteherpregnancy.

Healsodoesnotknowthatthe child’s name is Yeshuaben Joseph—or Jesus,meaning “the Lord issalvation.”Herod first learns about

Jesus from the travelers whohave come to worship thebaby. These men are calledMagi, and they stop at hiscastletopaytheirrespectsenroute to paying homage toJesus. They are astronomers,

diviners, and wise men whoalso study the world’s greatreligious texts. Among thesebooks is the Tanakh,5 acollection of history,prophecy, poetry, and songstellingthestoryoftheJewishpeople. The wealthyforeigners travel almost athousand miles over ruggeddesert, following anextraordinarilybrightstarthatshines in the sky each

morning before dawn.“Where is the one who hasbeen born the king of theJews?”theydemandtoknowupon their arrival in Herod’scourt.“Weseehisstar in theeast and have come toworshiphim.”6Amazingly,theMagicarry

treasure chests filled withgold and the sweet-smellingtree resins myrrh andfrankincense. These priests

are learned, studious men.Theirsisalifeofanalysisandreason. Herod can concludeonly that either theMagi areoutof theirmindsfor riskingthe theft of such a greatfortune in the vast andlawless Parthian desert ortheytrulybelievethischildtobethenewking.A furiousHerod summons

his religious advisers. As asecular man, he knows little

about Jewish prophecies.Herod insists that these highpriests and teachers ofreligious lawtellhimexactlywheretofindthenewking.The answer comes

immediately: “In Bethlehem,inJudea.”The teachers whomHerod

is interrogating are humblemen.Theywearsimplewhitelinencapsand robes.But thebearded Temple priests are a

fardifferentstory.Theydresselaborately,inwhite-and-bluelinen caps with a gold bandon the brow, and blue robesadorned in bright tassels andbells. Over their robes theywear capes and pursesadorned ingoldandpreciousstones.Onanormaldaytheirgarb distinguishes them fromthe people of Jerusalem. Buteven in his dissipated state,KingHerod is themost regal

man in the room by far. Hecontinues to hector theteachers and priests. “Whereis this so-called king of theJews?”“Bethlehem, in the landof

Judah.” They quote verbatimfromthewordsoftheprophetMicah, some seven centuriesearlier.“Outofyouwillcomea ruler who will be theshepherd of my peopleIsrael.”

Herod sends the Magi ontheir way. His parting royaldecree is that they locate theinfant, then return toJerusalem and tell Herod thechild’s precise location sothat he can venture forth toworship this new kinghimself.TheMagi see through this

deceit. They never comeback.Soitisthattimepassesand

Herod realizes he must takeaction. From thewindows ofhisfortresspalace,hecanseeall of Jerusalem. To his leftrises the great Temple, themost important and sacredbuildinginallJudea.Perchedatopamassivestoneplatformthatgivesittheappearanceofacitadel rather thana simpleplaceofworship, theTempleis a physical embodiment ofthe Jewish people and their

ancient faith. The TemplewasfirstbuiltbySolomoninthe tenth century B.C. It wasleveledbytheBabyloniansin586B.C.,andthentheSecondTemple was built byZerubbabel and others underthe Persians nearly seventyyears later. Herod recentlyrenovated the entire complexand expanded the Temple’ssize to epic proportions,making it far larger than that

of Solomon’s. The Templeand its courts are now asymbol not just of Judaismbutoftheevilkinghimself.So it is ironic, as Herod

frets and gazes towardBethlehem,thatJesusandhisparents have already traveledto Jerusalem twice and paidvisits to that great stonefortress, built atop the sitewhere the Jewish patriarchAbrahamnearlysacrificedhis

ownson,Isaac.Thefirstvisitcameeightdaysafter Jesus’sbirth,7 so that he might becircumcised. There the childwasformallynamedJesus,inkeeping with the prophecy.The second visit came whenhe was forty days old. ThebabyJesuswasbroughttotheTemple and formallypresented toGod, in keepingwith the laws of the Jewishfaith. His father, Joseph, a

carpenter,dutifullypurchasedapairofyoungturtledovestobe sacrificed inhonorof thismomentousoccasion.Something very strange

and mystical occurred asJesus and his parents enteredthe Temple on that day—something that hinted thatJesus might truly be a veryspecial child. Two completestrangers, an oldman and anoldwoman—neitherofwhom

knew anything about thisbaby called Jesus or hisfulfillmentofprophecy—sawhimfromacross thecrowdedplaceofworshipandwent tohim.Mary, Joseph, and Jesus

were traveling in completeanonymity,avoidinganythingthat would draw attention tothem. The old man’s namewas Simeon, and he was ofthe belief that he would not

dieuntilhelaideyesuponthenewkingoftheJews.Simeonasked if he might hold thenewborn. Mary and Josephagreed.AsSimeontookJesusinto his arms, he offered aprayer to God, thanking himforthechancetoseethisnewkingwithhisowneyes.ThenSimeonhandedJesusbacktoMarywiththesewords:“Thischild is destined to cause thefalling and rising ofmany in

Israel, and to be a sign thatwillbespokenagainst,sothatthe thoughts of many heartswillberevealed.Andaswordwill pierce your own soul,too.”At that very moment, a

woman named Anna8 alsoapproached. She was aneighty-four-year-oldwidowedprophetess who spent all herwaking hours in the Temple,fastingandpraying.Simeon’s

words were still ringing inMary’s and Joseph’s earswhenAnnasteppedforthandalsopraisedJesus.SheloudlythankedGodforbringingthisveryspecialbabyboyintotheworld.Thenshemadeamostunusual claim, predicting toMary and Joseph that theirson would free JerusalemfromRomanrule.MaryandJosephmarveled

at Simeon’s and Anna’s

words, flattered for theattention as all new parentswould be, but also unsurewhat all this talk aboutswords and redemption trulymeant. They finished theirbusiness and departed fromthe Temple into the bustlingcityofJerusalem,bothelatedand fearful for the life theirsonmightbedestinedtolead.

***

IfonlyHerodhadknownthatJesus had been so close—literally,lessthansixhundredyardsfromhisthroneroom—his torment could have beenrelieved. But Jesus and hisparents were just three morebodies making their waythroughthenoisybazaarsandnarrow, twisting streets enroutetotheTemplethatday.It is a temple that will

stand forever as amonument

to Herod’s greatness—or sohe believes. Ironically, he isbarely welcome inside itswalls,thankstohisutterlackof devotion or faith and hisruthlessness in subjugatingtheJewishpeople.BeyondtheTemple,onthe

farsideoftheKidronValley,rises the steep Mount ofOlives,whereshepherds tendtheir flockson thegrassesofthe limestone-flecked

hillsides.Soonwill come thePassover feast, bringingwithit tens of thousands ofHebrew pilgrims from allaround Herod’s kingdom,eager to pay good money topurchase those sheep for asacrificial slaughter in thegreatTemple.In many ways, the

slaughter of the babies inBethlehem is no different.They are being sacrificed for

the good of Herod’s rule—which is the same as sayingthey are being murdered inthe name of the RomanEmpire. Herod is nothingwithoutRome, a puppetwhooweshiskingdomcompletelytothatbrutalandall-powerfulrepublic. It is his right andduty to propagate itsoppressiveways.ForHerod’skingdomisdifferentfromanyother underRome’s iron fist.

The Jewish people are anancient civilization foundeduponabeliefsystemthatisatodds with Rome’s, whichworships many pagan deitiesinstead of the one solitaryJewishgod.Herod is the intermediary

in this precariousrelationship. The Romanswillholdhimaccountableforany problems caused by anallegednewkingoftheJews.

Theywill not tolerate a rulerthey have not themselveschosen. And if the followersof this new “king” fomentrevolution, it is certain thattheRomanswill immediatelystep in to brutally crush thisvoice of dissent. Better thatHerodhandleithimself.Herod cannot see

Bethlehem from his palace,but it is roughly six milesaway,onthefarsideofsome

lowgreenhills.Hecannotseethe blood flowing in itsstreetsrightnow,norhearthewailsof the terrifiedchildrenand their parents. As Herodgazesoutfromhispalace,hedoes so with a cleanconscience. Let otherscondemn him for murderingmorethanadozeninfants.Hewill sleep well tonight,knowing that the killings arefor thegoodofhis reign, the

good of Judea, and the goodofRome. IfCaesarAugustushearsofthisslaughter,hewillsurely understand: Herod isdoingwhatmustbedone.

***Jesus and his family barelyget out of Bethlehem alive.Joseph awakes from aterrifying dream and has avisionofwhatistocome.HerousesMaryandJesus in the

dead of night and theyescape. Herod’s soldiersarrive too late. They butcherthebabiesinvain,fulfillingaprophecy made five hundredyearsearlierbythecontrarianprophetJeremiah.9There are many more

prophecies about the life ofJesus outlined in Scripture.Slowly but surely, as thischild grows to manhood,those predictions will also

come true. Jesus’s behaviorwill see him branded as arevolutionary, knownthroughout Judea for hisstartlingspeechesandoffbeatteachings. Hewill be adoredbytheJewishpeoplebutwillbecomeathreattothosewhoprofit from the populace: thehigh priests, the scribes, theelders, the puppet rulers ofJudea, and, most of all, theRomanEmpire.

And Rome does nottolerate a threat. Thanks totheexamplesofempiressuchas thoseof theMacedonians,Greeks, and Persians thatcame before them, theRomans have learned andmastered the arts of tortureand persecution.Revolutionaries andtroublemakers are dealt withinharsh andhorrific fashion,in order that otherswon’t be

temptedtocopytheirways.So it will be with Jesus.

This, too, will fulfillprophecy.Allof that is to come.For

now, Jesus is still an infant,cared for and loved byMaryandJoseph.Hewasborninastable, visited by the Magi,presented with their lavishgifts, and is now on the runfrom Herod and the RomanEmpire.10

CHAPTERTWO

ROMEMARCH15,44B.C.11A.M.

Thedictatorwithonehourtolive rides atop the shoulders

of slaves. Julius Caesar sitscomfortably inside his litter,dressed in his usual dapperfashion:aloosebelt,apurplewool toga over a white silktunic, and a wreath of oakleaves atop his head thatattests to his heroism whilealso hiding the bald spot hesodespises.LatelyCaesarhasdeveloped a passion forwearing high red boots, buton this morning his feet are

cladinsandals.He isbarelycontemplating

his upcoming meeting withtheRomanSenate, forwhichhe is already late. Thethoughtsmostonhismindarerumors of a death—his own.But of course Caesar has noideathatthewhisperedgossipofhis impendingdemisewillprovealltootruethistime.

Julius Caesar is the mostpowerfulmanintheworld,somighty that he has not onlychanged the number of daysper year but will soon havethemonthofhisbirthandtheentire calendar renamed afterhimself. Today is theequivalent of Wednesday inthe seven-day Jewish week.ButtheRomansusetheeight-daycycleandgivetheirdays

aletterratherthananame,sotoday is simply “G.” Theyalso believe in giving eachsunriseanumber,sonowitisthefifteenthdayofMartiusinthe year 44 B.C. on Caesar’sbrand-newJuliancalendar.Or,asitisalsoknown,the

Ides of March. And as thegreat Roman orator andlawyer Cicero will soonwrite, “The Ides changedeverything.”

The fifty-five-year-oldDivus Julius—“Julius theGod,” as the Roman Senatewill later proclaim him—isbeing carried through Rome.Thedayiswarmbutnothot,and the people stand back inawe asCaesar passes by.Heisamanofaverageheightbutextraordinary determination,having successfullyconquered, invaded, or alliedRomewithwhatwill laterbe

calledSpain,Britain, France,Egypt, and Italy. Caesar is astudy of conflict in hispersonal life,eating littleanddrinkingevenless,evenashespends money with abandon—such as when hecommissioned theconstruction of a new villa,only to tear it down as soonas it was completed becausehe felt itwasn’t perfect.Andwhile many Roman men are

wary of their sex drives,believing that too much sexwill drain the virility fromtheir bodies, Caesar has nosuch compunction. Calpurniais his third wife, but he hashad many mistresses,including the ambitiousCleopatraofEgypt.

JuliusCaesar

Now, reclined in his litter,the well-muscled warriorstatesman contemplates thesubject of murder—his own.Friends, soothsayers, andevenhisbelovedCalpurnia—whom he first bedded whenhe was forty and she was asixteen-year-oldvirgin—havewarned him that somethingterrible will happen today. It

was Calpurnia who madeCaesarlatethismorning.Lastnight she dreamed in mostvivid fashion that he wouldbe assassinated, and shebegged him not to go to theSenate. Under normalcircumstances, Caesar wouldhaveignoredherforebodings,but in the past few daysinformants have urgentlywarned him about aconspiracy tokillhim.Given

the choice of heeding thosewarnings or ignoring them,Caesar has chosen to brushthem off—and even makelightofthem.“What is the sweetestway

to die?” asked Lepidus,Caesar’ssecondincommand,twonightsearlieroverdinner.“The kind that comes

withoutwarning,”thedictatorshotback.Caesar indulged

Calpurnia’sfearsformuchofthis morning. He even sentword that the Senate bedismissed.But thenDecimusBrutus,thegreatgeneralwhohad crushed the Venetianfleet during the GallicWars,arrivedatCaesar’shomeandpleaded with him to ignoreCalpurnia’s nightmares. Hereminded Caesar of hisimpendingjourneytoParthia,the landwestofJudeawhere

Rome’s legions had sufferedone of their most bruisingdefeats at the Battle ofCarrhae nearly ten yearsearlier. Caesar’s aim is tosubjugatetheParthians—whohail from the mountainousdeserts of the modern-dayMiddle East—and continuethe expansion of Rome’sglobalempire.

The scheduleddeparture isMarch 18, just three daysaway. Caesar could be gonefor months, perhaps a year.So it’s urgent that he meetwith the Senate and clear upany unfinished business.Brutus also hints that theremight be a nice surpriseawaiting Caesar. A monthago the nine hundredmembersoftheSenatenamed

Caesar dictator for life.NowBrutus is intimating that theymightalsonameCaesarkingthismorning,meaningthathewillbecomethefirstmonarchRome has known in almostfivehundredyears.ThecitizensofRomehave

enjoyeda republiceversinceLucius Tarquinius Superbuswas overthrown in 509 B.C.,and they are so averse to theidea of an absolute ruler that

the Latin word for “king,”rex, is considered repugnant.But as Caesar draws closerandclosertohismeetingwiththeSenate,heissurethatthepeople feel differently abouthim. He has long beendevoted to keeping themasseshappy.Onewaytodothis is by ensuring thatpopular entertainment isavailable to one and all,distracting them from any

issues theymight have abouttheirgovernment.Rightnow,for instance,asCaesar’spathto theSenate takeshim fromhis home on the Via Sacraand out beyond thepomerium, Rome’s sacredboundary, he can hear theroar of the crowds in theTheater of Pompey’s grandarenaastheygather towatcha blood-soaked gladiatorialbattle.

The Theater of Pompeywasbuiltby,andnamedafter,Caesar’s greatest rival. Theeleven-year-old columnedstructureismadeofstoneandconcrete, unlike the woodentheatersthathavelongbeenastapleofRoman life. It is anenormous and complexworkof architecture—somonumental, in fact, that intheentireseven-hundred-yearhistory of Rome, there has

never been a larger or moreelaborate entertainmentvenue.Onehalf iscomprisedoftheD-shapedamphitheaterwherepopularentertainmentssuchasplaysandgladiatorialcompetitions take place.Mock battles with elephantshave been staged there, aswell as very real combatbetweenlionsandmen.The garden area features

lavish flower beds and

arcades decorated withfountains and statuary and ispartially covered to allowpeople escape from the rainor sun. Still another portionof this “theater” is the cooland quiet marble-flooredgreat hall, where the RomanSenate meets. Caesar couldhave changed the facility’stitle after Pompey’sexecution,butdemeaninghisrival’s memory would have

served no useful politicalpurpose. So it is thatPompey’s name still adornsthismagnificentstructureandthat a giant marble statue ofthe fallen general watchesover the portico of the greathall, as if listening in oneverything the Senate has tosay.The people of Rome

joyfully mob Caesar’s litteras the slaves carry him

toward the Campus Martius,anopenplainalongtheTiberRiver where Roman legionsassemblebeforemarchingoffto war. Once, to ensure hispopularitywith those armies,Caesar gave each soldier hisown personal slave, takenfrom the ranks of the Gaulsthey had just defeated inbattle. The legionaries havenever forgotten that gift andcontinue to reciprocate by

showing Caesar theirunconditional support. So,unlikemany rulers,Caesar isquite sure of his personalsafety. He has evenreassigned the two thousandsoldiers who once served ashis personal guards and isunafraid to walk freelythrough the streets of Rome,so that one and all can seethat he is not a tyrant. “Iwouldratherdie,”Caesarhas

noted,“thanbefeared.”Asthejourneycomestoan

end at Pompey’s theater,Caesarspiesafamiliarfaceinthe crowd. “The day whichyou warned me against ishere,” Caesar calls out toSpurinna, the fortune-tellerwho was bold enough topredict that a terrible fatewould befall the empire’sleader on this very day.Spurinna divined this

knowledge by studying therawliversofsacrificedsheepand chickens. The goddessVenus Genetrix is Caesar’spersonal deity, and he hasdedicated a large temple inher honor, but on thismorningCaesarhas littleusefor religion or superstition.He wears a confident smileonhisface—butitisonethatquickly vanishes whenSpurinnaoffershisreply.

“Yes,” the Etruscanharuspex shouts over theclamorof the loyalpeopleofRome, who now press inaround Caesar’s litter.Spurinna is quite sure of hisprediction and not at allfearful of being reprimandedfor what he is about to say.“It is here, but it is not yetgone.”Caesar hears those words

but does not respond.

Gathering his purple toga tohisbodywithhisleftarm,hestepsfromhislitter,hopingtosoonbecomekingofRome.

***But there will be nocoronation.Instead,ateamofassassins waits for Caesarinside the Senate. Thesekillers are not soldiers orangry citizens but self-styled“Liberators” comprised of

dozens of Caesar’s closestfriendsandtrustedallies,menof regal bearing andupbringing whom he trustscompletely and with whomhe has shared many a mealandbattlefieldvictory.Theserogue senators are uneasyabout Caesar’s ever-growingpower and his desire to beking. Such a promotionwould ensure not onlyCaesar’sauthorityforlifebut

also that it be passed downthroughhiswilltotheheirofhis choice. That Caesarpublicly refused a crownwhen his good friend MarcAntonyrecentlytriedtoplaceone upon his head does notappease them. With thesethoughts, alongwith naggingdoubts that they might nothave the guts to followthroughontheirassassinationplan, the rebel senators have

waited in their Senate seatsall morning, freshlysharpened pugionesconcealed beneath the thickfoldsoftheirtogas.The Liberators are in the

minority—just sixty menamong nine hundred—and ifthey lose theirnerve, there isevery chance they will beimprisoned, executed, orexiled.Caesarisknowntobea benevolent man, but he is

also quick to exact revenge,such as the time he orderedthe crucifixion of a band ofpirates who had kidnappedhim. “Benevolent” in thatinstance meant executionersdragging the razor-like steelof a pugio across eachpirate’s windpipe beforenailing him to the cross, sothat his death might bequicker.Someof thesenators,such

as general and statesmanDecimus Junius BrutusAlbinus,havefoughtinbattleand arewell acquaintedwiththe act of killing. Brutus, asheisknown,wastheonesenttoCaesar’shometo lurehimto the Senate when itappeared he might not showup this morning. It wasCaesarwho namedBrutus tothe position of praetor, ormagistrate. But Brutus’s

familyhasa longtraditionofrejectingtyrants,beginningin509 B.C. with Junius Brutus,the man credited withoverthrowing TarquiniusSuperbus and ending theRomanmonarchy.Thatactofrebellionwasascold-bloodedas the murder the LiberatorshaveplannedforCaesar.Othersenators,suchas the

heavy-drinkingLuciusTilliusCimber and his ally Publius

ServiliusCascaLongus,havethesoftanduncallusedhandsof elected officials.Wieldingakillingbladewill be a newsensationforthem.Murdering Caesar is the

boldest—andmostdangerous—of ideas. He is not likeother men. In fact, he hasbecome the greatest livingsymbolofRomanpowerandaggression. Caesar has socompletely consolidated his

hold on Roman politics thatthe only likely outcome ofthis murder will be anarchy,and perhaps even the end oftheRomanRepublic.

***This is hardly the first timesomeone has wanted JuliusCaesardead.Theonemillioninhabitants of the city ofRome are reactive andunpredictable. Caesar is

known by everyone andadmired by most. Since theageoffifteen,whenhisfathersuddenly died while puttingon his shoes one morning,Caesar has endured onechallenge after another inorder to make himself asuccess.Buteachcontesthasmade him stronger, andwitheach hard-won triumph hislegend—and his power—hasgrown.

Butintermsofsheerglory,legend, and impact, nomoment will ever match themorning of January 10, 49B.C. Caesar is a great generalnow, a fifty-year-old manwho has spent much of thelast decade in Gaul,conquering the local tribesand getting very rich in theprocess. It isdusk.Hestandsonthenorthsideofaswollen,half-frozen river known as

the Rubicon. Behind himstand the four thousandheavilyarmedsoldiersof theLegioXIIIGemina, a battle-hardened group that hasservedunderhim for the lastnineyears.Romeis260milesduesouth.TheRubiconisthedividing line betweenCisalpineGaulandItaly—or,more germane to Caesar’scurrent situation, betweenfreedomandtreason.

ThepopulationofGaulhasbeen devastated by Caesar’swars. Of the four millionpeople who inhabited theregion stretching from theAlps to the Atlantic, onemillion have been killed inbattle and another milliontaken into slavery. Aftercapturing Uxellodunum, atown along the DordogneRiver near modern-dayVayrac, Caesar cut off the

hands of every man who’dfought against him. Andduring his epic siege ofAlesia, in the hills nearwhatis now called Dijon, hesurrounded the fortress withsixty thousandmen and ninemiles of fierce fortifications.Allthiscouldbeviewedfromabove, from tall towerserected by Caesar’sengineers, allowing theRomanarcherstorainarrows

downontheenemyforces.Inorder to break out of thebesieged town, the trappedGauls would have to find awaythroughthiskillingzone.When food began running

out, the Gauls, under thelegendary generalVercingetorix, allowed theirwomen and children to exitthe city so that the Romansmightfeedthem.Thiswasanactofdubiouskindness,forit

likelymeantalifeofslavery,but it was better than lettingthem starve to death insidethe city. However, Caesarwould not allow theseinnocents to cross over intothe Roman lines. As theirhusbands and fathers lookedonfromwithinthecitywalls,unable to invite them backinside for lack of food, thewomen and childrenremained stuck in the no-

man’s-land between armies,wheretheylivedongrassanddew until they slowlyperished from starvation andthirst. Adding insult, Caesarrefused to allow their bodiestobecollectedforburial.But Caesar’s greatest

atrocity—and the one forwhich his enemies in theRoman Senate have nowdemanded that he stand trialas a war criminal—was

committed against theGermanic Usipetes andTenchtheri tribes in 55 B.C.These hostile invaders hadslowly begun moving acrossthe Rhine River into Gaul,and itwas believed that theywould soon turn theirattentionssouth,towardItaly.FromApriltoJuneof55B.C.,Caesar’s army traveled fromits winter base in Normandytowheremaraudingelements

of the Germanic tribes werealigning themselves withGauls against Rome. These“tribes” were not smallnomadic communities but aninvading force with apopulation half the size ofRome’s, numbering almostfive hundred thousandsoldiers, women, children,andcampfollowers.Hearing of Caesar’s

approach, the Germans sent

forthambassadorstobrokerapeace treaty. Caesar refused,telling them to turn aroundandgobackacrosstheRhine.TheGermanspretendedtogoalongwithCaesar’sdemands,but a few days later theyreneged on their word andlaunchedasurpriseattack.AsCaesar’s cavalry wateredtheir horses along what isnow the Niers River, eighthundred German horsemen

galloped directly towardthem,with intent tokill.TheGerman tacticswere peculiar—and terrifying. Rather thanwagebattleatoptheirmounts,they leapt from their horsesandusedtheirshortspearsorbattle swords to slit open thebellies of the Roman steeds,killing the animals, andsending the now foot-boundlegionsfleeinginpanic.Caesar considered the

attack an act of duplicitybecauseitcameduringatimeof truce. “After having suedforpeacebywayofstratagemandtreachery,”hewouldlaterwrite, “they had made warwithout provocation.” In adramatic show of force,Caesar launched acounterattack of his own.Placing his disgraced cavalryat the rear of his force, heordered the legions to trot

double-timetheeightmilestothe German camp. This timeit was the Romans who hadtheelementofsurprise.ThoseGermans who stood theirground were slaughtered,while those who tried to runwere hunted down by thedisgraced Roman cavalry,who were bent on provingtheirworthoncemore.SomeGermansmadeitasfarastheRhine but then drowned

while trying to swim thehundredsofyardstotheotherside.But Caesar didn’t stop

there.Hismenroundedupallremaining members of theGerman tribes and butcheredthem—old men and women,wives, teenagers, children,and toddlers—yielding akillingratioofeightGermansforeachlegionary.Generally,the Roman soldiers are

educated men. They canrecite poetry and enjoy agood witticism. Many havewives and children of theirownandcouldneverimaginesuch barbarous cruelty beingvisited on those they love.But they are legionaries,trained and disciplined to doastheyaretold.Sotheyusedthe steel of their blades andthe sharpened tips of theirspears to pierce body after

bodyafterbody, ignoring thescreams of terrified childrenand the wails and pleas formercy.Caesar’s revenge began as

anactofwarbutsoonturnedintoagenocide thatkilledanestimated 430,000 people.And just to show theGermans living on the otherside of the Rhine that hisarmies could go anywhereand do anything, Caesar

orderedhisengineerstobuilda bridge across thatpreviously impregnable river.This they accomplished injust ten short days. Caesarthen crossed the Rhine andlaunched a brief series ofattacks, then withdrew anddestroyedthebridge.

Romeisaviciousrepublicand gives no quarter to itsenemies. But these brutaloffensesweretoomuch,evenfor the heartless RomanleadershipintheSenate,whocalled for Caesar’s arrest.Cato, a statesman renownednot just for his oratory butalsoforhislong-runningfeudwith Caesar, suggested thegeneral be executed and his

head given on a spike to thedefeated Germans. Thecharges against Caesar werecertainly not without merit.But they stemmed as muchfrompolitical rivalryas fromtheslaughteron thebanksofthe Rhine. One thing,however, is clear: Caesar’senemieswantedhimdead.

***In 49 B.C., nearly six years

after that massacre, Gaul iscompletely conquered. It istime for Caesar to returnhome, where he will finallystand trial for his actions.He’sbeenordered todismisshis army before setting footintoItaly.This is Roman law. All

returning generals arerequired to disband theirtroops before crossing theboundaryoftheirprovince,in

this case the Rubicon River.This signals that they arereturning home in peacerather than in the hopes ofattempting a coup d’état.Failure to disband the troopsisconsideredanactofwar.ButCaesarpreferswar.He

decides to cross the Rubiconon his own terms. JuliusCaesar is fifty years old andin the prime of his life. Hehas spent the entire day of

January 10 delaying thismoment, because if he fails,hewillnotlivetoseethedaysix months hence when hewill turn fifty-one.While histroopsplaydice,sharpentheirweapons,andotherwisetrytostaywarmunderapalewintersun, Caesar takes a leisurelybath and drinks a glass ofwine.Thesearetheactionsofamanwhoknowshemaynotenjoy such creature comforts

for some time tocome.Theyare also the behavior ofmandelayingtheinevitable.But Caesar has good

reason to hesitate. Pompeythe Great, his former ally,brother-in-law,andbuilderofRome’s largest theater, iswaiting inRome.TheSenatehasentrustedthefutureoftheRepublic to Pompey andorderedhimtostopCaesaratall costs. Julius Caesar, in

effect, is about to begin acivil war. This is as muchabout Caesar and Pompey asit is aboutCaesar andRome.Tothewinnergoescontrolofthe Roman Republic. To theloser,acertaindeath.Caesar surveys his troops.

ThemenofLegioXIII standin loose formation, awaitinghis signal. Each carriesalmost seventy pounds ofgearonhisback,frombedroll

to cookingpot to threedays’supply of grain.On this coldwinter evening, they wearleather boots and leggingsand cloaks over theirshoulders to keep out thechill.Theywilltravelonfoot,wearing bronze helmets andchainmail shirts. All protectthemselves with a curvedshieldmadeofwood,canvas,and leather, along with twojavelins—onelightweight,the

other heavier and deadlier.They are also armed withdouble-edged “Spanishswords,” which hang fromscabbards on their thickleatherbelts,andtherequisitepugiones. Some men arekitted out with slingshots,whileothersaredesignatedasarchers.Their faces are linedandweathered from years ofsunandwind,andmanybearthe puckered scars from

where an enemy spearplunged into their bodies orthe long purple scar tissuefrom the slash of an enemysword cutting into biceps orshoulder. They are young,mostly between seventeenandtwenty-threeyearsofage,but there are some salt-and-pepper beards among them,for any male Roman citizenas old as forty-six can beconscripted into the legions.

Young or old, they haveendured the rugged physicaltraining that makes thestamina of legionarieslegendary. New recruitsmarch for hours wearing aforty-five-poundpack,all thewhile maintainingcomplicated formations suchas thewedge, hollow square,circle, and testudo, or“tortoise.” And all Romanlegionariesmustlearnhowto

swim, just in case battleforces them to cross a river.Anymomentoffailureduringthis rigorous training meansthe sharp thwack of asuperior’s staff across one’sback.Once a conscript’s four

months of basic training arefinished, rigorousconditioning and drillingremain part of his daily life.Three marches of more than

twenty miles in length whilewearing a heavy pack arerequiredfromeverymaneachmonth.When the long milesin formation are done, thelegionary’sunitisrequiredtobuild a fortified camp,complete with earthenrampartsandtrenches.So it is that the tough,

loyal,muscledmen of LegioXIII are drilled in the art ofbattle strategy, intuitively

able to exploit an enemy’sstrengths and weaknesses,and proficient in everyweaponoftheirera.Theyliveoff the land, pooling theirsupplies of grain and anymeat they can forage. Theyhave built roads and bridges,delivered mail, collectedtaxes, served as police,endured the deep winters ofGaul, known the concussivesting of a slingshot-hurled

rock bouncing off theirhelmets, and evenplayed therole of executioner, drivingnails through the hands andfeet of escaped slaves anddeserters from their ownranks who have beencaptured and condemned tocrucifixion.Theoldestamongthem can remember theuprising of 71 B.C., whenseventhousandslaves,ledbya rebel named Spartacus,

revolted, were captured, andwere crucified in a 240-mileline of crosses that stretchedalmost all the way fromNaplestoRome.It isCaesar towhomthese

men have sworn theirallegiance. They admire howhe leads by example, that heendures the same hardshipsand deprivations during acampaign that they do. Heprefers to walk among the

“comrades,” as he calls histroops, rather than ride ahorse. Caesar is also wellknown throughout the ranksfor his habit of rewardingloyalty and for his charisma.Hismenproudlyboastof themany women he has hadthroughout Gaul, Spain, andBritain, and they even makefun of his thinning hair bysingingsongsabout“ourbaldwhoremonger.” Likewise,

Caesar gives his legions freerein to chase women andgamble when they are offduty. “My men fight just aswell when they are stinkingofperfume,”hesays.

CaesarcrossingtheRubicon

But in the end, thelegionaries fight, first andforemost, for one another.They have trained together,cooked meals together, sleptin the same cramped leathertents,andwalkedhundredsofmiles side by side. Nothought is more unbearablethan letting down theircommilito (“fellow soldier”)

on the field of battle. Theycall one another frater(“brother”), and the highesthonora legionarycanearn isthe wreath of oak leavesknown as the corona civica,awarded to those who risktheir lives to save a fallencomrade. That Julius Caesarwears such a crown istestimony to his soldiers thattheir commander is not amere figurehead, but a man

who can be trusted to wagewar with courage anddistinction.Butwhile it isCaesarwho

will lead the legion intobattle, it ishismenwhowillengage the enemy. Theirs isnot a compassionateprofession, and these are notcompassionatemen.Theyarelegionaries,taskedwithdoingthe hard, ongoing work ofkeeping Rome the greatest

powerintheworld.In the growing darkness,

Caesar now addresses hisarmy, reminding them of thesignificance of crossing fromonesideoftheRubicontotheother. “We may still drawback,” he tells them, thoughall within earshot know thatthe moment for retreat haslong since passed. “But onceacross that little bridge, weshallhavetofightitout.”

Legio XIII is not Caesar’sfavorite—that would be theTenth. But, like his othertroops, thosesoldiersarestillscattered throughout Gaul.Waiting for themwould ruinhis plans for a lightning-fastmarch straight into the heartofRome.Julius Caesar may be

nervous as the temperaturecontinues to drop and menshiver in the dampness, but

any fear is offset by theawareness that each andeverysoldierinLegioXIIIisakillingmachine.Problemis,soarethemen

they will be fighting. CaesarisabouttopitRomanagainstRoman, legionary againstlegionary, frater againstfrater.Thetimehascome.Caesar

stands alone, gazing over totheothersideoftheRubicon.

Hisofficershuddleafewfeetaway, awaiting his orders.Torches light their faces andthoseofLegioXIII.“Alea iacta est,” Caesar

says to no one in particular,quotingalinefromtheGreekplaywright Menander: “Thedieiscast.”

CaesarandhislegioncrossintoItaly.

***What follows is not just aRomancivilwar,butalsothefirstworldwarinhistory.Theentire Mediterranean rimsoonbecomesabattleground,its plains and deserts filledwith legionaries, its seasbrimming with warships

conveying these men fromone land to another. Thefighting is brutal, often handto hand. The fate awaitingprisonersofwaristortureanddeath, leading many tocommitsuicidewhenabattlehas been lost rather thansubmit to the victors. Caesartakes Rome within twomonths, only to find itabandoned.Merely capturingRomeisnotenough.Hemust

have total victory. Pompeyhas fled, and Caesar giveschase across theMediterranean,toEgypt.As he wades ashore to

meet with Ptolemy XIII, theteenage king of Egypt,Pompey—the great general,architect, builder, andprodigious lover who wasmarried five times, and whowas three times given theprivilegeofridingintriumph

through the streets of Romeafter epic battlefieldconquests in his youth—isstabbedthroughthebackwitha sword, and then stabbedseveral more times for goodmeasure. Not wanting hismurderers to see hisexpression at the momentdeath arrives, Pompey pullsthe hem of his toga up overhis face. His murderersquickly cut off his head, and

leave his corpse on the sandto be picked apart byshorebirds. Thinking it willplease Julius Caesar, theEgyptians bring himPompey’s severed skull. ButCaesar is devastated. Heweeps,andthendemandsthatthe rest of the body beretrieved so that it might begivenaproperRomanburial.But Pompey’s murder is

nottheendofthewar,forhis

outragedalliesandsonssoontakeuphiscause.In theend,Caesarwillwin thecivilwarand take control of theRomanRepublic,muchtothejoy of its common citizens,who revere him. Yet fouryears of conflict will passbeforethatdayarrives.Inthemeantime, Julius Caesar willcommand his legions inlocales ranging fromPharsalus, in central Greece;

toThapsus,inTunisia;totheplains of Munda, in present-day southern Spain,1 and hislegendwillonlygrowlarger.Caesar’s conquests,

however, are not only on thebattlefield.

***Theyearis48B.C.AcivilwaristakingplaceinEgyptatthesame timeas thecivilwar inRome. On one side is the

twenty-one-year-oldCleopatra.Ontheotherisherthirteen-year-old brother,Ptolemy XIII, who is beingadvised by a connivingeunuch named Potheinos.Ptolemy has succeeded indriving Cleopatra from herpalaceintheseasidecapitalatAlexandria. The troubles inItaly then intervene whenCaesar chases Pompey toAlexandria. It is Potheinos,

thinking to ally himself withCaesar, who has Pompeybeheaded on the Egyptianbeach justmoments after theRoman is assassinated whilecoming ashore to alignhimself strategically withPtolemyXIII.ButCaesar isdisgustedby

Potheinos’sbarbarousact,forhe had planned to be lenienttoward Pompey. “What gavehim the most pleasure,” the

eminent historian PlutarchwillonedaywriteofCaesar,“was that he was so oftenable to save the lives offellow citizens who hadfoughtagainsthim.”Caesarmoves intoEgypt’s

royal palace for the timebeing. But he fears thatPotheinos will attempt toassassinate him, so he staysup latemost nights, afraid togo to sleep. One such

evening,Caesar retires to hisquarters. He hears a noise atthe door. But rather thanPotheinos or some otherassassin, a young womanwalks into the roomalone. Itis Cleopatra, though he doesnot yet know that. She hasslipped into the palacethroughawaterfrontentranceand navigated its stonecorridors without beingnoticed.Herhairandfaceare

covered, and her body iswrapped in a thick darkmantle. Beguiled, Caesarwaits for this stranger torevealherself.Slowly and seductively,

Cleopatra shows her face,withherfulllipsandaquilinenose. She then lets her wrapdrop to the marble floor,revealing that she is wearingnothing but a sheer linenrobe.Caesar’sdarkeyeslook

herbodyupanddown,forhecan now clearly see muchmore than the outline ofCleopatra’s smallbreasts andtheswayofherhips.Thelustbetween them is not one-sided. In that moment ofrevealing, one historian willwrite of Cleopatra, “herdesire grew greater than ithadbeenbefore.”Cleopatra knows well the

power of seduction, and she

is about to bestow uponCaesarhermostpreciousgift—intending, of course, togain a great political reward.The bold gambit pays offimmediately. That night, sheand Caesar begin one of themost passionate love affairsin history, a political andromantic entanglement thatwill have long-lasting effectson the entire world. Beforethemorningsunrises,Caesar

decides to place Cleopatraback on the Egyptian throne—just as she had hoped. ForCaesar, thismeanshe isnowaligned with a woman whoowes her reign to the legacyof Alexander the Great, theomnipotent Macedonianconquerorhesoadmires.Theconfluence of his growingdynasty and Cleopatra’s is apowerful aphrodisiac. TheyspeaktoeachotherinGreek,

although Cleopatra is said tobe fluent in asmany as ninetongues. Each is disciplined,sharp-witted,andcharismatic.Their subjects consider thembenevolentandjust,andbothcan hypnotize a crowd withtheir oratorical skills.Cleopatra and Egypt needCaesar’s military might,whileCaesarandRomeneedEgypt’s natural resources,particularly her abundant

grain crops. It could be saidthat Caesar and Cleopatramaketheperfectcouple,wereit not for the fact that JuliusCaesarisalreadymarried.

Cleopatra,paramourofCaesarand,later,MarcAntony

Not that this has stoppedCaesarinthepast.Hehashadthree wives, one of whomdied in childbirth, anotherwhom he divorced for beingunfaithful, and nowCalpurnia.Hesleepswiththewives of friends, oftenthereby gleaning informationaboutcolleagues.Theloveofhis life is ServiliaCaepionis,

mother of the treacherousMarcus Junius Brutus—whom many believe to beCaesar’sillegitimateson.But Caesar’s most

notorious affairwas notwitha woman. It is widelyrumoredthat,inhisyouth,hehad a yearlong affair withKing Nicomedes IV ofBithynia.2 The sneeringnickname “Queen ofBithynia” still follows

Caesar.Lacking from Caesar’s

many dalliances has been anheir. The number of hisbastard offspring scatteredthroughoutGaulandSpainislegendary, but he had onlyone legitimate child, Julia—who, ironically, marriedCaesar’s rival Pompey—andshe has long since died inchildbirth. Calpurnia,Caesar’s current wife, has

been unable to give him achild.Cleopatra gives birth to a

son on June 23, 47 B.C. Shenames him PhilopatorPhilometor Caesar—orCaesarion for short. A yearlater, Cleopatra travels toRome, where she and thechildliveasaguestofCaesarand Calpurnia’s at Caesar’sTrasteverevilla.WhenCaesaris forced to return to war,

Cleopatra and the childremain behind withCalpurnia, who, notsurprisingly, despises theEgyptianwoman.ButCaesarhas ordered her to stay inRome, even as rumors swirlthroughout thecityaboutherand Caesar possibly gettingmarried one day. Caesar hasnothelpedmattersbyhavingastatueofanakedCleopatraerected in the Temple of

Venus, portraying her as agoddessoflove.For reasonsknownonly to

him,CaesarallowsCaesariontousehisnamebutrefusestoselecthimasheir.Instead,hiswillstatesthatuponhisdeathhis nephew Octavian willbecome his adopted son andlegalheir.Cleopatra is a shrewd and

ruthless woman. She knowsthatshewill loseherholdon

Egyptshouldher relationshipwith Caesar end. She hasquietly begun to plot abetrayal—an Egyptianoverthrow of Rome. It alldependsonCaesarion’sbeingnamed Julius Caesar’srightful heir and successor—and that means somehowgetting Caesar to change hiswill.Or maybe there is another

way:shouldCaesarbenamed

kingofRome,hewillneedaqueen of royal birth toconsummate a true royalmarriage.SoCleopatra’splanis simple: continue pushingCaesartoacceptthecrownofkingofRome.Thentheywillmarry, and her son will ruleas legal heir when Caesardies.Everything seems to be

going Cleopatra’s way. It’sclear that theSenate is about

tonameCaesarasking.Thiswill all but ensure theirmarriage and the removal ofOctavian as a threat toCaesarion’seventualclaimtothethronesofbothEgyptandRome.Caesar, the master

statesman, is beingoutmaneuvered by a womanless than half his age, andwithnoarmyatherdisposal.Thousands ofmen have died

inRome’scivilwar,allinanattempttocontrol theRomanRepublic.ButCleopatraisonthe verge of accomplishingthe same feat solely throughseduction.It’s all so brilliant. So

perfect. Then, of course,comestheIdesofMarch.Notonly will there not be aRomanRepublic by the timethe battle for successioncomes to an end, but there

willnolongerbeaCaesarion,either.Nor, for that matter, will

therebeaCleopatra.

***The“friend”whohassteppedforward to engage JuliusCaesar in conversation as heclimbs down from his litterand enters the SenatechamberisPopiliusLaenas,aman descended from a

centuries-long line oflandowningRomannoblemenknown for their cruelty andtreachery. So, as theconspirators look on from adistance,unable tohearwhatPopilius is saying, they arejustifiably worried. Onlymomentsbefore,Popiliushadwished Marcus Brutus goodluck in the conspiracy, butperhaps that was all a ruse.The Liberators can see that

his conversation with Caesaris earnest and friendly. TheirstomachschurnwithfearthatPopilius is informing Caesarof theirplot. “Notbeingableto hear what he said, butguessing bywhat themselveswere conscious of … and,looking upon one another,agreed from each other’scountenancesthattheyshouldnot stay to be taken, butshould all kill themselves

[instead of Caesar],” thehistorian Plutarch will writeofthismoment.Popilius ends his

conversation by kissing thehands of Divus Julius andwalking away from theTheater of Pompey. Caesardoesnot seem tobeagitated.Relieved,theysettlebackintotheirseatstoawaithisarrival.ThegreatstatueofPompey

glowers down on Caesar as

he glides into the Senate.Cassius, who, along withBrutus, is the lead assassin,turnstothestatueofPompeyand prays, hoping to invokecouragefromCaesar’sformerenemy.The entire Senate rises as

Caesar enters the chamber.They have been conductingstatebusinessallmorningandnow watch as he takes hisseat in a gilded throne.

Almost immediately, a largegroup of them walk towardCaesar, led byLuciusTilliusCimber. There is nothingominousintheirbehavior,forit is common for senators toapproach Caesar withpersonal petitions—and,indeed,CaesarcanclearlyseethescrollTilliusholdsinonehand, but not the dagger heclutchesintheother.It is easy enough for

Caesar to guess what Tilliuswants. The brother of theveteransenatorhasbeensentinto exile, and the petition ismost likely a request for apardon.Thegroupof senatorsmill

around Caesar’s chair, theirnumbers growing by thesecond,untilheisringedbyasmall mob. They lean downto offer kisses of respect onhisheadandchest,whichhas

the effect of pressing thedictator even farther downintohisseat.Caesar grows furious at

their aggressivebehavior andrisesviolentlytohisfeet.

ThemurderofJuliusCaesar

This is the moment theassassins have been waitingfor. Tillius grabs the top ofCaesar’srobeandwrenchesitdown past his shoulders,pinningthedictator’sarmstohis sides. At the same time,the Liberator named PubliusServilius Casca Longus—“Casca”—plunges his daggerinto Caesar’s shoulder. Thethrust is feeble, and thewounddrawslittleblood,but

thesuddenflashofpainasheis stabbed makes Caesar cryout. “Villain Casca,” Caesarsays in Latin while firmlygrabbing the handle ofCasca’sdagger,“whatdoyoudo?”As he turns to face his

attacker,Caesar sees not oneknife, but sixty.He feels notone stab wound, but dozens.Each of the senators haspulled a pugio from beneath

histoga.Caesarseesthefacesof enemies, but even morefaces are those of friends,including Decimus Brutusand that of another Brutus—Marcus, the arrogant forty-one-year-old Stoic who isalso rumored to be Caesar’sson. The conspirators thrusttheir sharpened blades intothe defenseless Caesar,hacking at him again andagain. Such is the depth of

their frenzy thatmanyof thesenators mistakenly stab oneanother, and all are sooncoveredinblood.Meanwhile, Caesar

attemptstofightback.But then Marcus Brutus

delivers the killing blow.Instead of aiming for theheartorthegreatarteryoftheneck, thebastard sonMarcusthrusts his blade deep intoCaesar’sgroin.It isanactof

murder, but also an act ofemasculation, meant tohumiliatethemanwhowouldnotclaimMarcusashisown.Blood drenches Caesar’stunic, flowing down the paleskin of his bare legs as hecollapses back onto thethrone.“You, too, my boy?”

Caesar says despairingly,staringatMarcus.Notwantinganyone tosee

thedeathmaskthatwillsooncross his face, Caesar pullsthefringeofhistogaupoverhis head. A great pool ofbloodoozesacrossthemarblefloor as Caesar’s limp bodyslides from his throne andcomes to rest at the foot ofPompey’sstatue.Head covered, death

arrives. Only after he diesdoes Julius Caesar achievethe ultimate power he so

desired, when the RomanSenate posthumously deifieshimasDivusJulius.Julius the God is quite

mortal, as hismurder clearlyshows.

CHAPTERTHREE

PHILIPPI,NORTHERNGREECEOCTOBER23,42B.C.MORNING

Thesonofgodthinkshimselfimmortal.1Heisalsofighting

averybadcold.Gaius Julius Caesar

Octavianus, or Octavian, ashe is also known, has beensick for what seems likeforever. The fact that hisarmy is camped next to anenormous swamp certainlyhasn’t helped matters. Thisyoungmanwho has affectedthe title Divi Filius (“son ofgod”) now pulls his cloaktightly around his shoulders

and intently studies thecloudlessbluesky,hopingforsomegoodnewstooffsetthemisery of his illness. Abovehim,twogoldeneaglesflyintight circles with talonsextended, engaged in midaircombat. The eagle is thesymbolof theRoman legion,and to witness these greatpredators dueling on the eveofhisownbattle issurelyanomen.

But an omen for whom:Octavian or the Liberatorswhokilledhisuncle?Theirtwopowerfularmies,

consistingofmore than threedozen legions and twohundred thousand mencombined, face each otheracross this flat Balkan plain.It is a broad expanse,anchored by low mountainson one side and the vast

swamp behind Octavian onthe other—a terrain bestsuited for either farmingwheat or waging war. Thesmoke from a thousandcooking fires curls into thesky as both sides undertakelast-minute preparations forthebattlethatwillavengethedeath of Julius Caesar, someeight hundred miles distantandtwoyearspastinRome.The scrape of steel blades

on sharpening stones ringsthrough the air. Thelegionaries set aside javelinsand arrows as they choosetheirweapons for today.Thefighting promises to be handto hand and personal. Soinstead of spears, which areless useful in close quarters,the legionaries slip daggersand swords into sheaths.Hundreds of thousands ofhardened legionaries on both

sides of the lines gird theirloins by tucking the hems oftheircloaksintotheirbelts,sothat they won’t trip whileracing into combat. Cavalryhorses stand patiently whilesaddles are thrown acrosstheir bare backs, knowing alltoo well what is about totranspire:mayhem.Octavian’s ally, the hard-

drinking general, pedophile,and statesman Marc Antony,

oversees the preparations,lookingeverybitthewarrior:barrel-chested, gallant inappearance, and blessedwiththethick,muscularthighsthatare his one source of vanity.Unlike Octavian, who willremainbehindincampduringthe fight, Marc Antonyrelishes the prospect ofentering the battlefield andengaging the enemywith thesameferocityashislegions.

CaesarAugustus,firstruleroftheRomanEmpire

Octavian, on the otherhand,isasicklyandpompoustwenty-year-old with a largenose, aweak chin, and high,wide-set cheekbones framedby a mop of short hair andbangs that he compulsivelybrushes to one side. Theadopted son of Caesar doesnot even command his ownmen. He has handed off thatresponsibility to anothermanhis own age, a burly

intellectual with an unlikelypassionforgeographynamedMarcusVipsaniusAgrippa.YetwhatOctavianlacksin

physical strength he morethanmakesupforincunningand audacity. Since learningthat Julius Caesar’s willnamed him the dictator’slegal heir, Octavian hasmisappropriated vast publicsums of money for hispersonal use, raised taxes,

and decreed himself to beDivi Filius. He has ensuredthat the Liberators MarcusBrutus and Cassius, whoselegions stand waiting on theother side of the battlefield,weredeclaredenemiesof thestate. Their property wasconfiscated, and they fledRome for their lives andraisedanarmyinthehopeofreturningtoRomeintriumph.Octavian and Marc Antony

gave chase with their ownlegions, meeting up with theLiberators on this plain fivelongmonthsago.Botharmiescamped here throughout thesummer, building palisadesand other fortifications asthey stared across at oneanother,waiting for this day.It was a miserable time forOctavian, who nursed oneillness after another duringthoselong,coldmonths.

Cassius was the firstcasualty, three weeks ago inthe initial battle between thetwo forces. Fearing thecampaign lost, he committedsuicide rather than subjecthimself to the horrors ofbeing taken prisoner. Thecautionary tale of MarcusLicinius Crassus, a formergeneral serving alongsideJulius Caesar, would havemade any man think twice

about surrender. It wasCrassus who, after beingdefeated by the Parthians atthe Battle of Carrhae in 53B.C., was killed by havingmoltengoldpoureddownhisthroat.2So Cassius fell upon his

sword, thinking all was lost.ButtheLiberatorwaswrong.Shortly after he committedsuicide, his legions reversedtheflowofthebattleandwon

theday.Octavian also nearly died

thatafternoon.Hislineswereoverrun during Cassius’scounterattack, and the youngleaderescapedonlybyhidingin a swamp while Cassius’slegionaries plunderedOctavian’s camp beforereturning to their lines.Disgraced by his cowardiceandthathehadallowedmorethan fifteen thousand of his

men to be slain, Octavianremained hidden for threedaysbefore sneakingback tohistent.Now,threeweekslater,the

unmistakable blasts of brasstubae (trumpets) echo fromone side of the plain to theother,asoundthatmakestheheart of every Romanlegionary beat faster, for thisisthecalltobattle.On this morning, the

cowardwillhavehisrevenge.Octavian knows this becausethe fight between the twoeagles has just been decided.The two majestic birds werenot part of an orchestratedritual and fought over thebattlefield only by purechance. But the eagle thatapproached from MarcusBrutus’s side of the lines isnow plummeting to earth,killedby themajesticbirdof

prey that flew into combatfromOctavian’sside.Itisanomen—agoodone.

And like his dead uncleJulius, the Divi Filius is afirmbelieverinomens.

***Eventwoyearsafterthefact,thedeathofJuliusCaesarstillaffects almost every part ofthe world. It can be felt inRome,wherechaoscontinues

toreign,andinEgypt,whereCleopatra has ruthlesslyscrambled to maintain hertoehold on power bymurdering her own brothers.Theshockwavesare slow toreach Judea, but they willsoon be keenly felt in theprovince of Galilee, in thevillage of Nazareth, where abuilder named Jacob israisingasoncalledJoseph.Jacob is a direct

descendant of Abraham, thepatriarch of the Jewish faith,and of David, the greatestking Judea has ever known.Twenty-six generationsseparate Jacob fromAbraham, and at leastfourteen separate him fromDavid. But while Abrahamwas extremely wealthy, andDavid and his son Solomoneven more so, their lineagehasfallenonhardtimes.The

quietandhumblebackdropofNazarethisafarcryfromthegreat kingdoms enjoyed bythosepriorgenerations.Itisavillage of fewer than fourhundred residents and threedozen homes, situated in ahollow formed by the rollinghillsofsouthernGalilee.Thetiny houses3 are built fromthe soft limestone and otherstone that litters the hills.Asa builder, Jacob works with

both foundation stone andoak from nearby forests toconstruct roofs and furniture.When work is scarce inNazareth, there are alwaysjobs to be found in thecosmopolitan city ofSepphoris, just an hour’swalkaway.Likehis fatherbeforehim,

Jacob trains Joseph to followin his footsteps, teaching theboynotonlyhowtobuildbut

alsoothervitalskills,suchaspressing wine and olive oil,terracing a hillside to growthe crops that will feed thefamily, and rerouting thelocal spring as a source ofirrigation.Butmostimportantofall,Jacobraiseshissonupin the Jewish faith. Forthough the Greek, Arab, andRoman cultures have allmade theirmarkonNazarethoverthecenturies,thelineage

ofJacobandtheirdevotiontoa one true God has notchanged since Abrahamwalked the earth twothousandyearsago.Even the great Julius

CaesardidnotattempttoalterJewish tradition. Thecalculating dictator whobelieved in the divinity ofVenusandwhosoughtomensintheentrailsofdeadanimalsrather than through prayer,

was, surprisingly, an ardentsupporter of Judea and theJewish way of life—if onlybecause its location provideda natural buffer betweenSyria and Egypt. Caesarunderstood, as the NaziGermanswouldtwothousandyears later, the importanceofmaintaining an empire byallowinglocalleaderstohavesomemeasureofcontrolovertheirowndestiny.Infact,the

Naziswould one day borrowfrom the basic tenets ofRoman occupation: a localofficial appointed to serve asa puppet ruler, a network ofinformants to flush out anypockets of rebellion, and theappearance that normal lifewasbeingmaintainedinspiteofsubjugation.The death of Caesar has

directly affected thebackwater known as Judea,

even if its citizens do notrealize it. But the Battle ofPhilippi, an epic moment inhistory, will affect the areaeven more. When this battleis over, nothing for the Jewswillbethesameagain.

***The battle is done. Thefighting has been as bloodyand intimate as many hadfeared, with men literally

clawingat theiropponentsasthey struggled tomurder oneanother in hand-to-handfighting. Blood flows fromopenwounds and from thoseawful marks on their bodieswhere men have lost arms,eyes, and hands. Manysoldiers have beenhamstrung, the large backmuscle of their legs flayedopen with a sword’s blade,makingitimpossibleforthem

towalk.Thesemenwilldieaslowdeathonthebattlefield.Thousandsupon thousands

ofdeadbodieslittertheearthbetween mountain andswamp, soon to be pickedclean—first by the hordes ofnearby citizens, who willfleece the dead of any signsof wealth, and then by thegreat buzzards and wolves,whowillenjoyararefeast.Thosealivefromthelosing

army are now in chains butremain defiant. WhenOctavianappears,theyjeerathim, showing grossdisrespect.Thelosinggeneral,Marcus

Brutus, is not among them—hehaspersuadedhisslave tokill himwith the single hardthrust of a two-foot-longsword. Brutus’s headwill becutoffandreturnedtoRome,evenastherestofthebodyis

crematedwhereitfell.Asoneandallknewbefore

that first long blare of thetubae, this day, and thisbattle,will decide the fate oftheRomanRepublic.And it has. That largely

egalitarian institution willsoonbenomore,replacedbya despotic empire. Andthough it will take elevenlong years before he standsatop that kingdom as its

undisputedemperor,Octavianwill know that moment ofglory, just as he knowstoday’s.Hewillreignfor therest of his life, growingcruelerandmorecallouswithevery passing year. And justas Jacob of Nazareth istraining Joseph to follow inhis footsteps, the newemperor will teach hisstepson, Tiberius, to reignwithanironfist,sowhenthe

day comes that he is namedemperor,hewillmaintainhisown ruthless hold on power—brooking no opposition,crushing any rebellion, andflogging, stripping, andpubliclynailingtoacrossanyman who poses a threat toRome.Thatwillincludeahumble

carpenter.But, on this day, another

general walks among the

vanquished and is notdisrespected. Forty-one-year-old Marc Antony stridespurposely through thecarnageasmenonbothsidesadmirehisstrength.OctavianandMarcAntony

are thevictors.Butofcoursetherecanbeonlyonerulerofthis new empire. So, for thenext decade, these two menwill wage a long and bitterwarfortotalcontrolofRome.

The entire world will beaffectedbytheoutcome.

***Thefinalbattletakesplacein31B.C.,inActium,justoffthecoast of Greece. Just beforethe fighting begins, one ofMarc Antony’s top generals,Quintus Dellius, defects toOctavian, bringing Antony’sbattle plans with him. Whenthisleadstothedestructionof

his naval fleet, MarcAntony’s nineteen legionsand twelve thousand cavalrydesert.4 Now hunted andwithout an army, Antonyflees to Egypt with hislongtime lover the once-powerful queen Cleopatra,whochosetoallyherselfwiththe warrior rather thanOctavian. Furious, Octaviangives chase, and MarcAntonykillshimselfwithhis

sword to avoid being takenprisoner, dying in his lover’sarms.Cleopatra soon followshim into death by drinking apoisonous blend of opiumand hemlock.5 She is thirty-nineyearsold.

To ensure he reigns as hisuncle’s undisputed heir,Octavian then orders themurder of Caesarion, JuliusCaesar’s bastard child byCleopatra. The sixteen-year-old Caesarion escapes toIndia but is lured back toEgypt by promises that hewill be named the newpharaoh. This proves to be alie. Octavian’s henchmen

strangle the teenagepretender, putting an end totheschemeCleopatrahatchedwhen she first bedded JuliusCaesarinthosegloriousyearsbefore his assassination. Thedevious cycle is nowcomplete.SoitisthatthenewRoman

Empire is ruled by just oneall-powerful man whobelieveshimselftobethesonof god: Octavian, who will

soonanswertoanewname.AllhailCaesarAugustus.

CHAPTERFOUR

JORDANRIVERVALLEY,JUDEAMARCH22,A.D.7NOON

The child with twenty-threeyearstoliveismissing.

The northeast road out ofJerusalemisdustyandbarren,a desolate path leadingsteeply downhill through thecity to the Jordan River andthe rocky desert of Pereabeyond. There is little shadeandfewplacestotakerefugefrom the sun. Mary andJoseph walk among a longline of pilgrims on theirwayback to Nazareth after thePassover festival in

Jerusalem,a journey theyarerequired by Jewish law tomake each year. The coupleleaves behind a city fardifferent from when Jesuswasborn.KingHerodislongdead, but rather than beingbetter off—he was dementedin his final hours, waving aknifeandorderingthemurderof yet another son—theJewish people are actuallyworseforthetyrant’sdemise.

Intenseriotingfollowedhispassing in March of 4 B.C.,andanarchyreignedoncethepeople of Jerusalem realizedthatHerod’sheirwasaweakand ineffectualversionofhisfather. But Archelaus, as thenew king was known, struckback hard, showing that hecould be as cruel as Herod.The slaughter came duringPassover, the celebration of

the night when the angel ofdeath “passed over” thehousesoftheJewswhiletheywere enslaved in Egyptduring the time of thepharaohs,killingthefirstbornsons of Egyptians instead.The holiday symbolizes thefreedom from slavery thatlater followed, when MosesledthepeopleoutofEgyptinsearch of the homeland thatGodhadpromisedthem.

Passover is a time whenJerusalem is packed withhundreds of thousands ofworshippersfromallovertheworld,soitwashorrificwhenArchelausboldlyassertedhisauthority by ordering hiscavalrytochargetheirhorsesinto the thick crowds fillingthe Temple courts. Wieldingjavelins and long, straightsteel and bronze swords,Archelaus’s Babylonian,

Thracian, and Syrianmercenaries massacred threethousand innocent pilgrims.Mary, Joseph, and Jesus sawthe bloodbath firsthand andwere lucky to escape theTemplewiththeirlives.Theywerealsoeyewitnessestothecrucifixion ofmore than twothousand Jewish rebelsoutsideJerusalem’scitywallswhenRoman soldiersmovedin to quell further revolts. In

defiance of Jewish law,1 thebodies were not taken downand buried, but left to rot orto be devoured bywild dogsand vultures as a symbol ofwhat happens to those whodefytheRomanEmpire.Rome soon inserted itself

completely into Judeanpolitics.2 ByA.D. 6, EmperorCaesar Augustus deemedArchelaus unfit to reign andexiled him to Gaul. Judea is

nowaRomanprovince,ruledbyaprefectsentfromRome.There are still Jewish rulersreigning over other portionsof Herod’s former kingdom,but they are nothing morethan figureheads and carrythe titleof tetrarch insteadofking. A tetrarch is asubordinate ruler in theRoman Empire. The termrefers to “fourths” and thefact that Herod the Great’s

kingdom of Judea was splitinto four unequal parts afterhisdeath.Threeofthosepartswent tohissons,oneeach toHerod and Philip and two toArchelaus.Upon the exile ofArchelaus in A.D. 6, Romesent prefects to be governorsto oversee the land of theJews.Jerusalem is ruled by the

local aristocracy and Templehigh priests, who mete out

justice through the GreatSanhedrin, a court comprisedof seventy-one judges withabsolute authority to enforceJewish religious law—though,inthecaseofadeathsentence, they must get theapproval of the Romangovernor.In this way, Emperor

CaesarAugustusbalancestheneeds of his empire withoutinsulting the Jewish faith.

Nevertheless, he stilldemands completesubmission to his domain, ahumiliation that the Jewshavenochoicebuttoendure.Thisdoesnot,however,meanthey have stopped rebelling.Infact,theirregionisthesiteof more uprisings than anyother part of the mightyRoman Empire, a sprawlingkingdomstretchingthelengthofEurope,acrossthesandsof

Parthia, and spanning almosttheentireMediterranean rim.Theworst rebellionwas in 4B.C.,whenJesuswas justoneyear old. A rebel factionbroke into the great palacefortress in Sepphoris, lootedthe royal armory, distributedits cache of weapons to thecity’s residents, and thenattempted a takeover of thelocal government. Under theorders of Caesar Augustus,

PubliusQuinctiliusVarus,theRoman governor of Syria,ordered his cavalry toslaughter the rebels, burnSepphoris to the ground, andenslave its entire populationof more than eight thousandresidents.The Jewish people have

also begun boycotting thepurchase of all Romanpottery. As passive andunderstatedastheactmaybe,

it serves as a daily reminderthat despite their oppression,the Jews will never allowthemselves to be completelytrampled beneath the heel ofRome.For,while theRomanRepublic kept its distancefrom Judean politics duringthereignofJuliusCaesar,theRomanEmpirerulestheJewsin an increasingly oppressivefashion.For now, the thousands of

observant worshippers fillingthe desolate road spillingdowntotheJordanRivercanforget their gripes and fearsabout the Roman soldiersstationedinthebarracksrightnext to theTemple.Passoveris done. They have beenstoppedatthecitygatetopaythe publican yet another oneof the exorbitant taxes thatmake their lives such astruggle—this time a tax on

goods purchased inJerusalem. Now they areheaded home toGalilee. Thepilgrims march in anenormous caravan to ensureprotection from robbers,kidnappers, and slavers. Alucky few leadadonkey thatcarries their supplies, butmostshouldertheirownfoodand water. Mary and Josephhaven’tseen the twelve-year-oldJesussinceyesterday,but

theyaresureheissomewherein the caravan, walking withfriendsorextendedfamily.This is not the easiest or

shortestwayhome, though itis the safest.Themost directroute means two days’ lesstravel.But it leadsduenorth,through Samaria, a regionnotorious for racial hatredbetween the Samaritans andtheJews,andalongmountainpasses where murderous

bandits give vent to thatprejudice.So the caravan is going

around Samaria, on a paththatcanonlybedescribedastreacherous. There are fewinns or sources of food andwater, and the landscapealternatesbetweendesert andrugged wilderness. But thereis safety in numbers, andMary and Joseph’s fellowtravelersarehardlystrangers,

for they make this journeytogether each year. Themembersof thecaravan lookafter one another and theirfamilies. If a child haswandered away from hisparents at nightfall, he isgiven a place to sleep andthen sent off to find hisparentsinthemorning.Mary and Joseph believe

this is what has become ofJesus. He is a bright and

charismaticchildwhoalwaysgets along well with others,soitwasnosurprisewhenhefailed to sitwith them at thecampfire last night. Theyfully trusted that he wouldturnupinthemorning.Butmorninghascomeand

gone. And as the noon sunlooms high overhead, Maryand Joseph realize that it hasbeen a very long time sincethey’veseenJesus.

Theywalkthelengthofthecaravaninsearchoftheirlostboy,growingmoreandmoreconcerned by the moment,pleadingwithfellowpilgrimsforsomeclueastotheirson’swhereabouts.Butnotasingleperson can remember seeingJesus since the moment theendless column of travelersleftJerusalem.Mary and Joseph realize

that not only have they lost

their child, but in allprobabilitytheyhavelefthimbehind.With no choice, they turn

aroundandmarchbackuptheroad. They will walk all theway to Jerusalemandsubmitonce more to the Romans ifneed be. Nothing mattersmorethanfindingJesus.His destiny must be

fulfilled, even if his worriedparents have no idea how

horrificthatdestinymightbe.

CHAPTERFIVE

JERUSALEMMARCH23,A.D.7AFTERNOON

MaryandJoseph’slongwalkbackintoJerusaleminsearch

of Jesus is finally complete.Now, somewhere among themerchants and soldiers andexotic travelers in thiscrowded, frenetic city, theymustfindhim.Meanwhile, the Son of

God, as Jesus will refer tohimself for the first time onthisveryday,listenswithraptfascination as a group ofJewish scholars sharesinsights about their common

faith. The twelve-year-oldJesus of Nazareth sits in theshadow of the great Temple,on a terrace next to theChamber of Hewn Stone,where the all-powerfulSanhedrin meets. Countlessworshippers recentlyconverged on this very spotduring the Passovercelebration, packing theterraceandthestepsbelowsothat they might hear the

teachings of the sages andTemple priests. Despite thespiritual setting, the Jewswere wary, knowing all thewhile that they were beingclosely watched for signs ofunrest by the Roman troopsofEmperorCaesarAugustus.

JesusteachingintheTemple

Now the pilgrims havebegun their long trek home,andthesoldiershavereturnedtotheirbarracksinthenearbyAntonia Fortress, allowingthe worshippers in thisreligious citadel to resumetheir normal routines ofprayer, fasting, worship,sacrifice,andteaching.Itisarhythm the child has never

before experienced, and heenjoys it immensely. Ifanyone thinks it odd that asmooth-cheeked, simplydressed child from ruralGalilee should be sittingalone among these gray-bearded rabbis, with theirflowing robes andencyclopedic knowledge ofJewish history, they are notsaying.Infact,theoppositeistrue:Jesus’sunderstandingof

complex spiritual conceptshasastonishedthepriestsandteachers. They listen to hiswords as he speaks and treathim like a savant, marvelingto one another about hisamazinggifts.Jesusisquiteawarethathis

parents have already begunthejourneybacktoNazareth.Heisnotaninsensitivechild,but his thirst for knowledgeandhiseagernesstosharehis

insights are so great that itnever crosses his mind thatMary and Joseph will beworried once they discoverhimmissing. Nor does Jesusbelieve that his actionsconstitute an act ofdisobedience.Theneedtodigdeeper into the meaning ofGod overwhelms every otherconsideration.LikeallJewishboys,whenhebeginspubertyhe will go from being

considered a mere boy tobeing thought of as a full-fledged member of thereligiouscommunityandthusaccountable for his actions.But Jesus is different fromotherboyshis age.He isnotcontent merely to learn theoral history of his faith; healso feels a keen desire todebate its nuances andlegends.Sodeep is thisneedthatevennow,dayssincehis

parents departed for home,Jesus is still finding newquestionstoask.

***Meanwhile,MaryandJosephfrantically search the narrowstreets and bazaars of theLowerCity,fearingtheworstfor their boy. Jesus couldhavewanderedawayfromthecaravan and been abducted.Such things happen. Still,

they believe he is inJerusalem, no doubt scaredand lonely and hungry.Perhaps thehighpriestshavetaken pity on him andallowedhimtosleepatnightin theTemple,with itsmanyrooms.Ormaybehehasbeenforced to curl up in an alley,shivering in the coldnighttime air. The mostconfounding thing aboutJesus’s disappearance is how

uncharacteristic it is. He isnormally an extremely well-behavedboyandnot the sorttoworryMaryandJoseph.They enter the Temple

through the southern doorsand then climb the broadstone staircase leading upontotheTempleMount.Theyfindthemselvesstandingonalarge, crowded plaza, wheretheybeginscanningthemanyworshippersforsignsoftheir

lostson.But it’s almost impossible

to know where to look first.TwiceasbigastheForuminRome,theTempleMountisathree-acreplatformwithwallsstretching a quarter mile inlength and looming 450 feetover the Kidron Valleybelow.Herod theGreat builtthe entire structure in justeighteenmonths,atopthesitewhere the former temples of

Solomon and Zerubbabeloncerose.ThemajorityoftheMountisavastopen-airstonecourtyardknownastheCourtoftheGentiles,whichisopentoJewandGentilealike.Andit is here that Mary andJosephnowstand.Seeing no sign of Jesus,

theymovetothecenteroftheMount. There, like a fifteen-story limestone-and-goldisland,risestheTemple.This

is not merely a place ofworship but also a refugefromtherepressionofRomanoccupation, aplacewhereallJews can speak freely andpray to God without fear.Thereareseparatecourtyardsfor men and women, roomsforprieststosleepwhentheyare on duty, stairs andterraces from which thoseprieststeachtheJewishfaith,and altars where sheep,

doves, and heifers aresacrificed. It is the first thingany visitor to Jerusalem seesas he comes up over thesurrounding hills and gazesdownuponthecity.The Temple is surrounded

on four sides by a low wallthat separates it from theCourt of the Gentiles. OnlyJewscancrossfromonesideof thewall to the other. Justin case a Roman soldier or

other Gentile should betempted to step through thegates, a sign reminds themthat they will be killed.FOREIGNERS! reads theinscription, DO NOT ENTERWITHIN THE GRILLE ANDPARTITION SURROUNDING THETEMPLE. HE WHO IS CAUGHTWILL ONLY HAVE HIMSELF TOBLAME FOR HIS DEATH WHICHWILLFOLLOW.Thethreatishollow.AJew

would be executed on the

spot if he dared kill atrespassing legionary. Andfrom time to time, RomanshaveevensenttroopsintotheTemple to assert theirauthority.But the threateningsign does serve one purpose.Thewordsareareminderthatthisisaholy,inviolateplace,built, according to tradition,in the precise location atopMount Moriah whereAbraham almost sacrificed

Isaac, where King Davidchose to build the FirstTemple, and where GodgathereddusttocreateAdam,the first man. There is nomore profound or greatersymbolofJewishbelief.

***MaryandJosephstepthroughthe Temple gate, leaving theCourtof theGentilesbehind.Nowtheirtaskgetsonlymore

frustrating because Jesuscould be inside any of themany rooms within theTemple—or in none. Theypass through the colonnadesof the Eastern Gate and intotheCourt ofWomen.At233feetlongoneachside,ringedbyfourlampstandsrising86feettall,thissquarecourtyardis capable of holding sixthousand worshippers at atime. And at the height of

Passover, just a few daysearlier, there were certainlymany crowded together. Butnow it is empty enough thatMary and Joseph can easilyseethatJesusisnothere.The search becomes a

process of elimination. Jesusis obviously not in theChamber of the Lepers. TheChamber of the Hearthhouses priestswhile they areon duty and contains just

dormitories and offices, sothatisunlikely.TheChamberof Hewn Stone is where theselect council of high priestsknown as the Sanhedrinresides, so that, too, isprobably out of the question.But Mary and Joseph aredesperateandwilling to lookanywhere. They scour theTemplewiththesamefranticurgency with which theysearched the bazaars and

alleys of Jerusalem earlier intheday.

ViewoftheTemplefromthesouth

So as Mary and Josephmake their way through thecourts, thesoundsandsmellsofcowsandsheepfill theairaspriestspreparetheanimalsfor their ceremonialdeathonthealtar,stripdeadcarcasses,and clean up the gallons ofblood that flow when ananimal is offered up to God.

Ritual animal sacrifices are aconstant of Temple life. Ananimalisslaughteredinorderthat an individual’s sinsmight be forgiven. The richsmellofbloodinevitablyfillstheair.Finally, outside, on the

terrace where the sages andscribesteachtheScripturestobelieversduringPassoverandother feasts, Mary hearsJesus’s voice. But the words

comingfromhismouthsoundnothing like those of the sonsheknows sowell. Jesushasnever shown any sign ofpossessing such deepknowledgeofJewishlawandtradition.SoMaryandJosephgaspinshockattheeasewithwhichheisdiscussingGod.Nevertheless, theyare also

understandably irate. “Son,”Mary stammers. “Why haveyoutreateduslikethis?Your

father and I have beenanxiouslysearchingforyou.”“Why were you searching

for me?” he responds. Thereis innocence to his words.“Didn’tyouknowIhadtobeinmyfather’shouse?”1If the esteemed Temple

rabbis overhear Jesus’sresponse, they don’t let on.ForiftheboyisinferringthatGod is his actual father—literally, not just figuratively

—then it is tantamount toblasphemy, being a claim todivinity, and no different, intheireyes,fromtheclaimsofCaesar Augustus. But theRoman emperor is not a Jewandthusnotheldaccountablefor his blasphemy underJewish law. If he were, thepunishment handed downthrough the Jewish patriarchMoseswouldbedeath.

But Jesus is a Jew. AndJewish law says that uponcommitment of blasphemy,the entire congregationshouldplacetheirhandsuponhim, then step back and hurlrocks at his young anddefenseless head and bodyuntilhecollapsesanddies.For Jesus of Nazareth is

not claiming Joseph, thecarpenter and son of Jacob

and the man standinghelplessly at Mary’s side inthe Temple courts, as hisfather. Jesus is insteadclaiming that the one trueGod of the Jewish people ishisrightfulparent.But under the law, Jesus

cannot be convicted ofblasphemy.He has not comeof age and is not yetresponsible forhiswords.Soperhapstherabbisdohearhis

bold statement and breathe asigh of relief, knowing thatthisbrilliantyoungscholar isexempt from a most crueldeath.

***Mary and Joseph lead theirson from the Temple andback home. The roads areunpaved, and the village isnot protected from invadersby walls or other

fortifications. At that time,various families shareddwellings, sometimesseparated by smallcourtyards. Nazareth issituated in a hollow formedby the rolling hills of ruralGalilee. An ancient caravanroutepasseswithinsixmiles,but no major highways gothrough Nazareth. It is asmalltownthatisdestinedtoremain that way, thanks not

just to the topography butalso to the fact that the onlywater source is a singlefreshwaterspring.And yet Nazareth is a

wondrous place for a youngboy to grow up.2 There arehills to climb, caves toexplore, and fields throughwhich to run. In thesummer,when the air is so hot thatJesus sleeps on the flat dirtroofof the familyhome, figs

and olives grow fat on thetrees. Spring is a time forplanting the wheat that willprovide their daily bread.Nazarethisonlytwentymilesfrom the Mediterranean Sea,but it might as well be athousand, because fish isalmost as rare as redmeat inyoung Jesus’s diet. So whileitisnotalifeofexcess,thereis always enough: the treesand fields produce wheat,

olives, onions, lentils, theoccasionalpieceoflamb,andeggs that can be poached inthat most precious of allstaples:oliveoil.This isalsoused for lighting lamps,rubbing into chapped skin,andcookingmeals.Mary and Joseph are

devoutintheirfaithandhavegone to great lengths to passthis loveofGodon to Jesus.A small wooden box

containingaparchmentscrollhangsontheirdoorpost.Onitis written the Shema, thatmost elemental of Jewishprayers: “Hear, O Israel, theLord our God, the Lord isOne.” It is a prayer that thefamily recites upon rising inthe morning and afterbringing the animals into thehouse at bedtime each night.Jesus is circumcised, inkeepingwithGod’s covenant

withAbraham.Hisclothingisadorned with tassels, inaccordance with the writingsin Numbers,3 and he attendssynagogue every week.There, Jesus wears a prayershawl while sitting on abench with his back againstthe wall of the small squareroom,readingfromthesacredscrolls and singing thePsalms.Itisinthesynagoguethat, as a young boy, he

learns to read and write,because during this time ofRoman occupation, holdingon to their traditions hasbecome an even greaterpriority to the Jewishpeople.A group of pious teachersknown as the Pharisees hashelped to ensure a system ofschools in synagogues,teaching thechildrenHebrewand instructing them inJewishlaw.

It is in the Nazarethsynagogue that Jesus sitsbesideJosephontheSabbath,surroundedbythosewhocallJosephafriend.ThesemenofNazareth have all made thelong walk to Jerusalemtogether as part of the greatPassover caravan, and manycan even remember the sightof a pregnant and unwedMaryenduringthepilgrimagebeforeJesuswasborn.These

men remember the shameattached to the early days ofthat relationship betweenMary and Joseph, when itwas announced that she waspregnant out of wedlock.TheyrecallJoseph’sstubbornloyaltyandhisrefusaltoshunher. The village of Nazaretheventually followed hisexample, accepting theeventual union betweenJosephandMary.Inthisway,

Jesus came of age, growinginto a hardworking man ofthe Jewish faith, intent onlivingaspirituallife,justliketheothermenandwomenofNazareth.ThehistoryoftheJewsisa

litany of resisting theoppressionbroughtbyforeigninvaders who conquered thelandnowknownas Israel. Inaway,theRomanoccupationlinks thepeopleofGalilee to

a centuries-long tradition.Thus,theworseningsituationunder Caesar Augustus isquietly accepted, but with agrowingbitterness.There is nothing

exceptional about Jesus’supbringing. To the people ofJerusalem, where he returnseach year for Passover, histhick Galilean accent isnoticeable.Helaborssixdaysa week as a carpenter

alongside his father, buildingthe roofs and doorposts ofNazareth and laying thefoundation stones ofsprawling nearby Sepphoris.Jesus seems destined toremain here always, raisinghis own family and buildinghis own home into the slopeofaNazarenehill.But theyoung Jesus is not

longfor thissmall town.Theholiness andmagnificence of

Jerusalem call to him. Hecomestoknowthesmellsandmusic of the city during hisannual visits, even as hebecomes comfortablenavigating his way throughsuch local landmarks as theMount of Olives, the gardenat Gethsemane, the KidronValley,andtheTempleitself.With every passing year, asJesus grows from a smallchild into a man with a

carpenter’s square shouldersand callused hands, hiswisdomandawarenessofhisfaith increases. He developsthe gifts of serenity andpowerful personal charisma,and he learns to speakeloquentlyinpublic.YetJesusiscautiouswhen

hetalks tocrowds.Asafull-fledgedmemberoftheJewishreligiouscommunityfromtheage of thirteen on, he knows

he is accountable for hisbehavior and thatblasphemoustalkaboutbeingtheSonofGodwillleadtoavery public execution. TheJews would stone Jesus forsuch language, and theRomans might kill him forsuggesting he is their divineemperor’s equal. Stoningwould seem a tame way todie in comparison with theevils of which the Romans

are capable—evils Jesus hasseenwithhisowneyes.

***Itwas just a year earlier thatJudas of Gamala4 was likelycrucified in Sepphoris. JesusandeveryotherGalileanborewitness to that horror. Judaswasalearnedman,andalsoahusband and father, wholongedtoraisehischildrenina better world—a Galilee

ruled by Israelites instead ofRomanpuppetswhocrippledthe people with unbearabletaxes. Judas traveled throughthe farming villages andfishing ports of Galileepreaching a message ofsedition to the impoverishedpeasants, urging them not topaytaxestoRomeor to titheto the Temple in Jerusalem.He even founded a new sectof the Jewish faith, one that

espoused a radical newtheology of unwaveringdevotiontotheIsraelites’onetrue Lord. Bowing down toCaesarAugustusandRomeissinful, Judas told all whowouldlisten.The Romans might have

overlooked Judas as anoverzealousreligiouscrankifhehadnot raisedanarmyofdisplaced peasants to attempta violent overthrow of the

Roman-sponsoredgovernment in Galilee. Thataction brought an immediateresponse:Judasmustdie.It was on the order of

HerodAntipas, the fifth-bornson ofHerod theGreat,whohimself had once hunted thebaby Jesus. Both father andson had done everything intheir power to brutalize andfleece the good people ofGalilee.

Of course, CaesarAugustus got the first cut ofall tax proceeds. He hadmellowed since his youngerdays.Absolutepowerbecamehim,andthevaingloriousheirof Julius Caesar who wasjeered for cowardice atPhilippi was now a seventy-year-old monarch renownedforerectingopulentbuildingsand temples throughout hisempire. He even had an

admiration for the Jews andtheir reverent adherence totheir teachings. CaesarAugustus lived in splendor,though not overt decadence.That fondness for theabundant and perverse waspreferred by Tiberius, hisadoptedsonandheir.ButitwasCaesarAugustus

who had allowed Herod theGreattoremainonthethroneof Judea for almost four

decades,justasitwashewhohad personally divided thekingdom after that tyrant’sdeath and granted control ofGalileetoHerodAntipas.The soldiers of Antipas

quickly captured Judas ofGamala and began thecrucifixion process bystripping him naked in thepalacecourtyard.Acrowdhadbeenletinto

watch and could clearly see

the agony of Judas. Amongthem were Judas’s sons,Jacob and Simon. Little didtheboysknowthen,but theywere destined one day to becrucified themselves fortryingtoavengetheirfather’sdeath.The soldiers of Antipas

forcedJudasofGamalatohisknees, facing a low post. Hewas tied to thewooden shaftwith his hands above his

head. Two soldiers retrievedshort-handled whips, whosethree leather tendrils weretipped with lead balls andmutton bones. The soldiersstood ready to take turnslaying the leather acrossJudas’s back, leaning intoeach blow with all theirmight. As each lash wasinflicted, the leather thongstore open the skin andmuscles,evenastheleadand

bone created deep bruising.This, in turn, led to profuseinternalbleeding.Aswithallaspects of Roman execution,the stripping and lashing hadaspecificpurpose: thepublicnudity humiliated, while thewhip broke Judas’s will sothat he would offer noresistancewhenhurled to theground and nailed to thecross. Crucifixion, Roman-style,wasnotjustabarbarous

waytokill,butalsoaprocessof mentally and physicallydestroying the victim—whetheritbeman,woman,orchild.Judaswouldbenothingbut an empty husk by thetimehehungfromthecross.Jewishlawsaysthataman

canbelashedonlythirty-ninetimes—“fortyminusone,” asit iswritten.Not sowith theRomans—or, in HerodAntipas’s case, Gentile

mercenaries behaving likeRoman soldiers. These non-Jewscouldlashamanaslongas they liked. The onlyrequirement was that theirvictim be able to carry hiscrossbeam to the site ofcrucifixion. So even as asoldier counted each andevery time the flagrum wasbrought down upon Judas’sback,upperlegs,andhead,itwas understood he would

receive far more than thirty-nine lashes. He was nocommon criminal. He was atraitorwhosecrimehadbeento“exhortthenationtoasserttheir liberty” from Rome, asthe great historian Josephuswould write. But moreimportant, Judas had soughtto free the Judean peoplefromtheunfairtaxationbeinginflictedbyRomeandHerod.Hehadcomparedthetaxation

to a formof slavery and hadencouragedhisfellowJewstorise up against theiroppressors.Judascriedoutinagonyas

a soldier delivered anotherblastofleatherontohisflesh.But he knew better than tocurse his executionersbecause that would onlymean more blows. So heendured the torture. Inmoments, Judaswas covered

withblood.The most common modes

of killing a condemned manin the Roman Empire werehanging, burning him alive,beheading,placinghiminsidea bag full of scorpions thendrowning him, andcrucifixion.As terribleas thefour might be, the last isconsidered the worst by far.So even as crucifixion wasnowpracticed throughout the

Roman Empire, even by atetrarch such as HerodAntipas, it was a death sohorrible that itwasforbiddento executeRoman citizens inthismanner.Judas of Gamala lay limp

and bleeding after his lasheswere administered. Soldiersthen brought out a rough-hewn piece of lumber andhurled it to the ground.Despite the blood pouring

down his back, Judas wasforced to stand. Hisexecutioners lifted thissplinter-filledpatibulum,asitwas known, onto hisshoulders. This wouldbecome the crossbeamof hiscrucifix, and, like allcondemned men, Judas wasto carry it outside the citywalls of Sepphoris to a spotwhere a vertical pole in theground would form the

second part of his crucifix.He would be nailed to thatcrossandlefttodie.Hislegswouldbebrokentomakethetorturous process even moreghastly. He would hang infull view of the thousandsthat called Sepphoris home,helpless to stop the urinationand defecation that wouldstainhiscrossandcompoundhis humiliation. Judas wouldbe dead by nightfall—if he

waslucky.The story of Judas’s

execution spread throughoutGalilee.Buthewasnotaloneinhispersecution.Therewerecountless other would-beprophets who thoughtviolence could bring an endto Roman occupation. Theyall paid for this conceit withtheir lives. And then theywere forgotten, so that,generations later, few

remember the story of JudasofGamala.

***Galilee is the northernmostprovince in what was calledCanaan by the patriarchAbraham.One ofAbraham’sgrandsons was aman namedJacob, who also went by thename Israel and fathered thepeoplewhowouldcometobeknown as the Israelites. In

time, the Roman-controlledterritorynowknownasJudeawillcometobearthatname.A pair of “seas” anchor

Galilee’s borders: theMediterranean and the largeinland lake often called theSea of Galilee, dotted byfishing villages such asCapernaum. Syria lies to thenorth and west and Samariato the south. It is anuncrowded landscapedefined

by rolling hills, wide fields,small villages, and farmerstending plots of land thatwere passed on to them aspartoftheirinheritance.SincereturningtoGalileea

decade ago, Herod Antipashas devoted himself torebuilding the city ofSepphoris.Antipas hasmadethe revitalized city his homeand is determined tomake iteven more regal than

Jerusalem. The partition ofhis father’s empire betweenhim and his siblings meansnot only that Judea is adividednation,ruledbythreeseparateindividuals—Antipasin Galilee, his brother Philipin what is now Jordan, andhis brother Archelaus to thesouth,inJerusalem—butthat,for the first time in history,the ruler of Galilee actuallylives in Galilee. So it is that

Sepphoris becomes thecosmopolitan hub of theregion, juxtaposed with theagrarian lifestyle andlandscape of rural Galilee.This is thecitywhereJosephof Nazareth finds steadyemployment in Antipas’snever-ending stream ofbuilding projects. Whetherconstructingoneof thecity’selaborate new mansions orplasteringwallsor laying the

mosaic floors of the basilica,a builder has plenty to do inthis vast and shininglimestonemetropolis perchedatopahill.Sepphorisissolargethatit

has two markets, an upperandalower.Anythingamancould ever want is for sale:glass, pottery, dried fish,onions,herbs,cattle,andevensex, if one furtively straysaway from the hustle and

bustleandintothequietofanalley.

Sepphoris is walled, justlike Jerusalem, and donkeycaravans appear at the citygates each week begging forentry so theymight sell theirwares. It is a city unlike anyother in Galilee. Since itsrepopulationand rebirth, it ishome to doctors, lawyers,craftsmen, taxcollectors, andentertainers who performmime and comedic plays at

the theater. But the buildingof this wondrous metropolishas come at a great cost.ThankstoAntipas,Sepphorisis also home tomanypeoplewho have lost their farms toexcessive taxation. With nofields to till or homes to calltheirown,theycrowdintothepoorest sections of the city,making a life by stealing,selling their bodies, orbegging. So beneath the

veneer of progress andsophistication, there isdecadence and decay to thisself-styled “ornament ofGalilee.”Forwhile Sepphoris is the

very picture of prosperity,manyinGalileearestarving.

***JosephandMary,asdomostother Jews, live in fear ofHerod Antipas. With a dark

beard covering the tip of hischin and a thin mustachewreathinghismouth,Antipasresembles a true villain.While his father, Herod theGreat, had grave faults, healso performed manyconstructive acts. Not soAntipas, a callow man whohas never known want andwho always expected to begivenakingdom.Antipaswasborn in Judea

but educated inRome, a cityheadores.HepayshomagetoCaesar Augustus and Romenot only by taxing the Jewsblind but also by ordering aRoman-style form ofexecutionforanywhowoulddaredefyhim.Galilean outrage against

Rome has been building fordecades. The people havebeenleviedwithtaxafter taxaftertax.Antipasisnothingif

not “a lover of luxury,” andhe uses these taxes both torebuild Sepphoris and tofinance his own lavishlifestyle.Andthemoreluxuryheneeds,thehigherthetaxesclimb.

HerodAntipas

Actual money is scarce.Every adult male Jew has topayhisannualhalf-shekeltaxto the Temple in coin.Farmers can pay the rest oftheir obligation in figs, oliveoil, or grain. They have noway of skirting the taxesbecause they must travel toSepphoris to sell theirharvest. The hated taxman is

always on hand when theyarrive at their destination.Fishermen have it no better.Theyareleviedspecialrightsfees, in addition to a portionof their daily catch, forpermission to drop their netsortodockinaport.Nomenaremoredespised

than the tax collectors, whonot only extort funds frompeople with very little butalso publicly abuse and even

torture thosewho fall behindon their payments. There isno leeway. Those who can’tpaymustborrowgrainoroilfromthestoragesilosmannedby Antipas’s men. Theinterestratesareexorbitant—100 percent on oil and 25percent ongrain.And fallingbehind on these debtsmeansruin. Peasants are oftenforcedtoselltheirchildrentocreditors as debt slaves or to

sell their farmsandwork theland as sharecroppers. Somelose their homes andinheritance and becomebeggars,thedignityoflifeasa Jewish landowner replacedby a degraded existenceoutsidenormalsociety.There is, however, a

booming city of some fortythousand residents to whichmany of these people havemigrated and are accepted,

despite their lowly status.This place is calledMagdala—“Magdalena” to theRomans and “Magdalene” inthe Greek language of theGospels—and even as JesusofNazarethwalks the streetsofSepphoris,avibrantyounggirl named Mary walks thestreets of Magdala. Herparentshavenothing.Mary’sinnocence will inevitably beshattered in the shabby

confines of that outlawvillage. She will grow up tobe a prostitute, doing whatshe must do to survive,though she longs forsomething better in thisworld.

***Because Joseph is a skilledcarpenter, he is able to payhis taxes. And, indeed, mostpeople in Galilee can do the

same—but just barely.ManyGalileans suffer malnutritionbecause they have no foodleft with which to feedthemselves.Andinthethroesof that hunger, as hair fallsout and both muscles andhope wither, they quietlyseethe. But rather than pointthe finger of blame at Romeor Caesar Augustus, thepeople of Galilee begin toventtheirrageatoneanother.

Theystoploaninggrainoroilto friends and relations,fearing that their own supplywill runout.They ignore theJewish tradition of forgivingdebts. The tight-knit peasantcommunitythathassustaineditself for so manygenerations, through rule bythe Greeks and Persians andAssyrians, begins to unravelunder the reignsofAugustusandAntipas.

The great legends of theJewish people tell of heroesof their faith rising up todefeat foreign invaders. Thepeoplelongfortheglorydaysof King David, so manyhundreds of years ago,whenthe Jews were their ownmasters and God was theundisputed and mostpowerful force in all thecosmos. The residents ofGalilee are independent

thinkers. Their persistentbeliefthattheywillultimatelycontrol their destiny is onereason Judas of Gamala’sdemand that they rise upagainst Rome had such aprofoundeffect.Inthatbelief,thereishope.

Thehardshipsofthelandandthe cruelty of Rome havebred a resurgent faith in thepower of the JewishGod, towhom they pray for rescue,

power, and relief.This is theworld a young Jesus ofNazareth inhabits. These arethe prayers he hears pouredfortheveryday.Thepromiseof God’s deliverance is theone shaft of daylight thatcomforts the oppressedpeople of Galilee. Someday,insomeway,iftheyjustholdon,Godwillsendsomeonetomake things right, just as hedid with Abraham, Moses,

Daniel,Samson,andDavid.Tenyearsafterthedeathof

HerodtheGreat,thepopulaceofJesusofNazareth’svillageand his land eagerly await anewkingoftheJews.

***How much Jesus is affectedby all the turbulence in histown is unknown. He growsinto a strongman, respectfulof his parents. Joseph dies

sometime between Jesus’sthirteenth and thirtiethbirthdays, leaving Jesus thefamily business. Jesusremains devoted to hismother, and she to him. Butas he passes his thirtiethbirthday, Jesus of Nazarethknows that silence is nolongeranoption.The time has come to

fulfillhisdestiny.It is a decision that will

changetheworld.It will also lead to his

agonizingdeath.

BOOK

II

BeholdtheMan

CHAPTERSIX

JORDANRIVER,PEREAA.D.26MIDDAY

John the Baptizer standswaistdeepinthecold,brown

river,waitingpatientlyas thenext pilgrim wades out tostandathisside.He looks tothe shore, where scores ofbelievers line up on theJordan’s muddy bank,oblivious to the heat as theywait to experience the fullimmersion ritual that willcleansethemoftheirsins.The believers are mostly

poor working people. TheyareelectrifiedbyJohnandhis

radical teachings. The long-haired young man with thesunburned skin and unkemptbeard has disciplined himselfby living alone in the desert,existing on a diet of locustsfor protein and honey forenergy. His clothes are notthe elaborate robes of thehaughty Pharisees, nowspyingonhimfromtheshore,but a coarse tunic stitchedfrom theskinofacameland

cinched tightly around hiswaist with a simple leatherbelt. John is celibate, with apassion for God and Godalone. Some think himeccentric,othersconsiderhima rebel, and many find hisdirect manner of speaking tobe caustic, but all agree thathe has boldly promised themsomething that neither Romenorthehighpriestscanoffer:hope. Thus, the believers

have come to redeem thatpromise.The end of the known

world is coming, Johnpreaches. A new king willcome to stand in judgment.Wade into the water and becleansed of your sins, or thisnewly anointed ruler—this“Christ”—will punish you inthe most horrible mannerpossible.Itisamessagebothreligious and political, one

that directly challenges theRoman Empire and thehierarchy of the JewishTemple.Johnextendsanarmasthe

next pilgrim draws near. Butbefore he can baptize theman,a taxcollectorcriesoutfrom the shore, “Teacher,what should we do?” Hespeaks for his profession,wellawarethatheisdespisedfordivertingJewishmoneyto

apagankinginRome.“Don’t collect any more

than you are required,” Johnanswers.There is little shade along

the Jordan, and the believershave waited in line patientlyforthechancetobeimmersedin these cool waters. Butdespite their discomfort, oneand all listen closely towhatJohnhastosay.“Andwhatshouldwedo?”

calls out a soldier. Manysoldiers have been known toengage in unethical practicesin thenameof thatpervertedand despised new RomanemperorTiberius.John’s answer is

nonjudgmental.“Don’textortmoney and don’t accusepeople falsely. Be contentwithyourpay.”The Baptist turns his

attentionbacktothemanwho

standsathissideintheriver.Helistensintentlyasthemanconfesseshismanysins.ThenJohnpraysforhim:“Aftermewillcomeonemorepowerfulthan I, the thongs of whosesandals I am not worthy tostoop down and untie. Ibaptize you with water, buthe will baptize you with theHolySpirit.”Only a slave would be

tasked with loosening a

man’s sandals, so John’swords are powerful, atremendous show of respect.As the pilgrim nods inunderstanding, John placesonehand in thecenterof theman’sbackandslowlyguideshim down into the water,holds him under for a fewseconds, and then lifts himbacktohisfeet.Therelievedpilgrim, his transgressionsnowforgiven,battlesthelazy

currentback to shore.Beforehehasevenreachedthebank,another believer is wadingout to experience the samesensation.“Who are you?” demands

a voice from the shore. Johnhas been waiting for thisquestion. It is thecondescending request of apriest,sentfromJerusalemtojudge whether John iscommitting heresy. The holy

man is not alone, havingmade the journey in thecompany of other Pharisees,Sadducees,andLevites.1“IamnottheChrist,”John

shoutsback.Thehighpriestsknow that he is referring tothe new Jewish king, a manlikeSaulandDavid,thegreatrulersofgenerationspastwhowere handpicked by God toleadtheIsraelites.“Then who are you?”

demandsaPharisee.“AreyouElijah?”John has heard this

comparisonbefore.Likehim,Elijah was a prophet whopreached that the worldwouldsoonend.“No,”Johnrepliesfirmly.“Whoareyou?”thepriests

ask once again. “Give us ananswer to take back to thosewhosentus.”John prefers to invoke the

prophet Isaiah, amanwhosenamemeant“theLordsaves.”He lived eight hundred yearsago and was said to havebeen martyred by beingsawed inhalf forutteringhismanyboldprophecies.Inoneparticular prediction, Isaiahforetold that a man wouldcometo tell thepeopleaboutthe day theworldwould endand God would appear onearth. Thismanwould be “a

voice of one, calling in thedesert, preparing theway forthe Lord, making straightpathsforhim.”2Johnhasprayedandfasted

for many days. He trulybelievesthatheisthemanofwhom Isaiah wrote. Even ifhediesamosthorribledeath,he feels obligated to travelfrom city to city, telling oneand all that the end of theworld is near and that they

must prepare by beingbaptized.“Whoareyou?”thepriests

demand once again, theirvoices angrier and moreinsistent.“I am the voice of one,”

Johnresponds,“callinginthedesert.”

***The Temple priests are notthe only officials keeping a

closeeyeonJohntheBaptist.From his stunning newcapitalcityofTiberias,whichhe has built on an evengranderscale thanSepphoris,HerodAntipas has sent spiesto the Jordan River to trackJohn’s everymovement. TheBaptist is the talk ofGalilee,and Antipas fears that thischarismatic evangelist willpersuadethepeopletoriseupagainsthim.

AntipasispreparedtodealwithJohninthesamemanneras Judas of Gamala nearlytwentyyearsago.Butthereissomething about John’snonviolent message thatmakes him a much greaterthreat. Life in Galilee hasbecome even more difficultsince Judas was executed.Antipas’s decision to buildTiberias on the sunny shoresoftheSeaofGalileeadecade

afterrebuildingSepphorishasincreasedthefinancialburdenborne by the people ofGalilee. As with all ofAntipas’s building projects,noexpensewasspared.Onceagain, thepeasantsofGalileearebeingtaxedtocoverthesecosts.Antipashasnamedthenew

city in honor of the Romanemperor who succeeded thelate Caesar Augustus twelve

years ago.Tiberiuswasoncea great general, defendingRome from Germanicbarbarians. But a lifetime ofpersonal sadness has turnedhim into a horrible man.Tiberius knows noboundaries. One of hisamusements is swimmingwith handpicked “tiddlers,”nakedyoungboyswhose jobis to chase him around theimperial pool and nibble

betweenTiberius’slegs.Theswimmingsessionsare

the least of the emperor’sconsiderable depravities, butAntipas knows better than topass moral judgment. Evenafter more than two decadeson the throne,he rules solelyatthepleasureofRome.Andindeed Antipas has his owndepraved résumé. He hasdivorced his own wife andmarriedthatofhisbrother,an

act of abomination to theJewishpeople.So it is that even as he

began making plans to killJohn the Baptist—a manwhose only crime is anoutspoken passion for thecomingoftheLord—Antipasnamed the capital city of adevout Jewish province aftera sixty-eight-year-old paganwho hosts orgies in hisprivate villa and dispatches

hisenemiesbythrowingthemoffathousand-footcliff.AndwhileAntipas refuses

to pass moral judgment onTiberius, the vile man whocontrols his destiny, theBaptist will have no suchqualms.

***InJerusalem,therenowexistsan uneasy alliance betweenfaith and state. That unholy

collaboration is also trackingtheBaptist.Since Augustus declared

Herod the Great’s sonArchelausunfittoruletwentyyears ago, four other Romangovernors have been inchargeofJudea.The fifth has just arrived.

HisnameisPontiusPilate.

***As John the Baptist is

preachingonthebanksoftheJordan River and Jesus ofNazarethisabouttoendyearsof self-imposed silenceabouthis true identity, PontiusPilate steps ashore in theseaside fortress town ofCaesarea to fill the rolerecently vacated by ValeriusGratus.Thickly built and prone to

arrogance,Pilateisamemberof the equestrian class and a

former soldier from centralItaly. He is married toClaudia Procula, whoaccompanieshim to Judea. Itis a dismal appointment, forJudea is known to be a verydifficult place to govern.Butif her husband excels in thisremote diplomatic posting,the powers in Rome mightmake sure that Pilate’s nextassignment will besomewheremoreprestigious.

Pilate is no friend of theJews.OneofhisfirstofficialactsistoorderRomantroopsin Jerusalem to decoratestandards3 with busts ofEmperor Tiberius. When thepeople rise up in protest ofthese graven images, whichare forbidden by Jewish law,Pilaterespondsbyhavinghissoldiers surround theprotesters and draw theirswords as if to attack. The

Jews refuse to back down.Instead, they bend forth andextend their necks,making itclearthattheyarepreparedtodiefortheirbeliefs.For the first time, Pilate

sees with his own eyes thepoweroftheJewishfaith.Heordershismentostanddown.Thestandardsareremoved.Pilate now finds a new

strategy for dealing with theJews. He forms an uneasy

bondwithCaiaphas,themostpowerful high priest in theJerusalem Temple. Caiaphasisfromafamilyofpriestsandlives in a lavish home in theupper city. He has completepower over religious life inJerusalem, including theenforcementof Jewish law—even if that meanscondemningamanorwomantodeath.Of course, while Caiaphas

maybeabletopasssentence,itistheRomangovernorwhodecidesifitshouldbecarriedout.Pilate is a Roman pagan.

Caiaphas is a Jew. Theyworship different gods, eatdifferentfoods,havedifferenthopes for their future, andspeak in different tongues.Pilateservesatthebehestofadivine emperor, whileCaiaphasservesat thebehest

of God. But they share acommand of the Greeklanguage and a belief thatthey are entitled to doanything in order to stay inpower.In thisway, stateand faith

keepastrangleholdonJudea.And now it is Caiaphaswhoplays his role in theirpartnership,sendingateamofreligious authorities out intothe wilderness to cast a

criticaleyeontheministryofJohntheBaptist.

***“You brood of vipers,” JohnscreamsattheTemplepriestswhohavecometotherivertoquestion him. “The axe isalreadyattherootofthetree,and every tree that does notproducegoodfruitwillbecutdown and thrown into thefire.”

All eyes turn to theshocked religious authoritiesand then back to John, eagertohearwhathewillsaynext.Foralthough it isknownthatsome of these learned menare enormously hypocritical,noonedarescriticizetheminpublic. But John defiantlycommands the Pharisees andSadducees either to bebaptized or to burn in aneternalfire.

The clerics are stunned byJohn’s words. They saynothing.John returns his focus to

thethrongswhohavecometobe baptized. Farmers,craftsmen, taxcollectors, andsoldiers—they all respectJohn’smonastic lifestyle andhis outspokenness andenergy. There is a fearlessindependence to his behaviorthatmany long tomimic.He

seems immune to the threatsofRome.Some in the crowdare curious whether Johnpays his taxes—and, if not,whatwillhappentohim.Mostofall,eachandevery

one of these people, deep inhis heart, wonders if Johnhimself is the comingMessiah of whom hepreaches.

***

The answer comes thefollowingday.Once again John stands in

the Jordan. The village ofBethanyisbehindhim,onthefarbank.Asusual theday ishot, and long lines ofbelieverswaittheirturntobebaptized.In the distance, John spies

a man walking down to theriver. Like the Baptist, JesusofNazarethhaslonghairand

abeard.Hewearssandalsanda simple robe. His eyes areclearandhisshouldersbroad,as ifhe isaworkingman.Helooksyounger than John, butnotbymuch.Suddenly a dove lands on

Jesus’sshoulder.WhenJesusmakes no move to shoo itaway,thebirdisquitecontenttoremainthere.The dove changes

everything.4 In that instant,

theragethatsooftenfuelstheBaptist’swordsdisappears.Inits place is wonder, broughton by the awareness that hisvision has now become areality. As the crowd ofpilgrims looks on, anawestruck John motionstoward Jesus. “Look, theLambofGod.IsawtheSpiritcomedownfromheavenasadove and remain on him. Iwould not have known him,

except that the onewho sentmetobaptizewithwatertoldme, ‘The man on whom theSpirit will come down andremainishewhowillbaptizewith the Holy Spirit. I haveseen and I testify that this istheSonofGod.’”Thebelieversdrop to their

knees and press their facesinto the earth. Jesusdoesnotreact to this sign ofworship.He does nothing to

discourage it, either. TheNazarenesimplywadesdowninto the water and takes hisplacealongsideJohn,waitingtobebaptized.John is dumbstruck. “I

need to be baptized by you,andyetyoucometome?”Jesus does not clarify his

identity. He is a simplecarpenter, a builder who haslaboredhiswholelife.Hehasmemorized the Psalms and

Scripture. He pays his taxesand takes careofhismother.To a casual observer, he isjustoneofmanyhardworkingJews. There is no obvioussignofhisdivinity.In the Jewish culture, to

proclaim you are God is acapital offense. So now,speakingsoftlywithJohntheBaptist, Jesus does declarewhoheis.Bowinghisheadtoaccept the water, Jesus tells

John, “Let it be so. It isproper for us to do this tofulfillallrighteousness.”John places one hand on

Jesus’s back and slowlylowershim into thewater. “Ibaptize you with water forrepentance,” John says as hesubmerges Jesus in thecurrent.He then lifts Jesus to his

feet.“I have seen and I testify

that this is the Son of God,”Johncriesout.“Son of God” is a regal

titleindicativeofone’sbeingaMessiah,atitleattributedtoKing David. It is believedthat when the Messiahreturns,hewillbekingoftheJews, inkeepingwithDavid,the perfect king. The peoplelooking on understand “SonofGod”asaDavidictitle,theanointed one,who is coming

asrulerandking.5The crowd remains on its

knees as Jesus stepsonto theshore and keeps on walking.He is headed alone into thedesert to fast for forty daysandnights. It is a journeyhemakes willingly, knowingthat he must confront anddefeat anyandall temptationinordertomakehismindandbody pure before publiclypreaching his message of

faithandhope.John the Baptist’s work is

now done. But along withthat,hisfatehasbeensealed.

***John is that rarest of allprophets:amanwho lives toseehispredictionscometrue.The people still desire to becleansedoftheirsinsthroughbaptism, and huge crowdscontinue to follow John

wherever he goes. Ifanything, his following isgrowing even larger. Andwhile there is no longer aneed to prophesize thecomingofanewChrist,Johnhas a powerful gift forspeaking.Heisnotthesorttoremain silent aboutimmorality and injustice. Sowhen he learns that HerodAntipashasdivorcedhiswifeand then violated Jewish

religious law by taking hisbrother’s former spouse forhis new bride, he cannotremain silent. Walking thecountryside, John theBaptistloudly decries Antipaswhereverhegoes,turningthepeopleagainsttheirruler.Antipas orders the spies

who have been keeping aneye on John to arrest him.John is chained and thenmarched fifteen miles over

hot desert terrain. Finally, heseesavision in frontofhim.It is Antipas’s mountaintopfortressatMachaerus.Johnisthen forced to walk threethousand feet up to thecitadel, which is surroundedonallsidesbyrockyravines.Antipas has sought to makethis castle impenetrable. Hefears attack from Arabia,which lies to the east, so hehas enhanced these natural

fortifications by erectingsixty-foot-thick walls andcorner towers ninety feethigh. “Moreover,” thehistorian Josephus will oneday write of Antipas’sdesigns for Machaerus, “hehas put a large quantity ofdart-throwers and othermachines of war into it, andcontrived to get everythingthither that might any waycontribute to its inhabitants’

security under the longestsiegepossible.”The view from the palace,

whichliesatthecenterofthefortified structure, isstunning. If John wereallowed to enjoy it, hemightbe able to see the slenderbrown curves of his belovedJordanRiversnakingthroughthe valley so far below.AndperhapsJohndoespauseforafinal glimpse as he is

marched through the greatwooden doors that allowentrance to the citadel. Butthosedoorsclosebehindhimalltooquickly.Stillinchains,he is marched into Antipas’sthroneroom,wherehestandsdefiant and fearless beforethismanwhosayshe iskingof the Jews. And evenwhengiven a chance to recant hischarges, Johndoesnot. “It isnotlawful,”hetellstheruler,

“for you to have yourbrother’swife.”The woman in question,

Herodias,6 sits at Antipas’sside. With his charges, Johnis not only condemning herhusbandbutheraswell.Still,Herodias sees thatAntipas isactuallyfearfulofJohnandisafraid to order his death.Herodias, however, is apatient woman and knowsthat she will find a way to

exact her revenge.How darethis unkempt savage insulther?And so it is that John is

hurled into the dungeons ofMachaerus, there to rot untilAntipas sets him free—orHerodiashashimkilled.Meanwhile, a far greater

threattoAntipasisbeginningto emerge. Jesus ofNazarethhas now embarked on aspiritual journey, a mission

that will challenge theworld’smostpowerfulmen.

CHAPTERSEVEN

VILLAJOVIS,CAPRIA.D.26NIGHT

Far away from Galilee, theRoman who considers

himself to be the stepson ofgod is on the move. Life inRome has been hard onTiberius Julius CaesarAugustus—or so he thinks.So he has exiled himself tothis mountaintop islandfortress on Capri to live outhis days in pleasure andprivacy. Now he reclines inhis bedroom as nudehandmaidensandyoungboyscopulateinfrontofhim.They

were handpicked for theirbeauty and brought from thefar-flung reaches of theRoman Empire against theirwill to perform erotic sexualactsfor“theoldgoat,”asthesixty-eight-year-old Tiberiusis called behind his back.SomedaysthechildrenmightbeaskedtodressasPansandnymphs, then flit about theroyal garden, offeringthemselves to one another

and to the emperor’s invitedguests.Tonighttheorgiastsremain

inside this sprawling palacewith its marble floors, eroticstatues, works of art, andstunning views of theMediterraneanSeafarbelow.In case the performances ofthe young girls and boysordered to submit to thejaded, pockmarked emperorlack imagination,explicit sex

manuals from Egypt are onhandforinstruction.The young performers

can’thelpbutsneakaglanceat Tiberius. If all goes well,he will join in, perhapsselectingoneof the teenagedboysorgirlsforhimself.Butif they fail, and if Tiberiusdoesn’t find their contortionsstimulating, the emperorwillnot simply leave the room.He will do something far

worse. There is a goodchance he will hurl theirbodiesoff “Tiberius’sLeap,”the thousand-foot cliffalongside the palace. Fromthat height, it doesn’t matterifapersonlandsintheseaoron the rocks jutting out intothe Gulf of Naples. There isnosurvivingthefall.Which is just as Tiberius

designed it. Perversely, justasheenjoyssexandwatching

othershavesex,healsofindsdelight in watching hisvictimsscreamfortheirlives.The truth is, almost all of

tonight’s players will sufferthe terrifying fate of beingthrown off the cliff. Tiberiuscannot abide the thought ofrumors about his debaucherymaking their way back toRome.The bestway to keepthesechildrensilent is tokillthemafterheusesthem.

But the young playersdon’t know this. TheyactuallybelievetheywillonedaymakeitoutofVillaJovisaliveandreturnhometotheirvillages.Sotheyperformasiftheir lives depend upon it,succumbing to any whim orwantofthevileTiberius.Meanwhile, the aging

emperor—a man who onceknewtrueloveandhappiness—reclines on a pile of

pillows,acupofwinealwayswithin reach, his eyes glazedand his skin mottled fromeczemaandboils.Tiberius isamanwithoutaconscience.

***Itcouldhavebeenthedeathsof his two sons that broughtTiberiustoCapri.Orperhapsit was the unbearablepresence of his mother, theschemingLivia,widowofthe

great Caesar Augustus.Maybe it was the dreadfulcrowds of petitioners whobesieged him each day inRome,reekingofdesperationas they begged for this favororthat.Itmighthavebeenthefearofassassination,becausecourt intrigue in the form ofangry lieutenants, jiltedspouses, anddistantnephewswith their sights set on histhrone seemed to growmore

pervasivebytheday.Or it might have been

something as simple asTiberiusbeingtiredofpeoplewhispering thathedrinks toomuch. He has longworn themantlethatcomeswithbeingbornintoalifetimeofpower,with its expectations andjudgments. Whatever thereason, he has escaped to ahilltop castle in beautifulCapri, over the sparkling

waters of the Mediterranean,an otherworldly turquoise,where he can eat what hewants, sleep with whom hedesires, drink as much as hewants,andruleRomefromadistance.So that he knows what

fates the gods will bring,Tiberius has brought alongthe one man he trusts aboveall others: Thrasyllus, theroyal astrologer. In addition

to the baths, cisterns, greathall, private suites, andlighthouse Tiberius built tomake life on Capri ascomfortable as possible, healso constructed the specialobservatory that will allowThrasyllus to make sense ofthestarseachnight.Of course, should

Thrasyllus fail Tiberius,whether through badinformation or willful

manipulation, his long fallinto the sea will be nodifferent from that of theyoungsexslaves.For Tiberius learned long

ago that no one can betrusted. He was born twoyearsafterthedeathofJuliusCaesar,whosenamehasbeenincorporated into his own.Whenhismotherdivorcedhisnatural father to marry theman who would one day be

known as Augustus, thethree-year-old Tiberiusactually benefited from thebetrayal.TheRomanemperorsoonadoptedhimashisownson, and Tiberius rodethrough the streets of Romein Augustus’s chariot duringthe public celebrationmarking the crucial victoryover Marc Antony andCleopatra.

The boy grew upprivileged, trained in theclassicalmanner,excellinginoratory and rhetoric. By agetwenty, he was commandingarmies. A brilliant tacticianand fearless fighter, Tiberiuswas known for his successeson the battlefield—but alsofor his dark and gloomybehavior and the severe acnecovering his face. Upon his

returntoRome,hefoundloveandmarried a youngwomanof noble birth namedVipsania. They had a child,Drusus Julius Caesar, afterwhich Vipsania was soonpregnantwithasecondbaby.But Augustus cruellyintervened. In an act thatwoulddramatically transformTiberius, the self-proclaimedson of god ordered Tiberiusto divorce Vipsania after

eight years of marriage andwed Augustus’s recentlywidowed daughter, Julia.WhenTiberiusarguedagainstthedivorce,hewasorderedtobe compliant or suffer harshpunishment. Devastated,Vipsania suffered amiscarriage.Tiberiuswasdistraughtbut

obeyed the emperor. A shorttime later he accidentally raninto his belovedVipsania on

thestreetsofRomeandbrokedown, making a very publicdisplay by sobbing andbegging for forgiveness.When news of this behaviorreached Augustus, hedemandedthatTiberiusneveragainspeakwithVipsania.Andsodiedthehumanpart

of Tiberius. At that moment,his life of cruelty, depravity,and drunkenness began. Theman who once studied

rhetoric and who loved themother of his child wasemotionallydestroyed.Neveragain would he act in ahumane manner. But hisbehavior didn’t bother hisnew wife, Julia, who herselfembraced debauchery. Shehad a fondness for dwarves,andwhenTiberiusonceagainmarched off to war—thistimeinGaul—shekeptsuchaman nearby at all times for

her immediatepleasure. Juliawas a great beauty, whichmade it easier for her toindulge her base instincts.She attended orgies, openlyprostituted herself, andpublicly flaunted herdisregard for Tiberius. Mostgrievousofall,whenTiberiusreturnedfromGaul,hefoundthat she had turned theirhomeintoabrothel.

EmperorTiberius

Even Augustus wasappalled.HegrantedTiberiusa divorce. But the man whowould one day be emperorwouldnevermarryagain.Deeply shamed, Tiberius,

approaching forty years old,exiled himself to the Greekisland of Rhodes. There hebegan to drink in ever-largerquantities and established a

patternofcruelbehavior thathewouldembrace to thedayhe died. He routinelycommitted murder, evenorderingthedecapitationofaman whose only crime wasmaking a poor mathematicalcalculation.In the final years of his

reign, Augustus recalledTiberius from Rhodes,grooming him to becomeemperor. Therewas no other

suitable prospect. Tiberiusaccepted the challenge inwilling and ruthless fashion.After Augustus died in A.D.14, Tiberius ordered theexecution of any would-bepretender. For twelve longyears,Tiberiusdidbattlewiththe Senate and oversaw theempire in a proficient,workmanlike manner. Butupon the sudden andunexplained deaths of his

adoptedsonGermanicus1andnatural-born son Drusus,2ages thirty-three and thirty-four, respectively, Tiberiuscouldtakenomore.Fedupwiththeintriguesof

Rome, Tiberius ordered thatrenovations andenhancements be made toAugustus’s villas on theislandofCapri.Thisincludedthe construction of “lecherynooks” and the special pools

inwhichhenowswimsnakedwithyoungboys.Hisservantsare authorized to kidnapchildren, and Tiberius evenemploys a man known as“Master of the ImperialPleasures,”whose sole job isproviding the emperor withnewbodies.In the midst of all this,

Tiberius continues to holdcontrol of the vast RomanEmpire. From high on a

mountain, safe fromassassination plots, andsurrounded only by those hecan murder on a whim,Tiberius Julius CaesarAugustus issues the moraland legal decrees that willdeterminethefateofmillions.Those mandates especiallyaffectRomanadministrators.Pontius Pilate, newly

installed as Roman governorof Judea, knows that his

personal and professionalfuturedependsonmakingthedegenerate Tiberius happy.Despite his own paganlifestyle,TiberiusadmirestheJews’ religious ways. Heconsiders the Jews the mostdevoutsubjectsintheempirewhenitcomestokeepingtheSabbath holy. Tiberius sendsan order to Pontius Pilate onhow to treat the Jewishpopulation: “Change nothing

already sanctioned bycustom, but to regard as asacred trust both the Jewsthemselves, and their laws,whichareconducivetopublicorder.”So it is that Pontius Pilate

honors that “sacred trust” bystrengthening his bond withthe high priest Caiaphas, thefigureheadoftheJewishfaithandthemostpowerfulmaninJerusalem. According to

Tiberius’sorders,Pilateisnotto meddle in matters ofJewishlaw.It is an order that Pilate

willrememberalltoowell.

***Herod Antipas, nowapproaching fifty,understandsthatallegiancetoTiberiusisvital.HehasspentagreatdealoftimeinRome,educating himself in Roman

ways and customs andabsorbing Romans’ fondnessfor literature, poetry, andmusic.TheJewAntipasevendresses like Romanaristocracy, wearing thesemicircular piece of clothknown as a toga rather thanthesimplerobesoftheJewishpeople.During his time in Rome,

Antipas learned to douse hisfood with fermented fish

sauce, a pickled condimentfavored by Romans with astrong taste that maskedspoilage from lack ofrefrigeration. He attendedchariot races at the CircusMaximus. He might evenhavetakenaslaveforalover.InRome,prostitution is legaland even taxed. The onlyshamewasforamalecitizenofRometobethesubmissivepartner in a homosexual

relationship, which was whyJulius Caesar’s long-rumoredaffair with the king ofBithyniawas never forgottenbyhisenemies.Antipas has great power

over the Jewishpeasants,buthemustdoasRometellshimtodo.Hecannevercommentnegatively on anythingTiberius does—even thoughthe Jews are every daybecoming more disenchanted

withRoman rule.His fearofTiberius also preventsAntipas from making anyreforms that would help theJewish people.Caught in themiddle, Antipas keeps hismouth shut and accumulatesasmuchwealthashecan.

***The Roman Empire may bevast, but all those roadsbuiltby the legions, and all those

shipping lanes plied dailybetweenRomeandhermanyoutposts, mean that rumorstravel fast. Householdservantsgossip,andwordhasspread about Tiberius’saberrantandviolentbehavior.He murders at will, killingentire families for anyperceived slight. He defileseven the youngest child. Heretaliates against any womanwhowillnothavehim—even

a woman of noble birth andmarriage—by letting hisservantsviolateher.ButAntipasisnotTiberius.

TherulerofGalileehasmanyfaults, among them vanityand personal weakness, buthis behavior is nothing likethatof theemperorofRome.Yet the moral depravity ofTiberiuscannothelpbutseepintothefiberofeventhemostfar-flungprovince,causingan

erosion of discipline andjustice. While the emperorwill never make his way toJudea and never come face-to-face with Jesus ofNazarethorwiththePassoverpilgrims who flock toJerusalem each year, everydecision ordered by the newRoman governor PontiusPilate is made to gainTiberius’s approval. It is thesame with Antipas, as

evidenced by his naming hisdazzlingnewcityon theSeaof Galilee after the all-powerfulemperor.Such is life in the Roman

Empire, which has begun itsslow decline into ruin. Thereis little justice or nobilityamong the ruling class. Andso the Jewish peasants lookfor a savior, amanpromisedtothembytheprophets.Foratime,somethoughtthesavior

might be John the Baptist.Buthelanguishesinprison.Now there is cautious

conversation about a newman, one far more powerfulthan John. Jesus of Nazarethisabouttoarrive.

CHAPTEREIGHT

JERUSALEMAPRIL,A.D.27DAY

Jesus clenches a coiled whipin his fist as he makes his

way up the steps to theTemple courts. Passoverpilgrims surround him.Hundreds of thousands ofJewish believers have onceagaintraveledagreatdistance—fromGalilee,Syria,Egypt,andevenRome—tocelebratetheclimaxtotheJewishyear.Not that they have a choice:failure to visit the Templeduring Passover is one ofthirty-six transgressions that

will result in the holypunishment of karet, beingspiritually “cut off” fromGod. Those who transgresswill suffer a premature deathor other punishment knownonly to the deity.1 So, as hehas done every spring sincechildhood, Jesus of Nazarethhas made the trek toJerusalem.The spiritual emotion that

flows through the city is

wondrous, as these manyJewscometogethertoopenlycelebrate their faith and singpraisestoGod.AgentsoftheTemplehaverepairedthedirtroads coming into town tomake them smooth after thehardwinterrains.Gravesitesareclearlymarked,sothatnopilgrim will inadvertentlysuffer impurity by touchingone.Specialwellsaredugsothat every man and woman

can immerse him- or herselfin the ritual bath, in order tobe pure upon entering theHoly City. Mikvot(purification pools) arecarved into the bedrock andlinedinplaster,intowhichanobservantpilgrimstepsdownforcleansing.Jesus himself submerges

himself in amikvah as a laststop before Jerusalem. Insidethe city walls, he sees the

hundreds of temporary clayovens that have beenconstructedinorderthateachpilgrim will have a place toroast his Passover sacrificebefore sitting down to theeveningSederfeast.Hehearsthe bleat of sheep asshepherds and their flocksclog the narrow streets, justdown from the hills afterlambing season. And Jesuscanwell imagine the peal of

the silver trumpets and theharmonious voices of theLevitechoir thatwillecho intheinnercourtsoftheTemplejust moments before aninnocent lamb is slaughteredfor the Passover sacrifice. Apriestwillcatchitsbloodinagolden bowl, then sprinkle iton the altar as the lamb ishungonahookand skinned.The Hallel2 prayers ofthanksgiving will soon

follow,andtheTemplecourtswill echo with songs ofhallelujah.This is Passover in

Jerusalem. It has been thisway since the rebuilding oftheTemple.EachPassoverisunique in its glory andpersonal stories, but theritualsremainthesame.Now, as he steps into the

CourtoftheGentiles,Jesusisabouttoundertakeaboldand

outrageous moment ofrevolution.For this Passover will not

be like those that have comebefore.Itwillberememberedthroughout history for wordsofanger.Unfurlinghiswhip,Jesus prepares to launch hisministry.

***The partially enclosedTemple courts reek of blood

and livestock. Tables piledwith coins line one wall, inthe shade of the Templeawnings, lorded over byscheming men known asshulhanim, “moneychangers.” In long lines,out-of-townersawaittheirchanceto exchange their meagerwealth in the form of coinsminted by agents of Rome.TheRomancoinsareadornedwith images of living things

suchasgodsorwithportraitsof the emperor. But thiscoinage must be convertedinto shekels,3 the standardcurrency of Jerusalem. Inkeeping with the Jewish lawforbidding graven images,these special coins aredecorated with images ofplants and other nonhumanlikenesses.Alsoknownasthe“Templetaxcoin,”theshekelis disparaged by many

pilgrimsbecauseitistheonlyformofmoneyacceptableforpaying the annual tax or forpurchasing animals for ritualslaughter.The money changers

demandunfairexchangeratesfor the privilege of turninglocalmoneyintoshekels.TheTemple high priests alsoprofit fromthisscam.WithintheTemple’sinnercourtsaremassive vaults filled with

shekelsand the foreigncoinsexchanged each year bypilgrims. When the Templeloans that money—as it sooften does, to peasants whoneed help paying their taxes—the interest rates areexorbitant. Ledger sheetswithin the Temple’s grandvaultskeep tallyof all debts,and those who cannot repaysuffer severe indignities: theloss of a home, loss of land

and livestock, and eventuallylife as a debt slave ormembership in the “unclean”class. The slums of lowerJerusalem are packed withfamilies who were drivenfrom their land because theycould not repay money theyborrowedfromtheTemple.So while Passover might

be a holiday about faith andpiety, it is alsoaboutmoney.AsmanyasfourmillionJews

make their way to Jerusalemeach year. This means moreincome for the local shopowners and innkeepers, butthe Temple priests and theirRoman masters get most ofthe profit through taxationand money changing. Evenmore money is made whenthe poormust buy a lambordove for the mandatoryPassover sacrifice. If a priestshould inspect the animal or

bird and find even a singleblemish, the sacrificewill bedeemed unclean and thepeasantwillbe forced tobuyanother. It is nowonder thatthe people quietly seethewhendoingbusinesswiththeTemple priests. Many wishthey could burn the ledgerbooks and loot the Templevaults. And in four decades,the sons and daughters ofIsraelwilldojustthat.

But that event is far awayduring this Passover week.Today Jesus climbs to theCourt of the Gentiles andmakeshiswayintothebroadopen-air plaza. Since hisbaptism and time spentfasting in the desert, hisministryhasbeenaquietone.Jesus of Nazareth has no

army. He has no wealth. Hehas no sword. He has noheadquarters and none of the

infrastructure needed tosupportamovement.Nothingin his behavior so far hasbeen rebellious orconfrontational. His greatestsocial outing since beingbaptized by John has beenattending a wedding in theGalileanvillageofCanawithhismother.IfJesusmeanstostartarevolutionbyrevealinghimself asGod, the planningistakingplaceonlywithinhis

head. He has not preached asingle message before acrowd.HehasnotchallengedRome or the Temple’s highpriests—nor does he seeminterestedindoingso.But now, as Jesus walks

pastthetablespiledhighwithcoins and sees the people ofGalilee standing helplessbefore these greedy moneychangers and the haughtyhighpriestsoverseeing them,

somethinginhimsnaps.ThisPassover ritual of moneychanging has not altered onebit since he was a child, buton this day Jesus feelsempowered to do somethingaboutthisobviouswrong.The Nazarene is not

normallyprone to anger, andcertainly not rage. In fact,Jesus usually exudes apowerful serenity. So whenhe boldly storms toward the

moneychangers’tables,thosewho know him becomealarmed.There is a power toJesus’s gait and a steelydeterminationtohisgaze.The tables are made of

wood. Their surfaces arescarred and dented from thethousands of coins that havebeen pushed back and forthacross them. The coins areuneven in size and shape, sothey do not stack well.

Instead, the money changerssit before enormous piles ofcurrency. Themoney gleamsinthestrongJerusalemsun.Heavy as the tables might

be, their weight does notbother Jesus—not aftertwenty years of haulinglumber and stone alongsidehis father. He places twohands beneath the nearesttable and flips it over. Asmallfortuneincoinsfliesin

every direction.And even asthestunnedshulhanimcryoutin a rage, and coins cascadedown onto the stonecourtyard, Jesus is already atthenexttable,andthenontothenext.Nobody has ever seen

anything like this. Jesus’sbehaviorisanactofmadnessand the sort of thing thatcouldgetamankilled.Asthecrowd gasps in shock, Jesus

brandishes the whip he hasmade fromcordsof rope.Hemoves from the moneychangers’ tables to wheregoats and sheep are beingsold. He cracks his whip,sending the animals running.Hemarchesovertothecagesof doves, also being sold forslaughter, and opens thedoorstosetthemfree.And nobody tries to stop

him.

Jesus is such a force thatnot even the strongest mandares step in his path. Men,women, and children scatterbefore Jesus and his whip.“Getoutofhere,”hescreamsto the money changers andthe men selling livestock.“How dare you turn myFather’s house into amarket!”These men who enjoyed

absolute power over the

pilgrims just moments agonow cower, terrified thatJesus will turn his whip onthem. The money changersseetheirfortuneslitteringthegroundbutmakenomove topick the coins up. Livestockrun looseacross theCourtofthe Gentiles—cows, goats,andsheepgallopingaimlesslythrough the throngs, theirrendezvous with theslaughtering knife

temporarilyputonhold.The Temple courts are so

vastthatJesus’soutburstgoesunheard by the priests andworshippers within theTemple itself. And manybelievers who have not seenhim scatter the animals arenowsurprisedbythesightofthese small herds in theirmidst. But those poor andoppressed who havewitnessed Jesus’s act of

defianceknowtheyhaveseensomethingveryspecial.Theystand rooted to the ground,eagerly watching thispowerful and unexpectedmomentoftheater.Suddenly, a circle of

pilgrimsandTempleofficialsforms a ring around Jesus,whoholdshiswhipfirmly inonehand,asifdaringthemtochallenge him. “Whatmiracles can you show us to

proveyourauthoritytodoallthis?” demands a moneychanger. Despite thecommotion, soldiers do notrun in to quell thedisturbance.Better to let thismadmanexplainhimself.“Destroy this Temple,”

Jesus vows, “and Iwill raiseitupinthreedays.”Now they know he’s

insane.“Ithastakenforty-sixyears to build this Temple

and you are going to raise itin three days?” scoffs amoney changer. Among theonlookers is Nicodemus, adevout Pharisee and amember of the Jewish rulingcouncil, who watches Jesuswithinterestandwaitsforhisanswertothatquestion.ButJesussaysnothing.He

knows his words will notchange hearts and minds intheTemple.

NooneblocksJesus’spathas he leaves theCourt of theGentiles and walks towardtheTempleitself.Behindhimcomes theclinkof silverandbronzeasthemoneychangersscurrytosweepupeverylastcoin. The men sellinglivestock race to rein in theirbeasts. It is thepilgrimswhocontinue to marvel at whatthey have just witnessed.Many of them have long

dreamed of committing sucha bold act of social unrest.FromhisGalileanaccentandsimple robes to hisworkingman’s physique, it isclear that Jesus is one ofthem.Forsome,thismanisahero.Andhis actionswill bediscussedeverywhere.4

***Night in Jerusalem is a timeof quiet celebration, as

pilgrims pack into localcourtyards and inns to beddown.Itiscustomarytoopenone’s home for the visitors,andtodosowithagladheart.But there is only so muchroomforallthesehundredsofthousands of travelers, socampfires dot the steephillsides and valleys outsidethecitywalls.Fromthethickgrovesof treeson theMountof Olives, across the Kidron

Valley, anddown toward theold city ofDavid,which liesjust south of the Temple,families and friends spreadout their blankets andbedrolls to spend the nightunderthestars.Among them is Jesus. He

has returned to the Templetime and again during hisPassover stay, teaching fromthatTemplecloisterknownasSolomon’s Porch. This is his

favorite place in theTemple,and even when he is notlistening to the scholars orjoining in to offer his ownteachings about the kingdomof God, he often lingers inthat area, walking andsoaking in the atmosphere.Wherever he goes, crowdsnow flock to him, askingquestions about God’skingdom and listeningreverentlytohisanswers.

Jesus has made a deepimpression ina short amountof time.His dramatic assaultagainst the money changersseemstohavepaidoff.The Nazarene is

comfortable in public. Heenjoys people and speakseloquently,oftenusingstoriesto illuminate his teachings.Sharinghismessageisagreatliberationaftersomanyyearsof self-imposed silence, and

his natural charisma andgentleness only make hislistenerslongformore.Butitis no surprise, particularlygivenhisoutrageousbehaviortoward the money changers,that Temple officials havebegun to watch him closely.The Pharisees, those menwho obsess about all aspectsof Jewish law, are payingparticular attention. They areskeptical about Jesus and

would like specificinformation before passingreligiousjudgmentonhim.Now, under cover of

darkness, the PhariseeNicodemus, who enjoys apowerfulroleasamemberofthe Jewish ruling council,approaches theNazarene.Hehaschosennighttimebecauseitwouldbeawkwardforhimtosaywhatisonhismindinthe midday Temple courts,

where even the lowliestpeasantcouldhearhiswords.Nicodemus also knows thatthisquiethourmeans thathecan have an uninterrupteddiscussionwithJesus.“Rabbi,” Nicodemus

begins deferentially, steppinginto the light cast by theflames.IfJesusissurprisedtosee such an exalted Phariseestepping from the darkness,hedoesnotleton.“Weknow

you are a teacher who hascomefromGod,”Nicodemuscontinues, speaking for hisfellowPharisees.“Itellyouthetruth,noone

can see the kingdom of Godunless he is born fromabove,” Jesus replies,expressing the predominanttheology of his teaching. Hehas been telling all whowilllisten that a person must bespiritually reborn if he is to

bejudgedkindlybyGod.This is a new concept to

the Pharisees. “How can thisbe?” Nicodemus asks inastonishment. “How cansomeone be bornwhen he isold?Surelyhecannotenterasecondtimeintothemother’swomb?”“Fleshgivesbirthtoflesh,”

Jesus replies. “Spirit givesbirthtospirit.Youshouldnotbesurprisedatmysayingyou

mustbebornagain.”Nicodemus is thoroughly

confused.“Howcanthisbe?”heasksagain.“You are Israel’s teacher,

and do you not understandthese things?” Jesus asks,assuming the debater’srhetoric he so often useswhen speaking with otherteachers in theTemple. If heisuncomfortablescoldingoneof the most powerful

religious leaders inJerusalem, it does not show.“ForGod so loved theworldthathegavehisoneandonlyson, thatwhoeverbelieves inhimshallnotperishbuthaveeternal life. For God did notsendhissonintotheworldtocondemn the world, but tosavetheworldthroughhim.”Nicodemusisintriguedbut

frustrated. He is a mandedicated to stated religious

law.NowJesusistellinghimthat God is about love, notrules. And that the Son ofGod has come to save theworld, even insinuating thatthis ishis true identity.ThentheNazarene adds talk aboutbeing reborn, as if such athingwerehumanlypossible.Rather than answeringNicodemus’squestions,Jesusisraisingevenmore.“Whoever lives by the

truth comes into the light,”Jesus concludes, “so that itmaybeseenplainlythatwhathe has done has been donethroughGod.”NicodemushasheardJesus

teaching in the Templecourts, so he knows that theNazarene likes to speak inallusions and parables. It’snotclearthatthereferencetostepping into the light hasanything to do with his own

appearance by the firetonight, but like the otherstatements it is giving him agreatdealtothinkabout.Ashewalksalonebackup

the hill and into Jerusalem,Nicodemus finds himselffascinated by Jesus and histeachings—impressedenoughthat he is destined torememberhim for as longashelives.5

***ThemenofNazarethpraytheShema, their voices blendingtogether as one: “Hear, OIsrael: Jehovah our God isone Jehovah; and thou shaltlove Jehovah your God withall your heart and all yoursoulandallyourmight.”It is the Sabbath day, and

the Shema marks thebeginning of the Sabbathworship. Jesus is home from

Jerusalem and now sits withhis head uncovered in thesame Nazareth synagoguewhere he hasworshipped hiswholelife.Theroomissmalland square, with woodenbenches pressed against eachwall. The Temple inJerusalem,withitspriestsandvaults and animal sacrifices,is the center of Jewish life.The local synagogue,however, is the lifeblood of

the faith, an intimate placewhere believers worship andteach, taking turns readingfromtheparchmentscrollsonwhich the Scriptures arewritten. Indeed, thesynagogue is so important totheJewishfaiththattherearemore than four hundredsynagogues in Jerusalem,allowing believers to gatherin a less formal setting thanthe Temple itself. In the

synagogue, there are no highpriests or clergy, no standardliturgy,andanyoneisallowedto play the part of rabbi, or“teacher.” Also, there is nomoneyonthetables.Jesusjoinsinasthemenof

Nazareth lift their voices insong, chanting the words ofthePsalms.Hehasknownallthese men since he was achild, just as they know himandhisfamily.

ButJesushaschanged.Nolonger content to be a merebuilder, he has spent themonths since returning fromJerusalem traveling throughGalilee, teaching insynagogues. He has becomepopular, praised everywherehe goes for the depth andinsightsofhisteaching.Thereare rumors that he commitsthe “sin” of speaking toSamaritans. Even more

confusingly, no one canexplainhowthismanwithnomedical knowledge healed adying child in the fishingvillage of Capernaum. SonowthesightofJesussittingin themidst of thisNazarethcongregation has become anevent, and there isanticipation as he stands toreadfromthescrolls.An attendant hands Jesus

the words of the prophet

Isaiah. “The Spirit of theLordisonme,”theNazarenereadsinHebrew,“becausehehas anointed me to preachgood news to the poor. Hehas sent me to proclaimfreedomfortheprisonersandrecovery for the sight of theblind, to release theoppressed, to proclaim theyearoftheLord’sfavor.”Jesus remains standing,

translating the words he has

justreadintoAramaic,forthebenefit of those not fluent inHebrew. It is customary tostand while reading and sitwhile teaching. So now hesits down again and presseshis back against the wall,aware that all eyes are uponhim. “Today this Scripturewasfulfilledinyourhearing,”Jesuscalmlyinformsthem.Thecrowdisshocked.This

reading is a pivotal moment.

The passage that Jesus readsrefers to an anointeddeliverer, a man bothprophetic and messianic. Hewill set them free. Jesus issaying that it refers to him,rightnow.“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

they ask rhetorically. Forwhile they know the answer,thewordsareareminderthatJesus should remember hisplace: his family is not the

wealthiest in town; nor is hethesmartestamong them.Heis the son of Joseph, andnothing more. In their eyes,Jesus exalting himself as theman sent by God to preachthe good news is offensive.EvenJesus’sfamilymembersdo not believe he is such aman.6But Jesus doesn’t back

down.Hehasbeenexpectingthis response. “I tell you the

truth,” he predicts. “Noprophet is accepted in histown.” He then makes alengthyspeechsuggestinghisbelief that the words he hasjust read refer specifically tohim.Jesustheninterjectstwoextremely volatile referencesto Elijah and Elisha, twoprophets who were rejectedby the nation of Israel.7 Theaudience knows its historyand immediately gets the

message. In essence, Jesustells these men he has longknownnotonlythatheistheSon of God but that theirrejection of this claim willcauseGodtoturnhisbackonthem. Jesus uses words suchas famine, widows, andleprosy inawaythatenragestheentiresynagogue.Disregarding that they are

in a house of worship, somemen leap to their feet and

prepare to attack Jesus.Movingquickly,heracesoutthe door. But they followhim. Working together, themenwho, justmoments ago,werepraying,nowcutoffanyroute of escape. Jesus isforced to the edge of town,where a tall cliff provides acommandingviewofGalilee.The men’s intention is to

hurlJesustohisdeath.Anditappears that might happen,

for Jesus seems powerless.Butatthelastminuteheturnsto face his detractors.Drawinghimselfuptohisfullheight, Jesus squares hisshoulders and holds hisground.Heisnotamenacingindividual, but he has acommanding presence anddisplaysanutter lackoffear.The words he says next willnever be written down, norwill the insults these men

continue to hurl at him everbechronicled.Intheend, themob parts and Jesus walksawayunscathed.Andhekeepswalking.8

***Jesus has issued threepronouncements about hisidentity: one to the public inJerusalem,one toNicodemusthePharisee, and the third inthe intimate setting of his

own town synagogue, to thepeople he knows best of all.Three times he has declaredhimselftobetheSonofGod,ablasphemous statement thatcould get him killed. It is astatement that cannot beretracted,justashecanneverreturntothehumbleandquietlife he knew growing up.There is no turning back.Nazareth is no longer hishome, and he is no longer a

carpenter.Jesus will never write a

book,composeasong,orputpaint on canvas. But twothousand years from now,after his message has spreadto billions of people, morebooks will be written abouthis life, more songs sung inhishonor,andmoreworksofart created in his name thanfor any other man in thehistoryoftheworld.

But now the Nazarene iscompletely alone, cut offfrom the life he once knew,destined to wander throughGalilee preaching words ofhopeandlove.Those words will

eventually rally billions ofhuman beings to his spiritualcause. But they will notconvert the powerful menwhocurrentlyholdthelifeofJesusintheirhands.

Tothem,theNazareneisamarkedman.

CHAPTERNINE

CAPERNAUM,GALILEESUMMER,A.D.27AFTERNOON

Thelocalfishingfleethasjustreturned from a long night

and day on the water, andgreat crowds fill themarketsalong Capernaum’swaterfront promenade. Pavedwith black volcanic basalt,just like the eight-footseawallonwhich it rests, thewalkway is a center ofactivity: fishermen sortingtheir catch into clean andunclean before making theofficialcountforthetaxman;1large freshwater holding

tanks filled with live fish;Matthew, the local taxcollector, sizing up the day’shaulatthemarinetollstation;and everywhere, customerseagertopurchasethefreshestcatchfortheireveningdinner.What doesn’t get sold thisday will be shipped toMagdala for drying andsalting, whereupon it will bepacked tightly into basketsand exported throughout the

RomanEmpire.For more than two

centuries, the business offishing has defined thebustling town of CapernaumontheSeaofGalilee,asboatsandnetslineeveryinchofthehundred feet between thestone piers and thebreakwater.Someare ferries,designed to carry passengersquickly and easily down toMagdala or across the eight

miles of sea to Gergesa. Butmostboatsareforfishing.Ofthe more than one dozenmajor fishing villages on theshoresofLakeofGennesaret,as the freshwater sea is alsoknown, none is busier thanCapernaum—not evenAntipas’sbrand-newcreation,Tiberias city. A detachmentof one hundred Romansoldiershasevenbeenpostedhere, to ensure that all taxes

arecollectedaccordingtothelaw.SoitwouldseemthatJesus

hascometotherightplaceifhe is lookingforanaudience—which, indeed, he is. Theproblem, however, is thatCapernaum is actually toobusy.No onewill be able tohear him over the clink ofsinker leads dropping ontostone and the hagglingbetween shopkeepers and

customers. The fishermenthemselves are exhaustedfrom hours of throwing outtheir flax fishing nets andhauling themhandoverhandbackintotheirboats,andtheyare in nomood to listen to areligioussermon.Jesus is undeterred. He

stopstolookupanddownthelong, fingerlike row of piers,carefullystudyingthevariousfishing boats. He is looking

for one boat and oneman inparticular.Each boat features a step

mast for sailing and oars forrowing when the wind iscalm. The boats areconstructed of wood andmadestrongerbythemortise-and-tenon joints2 used inplace of nails and the thickhandcrafted ribs that runalong the interior, just belowthe deck. The average boat

size is thirty feet long, eightfeetwide,andfour feethigh.The bow comes to a point,while the stern is rounded.Local shipwrights use cedarfor the hull, oak for theframe, and Aleppo pine,hawthorn,willow,andredbudwhere needed. These aresturdy craft, designed towithstand the temperamentallocal winds that can turn theSea of Galilee from dead

calmintotempest inamatterofmoments.The fishermen themselves

are even sturdier, with thickhands and forearms heavilycallused from a lifetime ofworkingthenets.Thesunhasmadetheirfacesleatheryanddeeplytanned.It isa tanthatextendsover the entire body,for those who fish with castnets(asopposedtothelargerdragnets or multilayer

trammel nets) must oftenjump into the water toretrieve their catch, and soprefertoworknaked.Jesusnarrowshissearchto

twoemptyboats.Hehasmetthe owners before and nowsees them washing andstretching their twenty-foot-wide cast nets in preparationfor thenextvoyage.The twomen take care to eliminateknots and tangles,while also

replacing any sinker weightsthat have fallen off. Thoughhe knows next to nothingabout fishing, Jesus walksdown the pier withconfidenceandstepsintooneof the empty craft. No onestopshim.As he gazes back toward

the shoreline, Jesus can seethe raised central roof of thetownsynagogueablockfromthewater.Itstandstallerthan

the homes and waterfrontadministrative offices,reminding him thatCapernaum’s citizensworship God and hold ateacher like him in greatreverence.A fisherman in his early

twenties walks to the boat.Simon, as he is known, is asimple, uneducated,impulsive man. He knowsJesus from their previous

meeting during the summer,as he and some others werefishingfor the tropicalmushtfish in the warm mineralsprings down the coast, nearTabgha. At the time, Jesushad called upon Simon andhis brother Andrew to joinhim as he preached hismessage throughout Galileeand to save souls bybecoming “fishers of men.”While Simon had initially

accepted that call toevangelism, he also has awife and mother-in-law tocare for. The task of beingone of Jesus’s disciples andspreading theword about hismessage is difficult tobalancewithhisneedtomakea living. His commitment toJesushasflagged.But now Jesus is back,

standing before him in hisboat.

Simon doesn’t tell him toleave.HejustasksJesuswhathewants.JesustellsSimontopush the boat away from thedockanddropanchor a littleway offshore. The spokenwordcarrieseasilyacrossthelake’s surface, and Jesusknows he will be heard byoneandallifheteachesfromaplaceuponthewater.Simon is exhausted and

dejected.He has been up for

twenty-four hours straight,sailinghissmallboatoutontothelakeanddroppinghisnetsagain and again. His backaches from his leaning overtheside topull thosenets in.Hehasbeeninandoutoftheinland sea countless times,without success. He needs adrinkofwaterandameal.Heneedsasoftbed.Butmostofall,heneedstopayhistaxes,and last night did nothing to

helpthis,forhedidnotcatchasinglefish.PerhapsSimonhasnothing

else todoat thismoment,orperhaps he can’t face thethought of returning home tohis wife and mother-in-lawempty-handed. Perhaps hehopes the teacher will say afew words that will lightenhisburden.Ormaybehe justfeels guilty for reneging onhis original commitment.

Whatever the reason, Simonundoes the knot connectinghis boat to its anchorage,pullstheropetowardhimself,and pushes away from thepier.Jesus has been standing

this whole while. But whenSimon’s boat floats just farenough from the shore thatJesuscanbeclearlyheardbyone and all, he takes a seat,adopting the traditional pose

forteaching.Thanks to Simon and his

boat, Jesus is soon regalingthe entire waterfront atCapernaum with hisinsightful words. As always,people are overcome by hischarisma. One by one, theystop what they are doing tolisten.“Put out into deep water,”

Jesus tells the wearyfishermanwhenheisfinished

speaking,“andletdownyournetsforacatch.”“Master,”Simon responds,

“we’veworkedhardallnightandhaven’tcaughtanything.”Sending his boat out into

the deep water is the lastthingSimonwants todo,yethealsofeelspowerlesstosayno.So with Jesus sitting

calmly amidships, Simonhoiststhesmallsailandaims

his boat for the deepestwatersoftheSeaofGalilee.

***A short time later, Jesus andSimon are catching so manyfish that the nets start tobreak. The sheer volume ofcarp, sardines, and mushtthreatens to capsize Simon’ssmall craft, and he is forcedto signal to James and John,the partners in his fishing

cooperative,tocomehelp.Rather than rejoice,Simon

isterrified.FromthemomentJesus first stepped into hisboat, something deeplyspiritual about his presencemade Simon uncomfortable.He feels unholy incomparison, even more soafter hearing Jesus’steachings about repentanceandtheneedtobecleansedofall sins. Simon wants this

man out of his lifeimmediately. He throwshimselfontohiskneesatopapileofwrithingfishandbegsJesustoleavehimalone.“Goaway fromme, Lord. I am asinfulman.”“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus

tells Simon. “From this dayon,youwillcatchmen.”

***And so it is that Simon—

whom Jesus renames Peter,meaning “rock”—becomesJesus’s first disciple. PetercannotexplainwhyJesushasselected him—not the localrabbi, not the most piousteachers in Capernaum, notevensomeofthemoredevoutfishermen—for this honor.Otherdisciplessoonjoinhim,including Matthew,Capernaum’s despised localtaxman, who oversees all

collections for HerodAntipas.By early in the year 28,

Jesushasselectedtwelvemento follow him and learn histeachingsasdisciples,sothatthey may one day go outalone into the world andpreachhismessage.Four of the apostles—

Peter, Andrew, James, andJohn—are fishermen. Jesushas specifically singled out

menfromthiscallingbecausetheir job requires them to beconversant in Aramaic,Hebrew, Greek, and a littleLatin,whichwill allow themto speak with a wider groupofpotentialfollowers.Allofthechildrenarefrom

Galilee, except one. He isfromatowncalledCarioth—or “Iscariot,” as it will oneday be translated into theGreek of the Gospels. His

name is Judas. He speakswith the polished accent ofJudea’s southern region andis so good with money thatJesus selects him as thegroup’s treasurer instead ofMatthew.JesuschoosesJudasasoneofhistwelvedisciples3andrefers tohimopenlyasafriend. One day that willchange.Galilee is a small region,

measuring roughly thirty by

forty miles. Its cities areinterconnected by a series ofancienthighwaysandRomanroads4 plied daily by traders,pilgrims, and travelers.Capernaumisasavvychoicefor a base of operations, asthe fishing community isconstantly sending out itsproduct to far-flung markets,and those who hear Jesusspeak inandaround thatcityspread the news about his

ministry when they travel toplacessuchasTyreandevenJerusalemtoselltheirbasketsloaded with salted fish.Crowdsbegin to findhimonthose days when JesusventuresoutfromCapernaumtopreach.Heisnotalwaysonthe move, for his disciplesstillhavejobsandfamiliestosupport. But as the monthspass and his popularitygrows, when Jesus does

preach,thecrowdsthatgathertohearhimgrowinsize.TheNazarene teaches insynagogues and in openfields, in private homes andalongthelakeshore.Menandwomen abandon their laborsto hear him speak, and vastaudiences crowd closetogether to hear Jesus’ssimplemessageofGod’sloveandhope.Not everyone adores him,

however.Itwouldseemthatalone man preaching such anoncombativemessagewouldnot present a problem forRome or its henchmanAntipas. The Romangovernor, Pontius Pilate, hasa palace in Caesarea, just aday’s ride from Capernaum.ThankstoRomanspies,wordhas reached Pilate about apotential Jewish rebel. Thespies of Herod Antipas are

also keeping a close eye onJesus,whomtheyperceivetobeaconsortofandsuccessorto John the Baptist. TheJewishreligiousauthoritiesinJerusalem and Galilee,particularly the law-centricPharisees, are now watchinghim closely for any violationof religious law, and theyseek todebunkhis teachings.They mock him for drinkingwine with sinners and for

selectingamuch-despisedtaxcollector, Matthew, as adisciple. And when news ofsupernatural healingsperformed by Jesus begin tomake the rounds in Galilee,the religious authoritiesbecomeevenmorealarmed.But Jesus does not back

down.Instead,heassertshimself.

For the poor and oppressedpeopleofGalilee,thesermon

he will soon preach from amountainside outsideCapernaum will define theirstruggle in a way that willneverbeforgotten.

***“Blessed are the poor inspirit, for theirs is thekingdom of heaven,” Jesusbegins.“Blessedaretheywhomourn, for they will becomforted.

“Blessed are themeek, fortheywillinherittheearth.“Blessed are those who

hunger and thirst forrighteousness,fortheywillbefilled.“Blessed are the merciful,

fortheywillbeshownmercy.“Blessed are the pure in

heart,fortheywillseeGod.“Blessed are the

peacemakers,fortheywillbecalledsonsofGod.

“Blessedarethosewhoarepersecuted because ofrighteousness,fortheirsisthekingdomofheaven.”Jesus is sitting, letting his

powerful speaking voicecarry his words out to themassive crowd. There arePharisees among the people.And no doubt they arestunnedasJesussetsforthhisown interpretation ofreligiouslaw.Whatbeginsas

amessagedesignedtoremindthe men and women ofGalilee that their currentcircumstances will not lastforever soon becomes alengthypoeticdissertationonadultery,murder, false oaths,almstothepoor,lovingone’senemies, and even, mostshockingly, defying thepowersthatbe.Jesus is telling the crowd

thattheyshoulddefertoGod

inallmatters.Andthewordshe speaks are like anemotional rejuvenation in theheartsoftheseGalileans,whofeeloppressedandhopeless.“This, then, is how you

should pray,” Jesus tellsthem. No one speaks. Thecrowd leans forward,strainingtolisten.“Our Father, who are in

heaven, hallowed be yourname. Thy kingdom come,

thywill be done, on earth asit is in heaven. Give us thisday our daily bread, andforgive us our debts, as wealso have forgiven ourdebtors.And leadusnot intotemptation, but deliver usfromtheevilone.”It’s all there. Everything

that a peasant in Galilee canrelatetoasapartoflifeunderRoman rule: the need to relyonGod,theworryaboutdaily

nourishment, the constantstruggle to stay out of debt,and, finally, a reminder thatinthemidstofthiscruellife,succumbingtothetemptationto lie, cheat, steal, or sleepwith anotherman’swife is afalse act that will only leadpeople farther and fartherawayfromGod.The crowd is stunned as

Jesus finishes. The speech islessthantwothousandwords

long.Yetthereisgreatpowerin its brevity. “The Sermonon the Mount,” as it willcome to be known, may bethemost important speech inhistory.The crowds follow Jesus

down themountain that day,through the tall spring grassand around small limestoneboulders, past the fields ofnew wheat, trailing him allthewaybacktoCapernaum.

There, soon after enteringthecity,amostamazingthinghappens: the Romanmilitaryofficer in charge ofCapernaum declares himselftobeafollowerofJesus.Jesus is astonished. This

admission could end theman’scareerorevengethimkilled. But Jesus turns to thecenturion. “I tell you thetruth,” he sayswith emotion.“I have not found anyone in

Israelwithsuchgreatfaith.”

***Three months after theSermon on theMount, Jesusis in the home of a localPharisee.Hehasbeeninvitedto dinner to discuss histeachings. The Pharisee,Simon, does not like Jesus.And even though Simoninvited Jesus to dinner, he isdemonstrating his contempt

for him by not playing therole of a good host. ThoughJesus walked the four dustymiles from Capernaum toMagdala in sandals to behere,Simonhasnotprovidedhim with water to wash thedust from his feet, as percustom. Simon did not offerhim a respectful kiss ofgreeting on the cheek oranoint him with olive oiluponhisarrival.

The Pharisees numbersome six thousand membersthroughout all of Judea, andtheir name means “separatedones,”inreferencetothewaythey hold themselves apartfromother Jews.There is nomiddle class that falls inbetween the royalty of thestate and the religiousteachers. Farmers, artisans,and merchants all constitutethe lower class. The

Pharisees, who haveappointed themselvesguardians of Jewish religiouslaw, believe that theirinterpretations of Scriptureare authoritative. Whereverthey go to teach insynagogues, this isconsidered to be true. Butnow Jesus has chosen tointerpret the Scriptureshimself. And that isthreatening to the

establishment, as the peopleof Galilee are eagerlylistening to Jesus. So Simonthe Pharisee has invited theNazarene to a gathering offriends, to see if he can traphim into saying somethingblasphemous.Ayoungwomanentersthe

room silently. She is aprostitute who has heardJesus speak. She has beeninvited by Simon as part of

his elaborate plan to test theNazarene. The moment isobviously awkward, forrarely does a woman of illrepute enter the home of aholy Pharisee. Nevertheless,Mary ofMagdala5—orMaryMagdalene, as she will godown inhistory—nowstandsbehind Jesus. In her hands,she holds a very expensivealabaster jar of perfume.Where she got the money to

buyitisleftunasked.ItiswellknownhowMary

makesherliving,fortherearefew secrets in the smallvillagesandtownsofGalilee.ButMaryhascometobelievein the love and acceptancepreached by Jesus. Now,overcome with emotion, shebends down to pour thearomaticperfumeonhisfeet.But she begins to sob beforeshe can open the jar.Mary’s

tears flow freely andwithoutshame, and her face ispressed close to the feet ofthe Nazarene, which are stillcoated in road dust from hiswalktothePharisee’shouse.Mary’s tears continue, and

they mix with the perfumesheappliestoJesus.Shethendries his feet with her longhair, evenas shekisses themasasignofloveandrespect.Jesus does nothing to stop

her.“If this man were a

prophet,” thinks Simon thePharisee, “he would knowwhoistouchinghimandwhatkind of woman she is: asinner.”“Simon, I have something

to tell you,” Jesus says asMary opens the alabaster jarand pours more perfume onhis feet. The smell isenchanting and powerful,

filling the room with itsflowerysweetness.“Tell me, teacher,” Simon

repliessmoothly.“Doyouseethiswoman?I

came into your house. Youdidnotgivemeanywaterformy feet, but shewetmy feetwithhertearsandwipedthemwith her hair. You did notgive me a kiss, but thiswoman, from the time Ientered, has not stopped

kissing my feet,” Jesus tellsthe Pharisee. “You did notput oil on my head, but shehas poured perfume on myfeet.Therefore I tellyou,hermanysinshavebeenforgiven—forshelovedmuch.Buthewho has been forgiven little,loveslittle.”Jesus looks at Mary. She

lifts her eyes to see his face.“Your sins are forgiven,”Jesustellsher.

IfSimonwaslookingforachance to catch Jesus in atheological trap, now is themoment.Sinscanbeforgivenonly through sacrificialofferings. In the eyes of thePharisees, even the baptismsperformedintheJordanRiverdonotofficially forgive sins.AndnowJesus issaying thathe has the authority toobliteratesin.

MaryMagdalene

TheotherfriendsofSimonwhohavecometodinnerthisevening are dumbfounded byJesus’s words, particularlysince he has spoken them inthe presence of such aprominent Pharisee. “Who isthiswhoevenforgivessins?”theyaskoneanother.“Your faith has saved

you,” Jesus tells Mary of

Magdala.“Nowgoinpeace.”Shegoes,butnot for long.

Mary isn’t selected by Jesusto serve as oneof his twelvedisciples, but she followsthemastheytravelandneverreturns to the life she onceknew. In the end, Mary willbe a powerful witness to thelast days of Jesus ofNazareth.6

***

The last days have come forJohntheBaptist.HehasbeeninthedungeonsofMachaerusfor two longyears.Thedankcellsarecarvedintotherockyhillside,and,infact,somearenothingmorethancaves.Thefloors,ceilings,andwallsareimpenetrable rock. There areno windows in his cell; theonly light comes throughsmall slits in the thickwoodendoor.Therectangular

doorjamb is framed byhaphazardly chiseled stonesstackedatoponeanotherandsealed with mortar. It is aplaceof solitude and silence,dampandchill,wherehopeishard to maintain throughmonth after month ofsleeping on the ground andwhere one’s skin grows palefrom never feeling thewarmthofsunlight.Nowandagain it is possible to smell

the aromatic bushes thatAntipas planted between thecastle and the lower city, butthe scent is just as quicklyswept away on the desertwind, takingwith it the briefsensation of beauty. Theliving hell of the prison hasbeenpreyingonJohn’smind.HeisnowbeginningtodoubthisinitialfaithinJesusastheMessiah. He desperatelywants to get word to Jesus

andbereassuredbyhim.

JohntheBaptistinprisonsendshisdisciplestoJesus

John the Baptist hasattracted many disciples ofhis own, though he has alsoexhorted men to return totheir fields and their farmsrather than follow himthroughthewilderness.Butatleast two such men havecome to see him, and nowtheylistenasJohnsendsthemonamission.“Askhim,” the

Baptist says, referring toJesus,“‘Areyoutheonewhohas come, or should weexpectsomeoneelse?’”The months in isolation

have given John time toreflect on hisministry.He isstill a young man, not yetforty. But the longer heremainsinprison,themoreitappears that he mighteventually be executed. Hislife’s work has been to tell

peopleabout thecomingofamessiah,andnowhewondersif it was all in vain. PerhapsJesus is just another greatteacher, or another man likehim, intent on preachingabout the coming of God.John’s own disciples havecome bringing news ofJesus’sgreatspeechesandthelargecrowdsthatseekhimnomatter when or where hepreaches. They’ve told John

that Jesus is unafraid to eatand drink with the taxcollectors and whores andthat some of these sinnerschange their ways afterlistening to his words ofredemption. These discipleshavealsotoldJohnthatJesushas healed the sick andcaused men who werecompletely deaf their wholelivessuddenlytohear.Still, John is not sure. He

has seen firsthand whathappens when commonpeople become enthralledwith charismatic spiritualmen. Their behavior isexcited and unreasonable.They attribute all manner ofmiracles to a leader’spresence, focusing on theman himself rather than onGod. And whether thesephenomenaoccurornot,Johndoes not care. What matters

mosttohimisthekingdomofheavenandwhentheMessiahwillcometoearth.So John sends his

messengersontheirway.Itishard to imagine anyplacemoreremoteordesolate thanMachaerus,situatedasitisinthe middle of a desert, highatop a mountain. Theisolationisbrutal.Weeks pass. The journey

fromMachaerus toGalilee is

just four days. John prays ashe waits patiently for morewordaboutJesus.Finally, he hears the

shuffleofsandalsoutside thedungeon door. His discipleshave returned, bringing withthem some very specificwordsfromJesus.“HetoldustogobackandreporttoJohnwhat you hear and see: theblind receive sight, the lamewalk,thosewhohaveleprosy

are cured, the deaf hear, thedeadareraised,andthegoodnewsispreachedtothepoor.Blessed is themanwhodoesnot fall away on account ofme.”7Johnisrelieved.Thisisthe

affirmation hewas hoping tohear.Nowhecanfinallyfindsome semblance of peace ashelanguishesinprison.Jesusisonceagainclaimingthatheis who John publicly

proclaimed him to be: theMessiah.But there’s more. The

eager disciples go on to tellJohn that Jesus not onlyalluded to his own virginbirth,asforetoldbyScripture,but also extended a warmcompliment to John as aremindertostandstrong.Themoment came as Jesus wasteaching to a crowd withinearshotofJohn’sdisciples.In

fact, they were just about toleave when Jesus made surethey heard these words:“Whatdidyougooutintothedesert to see?” he asked thecrowd in reference to John.“A reed swayed by thewinds?8 A man dressed infine clothes? No, those whowearfineclothesareinkings’palaces. Then what did yougo out to see? A prophet?Yes, I tell you so, and more

thanaprophet.Thisistheoneabout whom it is written: ‘Iwill send my messengerahead of you, who willprepare your way beforeyou.’“Itellyouthetruth:among

those born of women, therehas not risen anyone greaterthanJohntheBaptist.”

***Another year passes. One

night, throughthethickstonewalls of his prison cell, Johncanhear thesoundsofmusicand dancing. Antipas hasinvited the most powerfulmen in Galilee—highofficials, militarycommanders, and all hiswealthy friends—to join himat Machaerus for a livelydinner banquet to celebratehis birthday. Inside thepalace, the men and women

dineinseparatebanquethalls,aspercustom.InthechamberwhereAntipasdineswith themen, he calls forentertainment and thenwatches in rapt attention ashis stepdaughter, Salome,steps into the great hall andperforms an exotic solodance. The beautiful youngteenager with the raven-colored hair flits slowlyaround the room, seductively

swaying her hips to the beatof the tambourines andcymbals. The men areentranced and unable to taketheir eyes off her. They roarwith approval as the songends. Antipas is particularlyenchanted.“Askme for anything you

want,andI’llgiveittoyou,”hecallsouttoSalome.Therequest,however,does

not end there. Knowing that

his guests have becomeenraptured by the beautifulSalome, Antipas wants tomakeagrandgesturethatwillimpress them. “I swear anoath,whateveryouask,Iwillgive you, up to half mykingdom.”Salomeisyoung,butsheis

also clever. She rushes fromthe room to find her motherfor advice. “What shall I askfor?”Salomeasks.

This is the moment thevengeful Herodias has beenwaiting for. She tells herdaughter: “The head of JohntheBaptist.”Salome does not hesitate

and immediately races backintothebanquethall.Lookingdirectly at her stepfather, shesays in a loudvoice, “IwantyourightnowtogivemetheheadofJohntheBaptistonasilvertray.”9

Antipasisshocked.Heisaman who understandspolitical intrigue, for he hasplayed this game his wholelife. He grew up in ahousehold where a fatherwould kill his sons at theslightest sign of disloyalty.His knowledge of this gamespared him from execution.Butnowheisbeingoutwittedand outfoxed by, of allpeople,hisownwife.

Killingamanofthepeoplecould bring graveconsequences. Though fondofperversion,vice,andotherself-indulgences, Antipas isstill a Jew—even if justmarginally faithful. He hasenough faith to wonder ifthere will be divineconsequencestosuchalethalaction.Infact,tenyearsafterthe Baptist is executed, theJewish historian Josephus

will proclaim that Antipas’sloss of his kingdom was adirectresultofGodpunishinghim for the murder of JohntheBaptist.And yet he has sworn an

oath. To back down in frontof these men would put hisgoodword indoubt.When itcametimetomakeapromiseto one of his guests onanotheroccasion, theywouldneverbelievehim.

So it is that John theBaptisthears thecreakofhiscell door swinging open. Anexecutioner carryingabroad,sharpenedswordentersalone.By the light of themoon, heforcesJohntohisknees.TheBaptistisresignedtohisfate.The swordsman then raiseshis weapon high overheadandviciouslybringsitdown.John does not feel the

weight of the heavy steel

blade as it slices his headfromhisbody.Thevoiceofonecryingout

in the wilderness is nowsilent.Grasping John’s head by

the hair, the executionerplaces it upon a tray anddelivers it toSalomeandhermother.

***Herodiashashadherrevenge

againsttheBaptist.Butifshe(or Antipas) thinks thatkilling John will end thereligious fervor nowsweeping through Galilee,she is verywrong. Johnmayhave stirred strong emotionsbycleansingbelieversoftheirsins, but another presence ischallengingauthorityinwaysneverbeforeseenorheard.Jesus of Nazareth has one

yeartolive.

CHAPTERTEN

GALILEEAPRIL,A.D.29DAY

Jesushasbecomeavictimofhis own celebrity, and with

every passing day, his life ismore and more in danger.ManyGalileansbelieveJesusis the Christ—the anointedearthly king who willoverthrow the Romans andrulehispeopleas thekingofthe Jews, just asDaviddidathousand years ago. Becauseofthis,theRomanauthoritiesare paying even closerattention to Jesus. For, underRoman law, a man who

claims to be a king is guiltyof rebellion against theemperor, a crime punishablebycrucifixion.Knowing this,Jesus takes great care nolonger to proclaim publiclythatheistheChrist.The chief Galilean

administrator of the Jews,Herod Antipas, does notbelieve the Nazarene is theChrist but, instead, thereincarnation of John the

Baptist. It is as if Antipas isbeing haunted by the deadprophet as punishment forordering his murder. AntipasisopenlyfrettingaboutJesusand the troubles he couldcause. And the tetrarch isprepared once again to useextrememeasurestosolvetheJesusproblem.But Pontius Pilate and

Antipasarenotactingyet.Sofar, Jesus has shown himself

to be a peaceful man. Otherthan the lone incident withthe Temple money changers,nothing Jesus has donethreatensthemortheirwayoflife. He has never oncesuggested that the people ofGalileeriseupagainstRome.Nor has he told his vastaudiences that he is king ofthe Jews. So the Romangovernor of Judea and theJewish administrator of

Galilee are content to watchJesusfromafar.Not so with the religious

authorities. Led by theTemplehighpriestCaiaphas,theteachersofJewishlawseeJesus as a very clear andpresent danger. Caiaphas hasamassed his wealth andpower throughTemple taxes,profits from the moneychangers, and the Templeconcession for sacrificial

lambs. His family also ownstenant farms outsideJerusalem, so he has a greatdeal more than just religiousteachingsatstake.Just as an armed

revolutionary is a militarythreat to Rome, so Jesus’spreaching is a threat to thespiritual authority of theSadducees, Pharisees, andTemple teachers and scribes.Thus these self-proclaimed

men of God have devised aspecificplanforhandlingtheNazarene: a quiet arrestfollowed by a hastyexecution.But the religious leaders

would be rendered impure ifthey murder the Nazarene incold blood. They cannot paysomeone to run him throughwithaswordortowraptheirhands around his throat andstranglehiminhissleep.No,

the Pharisees must play bytraditional rules, and thismeans killing Jesus for apublic violation of religiouslaw.In search of such an

offense, a select team ofPharisees and scribes nowtravels from Jerusalem toGalilee to observe Jesus inperson. They are men wellversedinScripture.Ifanyonecan find fault with the

Nazarene,itisthey.Or so the religious leaders

believe.

***Things go wrong from thestart. The Pharisees andSadducees are frustrated atevery turn, for Jesus is aspiritual and intellectual rivalunlike any they have everfaced. Despite their bestefforts to weaken his

movement by interrogatinghim publicly, the Nazareneoutwits them at every turn,and his popularity continuestosoar.ThepeopleofGalileebegin to monitor Jesus’stravels so closely that theyanticipate where he is goingand then race ahead to waitfor him. Stories of Jesusturning water into wine andmakingthelamewalkandtheblind see have so electrified

the region that it is nowcommonplace for almostanyone with an ailment toseek him out, even if thatmeansbeingcarriedformilesto await his appearance.Indeed, the Phariseesthemselveswitnessapuzzlingevent, as Jesus apparentlyheals a man’s severelywithered hand on theSabbath,1 an act that thePharisees promptly and

publicly condemn as aviolationofreligiouslaw.Jesus shows himself to be

an adroit intellectual foil byusing logic and words ofHolyScripturetoupendtheirarguments. “There is nothingunlawful,” he reminds theTemple squad, “about doinggood.” Making matters moredifficult for the holy men isJesus’s ability to amaze thepeasants of Galilee by

seemingly performingsupernatural acts. ThePharisees now hear that hetransformedtwofishandfiveloaves of bread into a feastthat fed five thousandpeoplein the mountains nearBethsaida early this spring.And even more fantastic isword that Jesus allegedlybrought a dead girl inCapernaum back to life.Finally, the most astounding

happening of all: Jesus’sdisciples claim to have seenhim walk atop the Sea ofGalilee in the midst of aviolentstorm.The Pharisees refuse to

believe any of this, eventhough they have witnessedfirsthandanunexplainableactof healing. Yet a staggeringnumber of witnesses areattesting to each and everyoneofthesepela’oth,othoth,

andmophethim.TheGreekofthe Gospels will latertranslate theseHebrewwordsinto dunameis, semeia, andterata—power (or force),signs, and wonders. Thesimple Aramaic-speakingpeople of Galilee prefer justonewordtodescribetheactsofJesus:nes.2The Pharisees believe in

miracles but not in Jesus.Time and again throughout

Jewish oral history—fromMosestoJobtoEsther—Godreveals himself through suchactions. When the Phariseesfinally put the oral traditionoftheJewishpeopleontothepagetwocenturiesfromnow,theTalmudwillbefilledwithstoriesofGod’smiracles.But Jesus is not God, of

thatthePhariseesaresure.Heisanagitator,afalse teacher,adangerouscharlatan.Rather

thanaheavenlypalace,Jesustakes a room in the simpleearthly home of his disciplePeter. Clearly this cannot bethe supreme deity whom thePharisees have spent theirlivescontemplating.This troubles thePharisees

deeply. Jesus is underminingtheir authority. If allowed toflourish, his movement willdestroy their way of life,stripping them ofwealth and

privilege.And that cannotbeallowed to happen. For asmuch as the Pharisees saythey loveGod,most of themare arrogant, self-righteousmen who love their exaltedclassstatusfarmorethananyreligiousbeliefsystem.It is a status the Temple

priests have enjoyed foralmost six centuries. Sincethe time of the Babyloniancaptivity, when the last true

Jewishkingwastoppledfromthe throne, a power vacuumhasexistedamongtheJewishpeople.3 Holy men such asthe Pharisees have filled thatvoid by strictly interpretingthe laws of Moses. Theygained respect from theJewish people by addinghundreds of newcommandments andprohibitions to Moses’soriginal list of ten, then

passing them on through anoral history known as theTraditionoftheElders.Few ever question these

laws, especially not theuneducated peasants ofGalilee. But now Jesus,through his actions andteaching,has shownmanyofthese mandates to be absurdand the behavior of thePharisees and Sadducees tobeevenmoreso.

ThetimehascometomoveagainsttheNazarene.

***One spring day, a Phariseetaunts Jesus: “Why don’tyour disciples live accordingto the traditionsof the eldersinstead of eating their foodwithuncleanhands?”Jesusiscalm.Hebeginsby

answering a question with aquestion,atechniqueheoften

uses.“Whydoyoubreak thecommandofGodforthesakeofyourtradition?”ItisAprilinGalilee,atime

on the Roman Empire’sJulian calendar whenshepherdsandtheirflocksdotthe hillsides and farmersconclude the barley harvestandturntheirattentiontothegreat fields of wheat. Jesusand his disciples have justpurchased a meal in the

marketplace and have retiredto enjoy it. Soon a circle ofPharisees gathers around tocondemn them for notengaging in the ceremonialwashing of the hands. Thisritual includes a pre-mealcleansingofcups,plates,andcutlery,andisfarmoresuitedto the Temple courts than aGalilean fishing village. Ofcourse,thefamisheddisciplesare in nomood to indulge in

suchalengthyprocess.Jesussayslittleatfirst.The

Pharisees take this as a signto move closer. A crowd ofcuriousonlookersgathersjustbehindthem.ThetwogroupsformatightringaroundJesusandhisdisciples.Itisanooseof sorts, within which theNazarene is trapped. He hasnowhere to run—just as thePhariseesplanned.The trap is baited. The

PhariseeshopethatJesuswillnow utter words ofblasphemy and heresy. If hedoes that, he can becondemned. Thepronouncement that thePharisees want to hear morethan any other is a claim ofdivinity, a publicproclamationbyJesusthatheis the Son of God—not anearthly king, but one exaltedabove the angels and seated

onthethronewithGod.That would be enough to

havehimstonedtodeath.The religious leaders are

dressed in expensive robesadorned with extra-long bluetassels. Small wooden boxesarefastenedtotheirforeheadsbyaheadband.Insideeachisa tiny scroll of ScripturetellingabouttheexodusfromEgypt. Both the fringe andthe phylactery, as this box is

known, are designed to callattention to the Pharisees’holiness and to remind oneand all of their religiousauthority.But Jesus does not

recognizethisauthority.He stands to address the

Pharisees. The people ofGalilee press closer to hearwhat the Nazarene will say.These simple artisans andfishermen look poor and

tattered in comparison withthe Pharisees. Jesus, theirfellow Galilean, is dressedjust liketheyare, inasimplesquarerobeoveratunic,withsmall fringes and nophylactery.The people know that this

is not the first time thePharisees have tried to goadthe Nazarene into a publicincident, and the drama andwit of Jesus’s responses are

widelyknown.“Isaiah was right when he

prophesied about youhypocrites,” Jesus says,looking directly at thePhariseesandSadducees.TheNazarene then quotes fromtheScripture: “‘Thesepeoplehonormewith their lips, buttheir hearts are far fromme.They worship me in vain;their teachings are but rulestaughtbymen.’”

Jesus is fearless.Theforceof hiswords carries out overthe crowd. There is a deepironytohislecture,forwhilethePhariseeshavecomeheretojudgeJesus,thetoneofhisvoicemakes it clear that it ishewhoisjudgingthem.“Youhave letgoof thecommandsofGodandareholdingontothe traditions of men,” hescoldshisaccusers.Before they can reply,

Jesus turns to the crowd andsays, “Listen to me.Understand this: Nothingoutside aman canmake him‘unclean’ by going into him.Rather, it is what comes outof a man that makes himunclean.”

***The Pharisees walk awaybefore Jesus can furtherundermine their authority.

The remaining crowds makeitimpossibleforthedisciplestoeatinpeace,soJesusleadsthem into a nearby house todinewithoutbeingdisturbed.But the disciples are

unsettled. In their yeartogether,theyhaveheardandabsorbed so much of whatJesushas saidandhavebeenwitness to many strange andpowerful events they do notunderstand. They are simple

men and do not comprehendwhy Jesus is so intent onhumiliating the all-powerfulPharisees. This escalatingreligious battle can only endpoorlyforJesus.“Do you know that the

Pharisees were offended?”one of them asks Jesus,statingtheobvious.Then Peter speaks up.

“Explain the parable to us,”he asks, knowing that Jesus

never says anything publiclywithout a reason. Sometimesthe Nazarene’s words arespiritual, sometimes theycontain a subtle politicalmessage, and sometimes hemeans to be uplifting. In thepast few months, Jesus hasdebated the Pharisees abouteverythingfromeatingbarleyon the Sabbath to handwashing, today’s debate,which seemed pointless to

Peter. Perhaps the discipleshaveoverlookedanimportantsubtexttoJesus’steaching.“Are you still so dull?”

answersanexasperatedJesus.Jesus continues: “Don’t

you see that whatever entersthe mouth enters into thestomach and then out of thebody. But the things thatcomeoutof themouth comefrom the heart, and thesemake a man unclean. For

from within, out of men’shearts come evil thoughts,sexual immorality, theft,murder, adultery, greed,malice, deceit, lewdness,envy, slander, arrogance, andfolly.Allof theseevilscomefrom inside andmake amanunclean.”Judas Iscariot is among

thoselisteningtothewordsofJesus.He is the lonedisciplewho was not raised in

Galilee, making him aconspicuous outsider in thegroup. There is no denyingthis.Hewearsthesamerobesand sandals, covers his headto keep off the sun, andcarriesawalkingsticktofendoff the wild dogs of Galilee,just like the rest of thedisciples.Buthisaccentisofthe south, not the north.Every time he opens hismouth to speak, Judas

reminds the disciples that heisdifferent.Now Jesus’s words push

Judas further away from thegroup. For Judas is also athief.Takingadvantageofhisrole as treasurer, he stealsregularly from the disciples’meagerfinances.4Ratherthanallow Jesus to be anointedwithpreciousperfumesbyhisadmirers, Judas has insistedthatthosevialsofperfumebe

soldand theprofitsplaced inthe group’s communalmoneybag—all so that hemightstealthemoneyforhisown use. Judas’s acts ofthievery have remained asecret,and,likeallthieves,hecarries the private burden ofhissin.5Now Jesus is deepening

Judas’s shame by remindinghim that he is not merely asinnerbutalsounclean.Tobe

morally unclean inGalilee isnot just a spiritual state ofmind;itistoenteradifferentclass of people. Such a manbecomes an outcast, fit onlyfor backbreakingoccupationssuch as tanning and mining,destined to be landless andpoorforallhisdays.Judas has seen these

people.Manyofthemfillthecrowds that follow Jesus,simply because they have

nothingbettertodowiththeirtime,andJesus’swordsofferthem ameasure of hope thattheir lives will somehowimprove. They have nofamilies, no farms, and noroof over their heads.Othersturn to a life of crime,becoming brigands andhighwaymen, bandingtogether and living in caves.Theirlivesarehard,andtheyoftendieyoung.

This is not the life JudasIscariot has planned forhimself.IfJesusistheChrist,as Judas believes, then he isdestined one day tooverthrow the Romanoccupation and rule Judea.Judas’s role as one of thetwelve disciples will ensurehim a most coveted andpowerful role in the newgovernment when that daycomes.

Judas apparently believesintheteachingsofJesus,andhe certainly basks in theNazarene’s reflectedcelebrity. But his desire formaterialwealthoverridesanyspirituality. Judas puts hisown needs above those ofJesusandtheotherdisciples.For a price, Judas Iscariot

iscapableofdoinganything.

***

Frustratedbytheirinabilitytotrap Jesus but also believingtheyhaveenoughevidencetoarrest him, the Pharisees andSadducees return toJerusalem to make theirreport. And while it mayseemasifJesusisunbotheredbytheirattention, thetruthisthat the pressure is weighingon him enormously. Evenbeforetheirvisit,Jesushopedto take refuge in a solitary

place for a timeof reflectionand prayer. Now he leavesGalilee, taking the discipleswith him. They walk north,into the kingdom ruled byAntipas’s brother Philip,toward the city of CaesareaPhilippi.Thepeopletherearepagans whoworship the godPan, that deity with thehindquarters and horns of agoatandthetorsoandfaceofaman.No one there cares if

Jesus says he is the Christ,nor will the authoritiesquestionhimaboutScripture.While Caesarea Philippi isjust thirty-fourmilesnorthofCapernaum, Jesus might aswellbeinRome.Summer is approaching.

The two-day journey followsa well-traveled Roman roadon theeast sideof theHulahValley. Jesus and hisdiscipleskeepasharpeyeout

for thebearsandbandits thatcan do harm, but otherwisetheir trip is peaceful.Actually, this constitutes avacation for Jesus and thedisciples, and they aren’t toomany miles up the roadbefore Jesus feels refreshedenough to stop and relax inthesun.“Who do the people say I

am?”Jesusasksthedisciples,perhaps inspired by the great

templeatOmrit,dedicated toCaesarAugustus, amanwhoclaimed to be god but whowas,intheend,justasmortalasanyotherman.“Some say John the

Baptist,otherssayElijah,andstillothersJeremiahoroneofthe prophets,” comes thereply.It is often this way when

theytravel:Jesusteachingonthe go or prompting

intellectual debate bythrowing out a randomquestion. Rarely does heconfideinthem.“But what about you?”

Jesus inquires. “Who do yousayIam?”Peter speaks up. “You are

the Christ, the son of thelivingGod.”Jesus agrees. “Blessed are

you,SimonsonofJonah, forthis was not revealed to you

by man but by my heavenlyfather,”he says ashepraisesthe impulsive fisherman,using Peter’s former name.“Don’t tell anyone,” Jesusadds as a reminder that apublic revelationwill lead tohis arrest by the Romans.They may be leaving thepower of the Jewishauthorities behind for a shortwhile, but Caesarea Philippiis just as Roman as Rome

itself.But if the disciples think

that Jesus has shared hisdeepest secret, they arewrong. “The Son of Manmust suffer many things andbe rejected by the elders,chief priests, and teachers ofthe law,” Jesus goes on toexplain.Thisdoesn’tmakesenseto

the disciples. If Jesus is theChrist, then he will one day

ruletheland.Buthowcanhedo sowithout the backing ofthereligiousauthorities?And if that isn’t confusing

enough, Jesus adds anotherstatement, one that will be asource of argument downthroughtheages.“Hemust bekilled,” Jesus

promises the disciples,speaking of himself as theSonofGod,“andonthethirddayberaisedtolife.”

Thediscipleshaveno ideawhatthismeans.Nor do they know that

Jesus of Nazareth has lessthanayeartolive.

CHAPTERELEVEN

JERUSALEMOCTOBER,A.D.29DAY

Pontius Pilate sits tall as herides to Jerusalem. His wife,

Claudia, travels in a nearbycarriage, as Pilate and hisescorts lead the caravanthrough unfriendly terrain.Pilatehasthreethousandmenat his disposal. They are notactualRomansoldiersbutthesamemixofArab,Samarian,and Syrian forces who oncedefendedHerodtheGreat.Pilate’s military caravan

has set out from the seasidefortress of Caesarea. The

Roman governor makes thetriptoJerusalemthreetimesayearfortheJewishfestivals.1The sixty-mile journey takesthem south along theMediterranean, on a pavedRoman road. After anovernightstop,therouteturnsinward, onto a dirt roadacross the Plain of Sharonand on up through themountainstoJerusalem.

Pilate intends to lend adominantRoman presence totheFeastofTabernacles,2oneof threegreatcelebrationsontheJewishreligiouscalendar.Much like Passover, thisholiday involves pilgrims bythe hundreds of thousandstraveling to Jerusalem tocelebrate. The Jewscommemorate forty years ofwandering in the desert and

enjoy a feast to celebrate thecompletion of the bountifulharvest. Pilate has littlepatienceforJewishways.Nordoes he think the Jews areloyal toRome.Thegovernorwalksafinelineduringthesefestivals: if theJewsrevolt—which they are wont to dowhen they gather in suchlarge numbers—he will takethe blame, but if he cracksdown too hard, he could be

recalled to Rome fordisobeying Tiberius’s orderthatthesepeoplebetreatedasa“sacredtrust.”Thus Pilate endures the

festival weeks. He andClaudia lodge themselves inthe opulence of Herod theGreat’s palace and ventureout only when absolutelynecessary.Pontius Pilate has been

prefect of Judea for three

years. His job as governorshould be as simple asmediating local disputes andkeepingthepeace,butinfactthe role of the occupier isalwaysfraughtwithperil.TheJewishphilosopherPhilowillonedaywritethatPilateis“aman of inflexible, stubbornand cruel disposition,” andyet the Jews have alreadymanagedtooutsmarthimanddamage his career. On the

occasion that Pilate orderedRomanstandardstoadorntheTemple, not only did theresidents of Jerusalemsucceed in having themremoved,but theyalsowrotea letter to Emperor TiberiusdetailingPilate’sindiscretion.Tiberius was furious. As

thehistorianPhilowillreport,“Immediately, without evenwaiting for the next day, hewrote to Pilate, reproaching

and rebukinghima thousandtimes for his new-fangledaudacity.”This year, tensions are

running even higher, and thefinger of blame can bepointedonlyatPilate.Hehadtheingeniousideaofbuildinganewaqueducttobringwaterto Jerusalem, but he falteredin this act of goodwill byforcing the Temple treasuryto pay for it. The Jewish

people were outraged aboutthis use of “sacred funds,”and during one recentfestival,asmallarmyofJewsroseuptodemandthatPilatestop the aqueduct’sconstruction. They cursedPilate when he appeared inthe streets of Jerusalem,taking courage from the sizeof the crowd, thinking thattheir words would berenderedanonymous.

But Pilate anticipated theprotest and disguisedhundredsofhissoldiersinthepeasant robes of Jewishpilgrims,withordersthattheyconceal a dagger or clubbeneath the folds of theirrobes. When the crowdmarchedonthepalacetojeermoreviolentlyatPilate,thesemensurrounded themobandattacked them, beating andstabbing the unarmed

pilgrims.“Therewereagreatnumberof themslainby thismeans,” the historianJosephus would later write,“andothersofthemranawaywounded.An endwas put tothissedition.”To the Jewish people,

Pilate isavillain.They thinkhim“spiteful andangry”andspeak of “his venality, hisviolence, his thefts, hisassaults,hisabusivebehavior,

his frequent executions ofuntried prisoners, and hisendlesssavageferocity.”3Yetoneoftheirownisjust

asguilty.

***PontiusPilatecannotruletheJewish people without thehelp of Joseph Caiaphas, thehigh priest and leader of theJewish judicial court knownastheSanhedrin.

Caiaphas is a masterpolitician and knows that theemperor Tiberius not onlybelieves it important touphold the Jewish traditionsbut is also keeping the hot-tempered Pilate on a veryshort leash. Pilatemay be incharge of Judea, but it isCaiaphas who oversees theday-to-day running ofJerusalem,disguisinghisowncruel agenda in religiosity

and piety. Few people inJerusalem realize that thesamemanwho leads the ritefor the atonement of sins,appearing in the Templecourts on Passover and YomKippur wearing the mostdazzlingceremonialrobes,4isadearfriendofRomeandofthe decadent emperorTiberius.The glamour of his

positionismostspectacularly

evident during the annualYom Kippur atonementceremony, when Caiaphasenters alone a Templesanctuaryknownas theHolyofHolies,whereitisbelievedthat God dwells. To Jewishbelievers, this places himclosertoGodthananymortalman.Hethenwalksbackoutto stand before the believerswhopack theTemple courts.A goat is placed on either

side of Caiaphas. As part oftheritualatonement,thishighpriestmustdecidewhichgoatwillgofreeandwhichwillbesacrificed for the sins of theJewishpeople.Thissamemanwhostands

in the presence of God andsees that sins are forgiven isalsothehighpriestwhodoesnot object when Pilate lootsthe Temple funds. Caiaphasalso says nothingwhen Jews

aremassacredinthestreetsofthe Holy City. He doesn’tcomplain when Pilate forceshim to return those jewel-encrustedceremonialrobesatthe end of each festival. TheRomans prefer to keep theexpensive garments in theircustodyasareminderoftheirpower, returning them sevendaysprior to each festival sothattheycanbepurified.Prior to Caiaphas, high

priests were puppets ofRome,easilyreplacedforactsof insubordination. ButCaiaphas, a member of theSadduceesect,hasdevelopeda simple and brillianttechniquetoremaininpower:stayoutofRome’sbusiness.Rome, in turn, usually

stays out of the Temple’sbusiness.The former helps Pilate

keep his job. The latter

increasesCaiaphas’spower.Both men know this and

are comfortable with thearrangement. So whileCaiaphas’s four predecessorsserved just one year as highpriest before being deposed,Caiaphas has now been inofficeforadozenyears—andshows no sign of goinganywhere soon. And everyyear he is in power, theconnection between Rome

and the Temple growsstronger, even as the chasmbetween the high priest andtheworking-classJewsgrowswider.It helps that Pilate and

Caiaphasaremorealike thanthey are different. Pilatewasborn into the wealthyequestrian class of Romans,5andCaiaphaswasbornintoacenturies-long lineage ofwealthyTemplepriests.Both

men are middle-aged andmarried.Each likelyenjoysaglassof importedwineat theendoftheday.WhenPilateisin Jerusalem, the two menlive justa fewhundredyardsapart,intheposhUpperCity,inpalacesstaffedbymaleandfemale slaves. And theyconsider themselves devoutmen,thoughtheyworshipfardifferentdeities.The last thing Pilate or

Caiaphasneedsisamessianicfigure to upset this carefulbalance of power—which isprecisely why Caiaphas andthe religious authorities planto arrest Jesus theminute hesetsfootinsidetheHolyCity.The Pharisees have done

their due diligence and havereported back a litany oftransgressions againstreligious law by theNazarene. The plot to kill

Jesusisabouttounfold.

***ButJesushasotherplans.He has returned from his

brief time in CaesareaPhilippi and now remains inGalilee, even as thedisciplestravel to Jerusalem for thefestival. The disciples are soeager for Jesus to comewiththem and publicly announcethathe is theChrist that they

try to give him a piece ofadvice, something they’veneverdonebefore.“Go to Jerusalem,” they

beg before setting out. “Noone who wants to become apublic figure acts in secret.Since you are doing thesethings, show yourself to theworld.”6“Theright timeformehas

notyetcome,”Jesusanswers.“For you any time is right.

The world cannot hate you,but it hates me because Itestify that what it does isevil.Yougotothefeast.Iamnotgoing,becauseformetherighttimehasnotyetcome.”The religious leaders in

Jerusalem remember thedisciples’ faces from theirmission to Galilee in thespring. Sowhen they see thedisciples enter the citywithout Jesus, they are

immediately frustrated. Onceagain, Jesus appears to begettingthebestofthem.“Where is that man?” the

Pharisees ask one another,studying faces in the crowdsfilling the Temple courts.“Whereisthatman?”Rumors about Jesus swirl

as the feast begins. Thepeople in the villages andtowns surrounding Jerusalemknow little about him, other

than from rumor. Manybelievetheinnuendoisbeingspread by the religiousauthorities in an attempt toportrayJesusasademonanda charlatan. Pilgrims fromGalilee, however, rave aboutJesus’s goodness. Others,meanwhile, gossip that Jesusisnowbeinghunted.For days, speculation

spreads through the city. Noone has an answer about

where Jesus is, not even hisowndisciples.The Feast of the

Tabernacles is eight dayslong, and it is halfwaythrough the celebration thatJesus slips quietly into theTemple courts. He hastraveled in secret toJerusalem. Jesus fearlesslybegins to teach. There hasbeenanauraofsadnessabouthim in recent months, a

greater need to be alone. Hespeaks more and more inparables when he teaches,knowing thatsuchstoriesarefar more memorable andprovide more context thanmerely quoting Scripture.Above all, he seems to becoming to terms with theimminent death of which hetoldhisdisciples.But that time has not yet

come,sonow,withinearshot

of thesanctuary,easilyheardand seen by any passingPharisee or Sadducee, Jesusboldly preaches about truthand justice.Withinmoments,a circle of pilgrims standsbefore him, listening inamazement as Jesus shareshisinsightsaboutGod.“Isn’tthisthemantheyare

trying to kill?” ask some inthecrowd.“Havetheauthoritiesreally

concluded that he is theChrist?”askothers.This idea is met with

skepticism. For it is hard toimaginethattheChristwouldcome from a backwaterprovince such as Galilee.Instead, he would be fromBethlehem,thecityofDavid,as told by the prophets. “Weknow where this one isfrom.”“Yes,youknowme,”Jesus

answers,hearing theirwords.“And you know where I amfrom. I am not here on myown, but he who sent me istrue. You do not know him,butIknowhim,becauseIamfromhimandhesentme.”Jesus is on the verge of

admitting that he is theChrist. The Pharisees andhigh priests send the Templeguards to arrest him forblasphemy. But the guards

returnempty-handedandthenstandbeforeCaiaphasandthePharisees, unable to explaintheir failure to do so.Standing among these chiefpriests is Nicodemus, thePharisee from Galilee whoquestioned Jesus about beingborn again. “Why didn’t youbring him in?” the highpriestsdemandtoknow.“No one ever spoke the

way thisman does,” a guard

explains.“You mean he has

deceived you also?” demandthePharisees.Theirrageissoprofound that they forgettheir place, for only the highpriests are allowed to askquestionswithintheTemple.Nicodemus steps forward.

“Does our law condemnanyone without first hearinghim to find out what he isdoing?”

The other religious leadersquickly turn on Nicodemus,insultinghimeven thoughheisoneoftheirown.“You are from Galilee?”

they say with scorn. “AprophetdoesnotcomeoutofGalilee.”

***JesuscontinuestoteachintheTemple courts for the rest ofthefestival.“Iamthelightof

the world,” he tells thecrowds. “Whoever followsme will never walk indarkness but will have thelightoflife.”“I am going away,” he

adds.“WhereIgoyoucannotcome.” And soon after, hedisappears.Aspilgrimstravelbacktotheirhomes—whetherthey be in Egypt, Syria,Galilee, Greece, Gaul, orRome—theytalkaboutJesus.

Many nowbelieve that Jesusis indeed the Christ. Othersare not sure, but they heardhis pronouncements that hewas sent by God anddesperately want to put theirfaithintheNazarene.Whether or not they

believe Jesus is the Christ,Jewseverywherelongforthecoming of a messiah. Whenthat moment arrives, Romewill be defeated and their

lives will be free of taxationand want. No longer willsoldiers loyal to Rome beallowed to corral Jews likecattle, then stab and beatthemuntiltheguttersoftheirHoly City are choked withJewish blood, as Pilate soinfamously arranged. Forthesepeople,thishopeislikea lifeline, giving themcourageinthefaceofRome’sunrelentingcruelty.

Only the Christ can leadthem. The prophets havepromisedthatsuchamanwillcome. And to be sure, Jesushasmadeseveralallusions tobeingtheJewishMessiah.Hetalksabouthisfatherandthathe came from above. But hehasn’t comeoutandpubliclysaid the words “I am theChrist.”Jesus has appeared in the

Temple courts many times,

defying the priests andPhariseeswhenevergiventhechance. He is powerful andconfident, as a leader shouldbe. If Jesus is the Messiahwho will come to save theJewish people, then let himreveal himself. Some aregrowingimpatient.Thelessliterateamongthe

pilgrims are waiting for averbal pronouncement fromJesus. The more enlightened

don’tneedtohearthewords;they are simply waiting forthemomentwhenJesusridesinto Jerusalem on a donkey.Thenandonly thenwill theybesurethatheistheonetrueChrist.“See your king comes to

you, righteous and havingsalvation,” the prophetZechariah predicted fivehundred years ago, “gentleandridingonadonkey.”

***Each and every member ofthe Sanhedrin knows thewords of Zechariah. Monthshave passed since the end oftheFeastofTabernacles,andtheygathernow,seventy-onereligiousauthoritiesstrong,ina special meeting chamberknown as the Hall of HewnStones.Opulentandregal,theplace of legal judgment restsnear the north wall of the

Temple Mount. Half of it isinside the sanctuary and halfoutside. Doors lead into theroom from either direction.As its name suggests, ironimplements were used in itsconstruction,making the hallunsuitableforritualworship.7The Sanhedrin is the

ultimate Jewish religiouscourt, a body of men evenmore powerful than thetetrarch Antipas. And within

this chamber,Caiaphasholdstheultimateauthority.PontiusPilateisnowsafely

back at his seaside palace inCaesarea,8 destined not toreturn to Jerusalem untilApril and the Passovercelebration. Jesus is reportedto have leftGalilee, destinedforpartsunknown.Witnessessayheisperformingmiraclesonce again. In one startlingaccount out of the town of

Bethany, a man namedLazarus came back from thedead. And Lazarus was notrecently deceased. He wasfour days dead and alreadylaidinthetombwhenJesusissaid to have healed himbeforeagreatcrowd.Lazarus’s body already

reeked of decompositionwhen Jesus ordered that thestone covering the tombentranceberolledaway.This

wasnotjustanactofhealingbut a display of powers farbeyond those of a normalhumanbeing.“Here is this man

performing many miraculoussigns,”aPhariseesays.“Ifwelet him go on like this,everyonewillbelieve inhim,and then the Romans willcomeandtakeawaybothourplaceandournation.”Caiaphas agrees. “You do

notrealizethatit isbetterforyou that oneman die for thepeople than that the wholenationperish.”Nothing more needs to be

said.

***Whether knowingly orunknowingly, Jesushas ledalife that is a continualfulfillment of Jewishprophecy.HewasbornaJew.

His lineage is that of David.A great star rose in themorningskyashewasbeingborn in Bethlehem. It couldbearguedthatashegrewandlearned Scripture, heintentionallybegancontrivinghis actions and words tomimic the prophets’predictions. And now comesthe ultimate symbol: if JesuschoosestorideintoJerusalematPassover astride a donkey,

hewillbesendingapowerfulmessage. As the prophetZechariah wrote, “Rejoicegreatly,ODaughter ofZion!Shout, Daughter ofJerusalem! See, your kingcomes to you, righteous andhaving salvation, gentle andridingonadonkey,onacolt,thefoalofadonkey.Hewillproclaimpeacetothenations.Hisrulewillextendfromseato sea and from theRiver to

theendsoftheearth.”Fulfilling Zechariah’s

prediction would be easy.Donkeys are everywhere inJudea. Jesus would simplyhavetotelladiscipletobringonetohim.At the age of thirty-six,

Jesus is clever enough to actout any prophecy. Hisunderstanding of faith isprofound and his knowledgeofScriptureencyclopedic.

But Jesuswould be a foolto ride a donkey intoJerusalem. That would be adeathsentence.Forwhile theprophets have been veryspecific about the way theking of the Jews would bebornandlivehislife,theyarejust as clear about how hewilldie.Hewill be falsely accused

ofcrimeshedidnotcommit.Hewillbebeaten.

Hewillbespatupon.He will be stripped, and

soldierswillthrowdicetobidforhisclothing.He will be crucified, with

nailsdriventhroughhishandsandfeet—yetnotasingleoneofhisboneswillbebroken.And those who love him

will look on in mourning,unabletodoanythingtostoptheagony.9

***ItisSunday,April2,A.D.30.Pontius Pilate has justreturned to Jerusalem andtaken up residence in Herodthe Great’s palace. HerodAntipas, the tetrarch, arrivesin the city and stays just ablock away, at theHasmonean Palace. At thesametime,Caiaphaspreparesfor thebiggest festivalof theyearathispalacehomeinthe

UpperCity.Passover week is now

abouttobegin.The disciples begin the

searchforadonkey.Jesus of Nazareth has six

daystolive.

BOOK

III

IfYouAretheSonof

God,TakeYourselfoffThisCross

CHAPTERTWELVE

OUTSIDEJERUSALEMSUNDAY,APRIL2,A.D.30AFTERNOON

The dusty dirt road fromGalileeisonceagainclogged

with Passover pilgrims eagerto enter the walls ofJerusalem and put theirjourneybehindthem.Thedayissunny,asit issooftenthistime of year. The travelerspush past date palmplantations and the formerwinter palaces of Herod theGreat in the lush oasis ofJericho. Small farmingvillages soon follow, wherefruitorchards,vineyards, and

olive trees grow alongsideirrigated fields of vegetables.Many of the travelers stophere for their ritual mikvah,purifying themselves for thefinal three miles of thejourney.The purification process is

vital to properly celebratingPassover.Itcreatesaphysicaland emotional state of mindthatpreparesaworshipper toembrace God’s holiness—

thus the need to arrive inJerusalem almost a weekbeforetheholyday.Menwillimmerse in themikvah, thencease having sex with theirwives until after Passover,believing the act ofejaculation makes the bodyimpure. Similarly,menstruating women will beunable to immerse in themikvah and will also beforbidden from entering the

Temple grounds. Touching areptile also makes a bodyimpure,1 and anyone comingin contact with a dead bodyor even having their shadowtouch a dead body isimmediately rendered impureand unable to celebratePassover. This, of course,also applies to anyone whokillsaperson.Soevenbeforethepilgrims

see Jerusalem, they are

mentally preparing for theweek to come.They thinkofthe need for a mikvah andtheyrefrainfromanyintimatecontact that might stirphysical longings.Anticipating the smell ofroastlambthatwillhangoverJerusalem as the Passoverfeasts are being cooked inovens, the pilgrims counttheir money, worrying abouthow they will pay for that

feast and the inevitable taxesthey will incur in the city.Despite their sore feet andaching legs from walkingmile after rugged milethrough the wilderness, thetravelers feel themselvestransformed by the magneticpull of Jerusalem. Theirthoughtsareno longersetontheir farms back home andthe barley crop that must beharvested immediately upon

their return, but on holinessandpurity.Soon they will ascend the

hill known as the Mount ofOlives and look down uponthe heart-stopping sight ofJerusaleminallitsglory.TheTemplewillgleamwhiteandgold,andthemightywallsofthe Temple Mount willastoundthem,asalways.Thesheer magnificence of theTemplewillremindthemthat

theyhavearrivedatthecenterofJewishlife.It has been nearly fifty

years since the Temple wasrefurbishedandexpandedandthe first modern Passovercelebrated within its courts.Butevenforthoseoldenoughto have been there that day,this Passover promises to bethe most memorable inhistory.Andtoday’sarrivalinJerusalemwill be unlike any

before—ortocome.

***“We are going up toJerusalem,” Jesus tells hisdisciples as they prepare todepart for thePassover.“TheSonofManwill be betrayedto the chief priests and theteachersofthelaw.Theywillcondemn him to death andwill turn him over to theGentiles to be mocked and

floggedandcrucified.Onthethirddayhewillbe raised tolife.”But if those words disturb

thedisciples,theydon’tshowit. For theirs has been ajourney of many months,rather than the mere days ofmostpilgrims.AftertheFeastof Tabernacles six monthsago, Jesus and the disciplesdid not return to Galilee.Instead, they began a

roundabout trip. First stop,the village of Ephraim, onlyfifteen miles north ofJerusalem. From there theytraveledasagroupduenorthand away from Jerusalem, tothe border of Samaria andGalilee. And then, when itcame time forPassover, theyturned in the oppositedirection and marched duesouthalongtheJordanRiver,joining the long caravans of

pilgrimsenroute to theHolyCity.The disciples now jockey

for position during the walktoJerusalem.JamesandJohnask the Nazarene if they canbe his principal assistants inthe new regime, requestingthat “one of us sit on yourright and the other on yourleft in your glory.” Uponhearingthis,theothertenarefurious. They have followed

Jesusasacollectivegroupformore than two years, givingup their jobs and wives andwhatever semblance of anormal life they might haveonce had. All the discipleshope theywill reap theglorythat will come after the newMessiah overthrows theRomans.Peter is so sure thatJesus isgoing tousemilitarymightthatheismakingplanstopurchaseasword.

But Jesus has no plans towage war and no plans toform a new government.Rather than upbraid Jamesand John, he calmly deflectstheir request. He then callsthe disciples together,imploring them to focus onserving others rather thanfighting for position. “Foreven theSonofMandidnotcome to be served, but toserve,andtogivehislifeasa

ransom for many,” he tellsthem.Once again, Jesus is

predictinghis death.Andyetthe disciples are so focusedonthegloriousmomentwhenJesuswillrevealthatheistheChrist that they ignore thefactthatheistellingthemhewill soon die. There will benooverthrowof theRomans.There will be no newgovernment.

But the disciples’ willfulignorance is understandable.Jesus often speaks inparables, and the maniasurrounding the Nazarene isnow phenomenal. Theadoration being bestoweduponJesusmakesanytalkofdeath incomprehensible. ThethickcrowdsofpilgrimstreatJesuslikeroyalty,hangingonhis every word and greetinghimwithenthusiasticawe.In

the village of Jericho, twoblind men call out to Jesus,referring to him as “Lord,SonofDavid,” a designationthat could be applied only tothe Christ. The disciples areencouraged when Jesus doesnothing to rebuke the blindmen.Jerusalem is just a forty-

minutewalk from thevillageof Bethany, where they stopforthenight.Theystayatthe

home of Lazarus and hissisters Mary and Martha,ratherthanrisktravelingaftersundown and on the start oftheSabbath.Thiswillbetheirbase throughout Passoverweek, and Jesus and thedisciples plan to return heremostnightsforthepromiseofahotmealandeasyrest.The Sabbath is the holiest

day of the week. The Jewscall it Shabbat, but the

RomansnameitfortheplanetSaturn.2 It is a day ofmandatory rest in the Jewishreligion, commemoratingGod’s rest after creating theuniverse. Jesus and theapostles spend that timequietly, preparing for theweektocome.The next morning, Jesus

selects two disciples andgives them a most specialtask.“Gotothevillageahead

ofyou,”heordersthem,“andat once you will find adonkey tied there, with hercolt by her. Untie them andbring them to me. If anyonesaysanythingtoyou,tellhimthattheLordneedsthem,andhe will send them rightaway.”Then Jesus and the other

tendisciplessetout.Knowingthat they will return toLazarus’shome this evening,

theytravellight,withnoneedfor the satchel of supplies orthe walking sticks mostpilgrimscarry.Crowds of pilgrims press

in around Jesus as he walks.Their voices carry thefamiliar drawl of theirregions. The pilgrims areexcited that their journey isalmost over, and many arerejoicing that the famousJesus of Nazareth is in their

presence.Just on the other side of

Bethpage, the two disciplesstand waiting. One holds thebridle of a donkey that hasnever been ridden. Theanimalisbareback.Adiscipleremoveshissquarecloakandlays it across the animal’sbackasanimprovisedsaddle.The other disciples removetheir cloaks and lay them onthe ground in an act of

submission, forming a carpeton which the donkey canwalk. Following thisexample, many of thepilgrims remove their owncloaks and lay them on theground. Others gather palmfronds or snap branches offolive and cypress trees andwavethemwithdelight.This is the sign everyone

has beenwaiting for. This isthefulfillmentofZechariah’s

prophecy.“Blessed is the king!”

shoutsadisciple.Thepeoplejoinin,exalting

Jesus and crying out to him.“Hosanna,” they chant.“Hosannainthehighest.”Jesus rides forth on the

donkey, and the people bowdown.“O Lord, save us,” they

implore, thankful that theChrist has finally come to

rescue them. “O Lord, grantussuccess.Blessedishewhocomes in the name of theLord.” The words ofthanksgiving are from Psalm118, a psalm sung atPassover.Thisis themomentfor which these simplepeasantshavewaitedsolong.Of all the thousands ofpilgrims who set out fromGalilee, these are the luckyfew who can tell their

children and their children’schildren that they witnessedthegrandmomentwhenJesusthe Christ rode triumphantlyintoJerusalem.But not everyone bows

down. A group of Phariseeshas been waiting for Jesusandnowlookonwithdisgust.They call out to him, givingtheNazareneone last chanceto avoid a charge ofblasphemy. “Teacher,” they

yell,“rebukeyourdisciples!”But Jesus refuses. “I tell

you,” he informs thePharisees,“iftheykeepquiet,eventhestoneswillcryout.”Otherswhohaveheardthat

Jesus is near have run outfrom Jerusalem, spreadingpalmbranchesacrossthepathof the Nazarene. This is atraditional sign of triumphandglory.The donkey stops atop the

Mount ofOlives. Jesus takesit all in. Tents cover thehillside, for this iswhere thepoor Galileans camp duringPassover. Jerusalem calls outto Jesus from just across thesmallKidronValley, and theTemplegleamsinthemiddaysun.Throngsofpilgrims linethe path winding down intothe valley. The mud-and-limestone trail is remarkablysteep, and Jesuswill have to

usegreatcautiontoguidethedonkey downhill withoutgettingthrown.This is his day. Jesus’s

whole lifehaspointed to thismoment, when he will rideforthtostakehisclaimtothetitle“kingoftheJews.”Suddenly Jesus begins to

weep.Perhapsit’sthethoughtof spending a lastweekwithhis good friends Lazarus,Mary,andMartha.Maybehe

foresees the eventualdestruction of this great city.Or perhaps he looks onJerusalem knowing that hisown pageantrywill be short-lived. For the Nazarene haspowerful enemies within thecitywalls.For the past three years,

Jesushasbeenadored,buthehasalsobeensubjecttoattackand suspicion. Even hisdisciples, despite their deep

belief in Jesus and histeachings, sometimes caremore about jockeying forpower than aboutunderstanding his true natureand his message for theworld.He has been very specific

with the disciples that he ismore than just an earthlyChrist.Theydon’tunderstand.Hehastoldthemagainand

again that he is a divinebeing,theSonofGod.They cannot comprehend

thatconcept.Jesushasmadeitclearthat

he is the Christ but that hiskingdomisnotofthisworld.They don’t understand

whathe’stalkingabout.Threetimes,Jesushastold

his disciples that he will diethisweek.But his followers refuse

eventocontemplatethat.Most frustrating of all is

the fear that his disciplescannot understand the truemessageofJesus.Thesemenknow him better than anyother. They have walkedcountless miles at his side,listened to his teaching forhours on end, and sat withhim in quiet reverence topray.Yetthedisciplesstilldonot understand who he truly

claimstobe.

***In his moment of triumph,Jesus is experiencing agony.Hehaslongstrategizedaboutthe words he will say atPassover and the effect theywill have on his followers,both old and new.He knowsthathisclaimsofbeingakingwill lead to his crucifixion.Hewill be sacrificed, just as

surely as those countlessPassover lambs. It is just amatterofwhen.The Nazarene stares down

at the path coursing throughthe olive trees. In thedistance,heseesthegardenatGethsemaneand then theflatdepression of the narrowKidron Valley. Lookingacrossthevalley,heseesthissamewell-trodpathrisinguptoJerusalem’scitywalls.The

city gates are clearly visible,as are the Roman soldierswhomantheentrances.Jesusseesthepeoplerushingouttoworship him, eagerly rippingpalm branches off nearbytrees and waving them. Thegreen flutter of respectimpresses Jesus, for it is areminder that many believehe is the anointed one—MosesandDavidintheflesh,come to save them and lead

themoutofbondage.ButJesusknowsthatwhile

Moses and David areremembered for their greatachievements, theywerealsocast out by society. Jesus isnot a prince likeMoses or awarrior like David. He is anintellectual.Hedealsinlogic.The book of Deuteronomypredicted: “The Lord yourGod will raise up for you aprophet likeme from among

you, from your fellowIsraelites.Youmust listen tohim.”But that prophecy is

dangerous.ToclaimheistheSon of God would makeJesus one of three things: alunatic, a liar, or a divinitywhofulfillsScripture.Fewinthe crowd believe that Jesusis deranged or a charlatan.But will they make thatincredibleleaptobelievethat

JesusisGodintheflesh?

***Time to go.As the hosannasrain down on all sides, andthePharisees look on from aplace nearbywith their usualveiledcontempt,Jesuscoaxesthe donkey forward. Step bycareful step, the twodescendthe Mount of Olives, crosstheKidronValley,and travelthrough a tunnel of

worshippers, with JesusridingmajesticallyupthehillandintothegreatandgoldencityofJerusalem.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

JERUSALEMMONDAY,APRIL3,A.D.30MORNING

It is dawn. Jesus and thedisciples are already on the

move, walking purposefullyfrom Bethany back intoJerusalem.Thepandemoniumof yesterday’s jubilant entryintothatcitystill ringsin theNazarene’s ear. He wasadored by the people as“Jesus, the prophet fromNazarethinGalilee”whenhedismounted at the city gates.Itwasacoronationofsorts,acelebration. But to theauthorities, the exhibition is

cause for great concern.Jerusalem hasn’t seen such amoment since Jewish rebelstried to capture the city in 4B.C.andagaininA.D.6.Thoserebels,ofcourse,paidfortheactionwiththeirlives.Jesusknowsthis,justashe

knows that the RomangovernorandtheJewishhighpriest are constantly on thelookout for rebels andsubversives.Heiswellaware

that Pilate and Caiaphasreceived at least some wordthat theNazarene had riddeninto the city on a donkey,stirring up the Passovercrowds. During the event,Jesus was calm, steppingdown off the animal andwalking straight up the greatsteps into theTemple courts.He did not go there to teachbut to be a pilgrim just likeany man from Galilee,

observing the sights andsmells and sounds of theTemple during Passoverweek.Roman soldiers are posted

throughout the Court of theGentiles, and the Templeguardsnodoubt tooknoteofJesus and the people whocrowded around him. Butnoneofthemmadeamovetoarrest the Nazarene.Apprehendingsuchabeloved

public figure might cause ariot. With Jews pouring intoJerusalembythehundredsofthousands, even the smallestconfrontation could quicklyget out of hand.The soldiersand guards are armed, buttheir numbers are minusculein comparison with thenumber of pilgrims. Anyonetrying to take Jesus intocustody could beoverwhelmed by the peasant

hordes. Anger about theinjustice of arresting such apeacefulman as Jesuswouldblend with the people’ssimmering rage about heavytaxation.Itwas lateafternoonwhen

Jesus departed the Templecourts inorder togetback toBethany before nightfall. Heand the disciples retracedtheir steps back out ofJerusalem, past the tent

camps on the Mount ofOlives,where trampled palmleavesandolivebranchesstilllittered the dirt road. Eventhough the crowds made itclear that theywantedhimtobe their king and treated hisarrival as a prelude to hiscoronation,Jesusneithersaidnor did anything to leadCaiaphas or Pilate to believehewasplottingarebellion.But this day, a Monday,

willbeverydifferent.

***Jesusspotsafigtree.Heandthe twelve are just outsideBethany, and Jesus has hadlittle to eat thismorning. Hewalks alone to the tree,hoping to pluck a piece offruit, even though he knowsthat figs are out of season.Jesus scours the twistedbranchesbutseesonlyleaves.

He is annoyed at the tree.“May no one ever eat fruitfromyouagain,”hesays.The outburst is

uncharacteristic, and thedisciplestakenote.But Jesus is just getting

started.Onceagainthegroupwalks into Jerusalem andstraight to theTemple. It hasbeen three years since Jesusturned over the moneychangers’ tables, but now he

planstodoitagain.Onlythistime he has nowhip, and heis no longer an unknownfigure.The first incidentwasnotquiteforgotten,butitwasminor enough that Jesuswasabletoresumehisteachinginthe courts almostimmediately.Things are different now.

The stakes are higher. JesusofNazarethisfamous.Peoplefollowhimwhereverhegoes.

His every movement iswatched, as the Phariseeswaitforhimtomakethevitalslipupthatwillallowthemtoturn public opinion againsthim. The smart move wouldbe for Jesus to avoidcontroversy, to remainpeaceful,andtolet thestatusquo hum along as smoothlyas during every otherPassover. A jarring publicdisplay of temper would be

mostunwise.Jesusdoesn’tcare.Without

warning,heflipsoveratableand sends coins flying. Thenanother. And another. Thereare no vendors selling sheepand cattle today, so Jesusmakes his statement byreleasingthecagedsacrificialdoves and overturning thebenches of themenwho sellthem.Hethenconfrontsthosestanding in line before the

tables, driving away anyoneintheactofbuyingorselling.He is angry but not out ofcontrol. His actions aremethodical, and his everymovement shows that hefearsnosoldierorguard.When the confrontation is

done, Jesus stands in themiddle of the carnage.Coinslittertheground.Dovescircleand land. “Hosanna,” comesthecryofaspectator.

“It is written,” Jesus callsout tothecrowdnowringinghim. The onlookers includeiratemoneychangersandthesellersofdoves.Alsopresentareparentswiththeirchildrenin tow, just like Mary andJoseph were with the youngJesus so many years ago. Asubstantial number of peoplein thecrowdare followersoftheNazarene.“Myhousewillbecalleda

house of prayer,” Jesus says,quoting Isaiah, the prophetwho foresaw somuch of theNazarene’s life.“Butyouaremakingita‘denofrobbers.’”The“robbers”quotecomes

from Jeremiah, the prophetwho was threatened withdeathfordaringtopredictthefalloftheTemple.The Temple guards are

tense. They know thatarresting Jesus is now

completelyjustifiable.Hehasinterfered with the flow ofcommerce and called theTemple his home—as if hewereGod.But a quick scan of the

crowd shows that this wouldbeunwise.Thepeople aren’tafraid of Jesus; they’reempoweredbyhim.He’sjustdone something they’vewantedtodoeverytimetheystood in that long line to

changetheirmoney,watchingcorrupt men siphon off asignificant piece of theirearnings.Even the little childrenare

cheering for Jesus. “Hosannato theSonofDavid,”achildcallsout.And then, as if it were a

game, another child calls outthesamething.Soon,someinthe crowd beg to be healed,rightthereintheTemple.The

Pharisees, as always, arewatching.“Doyouhearwhatthese children are saying?”the chief priests and scribescall out indignantly to Jesus.The chief priests have nowjoinedthecrowdandobserveJesus with great concern.They will report his everymove back to Caiaphas andperhaps even to Annas, thepowerful former high priestwhoisalsoCaiaphas’sfather-

in-law. The aging Annas isjust as wily as Caiaphas andstill wields a great deal ofinfluence.More Hosannas ring

throughout the Templecourts, shouted again andagainbychildren.“Do you hear what these

peopleare saying?” thechiefpriestsrepeat.“From the lips of children

and infants, you have

ordained praise,” Jesus tellsthem,quotingfromDavid.Thereligiousleadersknow

thepsalmwell.ItisacallforGod to bask in the adorationofthechildren,thentoriseupandstrikehardat thepowersofdarknessthatstandagainsthim.If the Pharisees’

interpretationiscorrect,Jesusis actually comparing themwithforcesofevil.

Still, theydon’tmotionforJesus to be arrested. Nor dothey try to stop him as heleaves theTemple, trailedbyhisdisciples.Thesunisnowsetting,and

the first cooking fires arebeing lit on the Mount ofOlives. Jesus and thedisciplesonceagainmakethelong walk back to Bethany.Fornow,heisafreeman.Fornow.

***Sixhundredyears ago,whenJeremiah prophesied that theTemple would be destroyed,he was punished by beinglowered into an empty well.He sank up to his waist inmudandwaslefttodie.Thirty-two years from

now, a peasant named JesusbenAnaniaswillalsopredictthe Temple’s destruction.Hewillbedeclaredamadmanat

first, but his life will besparedbyorderoftheRomangovernor—but only after heis flogged until his bonesshow.1But the time of Jesus is

different. He is not a lonemanbuta revolutionarywitha band of disciples and agrowing legion of followers.His outbursts in the Templeare an aggressive act againstthe religious leaders rather

thanapassiveprediction thattheTemplewilloneday fall.Jesus is now openlyantagonistic toward Templeauthorities.Caiaphas has seen what

happenswhenpolitical revoltbreaks out in the Templecourts and remembers theburning of the Templeporticoes after the death ofHerod. He believes Jesus tobe a false prophet. Today’s

display truly shows howdangerousJesushasbecome.The threat must be

squelched. As the Temple’shigh priest and the mostpowerful Jewish authority intheworld,Caiaphas isboundby religious law to takeextreme measures againstJesus immediately. “If aprophet, or onewho foretellsby dreams, appears amongyou and announces to you a

signorwonder,” thebookofDeuteronomy reads, “thatprophet or dreamer must beput to death for incitingrebellion against the LordyourGod.”Caiaphas knows that Jesus

isplayingaveryclevergamebyusingthecrowdsasatooltopreventhisarrest.Thisisagame that Caiaphas plans towin.But to avoid the risk ofbecoming impure, he must

move before sundown onFriday and the start ofPassover.Thisisthebiggestweekof

theyearforCaiaphas.Hehasan extraordinary number ofobligations andadministrativetaskstotendtoif the Passover celebration isto come off smoothly. Romeis watching him closely,through the eyes of PontiusPilate, andany failureon the

part of Caiaphas during thismostvital festivalmight leadtohisdismissal.But nothing matters more

thansilencingJesus.Time is running out.

Passover starts in four shortdays.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

JERUSALEMTUESDAY,APRIL3,A.D.30MORNING

The serenity of Lazarus’shome provides Jesus and the

disciples instant relief. AfterthedayintheTempleandthetwo-mile walk fromJerusalem back to Bethany,themenarespent.Hospitalityis a vital aspect of Jewishsociety, dating back to thedays when the patriarchAbrahamtreatedallguestsasif they were angels indisguise,offeringthemlavishmeals of veal, butter, bread,and milk. So it is that the

spacious home of Lazarus,with its large courtyard andthick door to keep outintrudersatnight,isnotjustarefuge for Jesus and hisdisciples but also a vibrantlink to the roots of theirJewishfaith.Lazarus’s sisters, Martha

and Mary,1 dote on Jesus,though in opposite ways.Martha is the older of thetwo, and hypervigilant,

constantly fussing over theNazarene. Mary, meanwhile,is enthralled with Jesus. Shesitsathisfeetandsometimesshows her respect byanointing them withperfumed oil. In their ownway, each woman gives himcomfort. They also see to itthat Jesus and the disciplesremove their sandals andwashtheirfeetuponreturningeach evening, so that any

impuritiesorinfectionsmightbe cleansed. A stepped poolinthebasementoffersJesusaplace to removehis robeandsleeveless knee-length tunicso thatMarthaandMarycanwashthose,too.2Hewillthenbathe and change into hisother set of clothes. And ofcourse Jesus and the otherswill wash their hands beforesittingdowntoeat.This week, Martha and

Maryareservingtwomealsaday.Dinner consists of freshbread, olive oil, soup, andsometimesbeeforsaltedfishwashed down withhomemade wine. Breakfastfeatures bread and fruit—though dried instead of freshbecause melons andpomegranates are out ofseason. As Jesus learned onthe road yesterday morning,fruit from the local fig and

date orchards will not ripenformonthstocome.There is no record about

how Lazarus earned money,but because Bethany is thebreadbasket of Jerusalem, hemostlikelywasalandowningfarmer. Lazarus has areputation for beingcharitable and can afford tooffer his guests gracioushospitality. It iscustomary totakeinpassingstrangerswho

need a place to sleepovernight. This becomes anissue during Passover, whenentire families require shelterfor a week. A man needs tobe a shrewd judge ofcharacter in times like these,balancinghospitalitywiththepossibility that he mightunwittingly invite thieves orne’er-do-wellsintohishome.Even though Lazarus truly

enjoys being with Jesus, the

Nazarene’s presence meansmuchmore than that.This isa man whom Lazarus trusts,reveres, and, indeed, says heowes his very life to.3 Thefact that Jesus travels with adozen grownmen, eachwitha man-size appetite andrequiringaplacetosleep,isasmall price to pay for theNazarene’s company.Besides,thefussyMarthacaneasilyhandle theneedsofall

themen.

***Dawnbreaks.Thecountdownto Passover continues as thecitizensofBethanystir.Someprepare for a day’s work inthe nearby fields, and othersplan a walk into Jerusalem.Likepeopleeverywhere,theystart the morning with theirdaily ablutions. There are noindoor toilets, so men and

women alike venture outsidetoaconcealedprivatespot.Ahole in the ground—intowhich a spade of dirt from anearby pile of earth ispromptly thrown—meets thisneed. Teeth are cleanedwitha short, soft branch pulledstraight off a tree andchewed. Inside Lazarus’shome,Jesusandhisdiscipleswashtheirhandsandeattheirdailybreadbeforesettingout

foranotherdayintheTemplecourts.The group soon falls in

alongside a line of travelers.Today will be the last timeJesus ever teaches in theTemple courts, and he hasprepared a number ofparables that will explaindifficult theological issues inways that even the mostunread listener canunderstand.

“Rabbi, look,” exclaims adiscipleastheywalkpastthefig tree Jesus confrontedyesterday. Its roots areshriveled. “How did the figtree wither so quickly?” thediscipleasks.“Truly I tell you, if you

have faith and do not doubt,notonlycanyoudowhatwasdone to the fig tree, but alsoyoucansaytothismountain,‘Go, throw yourself into the

sea,’ and it will be done. Ifyoubelieve, youwill receivewhatever you ask for inprayer,”Jesusresponds.For years to come, the

discipleswillmarvel atwhathappened to that simple tree.Theywillwrite about itwithawe,evendecadesfromnow,and quote Jesus’s two-sentence response. Eventhough Jesus has performedwondersinfrontofthem,this

one seems to amaze themalmostmorethananyother.But the fig tree is just the

start. The disciples willremembertheeventsthattakeplace today for as long asthey live. They will quoteJesusagainandagain—notinsentences but in paragraphsand pages. The next twelvehours will be so exhaustingthat Jesus will maketomorrow a day of complete

rest.Butitwillalsobeatimeof challenge and triumphunlike any they have everknown.The morning is beautiful.

The sun shines. The coolApril air is verdant with thefresh smells of new springgrowth from the fields andorchardsliningtheroad.New life is everywhere,

evenasdeathapproaches.

***As the group draws close toJerusalem,Jesusknowsthatadramawillunfold.Hesensedit yesterday, as the religiousleaders hovered at the fringeofeverycrowd,watchinghimintently as he interactedwithhisfollowers.This week, these priests

and Pharisees are wearingrobes that are even moreresplendent than normal,

choosing their most colorfuland expensive garments as away of setting themselvesapartfromthedrablydressedpilgrims. The priestly robesareareminderthatthepriestsare vital members of theTemple,notmerevisitors.Jesus, meanwhile, still

clothes himself like anaverage Galilean. He wearshisseamlesstunicandoveritasimplerobe.Sandalsprotect

his feet from sharp pebblesandsticksashewalksbutdolittle tokeepoff thedust.SothewalkfromBethanydowninto Jerusalem often giveshimanunwashedappearanceby comparison to that of thePharisees, many of whomhave bathing facilities andritual pools in their nearbyhomes.Andwhile his accentmightsoundprovincialwithinthe confines of cosmopolitan

Jerusalem,Jesusdoesnothingto hide his native tongue. Ifanything, it works to hisadvantage, for it so oftenleads the religious leaders tounderestimate the Nazareneas just another pilgrim fromGalilee.

***Jesus and the disciples passthrough the city gates. Theirmovements are now being

closely tracked by thereligious authorities, so theirarrival is noted immediately.Jerusalem has grown louderand more festive with everypassing day, as pilgrimscontinue to travel there fromthroughout theworld.Voicesin Greek, Aramaic, Latin,Egyptian,andHebrewfilltheair. The bleating of lambs isanother constant, asshepherds bring tens of

thousands of the smallanimals into the city to havetheir throats slit on Friday.That grisly duty will beperformed by high priests,whostandforhoursinthehotsunasthebloodofthelambssoaks into their whiteceremonialrobes.Jesus enters the Temple

courts. Today he ignores themoneychangersand themenselling doves. He selects a

spotintheshadedawningsofSolomon’s Porch and beginstoteach.Thereligiousleadersarrive almost immediately,interruptinghim.“Bywhatauthorityareyou

doing these things?” a chiefpriest demands, referring toreported acts of healing thatJesus performed yesterday.The interrogators who standbefore the Nazarene are notjust common Pharisees or

scribes but the most elite ofthe religious leaders. Theirpresence is meant to awethose pilgrims who mightotherwise be transfixed byJesus. Their goal is to usetheir intellectual prowess tomake the Nazarene appearstupid.“And who gave you this

authority?” asks a secondpriest.“I will ask you one

question,” Jesus repliescalmly.“Ifyouanswer,Iwilltell you by what authority Iam doing these things.” Hehas thought deeply andanticipatedtheirquestions.The religious leaders have

spoken with the Pharisees,who traveled to Galilee lastyear and are well aware thatJesusisclever.Buttheythinkhim to be uneducated andunread and hope to lure him

into a theological trap. ThepriestsawaitJesus’squestion.“John’s baptism,” Jesus

asks. “Where did it comefrom?Was it fromheavenorfrommen?”The religious leaders do

not answer immediately.Thecrowd looks onapprehensively. On one sidestands Jesus, on the otherside,theself-proclaimedholymen.Finally thechiefpriests

talk among themselves,debating Jesus’s questionfrom all angles: “If we say,‘Fromheaven,’ youwill ask,‘Thenwhydidwenotbelievehim?’”Jesus says nothing. The

religious leaders continuewith their privateconversation.“But ifwe say that John’s

baptism came frommen, weare afraid of the people, for

theyallhold that Johnwasaprophet.”Jesus remains silent. The

men haven’t given him ananswer yet, and the crowdknowsit.Itisbecomingclearthat the chief priests andelders are no different thanthosePhariseeswhotriedbutfailedtotrapJesusinGalilee.Onceagaintheleadersareonthe defensive. Their trap forJesushasfailed.

“We don’t know,” a chiefpriestfinallysays.“I’ll tell you the truth,”

Jesus replies in full view ofhis audience. “Tax collectorsand prostitutes are enteringthekingdomofGodaheadofyou.ForJohncametoyoutoshow the way ofrighteousness, and you didnot believe him. But the taxcollectorsandprostitutesdid.And even after you saw this,

you did not repent andbelievehim.”The crowd is awed. The

high priests are stunned intosilence.

***Word of Jesus’s intellectualvictory spreads through theTemple courts. The pilgrimsnow love Jesus even more.Theyarespeakingofhimasatrueprophetandhopehewill

live up to the promise of hiscelebratory entry intoJerusalemjusttwoshortdaysago.The sunclimbshigherand

higher in the sky, andbusinessintheTemplecourtsgoes on as Jesus holds thecrowd in thrall. Rather thanback down after their earlierembarrassment, the chiefpriestsandelderscontinue tolookon.

The Nazarene tells aparable about a wealthylandowner and histroublesome tenants. Thesummation is a line statingthat the religious leaderswilllose their authority and bereplaced by others whosebeliefismoregenuine.Then Jesus tells a second

parable, about heaven,comparing it to a wedding,withGodas the fatherof the

groom, preparing a luxuriousbanquet for his son’s guests.Again the religious leadersare the subject of the finalline,abarbaboutaguestwhoshowsuppoorlydressed andis then bound hand and footand thrown from theceremony. “For many areinvited,” Jesus says ofheaven,“butfewarechosen.”This stings badly. The

authority of the religious

leaders is that they are thechosen ones. For Jesus tostatepubliclythattheyarenotisanenormousdefamationoftheir character. So theyfinally leave the Templecourts and switch tactics,sending their own disciplesouttowagetheologicalbattle.These disciples are smart.Rather than attacking Jesus,theytrytosoftenhimupwithflattery. “Teacher, we know

youareamanofintegrityandthatyouteachthewayofGodin accordance with the truth.You aren’t swayed by menbecauseyoupaynoattentiontowhotheyare.”Then the flattery ends.

Awarethatthey’reunlikelytocatch Jesus in a theologicalmisstatement, the Pharisees’disciples now try to frameJesus by usingRome. “Whatis your opinion?” they ask.

“Is it right to pay taxes toCaesarornot?”“Whyareyoutryingtotrap

me?” Jesus seethes. He asksfor someone to hand him adenarius. “Whose portrait isthis?”heasks,holdingupthecoin. “And whoseinscription?”“Caesar’s,”theyanswer.“Render unto Caesar what

isCaesar’s,”Jesustellsthem.“AndtoGodwhatisGod’s.”

Again the crowd is awed.Although Caesar is a fearedname, the Nazarene hasmarginalized Rome withoutdirectly offending it. Thebrilliance of Jesus’s wordswilllastthroughouttheages.

***Having failed in theirmission,thosedisciplesleave.TheyaresoonreplacedbytheSadducees, a wealthy and

moreliberalTemplesectwhocount Caiaphas among theirnumber.Onceagain, they tryto pierce the aura of Jesus’svulnerability with a religiousriddle, and once again theyfail.Soon the Pharisees step

forward to take their turn.“Teacher,”askstheirleader,aman known for being anexpertinthelaw,“whatisthegreatestcommandment in the

law?”Under the teachings of the

Pharisees, there are 613religious statutes. Eventhough each carries adesignation marking it aseither great or little, the factremains that each must befollowed. Asking Jesus toselect one is a cleverway ofpushing him into a corner,making him defend hischoice.

But Jesus does not choosefrom one of the establishedlaws.Instead,hearticulatesanew one: “Love the LordyourGodwith all your heartand with all your soul andwithallyourmind.Thisisthefirst and greatestcommandment.”4The Pharisees stand silent.

Howcouldanyonearguewiththat? Only, Jesus goes on toaddasecondlaw:“Loveyour

neighbor as yourself. All thelawandtheprophetshangonthesetwocommandments.”Jesushasnowdefeatedthe

sharpestmindsintheTemple.But he does not settle forvictory and walk away.Instead, the Nazarene turnsand excoriates the priests infront of the pilgrims.“Everything they do is formen to see,” he tells thecrowd. “They make their

phylacteries wide and thetassels on their garmentslong. They love the place ofhonor at banquets and themost important seats in thesynagogues. They love to begreeted in the marketplaceand to have men call them‘Rabbi.’”Sixtimes,Jesusdenounces

the Pharisees as hypocrites.He calls them a brood ofvipers.5Hetellsthemtheyare

unclean. He denounces themfor focusing on such trivialdetails of religious life aswhether to tithe theirallotmentofherbsandspices,in the process completelymissing the true heart ofGod’slaw.Worstofall,Jesuspredicts

that these holy men will becondemnedtohell.“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,”

Jesus laments, knowing his

timeofteachingisdone.TheNazarene departs theTempleandwillnotbeseeninpublicuntil the time of hiscondemnation. In fact, heseals his death sentence bypredicting the destruction ofthe Temple. “Do you see allthese great stones?” he asks.“Notonestonewillbeleftonanother; every one will bethrowndown.”Jesus says these words to

his disciples, but a Phariseeoverhears. That statementwillbecomeacapitalcrime.

***A short time later, Jesus sitsatop theMount of Olives. Aweek that began in this veryspotwithhimweepingwhileastride a donkey now findshim reflective. With thedisciples sitting at his side,Jesus summarizes his short

life.Darknessisfallingashetellshisfollowerstolivetheirlives to the fullest, speakingin parables so that they willcomprehendthemagnitudeofhiswords.Thediscipleslistenin rapt fascination but growconcerned as Jesus predictsthat after his death they, too,willbepersecutedandkilled.Perhaps to lessen the impactof this, Jesus shares histhoughts on heaven and

promises the disciples thatGod will reveal himself tothemandtheworld.“As you know,” Jesus

concludes, “the Passover istwodaysaway—and theSonof Man will be handed overtobecrucified.”

***Even as Jesus speaks, thechief priests and the eldersgather at Caiaphas’s palace.

They are now in a frenzy.Killing the Nazarene is theonly answer. But time isshort. First, Jesus must bearrested. After his arrest,theremustbea trial.But thereligious laws state that notrials can be held duringPassover, and none can beheld at night. If they are tokillJesus,hemustbearrestedeither tomorrow or Thursdayand tried before sundown.

Making matters even morepressing is the religiousstipulation that if a deathpenaltyisordered,afullnightmustpassbeforethesentencecanbecarriedout.All of these details,

Caiaphas knows, can bemassaged. The mostimportant thing right now isto take Jesus into custody.The other problems can beaddressed once that occurs.

Noneofthepeoplewhohavelistened to Jesus in theTemplecourtscanbealerted,ortherecouldbeariot.Sucha confrontation would meanPontius Pilate’s gettinginvolved and Caiaphas’sbeingblamed.Sothearrestmustbeanact

ofstealth.For that, Caiaphas will

need some help. Little doeshe know that one of Jesus’s

owndisciplesismakingplanstoprovideit.All he wants in return is

money.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

JERUSALEMWEDNESDAY,APRIL4,A.D.30NIGHT

Judas Iscariot travels alone.Jesushaschosentospendthis

day in rest, and now he andthe other disciples remainbehind at the home ofLazarus as Judas walks intoJerusalem by himself. It hasbeen five days since thedisciples arrived in Bethanyand three since Jesus rodeintoJerusalemonthedonkey.ButJesushasyettoannouncepublicly thathe is theChrist;nor has he done anything tolead an uprising against

Rome.Buthehasenragedthereligious leaders, which hasput targets on his back andthose of his disciples. “Youwill be handed over to bepersecuted, and put to death,and youwill be hated by allthe nations because of me,”Jesus predicted yesterday,when they were all sittingatoptheMountofOlives.Judasdidnotsignontobe

hated or executed. If Jesus

just admits that he is theChrist,thenhewouldtriumphover the Romans. Surely thereligious authorities wouldthen be eager to alignthemselves with Jesus. Allthis talk of death andexecution might come to anend.So Judas has decided to

forceJesus’shand.Judas made his decision

moments ago, during dinner,

when Jesus and the discipleswere eating at thehomeof aman named Simon the leper.Thegrouploungedonpillowsaround the banquet table,pluckingfoodfromthesmallplates inthecenterwiththeirright hand.As had happenedso many times before, awoman approached Jesus toanoint him with perfume. Itwas Mary, sister of Lazarus,whobrokeoff the thickneck

of the flask andpourednard,anexoticscentimportedfromIndia, on Jesus’s head in ashowofdevotion.Judas expressed revulsion

at such a waste of money.Passover, in particular, is atimewhen it is customary togivemoney to thepoor.Thistime hewas not alone in hisdisgust. Several otherdisciples joined in beforeJesus put an end to the

discussion.“Leave her alone,” Jesus

ordered the disciples. “Whyare you bothering her? Shehas done a beautiful thing tome.Thepooryouwillalwayshave with you, and you canhelp themanytimeyouwant.Butyouwillnotalwayshaveme. She did what she could.She poured perfume on mybody beforehand to prepareformyburial.”

Once again, Jesus’s wordswerebewildering.Heallowedhimself to be anointed likethe Christ, and yet he waspredictinghisdeath.Now, Judas boldly walks

back into Jerusalem. Thenight air smells of woodsmoke from the manycampfires. Passover starts onthe night of the first fullmoon after the springequinox,whichwillbeFriday

evening.Judas picks his way

carefully down the bumpydirtroad.Hismarchcouldbeanactofstupidity—heknowsthis—forheisintentongoingdirectly to the palace ofCaiaphas, the most powerfulman in the Jewish world.Judasbelieves thathehas anoffer of great value that willinterest the leader of theSanhedrin.

Judas is a known discipleof Jesus, however, and thisstrategy could verywell leadto his arrest. Even if nothinglike that happens, Judas isuncertain if an exaltedreligious leader such asCaiaphas will meet with anunwashedfollowerofJesus.Making his way from the

valley and throughJerusalem’s gates, Judasnavigates thecrowded streets

to the expensiveneighborhoods of the UpperCity. He finds the home ofCaiaphasand tells theguardshis business. Much to hisrelief, Judas is not arrested.Instead, he is warmlywelcomed into the spaciouspalace and led to a lavishroomwherethehighpriestismeetingwiththeotherpriestsandelders.The conversation

immediatelyturnstoJesus.“What are you willing to

givemeifIhandhimovertoyou?”Judasasks.If the high priests are

surprised by Judas’sbehavior, they don’t show it.They have set aside theirnormal arrogance.Their goalis to manipulate Judas intodoing whatever it takes toarrangeJesus’sarrest.“Thirty silver coins,”

comesthereply.This is 120 denarii, the

equivalent of four months’wages.Judas has lived the hand-

to-mouthexistenceofJesus’sdisciples for two long years,rarelyhavingmorethanafewextra coins in his purse, andvery little in the way ofluxury. Now the chief priestis offering him a lucrativebounty to select a time and

place, far from the Templecourts,toarrestJesus.Judasisaschemer.Hehas

plotted the odds so that theyare in his favor. He knowsthat if he takes the money,one of two things willhappen:Jesuswillbearrestedandthendeclarehimselftobethe Christ. If the Nazarenetruly is theMessiah, then hewill have no problem savinghimself from Caiaphas and

thehighpriests.However,ifJesusisnotthe

Christ,hewilldie.Either way, Judas’s life

willbespared.Judas and Caiaphas make

the deal. The traitorousdisciple promises to beginsearching immediately for aplacetohandoverJesus.Thiswill mean working closelywith the Temple guards toarrange the arrest. He will

have to slipaway fromJesusandtheotherdisciplestoalerthis new allies of Jesus’swhereabouts. That may bedifficult.Thirty silver coins are

counted out before Judas’seyes. They clang off oneanother as they fall into hispurse. The traitor is paid inadvance.Judas walks alone back to

Bethany. Robbers may be

lurking on the roads. Judaswonders howhewill explainhis absence to Jesus and theothers—and where he willhide such a large and noisybounty.Butitwillallworkout.For

Judastrulybelievesthatheissmarter than his compatriotsand deserving of reward inthislife.If Jesus is God, that will

soonbeknown.

Thenextfewhourswilltellthetale.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

LOWERCITYOFJERUSALEMTHURSDAY,APRIL4,A.D.30NIGHT

Jesushassomuch todo inaveryshortperiodof time.He

must at last definehis life tothe disciples. As the finalhours to Passover approach,Jesusplans toorganizea lastmeal with his followersbefore saying good-bye, forthey have been eyewitnessesto his legacy. And he musttrustthemtopassiton.But although these things

are vitally important, there issomething holding himback:the terrifying prospect of his

comingdeath.So Jesus is having trouble

focusingonhisfinalmessageto the disciples. Like everyJew, theNazareneknows thepainful horror andhumiliation that await thosecondemned to the cross. Hefirmlybelieveshemustfulfillwhat has been written inScripture, but panic isovertakinghim.It doesn’t help that the

entire city of Jerusalem is inan anxious frenzy of last-minute Passover preparation.Everything must be madeperfect for the holiday. Alamb must be purchased forthe feast—and not just anylamb but an unblemishedone-year-oldmale.And eachhome must be cleansed ofleavened bread. EverywherethroughoutJerusalem,womenfrantically sweep floors and

wipe down counters becauseeven so much as a singlecrumb can bring forthimpurity.AtLazarus’shome,Martha and Mary arefastidious in their scrubbingandsweeping.AftersundownLazaruswillwalkthroughthehouse with a candle, in asymbolic search for anytraces of leavened products.Finding none, it is hoped, hewill declare his household

readyforPassover.At the palace home of the

high priest Caiaphas, slavesand servants comb thegrounds of the enormousestateinsearchofanybarley,wheat, rye, oats, or spelt.They scrub sinks, ovens, andstovesofanytraceofleaven.They sterilize pots and pansinside and out by bringingwater to a boil in them, thenadding a brick to allow that

scalding water to flow overthesides.Silverware isbeingheatedtoaglow,thenplacedone at a time into boilingwater. There is no need,however, to purchase thesacrificial lamb, asCaiaphas’s family owns theentire Temple lambconcession.At the former palace of

Herod the Great, wherePontius Pilate and his wife,

Claudia, once again areenduring Passover, there areno such preparations. TheRoman governor begins hisday with a shave, for he isclean-shavenandshort-hairedin the imperial fashionof theday.HecareslittleforJewishtradition.He isnot interestedin the traditional belief thatMosesandtheIsraeliteswereforced to flee Egypt withoutgiving their bread time to

rise, which led to leavenedproducts being forbidden onPassover. For him there isientaculum, prandium, andcena (breakfast, lunch, anddinner), including plenty ofbread, most often leavenedwithsalt(insteadofyeast),intheRoman tradition.Back athispalace inCaesarea,Pilatemight also be able to enjoyoysters and a slice of roastpork with his evening meal,

but no such delicacies exist(or are permitted) withinobservant Jerusalem—particularlynoton theeveofPassover. In fact, CaiaphasandthehighpriestswillevenrefrainfromenteringHerod’spalace as the feast drawsnear, for fear of becomingimpureinthepresenceof theRomans and their paganways. This is actually ablessing for Pilate, ensuring

him a short holiday fromdealing with the Jews andtheirnever-endingproblems.Orsohethinks.

***Judas Iscariot watches Jesuswithaquietintensity,waitingfortheNazarenetorevealhisPassoverplanssothathecanslip away and informCaiaphas. It would be easyenough toask thehighpriest

tosendTempleguards to thehome of Lazarus, butarresting Jesus so far fromJerusalemcouldbeadisaster.Toomanypilgrimswouldseethe Nazarene marched backto the city in chains, thuspossibly provoking the veryriot scenario that so terrifiesthereligiousleaders.Judas is sure that none of

the other disciples knows hehas betrayed Jesus. So he

bides his time, listening andwaiting for that momentwhen Jesus summons hisfollowers and tells them it istime to walk back intoJerusalem. It seemsincomprehensible that Jesuswould not return to theHolyCity at least one more timeduring their stay. PerhapsJesus iswaiting for Passoverto begin to reveal that he isthe Christ. If that is so, then

Scripture says this musthappen in Jerusalem. Soonerorlater,theNazarenewillgobacktotheHolyCity.

***Next to the Temple, in theAntonia Fortress, theenormous citadel whereRomantroopsaregarrisoned,hundreds of soldiers file intothe dining hall for theireveningmeal.Thesebarracks

are connected to the Templeat the northwest corner, andmost men have stood guardtoday, walking through themilitary-only gate and ontothe forty-five-foot-wideplatform atop the colonnadesthat line the Temple walls.Fromthere, it iseasyenoughto look down on the Jewishpilgrims as they fuss overlast-minute Passoverpreparations.Theentireweek

has been demanding andchaotic for the soldiers, whohave spent hours standing inthe hot sun. But tomorrowwillbetheirmostdemandingday of all. Lambs andpilgrims will be everywhere,and the stench of dryingblood and animal defecationwillwaftuptothemfromtheinnermostTemplecourts.Theslaughter will go on forhours,aswillthesightofmen

clutching the bloodycarcasses of lambs to theirchests as they rush from theTemple courts to cook theireveningSeder.Normally, the garrison

comprises little more thanfive hundred soldiers and anequivalentnumberofsupportstaff. But with TiberiusCaesar’s troops havingarrived from Caesarea forPassover, the number of

legionaries has swollen intothe thousands—andaccompanying them is a fullcomplement of support unitsandpersonalservantstoshoehorses, tend to baggage, andcarry water. Thus the dininghall is loudandboisterousasthe men sit down to a firstcourseofvegetables flavoredwith garum, the fermentedsaucemade of fish intestinesthat is a staple of Roman

meals. The second course isporridge, made moreflavorful with spices andherbs. Sometimes there ismeat, but it’s been hard toprocure this week. Bread isthestapleofthesoldiers’diet,as is the sour wine made bycombining vinegar, sugar,table wine, and grape juice.Like everything else setbefore these famished men,these are consumed quickly,

andinlargequantities.Twelvesoldiershunchover

their meals with theknowledge that they willwitnesstheslaughterofmuchmore than sheep tomorrow.For these are themen of thecrucifixion death squads,soldiers of impressivestrength and utter brutalityassigned to the backbreakingtask of hanging men on thecross,Roman-style.

Each crucifixion deathsquad consists of four menknownasaquaternio.Afifthman, a centurion known asthe exactor mortis, overseestheiractions.Tomorrowthreeteams of killers will beneeded, for three men havebeen condemned to die. Theinitial floggings will takeplace within the Jerusalemcitywalls, but the hardworkof hoisting the men up onto

the cross will take placeoutside, on a hill known asCalvariaor,astheJewssayinAramaic, Gulgalta—or, as itwill go down in history,Golgotha. Each word meansthe same thing: “skull,” theshapeofthelowrisethatisaplace of execution. Even asthequaterniogulpdowntheirdinner, the vertical pole ontowhich each man will benailed already rests in the

ground. These staticularemain in position at alltimes, awaiting the arrival ofthe patibulum, the crossbarthat is carried by thecondemned.In truth, a crucifixion can

be accomplished with fewerthan five men. But Romanstandards are high, and it ispartofeachexecutioner’sjobto keep an eye on his fellowmembers of the quaternio,

ensuring that there isnosignof lenience toward theprisoner. A smaller deathsquad might not be asdiligent. So it is that thesewell-trained soldiersapproach tomorrow’scrucifixions with totalcommitment. Anything lessmight result in their ownpunishment.One of the men they will

crucify is a common

murderer named Barabbas.The other two are suspectedof being his accomplices. Inthemorning,thedeathsquadswill begin the ritualcrucifixion process. It isintensely physical work, andby day’s end their uniformsand bodies will be drenchedinblood.

EastviewoftheTempleshowingtheAntoniaFortress

But the soldiers of thedeath squads don’t mind. Infact,manyofthemenjoythiswork. They are thugs, toughmen from Samaria andCaesarea whose job it is tosendamessage:Romeisall-powerful.Violate its lawandyouwilldieagrislydeath.

***

It is evening as Jesus leadsthe disciples back toJerusalemfortheirfinalmealtogether. A benefactor haskindly rented a room forJesus in theLowerCity. It ison the second floor of abuilding near the Pool ofSiloam. A long rectangulartable just eighteen inches tallis the centerpiece of theroom. It is surrounded bypillows on which Jesus and

hisdisciplescanloungeinthetraditionalfashionastheyeat.Theroomislargeenoughforall to reclinecomfortablybutsmall enough so that theiroverlapping conversationswill soon fill the room withhigh-volumefestivesounds.JesussendsJohnandPeter

ahead to find the room andassemblethemeal.1This ismost likely a tense

timeforJudasIscariot,forhe

finallyknowsthatJesusplanstoreturntoJerusalem,buthedoesnotknowthehourortheexact location—and evenwhen he obtains thisinformation,hemuststillfinda way to sneak off and alertCaiaphas.

TheLastSupperintheUpperRoom

Once in the room, Jesusbegins the evening byhumbling himself andwashingeachman’sfeetwithwater.Thisisatasknormallyreserved for slaves andservants,andcertainlynotfora venerated teacher of thefaith. The disciples aretouched by this show ofservility and the humility it

implies. Jesus knows themandtheirpersonalitiessowelland accepts them withoutjudgment: Simon the zealot,with his passion for politics;the impulsive Peter; Jamesand John, the boisterous“sons of thunder,” as Jesusdescribes them;2 the intenseand often gloomy Thomas;the upbeat Andrew; thedowntrodden Philip; and therest. Their time together has

changed the lives of everyman in this room. And asJesus carefully and lovinglyrinsestheroaddustfromtheirfeet,thedepthofhisaffectionisclear.During dinner, Jesus turns

all that good feeling intodespair.“Itellyouthetruth,”he says, “one of you willbetrayme.”The disciples haven’t been

payingcloseattentiontotheir

leader. The meal has beenserved and they are reclined,chatting with one another astheypickfoodfromthesmallplates. But now shock andsadness fill the room. Thedisciples each take mentalinventory, search for somesign of doubt or weaknessthatwouldcauseanyofthemto hand over Jesus. “Surely,notI,Lord,”theysay,onebyone. The comment goes

aroundthetable.“It is one of the twelve,”

Jesusassuresthem.“Onewhodipsbreadintothebowlwithme.TheSonofManwillgo,just as it iswritten. Butwoeto that man who betrays theSon of Man! It would bebetter for him if he had notbeenborn.”As the conversation roars

backintolife,witheachmanwondering to his neighbor

about the identity of thebetrayer, Peter, in particular,is agitated. He signals toJohn,whorestsonthepillownexttoJesus.“Ask him which one he

means,”Petersays.“Lord, who is it?” John

asks, leaning closer to theNazarene. He sits to Jesus’sright, while Judas sits onJesus’simmediateleft.“Surely not I, Rabbi?”

Judasblurtsout.“Yes, it is you,” Jesus

quietly answers. “What youareabouttodo,doquickly.”The room is noisy as the

men talk among themselves,and most miss the finalexchange between Judas andJesus because the two menare sitting so close together.As Judas hastily stands andleaves, some assume that heis off to get more food or

drink.The traitor steps out into

the night. Both he and theNazareneknowexactlywherehe’sgoing.JesusoncetrustedJudas, appointing himtreasurerofthedisciples,andopenlycalledhimfriend.Butas so often happens whenmoney is involved, years offriendship can quicklyevaporate.Clutching his money bag,

Judas walks through thestreets and narrow alleys ofthe Lower City and up thesteephilltogiveCaiaphasthegoodnews.

***Thehour is late,andJesus ison the move. He and hisdisciples walk across theKidron Valley to an olivegarden at the base of theMount of Olives. Even

though he knows they mustbe weary from the wine andfood,he asks thedisciples tostand guard while he climbsthe hillside to find a privateplacetobealone.“Sit herewhile I pray,”he

orders the men beforeascending the steep slope.“My soul is overwhelmedwith sorrow to the point ofdeath,” he tells the disciples.“Stayhereandkeepwatch.”

Themoonisnearlyfullandprovides ample light. Jesusfinds a place in the darknessand prays. “Father,everything is possible foryou. Take this cup fromme.YetnotwhatIwill,butwhatyouwill.”It is a moment of anguish

and despair. Jesus isconvinced that hewill die. Itwill be a bloody death, on aRoman cross, with all the

pain and public ridicule thatimplies.Thepeoplewhohaveheardhismarvelouswordsinthe Temple courts will seehimhumiliated,andtheywillnot understand how a manwho claims to be the Son ofGod can allow himself to becrucified.Itwouldbesomucheasier

ifJesuscouldjustescape.Hecould keep on climbing thehillandwalkstraightbackto

Bethany. In the morning, hemight journey home toGalilee, there to grow oldquietlyandraiseafamily.Hiswordshaveaccomplishedjustenough to give the peoplehope,butheneverplannedtolead them in rebellion. Jesusdoes not believe that is hisearthly purpose. So heaccepts his coming fate andmakesnoefforttoflee.After about an hour of

prayer, Jesus returns to thegarden at Gethsemane. Butthedisciplesaresoundasleep.“Could you not keep watchfor one hour?” the Nazarenedemandstoknow.Thedisciplesdon’thavean

answer.ButJesusonceagainasks that they stay awakewhilehereturnstohisprivatespotformoreprayer.Inthesolitudeofthenight,

Jesus asksGod for relief.He

is a man for whom faithcomeseasily,andmakingthisrequestshouldbesimple.Butit is not. So now he prays adifferent prayer—one thatasksforthestrengthtoendureall that is to come. “MyFather,ifitisnotpossibleforthis cup to be taken awayunless I drink it, may yourwillbedone,”3Jesuspleads.The Nazarene walks back

down the slope to check on

the disciples. All are againasleep, seemingly untroubledby worry or anguish. Theyseem to have ignored everysinglewordJesushasspokento them about his sufferingand impendingdeath. It is asif they are willing to believeparts of his teaching and towonder at hisaccomplishments, but theycannotacceptthedarksideofhismessage.

Jesus walks back up thehill to pray one last time. Inhis chronicling of theNazarene’s final days, thephysicianLukeput forth thatJesusbeganliterallysweatingblood. This condition isknownashematidrosis,anditis brought on by intenseanxiety. Though rare, it ismost often seen incondemned men as theybegin walking toward their

executionsite.His prayers finished, Jesus

returns to his disciples,exhausted. The hour is pastmidnight, the air growingcolder. Jesus wears just hiscloak and sheer tunic, whichallow his lean body littledefense against the elements.Thepanicheexperiencedhasnot subsided—Jesus knowsthe end could come at anymoment—but now, as he

once again enters the gardenatGethsemane,heknowsitistimetoaccepthisfate.“Rise,” he tells his

disciples.Hisvoiceissteady,and he can clearly see thetorches and line of menapproaching from across theKidron Valley. Instead offleeing, Jesus of Nazarethwaits.

***

ThetraitorJudasleadsapackof Temple guards into thegarden. Each man carrieseither a clubor a sword, andsome also wield the torchesand lanterns that cut throughthe darkness. Yet the flamesare not bright enough toensurethattheguardscanseewhich of the bearded menbefore them is Jesus. JudashasanticipatedthisandwalksinnocentlytotheNazarene.

“Greetings,Rabbi,”hesayscoldly, kissing Jesus on thecheek. This is the agreed-upon signal between JudasandtheTempleguards.“Friend,”Jesusreplies,“do

whatyoucamefor.”He then turns and looks at

the guards. “Who is it youwant?”“JesusofNazareth,”comes

thereply.“Iamhe,”Jesusanswers.

TheTempleguardsarenotGentile Roman soldiers butJewish employees of theTemple courts. Nonetheless,they are physical men, wellacquainted with the forceneeded to make an arrest.Before Jesus’s wrists can betied,however,Peterdrawshisnew sword and cuts off theearofMalchus,theservantofCaiaphas.4“Put your sword away,”

Jesus commands the ever-impulsive Peter. “For thosewho draw the sword mustalsodiebythesword.”Then Jesus submits to

being bound and led away.For Judas, all has goneaccordingtoplan.Atthislatehour, few have seen thecommotion.So it is that Jesus, his

captors, and Judas march tothehomeofthehighprieston

the eve of Passover. Thedisciples lag behind,frightened for their lives.Since it is the middle of thenight,atrialisnotpossible.Ifreligiouslawistobeobeyed,Jesusmustwaituntilmorningto face his accusers. Andbasedonthosesamelaws,ifadeath sentence is passed thenextmorning, themandatoryfull day of reprieve beforeexecution would mean that

Jesus has at least one or twodaystolive.Jesusisnotcountingonthe

disciples to come to hisrescue. Indeed, if he were,that hope would now beprovenfutile, forhis terrifiedfollowershaveturnedandarenowinfullflight.The night air is crisp and

cool. Most of Jerusalem isasleepastheprisonerisledtothe house of the high priest.

Theroutetakesthempasttheroomwhere,justafewhoursago, Jesus and his disciplescelebratedtheirlastsupper.The Nazarene knows he

will die alone. Though he issurroundedbymen,Jesushasno allies right now. Hisdisciples have disappearedintothenight.Andthosewhoarrested him would happilybeat him intounconsciousnessifhetriedto

flee.Yet, despite his hopeless

situation, Jesus of Nazarethkeepshiscomposure.Hewillbe questioned extensively,and what he says will bewritten for the ages. Hisinterrogatorswillbethesamemen whom he verballyhumiliated two days ago inthe Temple courts. He sawthehatredintheireyesthen.Theypassthehousesofthe

UpperCity,which are largerand more regal thandwellings anywhere else inJerusalem. Jesus is soon ledinto the palace of the highpriest.Onlyhe isnotgreetedby Joseph Caiaphas but bythe true religious power inJerusalem. Jesus now standsbefore the aging and regalleader of a priestly dynastydatingbackathousandyears.Themanbeforehimhasgreat

wealth and is so skilled apolitician that his sons andthehusbandsofhisdaughtersare continuing the familylineage of priesthood andpower. The man’s name isAnanus, son of Sethi—or, asthis elderly religious titan isknownthroughoutJerusalem,Annas.The courtyard is still.

Inside, the interrogation ofJesus commences. Moments

later, he is surprised by asudden and hard blow to theface.Theendhasbegun.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

JERUSALEMFRIDAY,APRIL7,A.D.30EARLYMORNING/DAY

The assault comes out ofnowhere,ahardpunchtothe

head delivered by a short-fused Temple guard. “Is thisthewayyouanswer thehighpriest?”Jesus staggers, unable to

answer. The opulent palaceroomreels.Hishandsarestillbound, and he can neitherprotect himself nor fightback. But even as theNazarene absorbs the blow,he speaks without fear. “If Isaidsomethingwrong,testify

as to what is wrong,” hefinallytellstheguard.“ButifIspokethetruth,whydidyoustrikeme?”A bleary-eyed Annas

stands before Jesus. It isclosertodawnthanmidnight.The high priest is in hismidfifties, a man whoseentire life has revolvedaround procuring wealth andpower. Normally, men suchasJesusbowtohim,pleading

for mercy rather than tryingtobendhismindwithlogicatthis awful hour. “I havespokenopenly to theworld,”Jesus said justmoments ago.“I always taught insynagoguesorat theTemple,where all the Jews cometogether. I said nothing insecret. Why question me?Ask those who heard me.Surely they know what Isaid.”

Those were the fearlessand articulate words thatspurred the guard to strikeJesus. They now echo inAnnas’s skull as he tries tofigureouthisnextmove.ThepatriarchisaZadokite,

descended from a line ofpriests dating back to KingDavid.Likehissonsandson-in-lawCaiaphas, he is also aSadducee, a member of awealthy Jewish sect that

believes only in thePentateuch, as the fivebooksof Moses are known. Annashasmademanycompromiseswith Rome in order tomaneuverhiswayintopower.The job of high priest waspassed down through theZadokite lineage forcenturies, but Alexander theGreat’s conquest of theJewish homeland threecenturies ago led to an

attempt to Hellenize theregion.This iswhyAnnas isfluent in Greek as well asHebrew, for his family longagolearnedtheimportanceofpleasing its conquerors. Agroup of Jews known as theHasmoneans put an end toovertHellenizationin142B.C.but also stripped theZadokites of the highpriesthood. This became ablessing of sorts when the

RomansconqueredJerusalemeighty years later. Non-Zadokitepriestswere singledout for massacre whenPompeyandhistroopslootedthe city after a three-monthsiege.ItwasHerodtheGreatwho finally restored theZadokites to the highpriesthood.But with that power came

compromise, forHerodmadesure that these new priests

served at his favor—and thatmeantbowingdowntoRome.Nolongerarethehighpriestsautonomous. It is a lessonAnnas learned when he wasremovedfromhispositionbyPontius Pilate’s predecessor,Gratus, for imposing andexecuting capital sentences,whichhadbeenforbiddenbythe imperial government.Making the same mistaketwice—or allowing Caiaphas

to make this mistake—couldbe catastrophic.As patriarch,Annas sees that the future ofthefamilydynastymightjustrest on how he handles theJesussituation.But the title of high priest

is one that aman carries forlife. Rome likes it that waybecause it ensures that themoney pipeline flowsuninterrupted.Annas;hissonEleazar; his son-in-law

Caiaphas; andhisother sons,Jonathan, Theophilus,Matthias,andAnanus,willalltake turns serving as highpriest. They will control thesale of Temple lambs atPassoverandreceiveacutofevery exchange made by themoney changers. OutsideJerusalem, the high priestsown vast farms and estates.The profits from theseventures, in addition to the

taxes extorted from thepeople of Judea, are allshared with Pilate andeventually with thedebauched Roman emperorTiberius, who gets asubstantial amount of moneyintheformof“tribute.”So it is that the lineage of

Jesus and Annas has beenintertwined for centuries andwill be for decades to come.Annas’s forefathersservedas

high priests under Jesus’sforebears David andSolomon. And just as Annasnow stands in judgment ofJesus,sotheyoungerAnanuswill sentence another devoutman to death three decadesfromnow.Thatman’snameisJames.

He is a sibling of Jesus, andhewill be publicly stoned todeath.Indeed, so fierce is Annas

and his descendants’ loyaltytoRomethat thefinal linkintheir claim to the priesthoodwill come to an end thirtyyears from now, when theyoungerAnanusiskilledinaJewish uprising foradvocating a continuation ofRomanrule.1

***Everything about Jesus’sinterrogation is illegal: it

takes place at night, Jesus isasked to incriminate himselfwithout a lawyer, andAnnashas no authority to passsentence. It is also highlyunusual for a prisoner to bebrought to the high priest’spersonal residence, ratherthan to theprisoncellsat theRomanbarracks.But Jesushascommitteda

grave offense: he interruptedthe flow of funds from the

Temple to Rome when heflipped over the moneychangers’tables.Thepipelineis the personal responsibilityofAnnas.Anyone interferingwiththeprofittakingmustbepunished. That, of course,includes Jesus and everysingle one of his disciples.Annas isdetermined that thiswill be a cautionary tale foranyone who considerschallenging the authority of

theTemplecourts.Aman like Annas is used

to people bowing andscraping in his presence, butit is clear that Jesus will notgenuflect to any man. Anddespite Jesus’s weakenedcondition, he is still capableofgreatfeatsofintellect.Perhaps some time alone

with the Temple guards willchangeJesus’sattitude.As a former high priest,

Annas has no jurisdictionalpowers. He cannot passsentence, particularly inmatters concerning seditionorinsurrection,forthatpowerbelongssolelytoRome.ThusAnnas secretly orders a gangof Temple guards to escortJesus to a quiet place on thepalace grounds where theymight spend some timetogether.2Jesus, still bound, is led

away.Anurgentcallgoesoutthrough Jerusalem. The highreligious court of theSanhedrin must assembleimmediately.

***Jesuscannotsee.Thenightisdark, and the blindfoldcovering his eyes shuts outeven theminimal lightof thesmallfires.But he can hear extremely

well, and the words directedat him are clearly meant tobreakhisspirit.“Prophesy,”aTemple guard calls outscornfully. Jesus is staggeredbyanotherhardpunch.“Whohityou?”theguardmocks.Fists and kicks come from

all sides. There is no escapeandnorespite.“Whohityou?”theguards

call out again and again,landing more blows. “Who

hityou?”The beating goes on for

hours, until the Templeguards become too tired tocontinuetheirsavagegame.By the time Jesus is led

back into Annas’s home toconfront theSanhedrin inyetanother illegal trial, he isbloodied and bruised. Hisface is swollen. Exhaustionand weakness caused by aloss of plasma make it

difficult for him to stand, letalone form the coherentarguments that might savehim.Yet once again, the bound

and beaten Jesus must risebeforehisaccusersandargueforhislife.

***Jesus appears before theSanhedrin, no longerblindfolded. It is impossible

to tell whether all seventy-onemembersof thereligiouscourt are crowded into theroom, but he has not beentakentotheTemplecourts,aslaw requires. Instead, theclerics surround him in theresidentialwarmthofAnnas’spalacehome,whereJesuscanclearly see the mosaic floorsand the fashionable paintingshangingfromthewalls.BruisescoverJesus’sbody

andface,andhehasnoteatensincetheLastSupper.Yetthebeatingandthemockinghavenot brokenhis spirit.Despitethelatehour,newsofJesus’sarrest has made its wayaround Jerusalem. A smallcrowd now gathers in thecourtyard, warmingthemselvesbythefirepits.Asecond group stands outsidethepalace’sgates,waitingforany news. Two of the

disciples3 have had secondthoughts about abandoningJesus and have braved arresttobehere.Theystandamonga number of men loyal toCaiaphas.Jesus watches as, one by

one, Caiaphas’s sycophantscome in out of the cold tofalsely testify against him.They stand before theSanhedrin and brazenly lieabout Jesus, spinning stories

about things he has said anddone. The members of theSanhedrin listen closely,waitingfortheoneaccusationthatmightallowthemtopassthe death sentence. Theytolerate the litany of lies,trusting that an accusationworthy of a death sentencewilleventuallyberevealedinthese proceedings—even if ittakes all night. Technically,bearing false witness is a

crime punishable by death,buttheSanhedriniswillingtoconveniently sidestep thatlegalityfortonight.Throughout the process,

Jesussaysnothing.Thencomes theaccusation

for which the Sanhedrin iswaiting.“This fellow,”sweartwo men loyal to Caiaphas,“said, ‘I am able to destroythe Temple of God andrebuilditinthreedays.’”

Caiaphas has been sitting,butnowhesuddenlyrisesandadvances toward Jesus. ToCaiaphas’s utter fury, Jesusdoes not contest thisallegation. One look at theNazarene and it is clear thathis will should have beenbroken hours ago—the driedblood, the residue of spittle,the hematomas, and theswelling. Yet Jesus is placidandeverdefiant.

“Are you not going toanswer?” Caiaphas demandswith indignation. “What isthis testimony that thesemenarebringingagainstyou?”Jesus remains silent. He

can see the question formingon Caiaphas’s lips. It is thequery to which everyone inthe room wants an answer.Indeed, it is theonequestionthat hundreds of thousandshere in Jerusalem also want

answered. But even as Jesusanticipates what Caiaphas isabout to ask next, he alsorealizesthatthereisnoproperresponse. His death isimminent, nomatterwhat hesays.“Ichargeyouunderoath,”

fumes Caiaphas, “by thelivingGod: tell us if you aretheChrist,theSonofGod.”Silence. Outside, the first

birds ofmorning are stirring.

Conversations can be heardfrom beyond the courtroom.ButinthispublicroomwhereCaiaphas usually socializesand privately conductsofficial Temple business, noone utters so much as asyllable as they anxiouslyawait Jesus’s decision: Willhefinallyspeak?Jesusdoesanswer:“IfItell

you,youwillnotbelieveme.And if I asked you, you

would not answer. But fromnowon, theSonofManwillbeseatedat therighthandofthemightyGod.”“AreyoutheSonofGod?”

thepriestsdemand.“Yes,”he tells them.“It is

asyousay.”ThenJesuslooksstraightat

Caiaphas: “You will see theSonofManseatedattherighthand of the Power, andcoming with the clouds of

heaven.”4Caiaphasgrabsthefrontof

his own tunic and wrenchesthe expensive fabric, tearingitdownfromhischest.Undernormal circumstances, highpriests are forbidden todisplay anger in such amanner. But these are notnormal circumstances, forJesusisimplyingnothinglessthan that Caiaphas is anenemyofGod.

“He has spokenblasphemy,” the high priesttells theSanhedrin. “Whydoweneedanymorewitnesses?Look, now you have heardthe blasphemy.What do youthink?”Religious law says that

each member of theSanhedrin must cast a votewhen passing sentence. Butnow there is no vote. Theverdict is passed by simple

consensus.Theonlyvoicesofdissent come fromNicodemus and a wealthySadducee named Joseph ofArimathea.Thesunisrising.Jesushas

been convicted of blasphemyand sentenced to death. Thenext step is as easy, or asdifficult, as convincingPontius Pilate to order hisRomanexecutionerstodothedeed.

***Across Jerusalem, in theAntonia Fortress, the dozenmen who comprise theRomandeathsquadssitdownto ientaculum, their bigmealof the day. They will mostlikelynotbeable togetbackto the barracks for the lightmidday prandium, so theyenjoy their large portion ofporridge. It is often servedwith cheese and honey to

makeitevermorefillingandto provide more energy forthe hard labor to come.Bread, weak beer, and redwine are spread out on thelongcommunaltable.Barabbas and his cohorts,

already condemned to death,are being held not far away,in the fortress’s stonedungeons. In time, they willbe taken into the courtyardfor a scourging—or

verberatio, as it is knownbythe Romans. Low scourgingposts are permanentlypositioned there for this task.Affixed to the top of eachpost is a metal ring. Eachcondemned man will bebrought forth with his handstied. The executioners willstrip him of his clothing andthen force him to his knees,beforebindinghishandsoverhis head to the metal ring.

The wrists will then also beshackled to the ring. Thislocks the body in position,preventing any squirming orother attempts to dodge theblowsof the flagellum.Evenbefore the first lash is laidagainst a man’s back, it iscommon for the victim totense every muscle in hisbodyandgrithisteethagainstthe horrible pain that willsoonbeinflicted.

The key to theexecutioners’ art is not howhardtheywhipamanbuttheeffort with which they yankthe whip’s metal- and bone-flecked tendrils away fromthefleshaftereachblow.Forthis is when the primarydamagetothebodyisdone.To prove themselves

superior, the professionalkillers—now casually eatingtheirmorningmeal—striveto

gripthewoodenhandleoftheflagellum a little harder thantheir peers and lean into alash with just a bit morestrength.If theydotheir jobsexceptionally well, theymight expose the victim’sinternal organs. As thehistorian Eusebius will writeof the spectacle, “Bystanderswere struck with amazementwhentheysawthemlaceratedwith scourges even to the

innermost veins and arteries,so that the hidden inwardparts of the body, both theirbowels and their members,wereexposedtoview.”Yet as horrific as the

processoflashingmightbe,itis just the start of the agony.For verberatio is a merepreludetocrucifixion.The soldiers finish their

porridge and push back fromthetable.Timetogotowork.

***The condemned Jesus ismarched to the palace ofPontius Pilate. The sound ofhis sandals, and those of thehigh priests and Templeguardswho surround him onall sides, echo off thecobblestones. It is not yet7:00 A.M. and Jerusalem isjust waking up. The pathtakes Jesus past the smallstratopedon (“barracks”),

where a garrison of palacesoldiers grimly watches theprocession, and then windspast the lavish formalgardenHerod the Great constructedso long ago, with its ponds,groves of trees, and quietwalkways from which dovescan be seen alongside smallstreams. Palace walls formthe northern boundary of thegarden, and now Jesus ismarchedalong thosewalls to

the frontgate,where soldierstake their four-hour guardshift.Caiaphas demands an

immediate audience withPilate. He stands outside thegateswith Jesus, the Templeguard, and the entireSanhedrin.Butsincethehighpriest cannot enter a Gentileresidence so close toPassover, or risk becominguncleanandunabletoeat the

sacredmeal, he requests thatPilatecomedowntothegate.It isagrossviolationof theirformal relationship, butsurelyPilatewillunderstand.The palace is enormous, a

fortified square measuring140 meters from south tonorth. It consists of twolavish wings, one named theCaesareum and the otherAgrippium. Towers rise atintervals along its walls, and

columned courtyards provideopenspace.Atthesouthend,just on the other side of thepalace walls, is a specialcourtyard known as thepraetorium, wherepronouncements, trials, andother public gatherings cantakeplace.Soittakesawhileto getword to Pilate and fortheprefecttodressandmakehiswaydowntothegate.Hecould not have been pleased

to be facedwith the sight ofTemple guards, lavishlydressedpriests,andaprisonerwho was clearly in anadvanced state of physicalsuffering.“What charges are you

bringing against this man?”Pilateasksgruffly.Caiaphas has been

dreading this moment. For,whilehewantstheRomanstokill Jesus, the charge of

blasphemy is a Jewishoffense.Romecouldnotcarelessaboutit.AndPilate,withhis intolerance for the Jews,is not the sort to risk hiscareer by allowing Jewishlaw to dictate whom heexecutes.“Ifhewerenotacriminal,

would we have handed himover to you?” Caiaphasreplies,avoidingthequestion.Pilateisnoteasilyswayed.

“Take him yourselves, andjudgehimbyyourownlaw.”“But we have no right to

execute anyone,” Caiaphasresponds.“I find no basis for a

charge against this man,”Pilatereplies.Another of the priests

speaks up. “He stirs uppeople all over Judea by histeaching. He started inGalilee and has come all the

wayhere.”“He’s a Galilean?” Pilate

demands. In this simplequestion,heseesawayoutofthis mess. The Sanhedrin isclearly luring him into apoliticaltrap.ButifJesusisaGalilean, thismatter is bettersuited for Herod Antipas.Galilee is the tetrarch’sjurisdiction, and Antipas isstayinginapalacejustafewblocksaway.

Pilate refuses to acceptcustody of Jesus. Hedismissestheentiregatheringandorders Jesus tobeboundover to Antipas. Once again,Jesus ismarched through theearly dawn streets of upperJerusalem.Thereisnosignofthe peasant pilgrims fromGalileeorofanyoftheotherpoorerclassofJews,fortheyhave no reason to bewandering through this

wealthyneighborhoodatsuchan early hour. Slaves can beseensweepingtheporchesoftheir masters’ homes while,inside, thewealthy take theirmorningmeal.But if Pilate thinks he has

escaped from Caiaphas’ssnare, he iswrong. For soonthe entire Temple group,including Jesus, returns.Herod Antipas was mostdelighted to finally meet the

Nazarene and spent a shorttime taking the measure ofhim. The tetrarch evenrequested a miracle for hispersonalamusement.Antipas has no fear of

Caiaphas or the high priests,for they have no power overhim. So even as theylaunched volley after volleyof accusation about Jesus,hoping to swing the tetrarchover to their side, Antipas

refused to listen. Gettingpulled into a power strugglebetween the Temple andRome is most unwise.Besides,heisstillhauntedbythe death of John theBaptistand the predictions by manythat it will bring down hiskingdom. The last thingAntipasneedsis thebloodofanother holy man on hishands.Even though Jesus refused

toperformamiracle,Antipassaw no reason to condemnhim to death. He let hissoldiers have their fun,allowing them to taunt theNazareneandridiculehimbyquestioninghisroyaltybeforeplacinganoldmilitarymantleontheprisoner’sshoulders.Itwas purple, the color ofkings.

***

Now, once again, Pilatestands at his palace gatesdebating what to do aboutJesus.HehasunderestimatedAntipas, forgetting that thetetrarch was raised in ahousehold where treacheryand guile were as routine asbreathing. Strangely, Pilatesees Antipas’s decision as aquiet show of solidaritywithhim, for Antipas, a Jew, hasclearly chosen to backRome

insteadoftheTemplepriests.Pilate and Antipas wereenemies until now, but theywill count each other asfriendsfromthisdayforward.But Pilate must still deal

with the wily Caiaphas, whohas been coached in palaceintrigue by Annas and againstandsbeforehim.Pilate is running out of

options. Clearly he cannotorder the Jews to release

Jesus, for that would beinterfering in their religiouslaw—and Emperor Tiberiushas made it quite clear thatRoman governors cannot dothis.Still, he doesn’t have to

accept theprisoner.Hecouldorder that Caiaphas sendJesus over to the AntoniaFortress,theretobehelduntilafter Passover—perhaps longafter Passover, when Pilate

has already left town.Aboveall, Pontius Pilate does notwant trouble. So he finallysends Caiaphas on his wayand reluctantly acceptscustodyoftheNazarene.ThefateofJesusisnowin

thehandsofRome.

***PontiusPilateiscurious.“AreyouthekingoftheJews?”heasks Jesus. The governor is

seated on a throne ofjudgment,lookingdownuponan open-air courtyard pavedwith flagstones. A smallaudiencewatches.Pilate has chosen this

location formany reasons. Itis far removed from thecenter of the palace, nearwhere his small personalgarrison is housed. Thecourtyard is not actually inthe palace but adjacent to it.

ItsuniquearchitectureallowsPilate to address his subjectsfrom an elevated positionwhile also providing him aprivateentrancewherehecancome and go and whereprisonerssuchasJesuscanbeledoutandtried,thenquietlywalked back to the prisoncells.Another advantage to the

location, at the outer edge ofthepalacegrounds,isthatit’s

not actually inside theresidence, and so Jews arepermitted to enteron the eveof Passover. Hence thepresence of Temple priestsandCaiaphas’sdisciples,whoare carefully monitoring theproceedings for their leader.They are there to ensure thatthe sentence passed byCaiaphasandthePhariseesiscarriedout.“Is that your own idea, or

did others talk to you aboutme?”Jesusasksinreturn.“AmIaJew?”Pilateasks.

“Itwasyourpeopleandyourchiefpriestswhohandedyouover to me. What is it youhavedone?”“Mykingdomisnotofthis

world.Ifitwere,myservantswould fight to prevent myarrest. But nowmy kingdomisfromanotherplace.”“You are a king, then!”

saysanamusedPilate.Thisisgood news for the governor,forbydeclaringhimselftobesovereign, Jesus has nowcommitted a crime againstRomeandtheemperor.Heisnowaseriousthreattopublicorder.Whateverhappensnextcannowbejustified.“You are right in saying I

am a king. In fact, for thisreasonIamborn,andforthisreasonIcameintotheworld,

to testify to the truth.Everyone on the side of thetruth listens to me,” Jesusresponds.“What is truth?” Pilate

asks, now fascinated byJesus.But if the Roman was

expecting an answer to thatquestion, he is disappointed,asJesusstandsmute.Pilateknowsthatpreaching

is not a crime—unless

rebellion against Rome is atheme of that preaching. Butany dissension from thepowerful Sanhedrin will nothelp Pilate with Tiberius. Sohe turns his attention fromJesus to the disciples of theJewish Temple who fill thecourtyard. From his loftyperch,hecanlookdownuponthe group, measuring theirreaction.It is customary for the

Roman prefect to release aprisoner at the time ofPassover.5NowPilatefindsasimplesolutiontoeaseoutofthis politically volatilesituation: he will give thecrowd a choice betweenreleasing the peaceful Jesusor the horrific Barabbas, aterrorist andmurderer whosecrimes truly deservepunishment.“Do you want me to

releasethekingoftheJews?”Pilateasksthecrowd.The response surprises

him. For Pilate is not awarethatthepeopleheisspeakingto have been ordered by thehigh priests and religiouselderstomakesurethatJesusis executed. It is not theJewish pilgrims who wantJesus dead, nor most of theresidentsofJerusalem.No, itis a small handful of men

who enrich themselvesthroughtheTemple.Tothem,amanwhospeaksthetruthisfar more dangerous than amassmurderer.“Give us Barabbas,” they

shoutback.

***AtthesametimethatJesusisbeing judged, thebusinessofPassover begins in theTemple courts. Despite their

sleeplessnight,Caiaphasandtheotherpriestscannotaffordthe luxury of a morning’srest. Soon they walk acrossthe bridge connecting theUpper City with the Templeandprepare togoabout theirday. Already, long lines ofpilgrims are forming, andwith them grows theincessant bleating of youngmalelambs.The first sacrifices will

takeplaceatnoon,inkeepingwiththelaw.Rowsofpriestsare now assembling, somecarrying silver bowls andothers gold. These are forcatching the blood of thelamb as its throat is slit. Thebowls are then carried to thealtarand thebloodpoured insacrifice. A Levite choir isgathering aswell, alongwithmenwhowillhonorthisgreatday with blasts from their

silvertrumpets.

***PontiusPilatedoesnotcareawhitaboutwhatishappeninginside theTemple.The focusofhisattentionistheproblemstillstandingbeforehim.TheRoman governor does notbelieve that executing such apopular figure as Jesus is awise decision. Any unrestamong the people following

an execution of this sortwouldcertainlybereportedtoTiberius, and any fallout laidatthefeetofPilate.So rather than crucify

Jesus, Pilate sentences theNazarene to verberatio.Perhaps thatwill appease theSanhedrin. The Romangovernorcallsthehighpriestsandchurchelders together toannounce thisdecision.“Youbrought me this man as one

who was inciting the peopletorebellion. Ihaveexaminedhim in your presence andfound no basis for yourcharges against him. Neitherhas Herod, for he sent himbacktous.Asyoucansee,hehas done nothing to deservedeath. Therefore, I willpunishhimandreleasehim.”Within moments, the

Nazarene is stripped and ledinto the praetorium

courtyard.Thescourgingpoleawaits.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

JERUSALEM’SUPPERCITYAPRIL7,A.D.308:00A.M.–3:00P.M.

Jesus endures. As with anyother victim, his hands are

manacled to the metal ringatop the scourging post,rendering him unable tomove. Two legionaries standbehind him, one on eitherside. Each grasps a wooden-handled flagrum, fromwhichextend three leather tendrils.Each thong is roughly threefeet long. Today, rather thanbits of metal or sheep bone,theexecutionershaveaffixedtothetipssmall leadweights

known as plumbatae. Thechoice is strategic. Thesedumbbell-shaped implementsdo not rip away flesh andmuscle as quickly as thesharper scorpiones tips. It isnotyettimeforJesustodie.A third legionarystands to

oneside.Heholdsanabacussothathemightkeeptrackofthenumberofblowsinflicted.The fourth member of thequaternio is the man

responsible for tying andchaining Jesus to thescourging post. He nowstands by to replace anymember of the death squadwho tires in his duties.Watching over all of them isthe exactor mortis, thesupervisor.Jesus feels the lash. There

isnogapbetween theblows.The instant one executionerpullsbackhiswhip,theother

unfurlshislashacrossJesus’sback.Evenwhen the tendrilsof leather and lead gettangled, the soldiers don’tstop. Themost lashes amancanreceiveunderthelawsofMosesare“fortyminusone,”but theRomansdon’talwaystrifle with Jewish legalities.Pilate has told these men tolash Jesus, and now they doso until the Nazarene isphysicallybrokenbutnotyet

dead.That is the order: scourge

the Nazarene, but under nocircumstances is he to bekilled.After the whipping, Jesus

isunchainedandhelpedtohisfeet.Hehascriedout inpainduring his scourging, but hehas not vomited or had aseizure, asmanydo.Still, heislosingalotofblood,duetohis severely lacerated back.

The lashmarks extend downtothebackofhiscalves.Andinadditiontothedehydrationthat has plagued him allnight, Jesus is in the earlystagesofshock.The Roman death squad

has clearly done its job.Strikingat theNazarenewithsurgical precision, they havebeaten him almost to death.Pilate has made it clear thatthiswillbetheextentoftheir

duties today. Yet they standbyformore,justincase.Jesus’s hands are still tied

in frontofhim.He is slowlyledback to theprison,wheretheRomansoldiershavetheirown brand of fun with thisunique prisoner. Jesus doesnothing as they drape thatfilthy purple cloak over hisnaked body, knowing it willsoonsticktohiswounds.Thesoldiers then make a faux

scepterfromareedandthrustit into Jesus’s hands, againmocking his claim of beingking.Ratherthantakepityonamanwhohasjustenduredascourging,thesoldiersspitontheNazarene.If the soldiers stopped

there, it would be a momentoflowcomedybyagroupofbarbaric men. But thesebrutes now turn theirmockery into sadism. Up to

this point it can be arguedthat they aremerely soldiers,doing the job they weretrained to do. Certainly, theNazi death squads of WorldWar II, who will patternmuch of their behavior afterthe cold, heartless actions ofthe Roman quaternio, usedthat defense. The actions ofJulius Caesar and so manyotherRomanwarriors clearlyshow that unthinkably harsh

punishment was a standardway to deal with enemies ofRome. There was even acertainpathologicalcreativitytotheirmethods.But now the soldiers

guarding Jesus up the ante.This is not a single deathsquad but an entire companyof Pilate’s handpickedlegionaries. In an atrociousdisplay, they begin to cut atall white shrub. Rhamnus

nabeca features rigidelliptical leaves and smallgreen flowers, but its mostdominant characteristic is theinch-long curving thorns thatsprout closely together. Thesoldiersaremorethanwillingto endure the prick of thesesharp spikes as they weaveseveral branches together toformacrown.Whentheyaredone, this wreath makes aperfect complement to the

reedandthepurplecloak.Allhailtheking!Jesusistooweaktoprotest

when the crown of thorns isfitted onto his head, and thespikes pressed hard into hisskin. They brush up againstthemany nerves surroundingthe skull almost immediatelyand then crash into bone.Blood pours down his face.Jesusstandshumiliatedinthesmallprisonassoldiersdance

around him—some punchinghim, others spitting, and stillothers getting down on bothknees to praise their “king.”Pilingon, the soldiers rip thereed from Jesus’s hand andstrike him hard across thehead,whichpushesthethornseven deeper into that tightnetworkofnerves.Theresultis an instant fiery sensationradiating up and down hisface.

Much to the jailers’delight, they have contrivedone of the most gruesomemethods of tortureconceivable.Butjustwhenitseemsthat

Jesuscan’t takeanymore, thesoldiers receive word thatPilate would like to see theprisoner.Onceagain,Jesusisledoutintothepublicsquare,where the Sanhedrin and itsloyalfollowersstandwaiting.

Jesus’s vision has blurred.Fluid is slowly buildingaround his lungs. He ishavingahardtimebreathing.Hehaspredictedhisdeathallalong, but the details of hisdemiseareshocking.The high priests and

religious leaders watch asJesus steps forth, the crownof thornsstillonhishead. Inhim, they see thememory ofa man who publicly

humiliated them in theTemplecourtsjustthreedaysago. They can see hissuffering now, yet they haveno sympathy whatsoever.Jesus must die—the morepainfully,thebetter.It is 9:00 A.M. as Pilate

takes his seat again on thejudgmentthrone.Hetriesonelast time to release Jesus.“Hereisyourking,”hesnarlsat the assembly of religious

leaders and their disciples.These men should be in theTemple courts, for theslaughterofthelambsissoontobegin.“Take him away,” the

religiousleaderschant.“Takehimaway.Crucifyhim.”Pilate is tired of arguing.

The Roman governor is notknown for his compassionand believes he has done allthat he can do. The fate of

Jesus issimplynotworth theeffort.“Shall I crucify your

king?” he asks, seeking afinalconfirmation.“We have no king but

Caesar,”achiefpriestreplies.If taken at face value, thosewords are an act of heresy,for in saying them the priestis rejecting his own JewishGodinfavorofthegodoftheRoman pagans. Yet the

followers of the Sanhedrinseenoironyinthesituation.“What crime has he

committed?” Pilate yellsback.“Crucify him!” comes the

response.Pilate orders that a small

bowl of water be brought toJesus.Hedipshishands intothe chalice and theatricallymakes a show of a ritualcleansing. “I am innocent of

thisman’sblood,”hetellsthereligious leaders. “It is yourresponsibility.”But in fact the

responsibility belongs toPilate. Only the Romangovernor possesses the iusgladii—“the right of thesword.” Or, as it is alsoknown,therighttoexecute.So it is that Pilate orders

his executioners to takecontrolofJesus.Astheylead

the Nazarene away to becrucified, Pontius Pilatepreparesforanearlylunch.

***The purple cloak is rippedaway,butthecrownofthornsremains. The death squadplaces a plank of unfinishedwoodonJesus’sshoulders.Itweighs between fifty andseventy pounds, it is just alittle less than six feet long,

and its splinters quickly findtheir way into the openwounds on the Nazarene’sbody. The humiliation atPilate’spalacenowcomplete,the procession toward theplaceofexecutionbegins.At the front of the line is

the officer known as theexactor mortis. By tradition,thiscenturionholdsupasignwritten in Greek, Aramaic,andLatin.Normally,aman’s

crimes are listed on the sign,whichwillbenailedontothecross above him. This way,any passerby will knowwhythe man was crucified. So iftreason is the charge, thenthat is what the sign shouldstate.But Pontius Pilate is

changing tradition. In a lastattempt to get the better ofCaiaphas,thegovernorwritesthe inscription himself, in

charcoal: JESUS THENAZARENE:KINGOFTHEJEWS.“Change it,” Caiaphas

demands before thecrucifixion procession getsunderway.“It stays exactly as it is,”

Pilate replies, hiscondescensionapparent.So the sign leads the way

as Jesus and his fourexecutioners make thepainfully slow journey to

Golgotha,thehillusedastheRoman execution ground.The trip is slightly less thanhalf a mile, taking JesusthroughthecobbledstreetsofJerusalem’sUpperCity, thenout the Gennath Gate, to thelow hill on which a verticalpole awaits him. It is gettingclose to noon. A substantialcrowdhasgathered towatch,despite a blazing sunoverhead.

As a former builder andcarpenter, the Nazareneknows the proper way tocarry a length of lumber, butnow he lacks the strength todo so. The exactor mortisbecomes concerned as Jesusrepeatedly stumbles. ShouldJesus die before reaching theplace of execution, it is theexactor mortis who will beheldresponsible.Soapilgrimbystander, an African Jew

named Simon of Cyrene,1 isenlisted to carry thecrossbeamforJesus.The procession continues.

Despite the assistance, theNazareneisconstantlyontheverge of fainting. Eachstumble drives the thorns onhisheaddeeperintohisskull.Jesus is so thirsty he canbarelyspeak.Meanwhile, just a few

hundred yards away, in the

Temple courts, thecelebration of Passover iswellunderway,divertingtheattentionofmanywhorevereJesus and who mightotherwise have rioted tointerveneandsavehislife.The execution site,

Golgotha,isnotalargehill.Itis a low rise within a veryshort distance fromJerusalem’scitywall.Infact,anyone standing atop those

walls will be able to viewJesus’s crucifixion at eyelevelandwillbesoclosethatthey can hear everyword hesays if he speaks loudlyenough.But Jesushasn’t spoken in

hours. As the processionarrives atop Golgotha, thesoldiers send Simon awayand hurl the crossbeam ontothe dirt and rough limestone—“Jerusalem rock,” some

call it.Thedeathsquadtakescontrolhere.TheyforceJesustotheground,layinghistorsoatoptheuppercrossbeam,thepatibulum.Hishandsarethenstretchedoutandtwosoldiersput all their weight on hisextended arms, as anotherapproaches with a thickmalletandasix-inchironnailwithasquareshaftthattaperstoapoint.The soldier hammers the

sharpened point into Jesus’sflesh, at precisely the spotwhere the radius and ulnabonesmeet thecarpalsof thewrist. He jabs the nail hardinto the skin to stabilize itbeforeimpact.Jesus cries out in pain as

theironpiercesitsmark.TheRomansusethewristlocationbecause the nail never hitsbone, instead passing all thewaythroughtothewoodwith

justafewsharpswingsofthehammer. The wrist bones,meanwhile, surround the softtissue, forming a barrier. Sowhen the cross is hoistedupwardandthevictim’sbodyweight suspends from thatspike,theboneskeepthethinlayerofmusclefromripping,preventing the person fromfallingtotheground.The first wrist secure, the

executioner moves on to the

second. A crowd watchesfrom the base of the hill.Among them are Jesus’sdevoted friend MaryMagdalene and his mother,Mary.ShecametoJerusalemfor Passover, not having anyidea what would befall herson.Nowshecandonothingbutlookuponhiminanguish.AfterJesus isnailed to the

crossbeam, the executionershoist him to his feet. A

careful balancing act ensues,because the weight of thewood isnowonJesus’sback—not his shoulders. In hisweakened state, he couldeasilyfallover.Soldiersholdup both ends of thecrossbeam, while a thirdsteadies Jesus as they backhimtowardtheverticalbeamthatwillcompletethecross.The staticulum, as this in-

ground pole is known, is

close to eight feet tall. IncaseswheretheRomanswanta victim to suffer for daysbeforedying,asmallseatjutsouthalfwayupitslength.ButtomorrowistheSabbath,andJewish law says that a manmust be taken off the crossbeforeitbegins.TheRomanswant Jesus to die quickly.Thus,thereisnoseat(sedile)onJesus’scross.Nor is there a footrest.

Instead, when the momentcomesthathisfeetarenailedintothewood,theymustfirstbeflexedatanextremeangle.One soldier grabs Jesus

aroundthewaistandliftshimupastheothertwohoisttheirends of the crossbeam. Thefourthexecutionerstandsatopaladderthatleansagainstthestaticulum, guiding thecrossbeamintothesmalljointthat has been carved into the

topof thevertical piece.Theweight of Jesus’s bodyholdsthebeaminsidethegroove.And so it is that Jesus of

Nazareth now hangs on thecross. Another moment ofagony comes when Jesus’skneesarebentslightlyandhisfeet are lapped one over theother and nailed into place.The spike passes through thefine metatarsal bones on itsway into the wood but,

amazingly,noneofthebonesbreak, which is extremelyunusualinacrucifixion.Finally,inthespotdirectly

over Jesus’s head, the signcarried by the exactormortisisnailedintothecross.Theirphysicalworkdone,thedeathsquad begins mocking Jesus,throwing dice for his once-fine tunic and calling up tohim, “If you are the king oftheJews,saveyourself.”

The Roman killers willremain on Golgotha untilJesus dies. They will drinktheirsourwineandevenoffersome to Jesus. If necessary,they will break his legs tohasten his demise. For deathonthecrossisaslowjourneyinto suffocation. Each time avictimtakesabreathhemustfight his own body weightand push his torso upwardusing his legs, thus allowing

his lungs to expand. In time,the victim, exhausted, canbreatheneitherinnorout.Three hours pass. The

Passover celebrationcontinues inside the Templecourts, and the sounds ofsinging and of trumpetsresoundacrossthecityto theexecution site. Indeed, Jesuscan see the Temple Mountquite clearly from his placeon the cross. He knows that

many are still waiting forhim. The news of hisexecutionhasnottraveledfar,much to the delight of Pilateand Caiaphas, who still fearthe possibility of Jesus’ssupporters starting a riotwhen they hear news of hismurder.“I thirst,” Jesus finally

says, giving in to thedehydration that hasconsumed him formore than

twelvehours.Hisvoiceisnotmore than a whisper. Asoldiersoaksaspongeinsourwineand reachesup toplaceit to the Nazarene’s lips,knowingtheliquidwillsting.Jesussucksinthetartfluid.

Shortly afterward, he gazeson Jerusalem one last timebeforetheinevitablehappens.“Itisfinished,”hesays.Jesus bows his head. The

crownofthornshangsrigidly.

He lapses intounconsciousness. His neckrelaxes.His entire body rollsforward,pullinghisneckandshoulders away from thecross. Only the nails in hishandsholdhiminplace.The man who once

preached the Gospel sofearlessly, who walked farand wide to tell the worldaboutanewfaith,andwhosemessage of love and hope

reached thousands during hislifetime—and will one dayreach billions more—stopsbreathing.Jesus of Nazareth is dead.

Heisthirty-sixyearsold.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

JERUSALEM’SUPPERCITYAPRIL7,A.D.303:00P.M.–6:00P.M.

The race is on. The Romandeath squad has had a hard

day, but there is still morework to be done. It is theirpracticetoleaveamanonthecross for days after he dies,perhaps to allow his body todecompose or even be eatenby wild animals. But Jewishlaw dictates that a bodycannot remain on a “tree”1during the Sabbath, whichbeginsat sundown todayandcontinues throughoutSaturday. So the quaternio

must takeJesusdownoff thecrossandthrowhisbodyintothecommunalgravereservedforcriminals.The exactor mortis now

verifies Jesus’s death bythrusting a spear into hischest. The pleural andpericardial fluid that havebuilt up around Jesus’s heartand lungs for hours nowpours out, mixed with atorrent of blood. Extracting

the spear tip, the captain ofthe guard2 then orders hismentoremoveJesusfromthecross. It is a crucifixion inreverse, with the men usingladders and teamwork tobring Jesus and thecrossbeam back to theground. Once again, Jesus islaid flat. But now the deathsquad works hard to removethe nails—unbent. Iron isexpensive, and spikes are

reusedasmuchaspossible.Most who witnessed

Jesus’s crucifixion from adistancehavedeparted.Mary,his mother, and MaryMagdalene are among thosewho remain. But as thesoldiers now go about thehard physical labor of un-crucifyingaman,aSadduceenamed Joseph of Arimatheasteps forth. This wealthymemberoftheSanhedrinand

secret disciple of Jesus wasone of the few dissentingvoicesduringtheillegal trial.Another of those voices wasthat of Nicodemus thePharisee, who now standsatop Golgotha with Joseph.They have receivedpermissionfromPilatetotakethe body, as the governorwantstoputthisexecutiontorestassoonaspossible.Somewhat shockingly,

Joseph and Nicodemus arepublicly declaring theirallegiance to the teachingsofJesus. Joseph takes Jesus’sbody to his own privatefamily tomb, a brand-newman-madecavecarvedoutofthe soft Jerusalem rock on anearby hillside. The Jewsbelieve that a criminal’spresenceinatombdesecratesit.Evenworse,foramemberof the Sanhedrin to touch a

deadbodyonPassovermakeshim unclean and disqualifieshim from eating the Seder.By law, Joseph andNicodemus will be declaredimpure and must undergo aseven-daycleansingritual.3Nomatter, these two bold

members of the Sanhedrindemonstrate their role asfollowersofJesusbycarryinghis limp corpse down offGolgotha and then to the

nearbytomb.Thereisnotimetoperformtheritualwashingand anointing of the corpsewith oil. But they do makethe extravagant gesture ofcoatingthebodyinexpensivemyrrhandaloe,tooverwhelmthe coming smell ofdecomposition. Then theywrap the body tightly inlinen,making sure to keep itloose around Jesus’s face incaseheisnotreallydeadbut

merely unconscious. In thisway, he will not suffocate.Jewish tradition dictates thatall bodies be examined threedays after apparent death.4Thus the tomb will bereopened and Jesus will beobservedonSunday.But all this is merely

adherence to ritual.ForJesusis clearly dead. The spearrupturing the pericardial sacaroundhisheartleftnodoubt.

Nonetheless, the tombwillbe reopened on Sunday.When death is formallypronounced, his body willrestinsidethetombforafullyear. Then the boneswill beremoved from hisdecomposedbodyandplacedinasmallstonejarknownasanossuary,tobeeitherstoredin a niche carved into thetomb wall or removed to anewlocation.

The tomb of Jesus is in agardenoutside thecitywalls.The stone that will cover itsentrance weighs hundreds ofpounds. It is already inposition, resting atop a trackthat makes it easier to roll.The track, however, isengineered at a slightlydownhill angle. Sealing thetomb today will be mucheasier than rolling away theheavystoneonSunday.

Joseph and Nicodemuscarry the body into the tombandlayitdownonthecarvedrock ledge. The air is dustyand laden with the smell ofheavyperfume.Themen saya formal good-bye to Jesus,thenstepoutsidethetomb.Mary, themotherofJesus,

watchesasthetwomenstrainto roll the stone across thetomb entrance. MaryMagdalenealsolookson.The

shaft of daylight penetratingthe tomb grows smaller andsmaller as the rock rolls intoposition.JesusofNazarethpredicted

his death and even prayedthat God take the cup ofsorrowfromhislips.Butnowit is done.The silence of thegrave is complete. Alone inthe darkness of the tomb,JesusofNazarethfinallyrestsinpeace.

CHAPTERTWENTY

PILATE’SPALACE,JERUSALEMSATURDAY,APRIL8,A.D.30DAY

Pontius Pilate has visitors.Onceagain,Caiaphasandthe

Pharisees stand before him.But now they are inside thepalace, no longer fearful ofbeing made unclean by thegovernor’s presence, forPassoverisdone.For the first time, Pilate

notices that Caiaphas isactually terrified of Jesus’spower. What was not soobvious in the Nazarene’slifetimeisnowquiteapparentindeath,forthechiefpriestis

making an unheard-ofrequest. Caiaphas tells Pilatedirectly, “That deceiver said,‘After three days I will riseagain.’ So give the order forthe tomb to be made secureuntilthethirdday.Otherwise,his disciples might come,steal the body, and tell thepeoplethathehasbeenraisedfromthedead.”There is a certain logic to

the request, for the

disappearanceofJesus’sbodymight lead to an uprisingagainst theTemple priests ashisfollowersconvincepeoplethat this man who claims tobe the Christ has actuallyproven himself to beimmortal. The presence of aRoman guard will deter anyattempttobreakintothetombtostealthecorpse.Pilate consents to

Caiaphas’srequest.

“Take a guard,” he orders.“Makethetombsecure.”And so it is that a Roman

guardisplacedatthetombofJesus, just in case the deadmantriestoescape.

***That should have been theend of it. The troublemakerand blasphemer is dead. TheSanhedrin and Rome nolonger have any cause for

concern. If the Nazarene’sfollowers had any plans fortrouble, there isnosignof it.The disciples have proventhemselves timid, stillstunned that their messiah isdead. They have gone intohiding and pose no threat toRome.Pilate is relieved. Soon he

will be on his way back toCaesarea, thereonceagain togovern without the constant

interference of the Templepriests.But Caiaphas will not go

away.Wearinghis expensiverobes and linen, he posturesbefore Pilate, not knowinghowtheRomangovernorwillreport back to Rome.Caiaphas has much at stakeandheisuneasyoverPilate’shand-washing display, whichmakes it clear that thegovernoris tryingtodistance

himselffromthisproceeding.He will lose everything ifEmperorTiberiusblameshimfor the death of Jesus. SoCaiaphasstandsfirm,lookingforanysignofapprovalfromPilate. But the Romangovernor has had enough ofthisarrogantpriest.Withoutaword, he stands and walksaway.

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

JESUS’STOMBSUNDAY,APRIL9,A.D.30DAWN

The morning is dark. Dawnwill soon break over

Jerusalem, marking the thirddaysinceJesus’sdeath.MaryMagdalenenowtakesituponherself to perform thetraditional task of examiningthe dead body. She travelswith another woman namedMary, though not themotherof Jesus. Just as on the daythe Nazarene was executed,the streets of the Upper Cityare quiet as the two womenpass through. They exit the

citywallsattheGennathGateand now travel in theNazarene’s last footsteps astheywalktowardGolgotha.Theverticalpoleonwhich

Jesus was crucified stillstands atop the hill, awaitingthenextcrucifixion.The twoMarys look away from thegruesome image and walkaround the hill to Jesus’stomb.Theyhavepracticalmatters

on their minds. MaryMagdalene has neverforgotten the manykindnesses Jesus showed herduring his lifetime. And justassheonceanointedhimwithperfume andwashed his feetwithher tears,shenowplansto anoint the body withspices.Itisunconscionabletoher that Jesus’s corpsemightmolderandemitafoulsmell.Perhaps a year from now,

whenshereturnsforPassoverand is among thosewho rollaway the stone in front ofJesus’s tomb to collect hisbones, the smell of sweetperfumewillpour forth fromthe cave entrance instead ofthestenchofdeath.But this presents another

immediatechallenge:Maryisphysically incapable ofrolling away the tombstone;she will require help. Yet

most of Jesus’s disciples arestill in hiding. Sinceyesterday was the Sabbath,andshefollowedthemandateto do nothing but rest, shedoes not know about theRoman soldier ordered tostandguardoutsidethetomb.But there is no guard. As

the two Marys approach thetomb, they are stunned. Thetombstone has been rolledaway.Thecryptisempty.

Mary Magdalenecautiously steps forward andlooks inside. She smells themyrrh and aloe in whichJesus’s body was anointed.She clearly sees the linenshroudinwhichthebodywaswrapped.Butthereisnothingelsethere.To this day, the body of

Jesus of Nazareth has neverbeenfound.

AFTERWORD

What comes next is the veryroot of the Christian faith.The Gospels record thatJesus’s body was not stolen.

Instead, Scripture puts forththatJesusrosefromthedeadand ascended into heaven.After his body was foundmissing, the Gospels statethat Jesus appeared twelvetimes on earth over a forty-dayperiod.Theseapparitionsrangefromasingleindividualto groups of more than fivehundred on a mountain inGalilee. Some in that largecrowdwouldspeakvividlyof

theeventforyearstocome.Aquarter century later, thedisciple Paul included themountain appearance in alettertotheCorinthians.Whether or not one

believes that Jesus rose fromthedead, the storyofhis lifeand message achieved muchgreater status after hiscrucifixion. He would godown in history not just asJesus or Jesus of Nazareth,

but as Jesus the Christ, theMessiah. Roman writers ofthe period referenced hisname,oftenpreferring tocallhim Christus, the Latinizedversion of Christ. Unlike allother self-proclaimedmessianic figures, Jesusbecame a noted personage inthe history of Jerusalem andbeyond. Theudas, theEgyptian prophet, and otherssuchasJudasofGamalawere

almost instantly forgotten.Only Bar Kochba (c. A.D.132–35) retained as muchJewish interest. Followers ofJesus within Judaism areattested to well beyond thefirstcentury; theelitedidnotwelcome them, butarchaeological evidence andoutside sources show thattheypersisted.The Roman historians

Pliny theYounger,Cornelius

Tacitus, and Suetonius allmention Jesus in theirwritings. The secular Greek-speaking historians Thallusand Phlegon, the satiristLucian of Samosata, and theeminent Jewish historianFlavius Josephus alsomention Jesus. Not all thewriterswerekind.Lucian,forexample, mocks the earlyChristians for putting theirfaith inamanwhodiedsuch

a lowly death. Indeed, forcenturies, Christians wereembarrassedby thecross, forit was considered apunishment best suited forslaves, murderers, andmembers of the lowest class.Those opposed to the newChristian faith mockedbelievers for worshipping “acriminal and his cross”1 andparodied Christianity as aform of madness. However,

Christians began crossingthemselves on the foreheadand chest (“the sign of thecross”) as a way of wardingoff demons. By the fourthcentury, the cross was morecommonlyviewedwithpride,as a symbol that Jesus hadsufferedalowlydeathforthebenefit of all mankind. Thecrucifix, that iconic imageshowing the body of Jesusaffixed to a cross, was not a

part of the Christian cultureuntil six centuries after hisdeath. The lack ofrepresentation of the crossmay have been due to theChurch’s belief in hisresurrection.

***After the crucifixion, thedisciples of Jesus underwenta radical shift in behavior.Theywerequitepositive that

they had seen a resurrectedJesus and soonwentout intothe world and fearlesslypreached his message.Known as the apostles, themen paid a tremendous pricefortheirfaith.InA.D. 44, thegrandsonof

Herod the Great, HerodAgrippa, who ruled Judea atthattime,orderedthatJames,one of the sons of thunder,2be put to the sword. The

beheading of James madehim the first disciple to bemartyred. Agrippa wasviolently opposed toChristianity and used hispower to ruthlessly suppressthe new theology of Jesus.For a time, he imprisonedPeterbutdidnotkillhim.Peter’s missionary work

eventuallytookhimtoRome,where he formalized thenascent Christian Church.

The Romans were notamused, sentencing Peter todeath on the cross.When heprotested that he was notworthy to die in the samemannerasJesus, theRomansagreed—and nailed him tothe cross upside down. Theyear is thought to besometime aroundA.D. 64–67.There is good evidence thatPeter is buried beneath St.Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican

City.The deaths of most

disciples are consigned tolegend.Andrew, the apostleknown for being optimisticand enterprising, preachedJesus’s message in what isnowtheUkraine,Russia,andGreece. He was finallybelieved to have beencrucified inPatras,aRoman-controlled region of Greece.Legend says Andrew was

bound to an X-shaped cross,thus giving rise to the SaintAndrew’s cross that adornsthe national flag of Scotlandtothisday.The often-pessimistic

Thomas is thought to havebeen speared to death nearMadras, in India.Bartholomew preached inEgypt, Arabia, and what isnowIranbeforebeing flayed(skinned alive) and then

beheadedinIndia.SimontheZealot was thought to havebeen sawed in half for hispreaching in Persia. Philipevangelized in what is nowwesternTurkey.Heissaidtohave been martyred byhavinghooksrunthroughhisankles and then being hungupside down in the Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis.The gregarious former taxcollectorMatthewmay have

died in Ethiopia, murderedjust like all the rest for hisferventpreaching.Littleisknownaboutwhat

happened to the others,exceptthateachapostlespenthis life preaching and waskilledfordoingso.Itisafactthat the disciples of Jesustraveled as far as India,Britain, and even intoAfricain their zeal to spread theirfaith, marking a vast sea

change from their timidbehavior during Jesus’s lifeand in the hours after hisdeath.The last to die was John,

theothersonofthunder,whowas taken prisoner by theRomans for preachingChristianityandexiled to theGreek island of Patmos.There he wrote his Gospel,andalsowhatwouldbecomethe final pages of the New

Testament, the book ofRevelation. John died in A.D.100 in Ephesus, in what isnow Turkey. Hewas ninety-four and theonly apostlenottohavebeenmartyred.Matthew’s Gospel and the

first book of Acts attributesJudas Iscariot’s death tosuicide. Matthew writes thatuponlearningthathisplantoforce Jesus’s hand hadresulted in the execution

order, Judas flung his thirtypieces of silver into theTemple and hung himselffromatree.Legendhasitthathe used a horse’s halter tobreakhisownneck.Whetheror not this is true, JudasIscariotwasneverheardfromagain.Thesameis trueforMary

Magdalene. After herappearance at the tomb ofJesus,shedisappearsfromthe

story. She’s very likelyincludedamong“thewomen”mentioned in Acts 1:14, asthose empowered by theSpiritatPentecost.Mary, the mother of

Jesus, is mentioned in thebook of Acts and alluded toin the book of Revelation as“a woman clothed with thesun,” but her fate goesunrecorded.OnNovember 1,1950, the Roman Catholic

Churchdecreedthatherbodyhad been “assumed intoheaven.”PopePiusXIInotedthatMary,“havingcompletedthecourseofherearthly life,was assumed body and soulintoheavenlyglory.”3

***Six years after washing hishands of the Nazarene’sexecution, Pontius Pilateintervened in another case

involving a messiah—andthis time it cost him his job.ThepreacherwasaSamaritanwho had holed up in amountaintop sanctuary inGerizim. Concerned by theman’s growing legion offollowers, Pilate suppressedthe movement with heavilyarmed Roman soldiers. Thisresulted in many deaths andled Pilate to be recalled toRome to explain his actions.

He thought his appealwouldbe heard by his friendEmperor Tiberius. But bythetimePilatereachedRome,Tiberius was dead, done ineitherbydiseaseorbybeingsmothered, depending uponwhich Roman historian istelling the story. No matter,the seventy-seven-year-olddebauched emperor wasgone. The fourth-centuryhistorian Eusebius records

thatPilatewaslaterforcedtocommit suicide, becoming“his own murderer andexecutioner.”WhereandhowPilate died is still debated.One report says he drownedhimself in the Rhone Rivernear Vienne, a city inmodern-day France. There aRomanmonumentstillstandsintheheartof thecityandisoften referred to as “Pilate’sTomb.” Another report says

he hurled himself into a lakenear Lausanne, in what isnow Switzerland, whereMountPilatus issaid tohavebeen named in his honor.There is also a rumor thatPilate and his wife, Claudia,converted to Christianity andwere killed for their faith.Whether or not that is true,both theCoptic and EthiopicChristian Churches veneratehimasamartyr.

***Tiberius was replaced byCaligula, the twenty-four-year-old son of Tiberius’sdeceased adopted child,Germanicus. Caligulapromptly squandered almostall the fortune he inheritedfrom Tiberius—a fortunepartially earned on the backsof Galilean peasants. Heserved for only four yearsbeforebeingstabbedtodeath

in an assassination eerilysimilar to that of the greatJulius Caesar. He wassucceeded, in turn, by theemperorsClaudius andNero,who continued the ruinouspoliciesthateventuallyledtothe downfall of Rome. Thisoccurred four hundred yearslater,in476,whentheRomanEmpire was toppled byGermanic tribes. However,long before the empire’s

collapse, Rome turned awayfrom its pagan gods andbegan worshipping JesusChrist. Christianity wasofficially legalizedthroughout the RomanEmpirein313,withtheEdictofMilan.

***With Pilate gone, Caiaphaswas left without a Romanpolitical ally. He had many

enemiesinJerusalemandwassoon replaced as the Templehighpriest.Caiaphasthenleftthestageanddisappearedintohistory.Thedatesofhisbirthanddeathareunrecorded.Butin 1990, an ossuarycontaining his bones wasdiscovered in Jerusalem.TheyarecurrentlyondisplayattheIsraelMuseum.

***

Herod Antipas may havebeenwell schooled in palaceintrigue, but it eventuallybroughtabouthisdemise.Hisnephew Agrippa was knownto be a close friend of theRoman emperor Caligula.The Jewish historianJosephus relates that whenAntipas foolishly askedCaligula to name him king,instead of tetrarch (at thesuggestion of his wife,

Herodias, who continued toget him into trouble), it wasAgrippa who lodged chargesthat Antipas was plotting toexecute Caligula. As proof,Agrippa pointed to theenormous arsenal ofweaponry possessed byAntipas’sarmy.SoitwasthatCaligula ordered Antipas tospend the rest of his lifeexiled to Gaul. His fortuneand territories were handed

over to theyoungerAgrippa.The former tetrarch wasjoined inwhat isnowFrancebyHerodias.ThetwolivedinLugdunum, which manybelieve to be the location ofmodern-dayLyon.

***The tension between RomeandtheJewishpeopledidnotabate after the unjustcrucifixion of Jesus. In A.D.

66, the Jews waged war onthe Roman occupying armyand took control ofJerusalem. Taxation was akey component of thisstruggle. However, theRomansdidnotacceptdefeat.By A.D. 70 they hadsurrounded thecitywithfourRomanlegions(includingthelegendary LegioX Fretensis,whichsetupitsforcesontheMount of Olives) and were

laying siege. PilgrimsarrivingtocelebratePassoverwere allowed into the city—then not allowed to leave,which put considerablepressure on Jerusalem’slimited water and foodsupplies.Somewherebetweensix hundred thousand to onemillion men, women, andchildrenwerestuckinsidethecity walls. Those attemptingto escape were promptly

crucified, and their crossesleft on the surroundingheights for the residents ofJerusalem towitness the fatethatawaitedthem.Thousandswere eventually nailed to thecross during the siege, somanythattheRomansranoutof wood. Trees had to belogged and carried toJerusalemfrommilesawayinorder to accommodate thetremendous number of

crucifixions. Some of thosewho tried to flee were notcrucified but were insteadsliced open so that Romansoldiers could scour theirdigestivetractsbecauseitwasthought that many ofJerusalem’s residents hadswallowed their gold beforetryingtomaketheirescape.When the Romans finally

breached the city walls, thedestruction was total. Those

Jewswhodidn’tescapewereput to the swordorenslaved.TheTempleitselfwasburnedto the ground, and much ofthe city was leveled. To thisday,ithasneverbeenrebuilt.Recent excavations have

dugdown through the rubbleto locate some of the actualstreets and homes of Jesus’stime, allowing visitors towalk in his footsteps andexaminewhatlifewaslikein

Jerusalem.OfnoteisthattheVia Dolorosa4 wasn’testablished until centurieslaterandwasnotinexistenceduringJesus’slifetime.The real path that Jesus

walked began at Herod’spalace, nearwhat is now theJaffa Gate. It ends at theChurch of the HolySepulchre, which is thoughtto have been built atop thesite of Golgotha and near

Jesus’s tomb. Today visitorscan not only tour these sites,but also touch the placewhere the cross of Jesus issaidoncetohaverested.

***In A.D. 132, with the city ofJerusalemstillnotcompletelyrebuilt, there was a seconduprising against the Romansknown as Bar Kochba. Theemperor Hadrian had

originally been sympathetictotheJews,allowingthemtoreturn to Jerusalem andrebuild the Temple. But hesoon changed his mind,preferring to reinvent theTemple as a splendid pagancomplexdedicated tohimselfand the Roman god Jupiter.Hadrian not only banned theJewsfromrebuildingbutalsobegan deporting them toEgypt andNorthAfrica. The

Jewishrebelliongrewtosuchproportions that Judeabecame a main focus of theRoman army’s war efforts,withcompletelegionssenttosuppress the revolt.Not onlywere almost six hundredthousand Jews slaughteredand almost a thousandvillages leveled by its end,butworshippracticessuchasreading the Torah,performing circumcisions,

and observing Sabbath wereoutlawed.For the next several

centuries, the Jews of Judeawere routinely persecuted,even as the Roman Empireembraced Christianitystarting in thefourthcentury.In A.D. 637, Muslim forcesdefeated the Byzantine andpredominantlyChristianarmythat occupied Jerusalem.TheMuslims laterbuiltamosque

on the site of the formerJewishTemple.As longas itremains there, Jewish hopesof rebuilding the Temple onthe original site will remainunrealized. The Al-AqsaMosqueandthenearbyshrineknown as the Dome of theRock have stood since 705and691,respectively.Afteritsdestructionbythe

Romans,Jerusalembecamearundown city. But over the

centuries, the Jews havereturned, despite severalattempts to drive them out.As recently as 1948, theJordanianarmyflushedeveryJewfromtheoldcity,killingall those who would notleave. Finally, at theconclusion of the Six-DayWar,onJune10,1967,morethantwothousandyearsafterits destruction by theRomans,allofJerusalemwas

onceagaininJewishhands.Itisinterestingtonotethat

in many parables, Jesus ofNazareth predicted harshthings for the city ofJerusalem. There is noquestion those things cametrue.

POSTSCRIPT

Both Martin Dugard and Ilearneda tremendousamountwhileresearchingandwritingthis book.But one intriguing

question and a profoundstatement of fact stand out.First, the question: Why didthousandsof commonpeopleseek out Jesus of Nazareth?Most couldn’t even hear himpreach, as the vast crowdsthat surrounded Jesus weretoo thick for personalinteraction. So why did theycome?WhatwasJesusdoingthat prompted so manypeopletosetasidetheirdaily

labortobenearhim?Christians attribute Jesus’s

popularity to his message oflove,hope,andtruthbutalsoto his miraculous healings.But even nonbelievers mustadmit that somethingextraordinary was happeninginGalilee.Second, there is no doubt

that Jesus of Nazareth is themostfamoushumanbeingtheworld has ever known. But

Jesus had no infrastructure.He had no governmentbehind him. He had nocorporation. He and hisdisciples depended upon thecharityofothersforfoodandshelter, and they had noorganization other than adozen faithful followers. Inthe history of mankind, noone has achieved worldwidefame with no outsideresourceswhatsoever.

***Since his death, Jesus hasplayed a continual rolethroughout history. ThelegalizationofChristianitybythe Roman Empire, in A.D.313,soonledtoitsexpansionintoeverypartoftheWesternworld. Not until the ProphetMuhammad began theIslamic religion in 610 didChristianity have anymeaningful competition in

terms of numbers offollowers. Muhammadconsidered Jesus a prophetandisquotedintheQuranassaying, “When Jesus camewith clear signs, he said:‘Now I have come to youwithwisdom,and inorder tomakecleartoyousomeofthepoints onwhich you dispute.Therefore,fearGodandobeyme.’”In the United States,

George Washington usedChristianity as a rallyingpoint for his colonial army,saying in his First GeneralOrder to his troops, “Everyofficerandmanwillendeavorto live and act as becomes aChristian soldier defendingthedearestrightsandlibertiesofhiscountry.”Abraham Lincoln also

referredtoJesusinawartimesetting: “When I went to

Gettysburg and looked uponthegravesofourdeadheroeswho had fallen in defense oftheircountry,Ithenandthereconsecrated myself toChrist.”Dr.MartinLutherKingJr.

of course based his entireministry and civil rightsstruggle on the teachings ofJesus. Also, his nonviolentphilosophy was adapted inpart from the ordeal Jesus

experienced. About enemies,Dr. King said the following:“Just keep loving them. Andby the power of your lovethey will break down undertheload.That’slove,yousee.It is redemptive and this iswhy Jesus says love.There’ssomething about love thatbuilds up and is creative.Thereissomethingabouthatethat tears down and isdestructive. So love your

enemies.”1President Ronald Reagan

pickeduponthattheme:“Hepromised there will never beadarknightthatdoesnotend.And by dying for us, Jesusshowed how far our loveshouldbereadytogo—alltheway.”2

***InthewakeofwritingKillingLincolnandKillingKennedy,

Martin Dugard and I wereexcitedtotakeonthisproject.But putting together KillingJesus was exceedinglydifficult.We had to separatefact frommythbaseduponavariety of sources, some ofwhichhadtheirownagendas.ButIbelievewehavebroughtyou an accurate account ofnot only how Jesus died, butalso the way he lived andhowhismessagehasaffected

theworld.Thanks again for reading

ourbook.

NOTES

CHAPTERONE

1Therewere actually two cities namedBethlehem,andbothcanmakeaclaimfor being the true site of the Nativity.The city of King David’s birth islocatedjustafewmilesfromJerusalem.Archaeological investigations haveshown that it was either a very smallvillage or relatively uninhabited at thetime of Jesus’s birth. The secondlocation is in Galilee, four miles fromNazareth.Supportersofthatsitebelieve

thatMary’s full-termpregnancywouldhave made it very difficult for her towalk a hundred miles to the otherlocation. Supporters of the traditionalsite point to the biblical prophecy thatJesus would be born in the City ofDavid,which is theBethlehem locatednearJerusalem.ThefactthatMaryandJoseph brought Jesus to the temple inJerusalemeightdaysafterhisbirth,andthen again on the fortieth day, wouldseem to tip the scales in favor of thetraditionalsite.

2Genocide was replete throughout theClassicalworld.“Heslitsthewombsofpregnantwomen;heblindstheinfants,”goes an ancient Assyrian poem.

Genocide often was consideredethically justifiable if the killing wasdone to inflict revenge or thwart anaggressor.

3TheJewishhomelandwasfirstknownas Israel, a “promised land” that Godoffered to his followers. The northernportionofthiskingdomfellin722B.C.tothePhilistines,whiletheBabylonianslater conquered the southern half. TheRoman conquest in 63B.C. led to theareaaroundJerusalembeingreferredtoas Judea. The whole region, includingGalilee,wasadministrativelypartoftheRomanprovinceofSyria,andthetermsIsrael and Palestine were not used inJesus’stime.Israelwasonceagainput

into use when the independent Jewishstatewas founded onMay 14, 1948—almost four thousand years after thefirst Jews crossed into the PromisedLand.

4In order, the prophecies areNumbers24:17,Micah5:2–5,Jeremiah23:5andIsaiah9:7,Psalms72:10–11,andIsaiah7:13–14.5There are three dominant texts in theJewishtradition:theTanakh,theTorah,andtheTalmud.TheTanakhconstitutesthe canonical collection of JewishScriptures and appears to have beencompiledfivehundredyearsbeforethebirth of Christ. The Tanakh is also

known as the Jewish Bible, whileChristians refer to it as the OldTestament. The Torah is comprised ofthe first five books of the Tanakh:Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,and Deuteronomy. The Talmud waswritten almost six hundred years later,afterthefalloftheTempleinA.D. 70.Rabbinical teachings, commentaries,andphilosophieswerecompiledsothatthey might be passed on in written,ratherthanoral,form.

6In1991,TheQuarterlyJournaloftheRoyal Astronomical Society (volume32,pages389–407)noted thatChineseastronomershadobservedalong-tailed,slow-moving comet in their skies

duringMarchof5B.C.Thissui-hsing,or“star,”hung in theCapricorn regionformore thanseventydays.This samecomet would have been visible in theskiesoverPersia,homeoftheMagi,inthehours just beforedawn.Due to theearth’sorbitalmotion,thecomet’slightwouldhavebeendirectlyinfrontoftheMagiduringtheirjourney—hence,theywouldhavetrulyfollowedthestar.

7The month of March coincides withGospel descriptions of shepherdstending their flocks on the hillside, asthis is also lambing season. December25,whichwenowcelebrateasthedateofJesus’sbirth,waschosenandnamedChristmas—a shortening of Christ’s

Mass, or the mass in honor of Jesus’sbirth—bytheRomansoncetheirempirebecameChristian in thefourthcentury.FortheRomans,thatdatewasoncetheconclusion of an orgiastic paganholidayknownasSaturnalia.Oncetheyset aside theirmore lasciviousways, itmade sense to replace that celebrationwithadaycommemoratingthebirthoftheirnewsavior.

8Anna is referred to as a “prophetess”in theGospelofLuke.Thismakesherthe only female in theNewTestamentsohonored.Thisdesignationmeantshesaw things that were hidden fromordinary people. This also means thatshe held a higher calling thanSimeon,

who is merely praised by the sameauthorasbeing“righteousanddevout.”LukealsomentionsthenameofAnna’stribe,thatofAsher,whichmakesherararity among New Testamentcharacters.

9The exact number of years that Jesuslived is widely debated, but theconclusion that he was born sometimein the spring of either 6 or 5 B.C. isbased on clear historical evidence, asHerodtheGreatdiedin4B.C.Thedateof Jesus’s deathwas on the fourteenthday of Nisan. The annual start ofPassover is dependent upon lunarcharts,sohisdeathcanbepinpointedtohaveoccurredonaFriday in theyears

A.D. 27–30. History shows that JesuswasexecutedwhenPilateandCaiaphasboth ruled in Judea, which occurredA.D. 26–37, making the date of A.D.30, and his age at the time of death,logical—thoughstillthesubjectofgreatdiscussion.

10Themostinsightfulfacts,quotes,andstoriesaboutJesus thatweknowcomefrom the four Gospels of Matthew,Mark, Luke, and John. Many todaychallenge these writings, but thanks toscholarship and archaeology, there isgrowing acceptance of their overallhistoricity and authenticity. Manyscholars believe that Matthew waswritten in Greek by the disciple and

formertaxcollector,sometimebetweenA.D. 50 and 70.Mark was written byJohn Mark, a close friend of Peter’swho most likely learned of Jesusthrough the preaching of Peter.Matthew and Mark are incrediblysimilar, leading many to wonder ifMatthewusedMarkasareference—orvice versa. Lukewas a friend of Paul,the former Pharisee who became aconvert to Christianity and preachedevenmorezealously thanthedisciples.TheGospel of Lukewaswritten for aGentile audience, with a theme ofsalvationatitscenter.Johnwaswrittenby the disciple, and its focus isevangelism.John’sGospeliswrittenin

Greek, and is long believed to havebeen the last Gospel written. TheGospels of Matthew, Mark, and LukeareknownastheSynopticGospels,dueto themanyways inwhich they agreewith one another. All four Gospelstogether are known as the CanonicalGospels, as they form the essentialcanonoftheChristianfaith.Johnwroteindependently of the other Gospelwriters, using his unique eyewitnesstestimony in the same manner asMatthew. If he did, indeed, write hisGospel last, then Johnwouldhavehadthe final say on the life of Jesus—notjust confirming what the others hadwritten but adding the definitive

chronologyandsequenceofevents.Thefact that John not only was there atevery pivotal moment in Jesus’sministry, and thus able to describemany scenes with vivid first-personimagery, but was also Jesus’s closestconfidant among the disciples (“thedisciple whom Jesus loved,” he boastsin John 20:02, in yet another exampleof the disciples grappling for prestigeand power in the eyes of their leader)onlyaddstothepowerofhisnarrative.

CHAPTERTWO

1Upon defeating King Pharnaces ofPontus at Munda, Caesar famouslystated, “Veni, vidi, vici”—“I came. I

saw.Iconquered.”

2Modern-daynorthwestTurkey.

CHAPTERTHREE1Octavian (later known as CaesarAugustus)usedthetermdivifiliusasapropaganda tool for most of hislifetime.Tensofmillionsofcoinswereissuedbearinghis image and that title.One silver denarius issued in 38 B.C.evenportrayedJuliusCaesarinprofile,facing the profile ofOctavian.Next toCaesar is stamped the name DIVINEJULIUSandnexttoOctavian,DIVINESON.

2Another famous reminder not to betaken alive would come years later,when Rome’s legions lost a decisivebattle to the Germanic tribes at theBattleofTeutoburgForest.SomeoftheRoman soldiers were forced insidewickerbasketsandburnedalive,whileothers were placed on altars andsacrificed to the German gods. Thesound of their screams led Romangeneral Publius Quinctilius Varus tocommit suicide. The Germans laterseveredtheheadfromhisbodyandsentit to Rome for burial. Ironically,Varus’s father was aligned with theconspirators in the plot against JuliusCaesar, and he killed himself on the

battlefield at Philippi rather than betaken alive. Varus himself wasinfamous for crucifying two thousandJews outside Jerusalem to quell theuprisings after the death of Herod theGreat.

3The typical home in Nazareth was asingle-family structure of one or twostories,builtintothesideofalimestonehill. The floors were made of dirttampeddownwith ash and clay,whilethewallswerestonesstackedontopofone another. Mud was smeared in thejoints to keep out the elements. Theroofwasflatandmadeofwood,straw,mud, and lime. A bottom floor wasreserved for storage, nighttime animal

lodging, and a cooking fire, while theupper floor was for sleeping on thinmattresses stuffedwithwool.A ladderled from one floor to the other. Therewere no indoor bathing or restroomfacilities.

4Actium is located at the modern-daycity of Preveza, inwesternGreece, onthe Ionian Sea. There are some whobelieve that Marc Antony waspersuaded to give up his claims to theRoman Empire after ten long years offighting and to retire to Egypt to bewith Cleopatra. His forces had beendecimated bymalaria, andmoralewasat rock bottom. This theory holds thatthe Battle of Actium was designed to

conceal his retreat. If this is true,Antony was performing one of thegreatest ruses in history, committingsome230wargalleys,severalthousandarchers,andtwentythousandsoldierstothe scheme. The entire battle wasconducted at sea, ending beforeAntony’s infantry could engageOctavian’s onshore. Cleopatra, stillclinging to her hope of ruling Rome,waspresent,butonaseparateshipfromMarc Antony’s. Before the two loverscould escape,more than five thousandofMarcAntony’smenwerekilledandalmosttwohundredshipswerecapturedorsunk.

5The legend that Cleopatra killed

herself by letting a poisonous asp (or,some say, an Egyptian cobra) bite hernakedbreast is just that, a legend.Theblend of opium and hemlockwas alsothe poison used by the greatphilosopherSocratestoendhislife.

CHAPTERFOUR

1Deuteronomy 21:22–23: “If a manguiltyofacapitaloffenseisputtodeathand his body is hung on a tree, youmust not leave his body on the treeovernight. Be sure to bury him thatsameday,becauseanyonewhoishungonatreeisunderGod’scurse.”2InHebrew, “Jew” isYehudi ,

which originally meant a resident ofYehuda (Judaea), which containedJerusalem and the Temple. This latercametomeanamemberofthereligionofYehuda,asmentionedinsomeofthelaterprophets,andallthroughthescrollof Esther. The Jews came to be calledHebrews , or the Sons ofIsrael. In Greek and Latin they wereIoudaioi and Iudaei, respectively. InHebrewtheycouldbeIsraelorSonsofIsraelorYehudim.

CHAPTERFIVE

1Clearly no one understands thestatement at the time, but this passageinLuke 2:49 is the beginning of Jesus

unfolding the full meaning of “Son ofGod.”One importantnote,however, isthat the passage includes a Greekliterary device written as δεῖ, meaning“it is necessary.” Luke uses thislinguistic phrase eight times in astrategic fashionwith respect to Jesus.Healludestoa“necessary”relationshipwith the Father, though no reaction orexplanation is given. As the Gospelsunfold, the title becomes imbued withgreater significanceas Jesus’spersonalclaims of divinity and acts of divinitybecome pronounced—but even thoughreferences are made, the disciples andthe people don’t comprehend themagnitudeofwhatheissaying.

2The Gospels clearly state that Jesushadfourbrothers:James,Joseph,Judas,and Simon. They alsomention that hehad sisters, but the number is notspecified.TheRomanCatholicChurchbelieves that Mary remained a virginthroughoutherentirelife.Thisdoctrinewas first put forth four centuries afterJesus lived, by an early leader in theChurch named Simon. The ChurchconsidersthesiblingsmentionedbytheGospels to be Jesus’s cousins. EasternOrthodoxChristiansbelievethemtobestepbrothersandstepsistersbroughtintothe marriage by Joseph, a widowerbefore he married Mary. Most otherChristian sects believe that Mary did

not remain a virgin for her entire lifeand that these siblings were Jesus’sbrothersandsisters.

3Numbers 15:38. Also, Deuteronomy22:12:“Youshouldmaketasselsonthefourcornersofthecloakyouwear.”4JudasofGamala,aGalilean, isnot tobeconfusedwithJudasofGalilee,whofomented rebellion after the death ofHerodtheGreatin4B.C.Theyaretwoseparateindividuals,butsomehistoricalaccounts mistake the two men. Bothdiedhorribledeaths for theiruprisings.No one knows for sure how Judas ofGamalawasexecuted,butcrucifixionisa very likely option. And while Rome

practiced this manner of executionalmost exclusively during this time,crucifixion was certainly within theJewish tradition. Most famously,Josephus writes that the Jewish rulerAlexander Jannaeus crucified someeight hundred Pharisees in 88 B.C. (Itshould be noted that the historicalrecord confirms that both of Judas ofGamala’ssonswerecrucified.)

CHAPTERSIX

1Thesewerethetopreligiousvoicesoftheir day. The Phariseeswere sticklersaboutreligiouslaw;theSadduceeswereequally pious but were wealthy andmore liberal in their thinking; and the

Levites were a tribe of priests andTempleguardsdirectlydescendedfromLevi,asonofthepatriarchJacob.

2This is in reference to the commonpractice of improving roads before aking journeys from one country toanother. Valleys are filled in andcrookedpathsaremadestraightsothattheking’stravelsmightbeassmoothaspossible.3The Roman standard was a statue ofan eagle, or aquila, situated atop ametal post. In the case of the disputewith Pilate, an emblem bearing alikeness to Tiberius was affixed justbelow the eagle. The standardwas the

symbol of a legion andwas carried atall times by a standard-bearer (fromwhich we get the modern term forsomeone who represents an ideal or avalue).Toloseinbattlewasconsideredan enormous form of disgrace. Whenthe dying legionaries at the Battle ofTeutoburgForestinA.D.9surrenderedthree standards (legions XVII, XVIII,and XIX), the Roman Empire scouredthe Germanic regions in an attempt toget them back. They ultimatelysucceeded. Worth noting is that animage of Jesus would adorn Romanstandards beginning in the fourthcentury.

4The appearance of the dove is

recountedineachofthefourGospelsoftheNewTestament andmight be seenas an attempt to insert overt spiritualsymbolism into the Gospel narrative.But,infact,eachtimetheworddoveisused in the canonical Gospels and theOld Testament, each of them is anallusion to actual doves—not divinity.The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, andLuke (knownas theSynopticGospels)recount that the dove appeared afterJesus’s baptism. John has the birdlanding on Jesus beforehand. TheGospels are a combination of oraltradition, written fragments from thelife of Christ, and the testimony ofeyewitnesses. This would explain the

discrepancy. The appearance of thedovemay have been coincidentalwithJesus’s baptism.However, theGospelswerewritten asmany as seventy yearsafter Jesus’s death (Mark in the early50s,Lukebetween59and63,Matthewin the 70s, and John between 50 and85). For the dove to remain a part ofJesus’s oral tradition for that longindicates that the bird’s appearancemust have been remembered quitevividlybyallwhowerethere.

5This is a seminal moment in Jesus’sministry for two reasons. First, theallusions are back to Psalm 2:7 andIsaiah 42:1, and possibly Isaiah 41:8.Psalm 2 is a regal psalm, with 2:7

referring essentially to the Messiah,validated by John the Baptist’scomments in Luke 3:16. The Isaiahreferences, particularly 42:1, are thereferencestotheservant,whohasbothprophetic and deliverance attributes.Thus the baptism blends two portraitsinto the figure of theMessiah/servant.Second, the baptism itself marks thebeginning of Jesus’s ministry withdivine endorsement. The endorsementis through both the divine word fromheavenandtheanointingbytheSpirit.

6ForAntipas,theissueismoralaswellas political. Josephus shows that thewoman Antipas planned to divorce inorder to marry Herodias was daughter

of King Aretas IV of Nabatea. Thisarrangement aroused severe tensionbetween the kingdoms. Many ofAntipas’s subjects in Perea wereethnicallyNabatean,thusmoreloyaltoAretas than to Antipas. The arrest ofJohn would of course make mattersworse—when Aretas later defeatedAntipas in battle, people said it wasGod’s judgment on Antipas for whathe’ddonetoJohntheBaptist.

CHAPTERSEVEN

1Germanicus died of a mysteriousillness. He was a popular general,particularlyamongthe legions.Hewasresponsible for avenging the defeat at

theBattle of Teutoburg Forest and forretrieving the fallen eagle standards oflegions XVII, XVIII, and XIX. Manythought hewould attempt to claim thethroneuponthedeathofAugustus,buthe deferred to Tiberius. There werewhispers that Tiberius had him killedbecausehewastoogreatathreattotheeventual ascension of Drusus to thethrone. This rumor gained morecredibility when Gnaeus CalpurniusPiso,thegovernorofSyriawhowastogo on trial for Germanicus’s death,committed suicide rather than testify.And while Germanicus would neverserve as emperor, his son Caligulawould succeed Tiberius on the throne

and become infamous for a level ofdebauchery transcending even that ofTiberius.

2Drusus was poisoned by his wife,Livilla, and her lover, Lucius AeliusSejanus.Thiswasdonesoskillfullythatitwouldbeeightyearsbeforetheirplotwas uncovered. When it was, Livillawasforcedtocommittheslowdeathofsuicide by starvation. Sejanus’s deathwas far more gruesome. He hadassumed great power in Rome, thanksto Tiberius’s self-imposed exile toCapri.OnOctober18ofA.D.31,uponlearning that Sejanus had murderedDrususbypoisoninghiswine,Tiberiusordered his arrest. Sejanus was

strangled that night in Rome and hisbody was thrown to a crowd ofonlookers, who tore his corpse topieces. After this, they conducted amanhuntforallhisfriendsandrelativesandkilledthem,too.Sejanus’ssonanddaughterwerearrested inDecemberofthat year and killed by strangulation.When Tiberius was informed that thegirl was a virgin, and thus not ableunder the law tobekilled foracapitaloffense, he ordered the executioner toplace the rope around her neck, rapeyoung Junilla, and then, only after theyoung girl had been deflowered, pulltheropetight.

CHAPTEREIGHT

1Scholars debate the exact nature ofkaret. Josephus wrote that it was aphysical punishment, perpetrated byman.Somethoughtitmeantdyingwellbefore one’s time, likely between theagesoffiftyandsixty,“bythehandofheaven.”Thereis,however,aprovisionforrepentance,whichannulsthekaret.2ArecitationofthesixPsalms,113–18.While the complete verses are toolengthy to be included in this briefspace, their themes, in order, are: acelebration of God’s majesty andmercy; a reminder that Judea isGod’ssanctuary;praisetotheLordastheone

trueGod;thankstoGodfordeliverancefrom death; a reminder of God’senduring faithfulness; and athanksgiving for deliverance fromenemies.ThetermpsalmisGreek.Thetraditional Hebrew words are tehillim(“praises”) or tephillot (“prayers”).There are 150 Psalms in all, of whichPsalm 117 is the shortest, at just threesentences.

3Tothisday,theIsraeliunitofcurrencyis knownas the shekel. Itwas thoughtto be more metallically pure than thecommon currency in the RomanEmpire,thedenarius.Onedenariuswasworth between ten and sixteenassarions(“asses”),thesmallestcoinin

regular circulation at that time. Adenariuswasusuallysilverandstampedwiththeimageofthereigningemperor.The rate of exchange for denarii intoshekelswastypicallyfourtoone.

4Before being written down, theGospelswereoralhistories.Thismightexplain some discrepancies amongthem.ThestoryofJesusandthemoneychangers is placed at the beginning ofJesus’s ministry in John (2:14–22),while Matthew (21:12–17), Mark(11:15),andLuke(19:45)allplaceitattheend.Thishasledsometospeculatethat Jesus performed this cleansingtwice,as specificdetailsof thevariousGospelaccountsdiffer.

5NotmuchisknownaboutNicodemus,other than that he was a very wealthyPharisee and a member of theSanhedrin. The historian Josephusmentions a Nicodemus ben Gurion,who counseled against the Jewishrebellion against Rome in the firstcenturyA.D. This is very possibly thesame man, for Nicodemus was not acommonname.TheTalmudmentionsamannamedNakdimonbenGurion,whois thought to be the same man(“Nicodemus”beingaGreekversionofthe name). Nakdimon originally camefrom Galilee, which might explain hisaffinityforJesus.Heissaidtohavelosthis fortune late in life and was

eventuallymartyred.

6John 7:5: “For even his ownbrothersdidnotbelieveinhim.”7ForElijah see1Kings17–18and forElishasee2Kings5.

8The confrontation in Nazareth comesfromLuke4:30.

CHAPTERNINE

1According to Jewish law, as set forthin Leviticus 11:9–12, fish with scalesand fins are considered clean and areacceptable for eating. Eels and catfish,on the other hand, are considered

unclean.2This method of crafting wood intoslots and grooves to hold two piecestogether was also commonly used tosecurethetwopartsofthecrucifix.3The words apostle and disciple areboth used to describe the twelvemembers of Jesus’s inner circle. Adisciple is a follower,while an apostle(taken from the Greek apostello, “tosend forth”) is someone who puts hisfaith into action by going out into theworldtosharethoseteachings.Asithasoften been noted, all apostles aredisciples, but not all disciples areapostles.ThetwelvefollowersofJesus

do not go out into the world on theirown until the winter of 28, almost ayear after Jesus calls them to bedisciples. This transformation fromdiscipletoapostlewillbemostevidentafterthedeathofJesus,whentheywilltravel far beyond the boundaries ofJudeatospreadJesus’smessage.

4There is a key distinction between“Roman roads” and the dirt highwaysfoundelsewhereinJudea.TheRomanspavedtheirroadsinstones,withacrestin the middle to facilitate drainage.They began by digging a trench threefeet deep and as much as twenty feetwide.Upon a bed of large stones, laidtogether tightly, a layer of gravel and

concrete was poured. Gravel was laidon top of that and then leveled beforepaver stoneswere added for the actualroad surface. Roman roads had guttersand curbs, and each mile was clearlymarked, indicating the distance fromRome.

5Though Mary Magdalene is notmentionedbyname in thisstory(Luke7:36–50), ithas longbeen the traditionof Christian teaching that it was she.Lukemostlikelyveiledhertrueidentitybecause she was still alive at the timehe wrote his Gospel. He did the samewith Matthew, the tax collector andGospel author whom he refers to asLevi(Luke5:27).

6Women often played pivotal roles inJewish society, so it would not havebeenunusualforhertofollowJesusandthe disciples. The pages of Jewishhistory are full of heroic matriarchssuch as Rachel, Sarah, Leah, andRebecca. Miriam worked with herbrothers,MosesandAaron, to lead theexodus fromEgypt.And of course theprostituteRahabhelpedbringabouttheIsraelite victory over Jericho. WomeninJesus’stimewereconsideredequaltomen, though separate in their worldlyresponsibilities. They were allowed tochoosetheirmarriagepartner,enterintocontracts, buy and sell property, andspeakatweddings.Itwasforbiddenfor

men tobeatormistreatwomen,and inthecaseofrape,itwasunderstoodthatsuchanactoccurredagainstawoman’swill and that the man was presumedguilty. In fact, women were treatedbetterinthetimeofJesusthantheyarein a great many places in the modernworld.

7Matthew11:6.8A reedwasHerodAntipas’s personalemblemofhisrule.

9In some versions this is written as“silverplatter,”whichhassincebecomeaclichéinthemodernworld.

CHAPTERTEN

1The Sabbath was a day of completerest, beginning at sundown on Fridayand continuing until three stars werevisible in theskyonSaturdayevening.Strenuousworkwasforbidden,asweremany other activities, in an effort toreplicate God’s day of rest aftercreatingtheuniverse.2Somewhere in the twelfth century,these supernatural happenings willcometobeknownasmiracles.

3Zedekiah was the last king of Israel.Thedatesareunclear,buthisreignwasmost likely597–86B.C.Zedekiahwas

installed on the throne at the age oftwenty-one, byNebuchadnezzar II, theking of Babylon. When Zedekiahstoppedpayingtributesomeyearslater,Nebuchadnezzar brought his army toJerusalem and laid siege to the city. Iteventually fell, and the people weretaken off to Babylon for a lifetime ofslavery. The Temple was destroyed atthis time and not rebuilt until Cyrusgave theapproval to theJewishpeopletoreturnhomeandrebuildtheTemple.Work began around 536 B.C. andfinished in 516 B.C. This SecondTemple was completely renovatedunderHerod theGreat. Zedekiah,whohad ignored the counsel of theprophet

Jeremiah to be more diligent inworshipping God, was captured as hetried to flee his fallen capital. AtNebuchadnezzar’s orders, the king’syoung children were put to the swordbeforehis eyes.Thiswouldbe the lastsight Zedekiah would ever see, for hewasimmediatelyblinded(thepreferredtechnique was to press thumbs into aman’s eye sockets), chained, andmarchedofftoBabylonasaslave.

4ThesourceofsomeofJesus’sincomecanbefoundinLuke8:2–3,whereitisspecified that there were many whogaveoftheirownmoneytofinanciallysupportJesusandhisministry.

5John12:6.

CHAPTERELEVEN

1The three major Jewish pilgrimagefestivals were Passover, Tabernacles,and Weeks—in Hebrew, Pesach,Sukkot, and Shavuot. Jews wererequired to attend all three, but manypreferred to attend only Passover,which was sometimes held inconjunction with the Feast ofUnleavened Bread. Since thedestructionoftheTempleinA.D.70,itisnolongerrequiredthatJewsmakethepilgrimages to Jerusalem.They insteadattend the festivals that take place at

their local synagogues. It should benotedthatthemostholyholidayontheJewish calendar is Yom Kippur, theDayofAtonement.

2Sukkot, as the festival is known inHebrew, commemorates the years ofnomadic dwelling while MosessearchedforthePromisedLand.3The description is from thephilosopher Philo, a Jew living inEgypt.

4“Dazzling”doesnotbegintodescribethe Temple robes. Caiaphas’s was alongbluetunicdecoratedwithbellsandlong tassels. He cinched it tight at the

waist with a sash, then slipped on aboldly colored waistcoat embroideredingold,withthetwelvetribesofIsraellisted upon its shoulders and abreastplate coated in precious stonesthat reflected the sun. His head wascoveredinaturbanuponwhichrestedathree-tiered gold crown bearing thenameofGod.

5TheequestrianswereasignificantstepbelowthearistocraticsenatorialclassinRoman culture. For a man to moveupward,heneededtoshowbrillianceinpolitics and on the battlefield and alsoto accrue tremendous wealth. Being aprefect was an ideal way to becomewealthy,mostlythroughtakingacutof

all mining licenses, monopolies, andtaxes. Pilate does not appear to havehadanypreviousdiplomaticexperiencebefore his posting to Judea, so it islikely that he had the assistance of ahigh-rankingfriendtogetthejob.Somebelieve that he was close to LuciusAelius Sejanus, the ill-fatedadministratorwhooversawmuchoftheRomanEmpirewhile Tiberiuswas offinCapri.

6John7:4.7God instructedMoses to construct analtar of uncut stone, thus making itsacred. “And if you make for me analtarof stones,donotbuild itofhewn

stones; for bywielding your tool uponthemyouhaveprofanedthem”(Exodus20:25). An entire room made in asimilarfashionwouldhavebeenamostsacredplace.

8Not to be confused with the distantinlandcityofCaesareaPhilippi.9Inorder, thesepropheciesare:Psalms27:12 and 35:11; Micah 5:1; Isaiah50:6; Psalms 22:18; Psalms 22:16,Zechariah 12:10, and Deuteronomy21:23; Numbers 9:12, Psalms 34:20,and Exodus 12:46; and Zechariah12:10.

CHAPTERTWELVE

1Leviticus22:4–7.

2Thedaysoftheweektaketheirnamesfrom the Roman fixation on theheavens. In order, they are named fortheSun,Moon,Mars,Mercury,Jupiter,Venus,andSaturn.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN1WhenJesusbenAnaniascontinuedforseven more years to proclaim loudlyandpublicly that theTemplewouldbedestroyed, a Roman soldierpermanently silenced him bycatapulting a rock at his head. Fourmonthslater,theRomansdestroyedthe

Temple as punishment for a Jewishrevolt.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

1Not to be confused with Jesus’smotherorwithMaryMagdalene.Maryand Martha were both extremelycommon names at the time—as wasJesus.2They take care when cleaning thetunic because it is a most unique andexpensivegarment.Everyman,woman,and child wears one as theundergarmentclosest to their skin.ThePharisees and other people of meanswear tunics that extend down to their

ankles,whilethepoorcanaffordonlyaknee-length version.Whether made oflinen or wool, most tunics areconstructed by stitching togetherrectangles of cloth, leaving seams thatchafeandbindinthreedifferentplaces.But Jesus’s tunic was woven on anupright loom, which allowed theweaver to construct a fine cylinder offabric.Thetunicisthereforecompletelyseamless.AmedievallegendwillsayitwasgiventoJesusbyhismother,Mary.Otherssayitwasagiftfromoneofthemany benefactors who supported hisministry. Either way, it is unique toJudea, thusmaking it desirable to anyrobbers or highwaymen who might

waylayJesusandthedisciples.

3The legend of Jesus’s raising ofLazarus from the dead became sowidespread that it was a maincomponent in the Temple priests’plottingagainstJesus.4Taken fromDeuteronomy 6:5, whichimmediately followsDeuteronomy6:4,theShemaandcornerstoneofJudaism.

5Itwasawidespreadbeliefat the timethat vipers were hatched inside theirmother, then ate theirway throughherskin to get out, killing her in theprocess.CallingthePhariseesa“broodof vipers” was akin to calling them

parentmurderers,whichisaloathsomedistinction in any culture, butparticularly so in a faith such asJudaism,whichreverencesfamily.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

1The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, andLuke make it clear that Jesus wascelebrating the Passover meal a dayearly. This has prompted some tospeculateastowhetherJesusservedthetraditional Passover menu of roastlamb. Pope Benedict XVI sought tosolve this two-thousand-year-oldargument by suggesting that Jesuscelebrated Passover early by using thesolar calendar date found in the Dead

Sea Scrolls instead of the lunarcalendar, and thus did not celebratewith lamb. Other scholars resolve theissuebyarguingthattheSynopticsbasetheir calendar days on the GalileanMethod (used by Jesus, his disciples,andPharisees),fromsunrisetosunrise;while John bases his calendar days onthe Judean Method (used by theSadducees),fromsunsettosunset.Thisresolves the discrepancy, as thedifferent calendars will place Passovermealsatdifferenttimes.

2Mark3:16–17.3Although none of the Gospel writerswaspresentduringJesus’sprayer, it is

believed that he shared his words andemotions with those present in thegardenthatnight.

4That scene was witnessed by John,whomadeitafocalpointofhisGospel.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN1Ananus was killed by poor Jewishrebelswhowere engaging in an act ofclass warfare against the wealthy highpriests. The historian Josephus wrotethatAnanuswas“butcheredintheheartofJerusalem.”Hegoesontoclaimthatthis was one of the key events thateventually led to the Temple’sdestructionbytheRomans.

2TheguardsondutythisnightweretheLevites who served as the Temple’spolice force. Under normalcircumstances they served asgatekeepers to the Temple entrances,patrolled the Temple grounds day andnight, and stood watch at one of thetwenty-one posts in the Court of theGentiles. They also served at thedisposal of the Sanhedrin, makingarrestsandmetingoutpunishments,andwerequiteusedtoprovidingmuscleforthe chief priests. These actions werecarried out so commonly that manyJewish groups complained about theconstantabuseofpowerbyaristocraticpriests and their Temple guards. The

Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and laterrabbinictextschronicletheseabuses.

3Peter is mentioned by name in John18:15.Thepassagereferences“anotherdisciple,” though not by name. Basedon his vivid depiction of that night’sevents, it is widely believed that Johnwasthisindividual.4A combination of Daniel 7:13 andPsalms110:1.

5Matthew 27:15, Mark 15:6, Luke23:17,andJohn18:39.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

1Not much is known about Simon ofCyrene, other than that he hailed fromthe city of Cyrene in Libya and hadtraveled almost a thousandmiles fromthere to be in Jerusalem for Passover.Mark refers to him as “the father ofAlexander and Rufus,” and thelegendarymissionaryPaul is later seengreeting aman namedRufus (Romans16:13),suggestingthatperhapsSimon’ssons were so well known in the earlyChristiancommunitythatreaderswouldeasilyrecognizetheirnames.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

1Deuteronomy21:23.

2Jesus’sexactor mortis goes unnamedintheGospels,butlegendsaysthathisnamewasLonginus.Heisconsideredasaint by the Roman Catholic andEastern Orthodox Churches becausemany believe he converted toChristianityasaresultofhisbrushwithJesus,whichissaid tohavecaused thesoldiergreatremorse.Hisspearisoftenreferred to as the “Holy Lance” andthrough the centuries it has beencovetedbypowerfulmenbecauseofitsalleged supernatural powers. ThemostrecentofthesewasAdolfHitler,whoisthoughttohavegainedholdofthespearprior to World War II, during theAnschluss. These same theories hold

thatGeneralGeorgeS.Pattonobtainedthe spear at the end of the war andreturned it to the Hofburg Palace inVienna,where it resides to this day inthe Austrian Imperial Treasury. OtherartifactsclaimingtobetheHolyLancecan currently be found in Armenia,Antioch,andPoland.

3Numbers19:11.4Jewishtraditionhasofferedtheoptionof burial of the dead or interment in atomb since ancient times. Thewealthyweremoreabletoaffordafamilycrypt.Whetherinatomborintheground,thegrave was considered a place ofworship.Desecrationofsuchasitewas

thoughttobeagrievoussin.

AFTERWORD

1Second-century Roman rhetoricianMarcusCornelius Fronto, as quoted inTheOctavius,byMinuciusFelix.2The only other disciple to get anickname was Simon, whom Jesusreferred to as Peter (“Rock”), perhapsas a playful stab at Peter’s impulsivityandless-than-stablepersonality.InbothLatin and Greek, the feminine nounpetrameans“rock.”Masculinized,itisPetrus. In time, however, Peter grewinto this nickname, becoming theeminently stable “rockonwhich Iwill

build this church” that Jesus speaks ofinMatthew16:18.

3OnJuly18,1870,theVaticanissuedanew doctrine that stated that the popewas infallible. In 1854, Pope Pius IXhadissuedapreviousencyclicalstatingthat Mary was pure and free from sinfromthemomentshewasconceivedinthe womb. Pius XII’sMunificentissimus Deus in 1950decreed that the final moments of herlife were not marred by the grave. Itwasissuedasaninfalliblestatement,anex cathedra pronouncement, the firstsince the doctrine was enacted eightyyearsearlier.

4It is still citedby tourcompaniesandsouvenir sellers as the road to thecrucifixionsite.

POSTSCRIPT

1Delivered at Dexter Avenue BaptistChurch, Montgomery, Alabama, onNovember17,1957.2RemarkstotheAnnualConventionofNational Religious Broadcasters,January 30, 1984. The speech tookplace in the Grand Ballroom of theSheratonWashington.Hisspeechwriterat the time, Ben Elliott, noted thatReagan often went off message and

inserted comments such as this on hisown,tomakeitclearthathebelievedinthedivinityofChrist.

SOURCES

Researching and writing abookabout thelifeanddeathof Jesus was much moredaunting than either of our

past two efforts. There wasnoaidfromYouTube,which,in the case of KillingKennedy,made it possible towatch President Kennedy’sspeeches and many publicappearances and thendescribe them ingreat detail.Andtherewasn’tevenmediacoverage, as in the time ofAbraham Lincoln, making itpossible to glean facts fromnewspaper depictions of

events for Killing Lincoln.And while the Internet is atreasure trove of informationabout the life and times ofJesus, the information onmost sites is contradictory,depending upon one’stheology; hearsay is oftenquoted as truth; orinformation proved to becompletely wrong, oncedouble- and triple-checkedagainstothersources.

So researching KillingJesus required a plunge intoclassical works such as thefour Gospels and the Jewishhistorian Josephus. Thesesources provided a jumping-offpoint,givingusthebasics,and then demanded newlevels of deeper research totellthestoryinasmuchdetailaspossible.Thecrucifixion,totakeone

example of this type of

inquiry, is widely recorded.Buttellingthestoryofwhatitwas like to die on the crossrequiredlookingintothetypeof wood that comprised thecrucifix, the nature of menwho did the killing, thephysiological effects ofcrucifixion on the body, andtheoriginsofthismostgrislyexecution—and many othersmall details that eventuallyeither were filed away as

unnecessary backgroundinformation or found theirwayontothepage.The historical record may

nothavebeenasimmediatelyaccessible as that of morerecenttimes,butthemenwhowrote the history of thatperiod were very muchconcerned with getting theirfacts straight and telling thestory as completely aspossible. The Romans were

very keen to chronicle theirtimes, going so far as topublishadailygazetteknownastheactadiurna,whichwashandwritten in Rome andposted throughout the cityand distributed to Rome’smany provinces. Its contentsincluded informationon suchnewsworthyeventsascrimes,marriages and divorces, andthe upcoming schedule ofgladiatorbattles.Sadly,nota

single copy has survived tothis day, but our knowledgethat such a thing as the actadiurna once existed shows acommitment to the historicalrecord.This is a book that gives

contexttothelifeofJesus,soit was also necessary to diginto a variety of otherperipheral data in order todescribe everything from theshape of a Galilean fishing

boat to the type of roof on aNazarene home. For thesefacts, like so many otherdetails about that period, weare indebted to the men andwomenwhospendtheir livesengaged in researching thehistoricityofbiblicaltimes.And travel,asalways,was

avitalaspectofourresearch.Seeing the sights that Jesussaw, walking on the samestreets (now buried beneath

Jerusalem but accessible,thankstorecentexcavations),and even climbing to the topof the Mount of Olives toview the Temple walls fromthatepicvantagepointaddedimmenselytothedescriptionsthat you have read in thisbook.Itiscompellingbeyondwords to read a version ofevents,suchasthosefoundintheGospels,andtothenstandat one of those very sites to

gainanewperspectiveonthismost pivotal time in worldhistory.There are a number of

different versions andtranslations of the Bible inexistence, ranging from thetime-honored King JamesVersiontotheNewJerusalemBible. For the sake ofconsistency, we have usedjust one, Zondervan’s NewInternational Version Study

Bible, which offers not justthe words and depictions ofJesus’s life but also detailedsidebars about everythingfromtheheightoftheTempleto a time line depictingJesus’sministry.In addition to the Jewish,

Greek, and Roman authorsthat have already beenreferenced in the text ofKillingJesus,whatfollowsisa detailed list of the many

sources upon which weleaned. While lengthy, thislistisbynomeansexhaustiveand is grouped by subjectmatter.

Rome:Rome and Jerusalem,by Martin Goodman, iseminently readable andhighly recommended, as isRubicon, by Tom Holland.Various other books were

consulted for detailedinformation about life in theRoman Republic and amongthe legions. Chief amongthem were The CompleteRoman Legions, by NigelPollardandJoanneBerry,andThe Roman Army, edited byChris McNab, which offeramazing insight into not justthe lives of soldiers andleadersbutalsotheevolutionofRomefromafledglingcity

to a vast empire. RomanSociety and Roman Law inthe New Testament, takenfromaseriesoflecturesbyA.N.Sherwin-White,providesamoreacademicviewofthosetimes, while Jerusalem, bySimon Sebag Montefiore,allowsagreatoverviewofthecontentious relationshipbetween Rome and Judea.The Joy of Sexus, by VickiLeon, explores lust and

longing in theRomanworld.Religions of Rome, by MaryBeard, John North, andSimon Price, offers insightinto the deity of JuliusCaesar.Caesar, by TheodoreDodge, describes theslaughteroftheGermansthatmade the Rubicon incidentnecessary. And Ralph Ellis’sCleopatra to Christ andJoann Fletcher’s Cleopatrathe Great provide many

insightsintoCleopatra.And there’s no better way

to pass the time on atransatlantic plane flight thanto immerseoneself inMartinHengel’s Crucifixion and itscountless details about themanyways theRomansusedthe cross to torment theirenemies.

PowerfulFigures inJudean

Politics:It’snotgoingtoofarout on a limb to say thatHelenK.Bondistheeminentauthority here, delving intothe life of both Pilate andCaiaphaswithPontius PilateinHistory and Interpretationand Caiaphas: Friend ofRome and Judge of Jesus?Her scholarship is rivetingand filled with valuablenuggets of insight andinformation.Herod, by Peter

Richardson, is nothing shortof monumental, fleshing outthe life of one of history’smostruthlessindividuals.TheArmyofHerod theGreat, bySamuelRocca,offersnotjustminute details but alsoillustrations depictingeverything from the robeswornbytheTempleprieststothehairstylesandweaponsofHerod’s soldiers. AnthonySaldarini’sPharisees,Scribes

andSadducees inPalestinianSociety provides a detailedacademic take on not justthesecomplexindividualsbutalsolifeinJudeaandGalilee.

Historical Jesus: An entirefield of study has beendevoted to this viewpoint oftheNazarene, adding contextto the Gospels in order tobetterunderstandJesus’slife.

This focus has allowed agreat number of modernadvancements into thehistoricity of Jesus and amorecompleteunderstandingof the Gospels and theirnarrative structure.Recommended readingincludes Jesus Under Fire:Modern ScholarshipReinvents the HistoricalJesus, edited by Michael J.Wilkins and J. P. Moreland;

StudyingtheHistoricalJesus:A Guide to Sources andMethods,byDarrellL.Bock;Will the Real Jesus PleaseStandUp?ADebatebetweenWilliamLaneCraigandJohnDominic Crossan, edited byPaul Copan; and TheHistorical Jesus of theGospels,byCraigS.Keener,whoisalsoauthorofthetwo-volume Miracles. Anothertwo-volume treatise worth a

read isRaymondE.Brown’sThe Death of the Messiah.Alsoworth readingareJesusofNazareth,KingoftheJews,byPaulaFredriksen,andTheResurrectionofJesus:ANewHistoriographical Approach,by Michael R. Licona. TheSage of Galilee, by DavidFlusserandR.StevenNotley,is highly recommended. Amore theological take onJesus can be found in C. S.

Lewis’s insightful and denseMereChristianity.

TheCrucifixionandJesus’sLastDays: Inaddition to thedetailed and chilling versionof events recorded in theGospels of Matthew, Mark,Luke, and John, otherrecommended readingincludes The Trial of Jesus,edited by Ernst Bammel;

Jesus, The Final Days, byCraig Evans and N. T.Wright; and The Final Daysof Jesus, by Shimon Gibson.All are filled with nuance,detail, and unique points ofview.Andforamostgraphicdepiction of death on thecross,thereaderisadvisedtowade intoTheCrucifixion ofJesus: A Forensic Inquiry.Among other clinical details,the text includesphotographs

of a crucifixion reenactment.Obviously,notforthefaintofheart.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Vasthelpisalwaysneededinwriting a complicated book.This time Makeda Wubneh,Eric Simonoff, StephenRubin, and Gillian Blakeprovided tremendousassistance, for which I amextremelygrateful.

—BILLO’REILLY

A great thanks to EricSimonoff for his quietcounsel and literary genius.ToStephenRubinandGillianBlake at Holt. To DennyBellessi for theencouragement. To BillO’Reilly, the world’s bestwriting partner. And, asalways,toCallie.

—MARTINDUGARD

ILLUSTRATIONCREDITS

MapsbyGeneThorp

Crown of thorns illustration by LauraHartmanMaestroFromthecollectionofBillO’ReillySnark/ArtResource,NY© Image Asset Management/agefotostockakg-imagesBettmann/CORBISbpk, Berlin/NiedersaechsischesLandesmuseum, Hannover,

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INDEX

The index that appeared in the printversionof this titledoesnotmatch thepages in your e-book. Please use thesearch function on your e-readingdevice to search for terms of interest.For your reference, the terms that

appear in the print index are listedbelow.

AbrahamActium,BattleofActsAdamAfricaAgrippaAgrippa,MarcusVipsaniusAl-AqsaMosqueAlesiaAlexandertheGreatAlexandriaAnanusAndrewanimalsacrifices

AnnaAnnasAntipas

murderofJohntheBaptistAntoniaFortressAntony,MarcapostlesAramaicArchelausAretasIV,KingAssyriansastrologyastronomyAugustus,Caesar

civilwarand

BabylonandBabylonians

baptismBarabbasBarKochbaBartholomewBethanyBethlehem

slaughterofthebabiesBethsaidaBible.SeealsospecificbooksBithyniablasphemybread

leavenedBritainBrutus,DecimusBrutus,MarcusJuniusByzantium

Caesar,JuliuscivilwarandCleopatraandconspiracyplotandmurderofGallicwars

CaesareaCaesareaPhilippiCaesarionCaiaphas

deathofJudasand

calendarsCaligulaCalpurniaCalvaria.SeealsoGolgothaCana,weddinginCanonicalGospels

CapernaumCapriCarrhae,BattleofCascaCassiusCatholicChurchCatoChristianity,earlyhistoryofChristmasChurch of the Holy Sepulchre,JerusalemCiceroCimber,LuciusTilliuscircumcisionClaudiusCleopatracoins

moneychangingthirtysilvercoinspaidtoJudas

CorinthiansCourtoftheGentilesCrassus,MarcusLiciniuscross,asasymbolcrownofthornscrucifixion

deathsquadsofdiscipleshistoricalviewsofofJesus

DanielDavid,KingdaysoftheweekDeadSeaScrolls

deathsquadsdenariusDeuteronomy,bookofdisciples

LastSupperpost-crucifixion lives andmartyrdom

DolorosaDomeoftheRockdonkey

riddenbyJesusintoJerusalemdovesDrusus

EasternOrthodoxChristianityEdictofMilanEgypt

ElijahElishaEphesusequestriansEstherEthiopiaEusebiusexactormortisExodus,bookof

farmingfigtreeFirstTemplefishandfishingfoodFranceFronto,MarcusCornelius

GalileanMethodGalileeGallicWarsGaulandGaulsGenesis,bookofGennathGategenocide

Gaulmassacreslaughterofthebabies

GermanictribesGermanicus,Gethsemane,gardenatGolgotha(Calvaria,Gulgata)GratusGreeceandGreeks

Hadrian

HasmoneansHebrewHellenizationhematidrosisHerodAntipas.SeeAntipasHerodiasHerodtheGreat

slaughterofthebabiesHierapolisHitler,AdolfHolyLancehomosexualityhospitality

IdesofMarchIndiaIsaac

IsaiahIslamIsraelandIsraelitesItaly

civilwarseealsoRome

JacobJaffaGateJamesJames(brotherofJesus)JeremiahJerusalem

crucifixionofJesusindestructionofJesusridesdonkeyintoLastSupperin

mapofPassoverweekRomanruleSix-DayWarTemple.SeeTempletourismtrialsandsentencingofJesusin

JesusbenAnaniasJesus

arrestofbaptismofbetrayedbyJudasbirthofburialandtombofinCapernaumchildhoodofcrownofthorns

crucifixionofdeathofdisciplesofingardenatGethsemaneincomeoflashingofLastSupperlegacyoflengthoflifemiraclesandhealingsmoneychangersandnameofPassoverweekPilateandpopularityofpropheciesaboutremovalfromcross

resurrectionofridesdonkeyintoJerusalemSermonontheMountasSonofGodteachingsoftrialsandsentencingoftunicof

JewsandJudaismburialritualsfestivalshighpriesthoodhospitalitylawPassoverweekpropheciesaboutJesusrebellionsagainstRomansRomanrule

terminologytextswomen

JobJohnJohn,GospelofJohntheBaptist

murderofJordanRiverJoseph(brotherofJesus)Joseph(fatherofJesus)JosephofArimatheaJosephusJudas(brotherofJesus)JudasIscariot

betraysJesusdeathof

thirtysilvercoinspaidtoJudasofGamalaJudea

RomanruleJudeanMethodJulia

karetKidronValleyKing,MartinLuther,Jr.

lambslashingLatinLazarus

risenfromthedeadLegioXFretensis

LegioXIIIGeminaLevitesLeviticus,bookofLiberatorsLincoln,AbrahamLonginusLongus,PubliusServiliusCascaLucianofSamosataLukeLuke,Gospelof

MacedoniansMachaerusMagdalaMagiMalchusMariamme

MarkMark,GospelofMarthaandMaryMary

deathofJesusandvirginity

MaryMagdalenedeathofJesusand

MatthewMatthew,GospelofMenanderMicahmiraclesandhealingsmoneychangersMosesMountMoriahMountofOlives

Muhammad,ProphetMundaMuslims

NativityNazarethNazismNebuchadnezzarIINeroNewTestamentNicodemusNicomedesIV,kingofBithyniaNorthAfricaNumbers,bookof

Octavian.SeeAugustus,CaesarOldTestament

oraltraditionorgies

paganismPalestineParthiaandParthiansPassover

LastSuppermoneychanging

Patton,GeorgeS.PaulPentateuchPersiaandPersiansPeterPharisees

plottotrapJesusPhilip

Philip(sonofHerod)Philippi,BattleofPhilistinesPhiloPhlegonPilate,Pontius

deathofJesusandrouteof

PiusIX,PopePiusXII,PopePlinytheYoungerPlutarchPompeytheGreatPopiliusLaenasPotheinosprostitution

PsalmsPtolemyXIIIpurificationrituals

Quran

Reagan,RonaldresurrectionofJesusRevelation,bookofRhineRiverRhodesroadsRomanCatholicChurchRome

Christianitylegalizedbycivilwarcrucifixiondeathsquads

declineofequestriansGallicwarshistoriansJewishrebellionsagainstJudearuledbylegionariesmapsofpersecution and executionmethodsRepublicSenateTheaterofPompeysee also specific emperors andRomans

RubiconRiver

SabbathSadduceesSt.Peter’sCathedral,RomeSalomeSamariaandSamaritansSanhedrinSaulscourgingSeaofGalileeSederSejanus,LuciusAeliusSepphorisSermonontheMountshekelShemaSimeonSimon(brotherofJesus)

SimonofCyreneSimonthePhariseeSimontheZealotSix-DayWarslaves

sexSocratesSolomonSolomon’sPorchSpainSpartacusSpurinnastandards,RomanstaticulumstoningSuetoniusSwitzerland

synagoguesSynoptic Gospels. See also specificGospelsSyria

Tabernacles,FeastofTacitus,CorneliusTalmudTanakhTarquiniusSuperbus,LuciustaxationTemple

chambersandcourtsdestructionofguardsmoneychangersPassoverweek

robesTempleMountTenCommandmentsTeutoburgForest,BattleofThallusTheudasThomasThraciansThrasyllusTiberiasTiberiusTorahTraditionoftheElderstunicTurkey

Varus,PubliusQuintctilius

VaticanverberatioVercingetorixvipersVipsania

Washington,GeorgewaterturnedintowineWeekswomenWorldWarII

YehudaYomKippur

ZadokitesZechariah

ZedekiahZerubbabel

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

BILL O’REILLY is the anchorof The O’Reilly Factor, thehighest-rated cable newsshow in the country.He alsowrites a syndicatednewspapercolumnand is theauthorofseveralnumber-onebestselling books. He is,perhaps, the most talkedabout political commentatorinAmerica.

MARTIN DUGARD is the New

YorkTimesbestsellingauthorof several books of history.He and his wife live inSouthernCaliforniawiththeirthreesons.

KILLINGJESUS:AHISTORYCopyright©2013byBillO’ReillyandMartinDugard.Allrights

reserved.Forinformation,addressHenryHoltandCo.,175FifthAvenue,NewYork,N.Y.10010.

www.henryholt.com

TheLibraryofCongresshascatalogedtheprinteditionasfollows:

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-Publication

Data

O’Reilly,Bill.KillingJesus:ahistory/Bill O’Reilly, MartinDugard.pagescm ISBN 978-0-8050-9854-9(hardback)—ISBN978-0-8050-9855-6(electronic book) 1. Jesus Christ—Crucifixion. I. Dugard,Martin.II.Title.BT450.O742013 232.96—dc232013021752

FirstEdition:September2013

AlsobyBillO’ReillyandMartinDugard

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