Killing a Messiah

by Adam Winn

  While the people of Jerusalem hated Herod, they loved the temple he had built them. Every Jew in the city knew its dimensions. The enormous retaining wall around the Temple Mount was 1600 feet north to south and 900 feet east to west. The walls were a hundred feet at their highest point and sixteen feet thick. And its stones—oh, those great stones of the retaining wall! Caleb could hear the words of his father when he was just a young boy: “Five hundred tons, my son! Nothing could shake a foundation stone that size!”

  The retaining wall was impressive, but the true beauty was the temple that sat within it. It was made of marble that glistened beautifully in the sunlight, as did the ornate golden overlays that adorned it. At times the beauty was almost blinding—as if the glory of Israel’s God was emanating from within. It was not quite centered on the Temple Mount but sat a bit to the north. It ran 480 feet east to west and 200 feet north to south, standing fifty feet at its highest point.

  Most of the Temple Mount consisted of a massive open courtyard that was not technically a part of the temple itself. This courtyard was named the “court of the Gentiles” because it was open to anyone, Jews as well as Gentiles. Separating the court of the Gentiles from the temple proper was a fifteen-foot wall with multiple gates. Only Jews who had undergone proper purification could pass through these gates. The wall was engraved with warnings in both Greek and Aramaic that any Gentile or unclean Jew who passed through the gates would be sentenced to death. For this crime—and this crime alone— did the Roman governor grant Jews the power over life and death.

  The Shushan Gate, where Caleb and Miriam were headed, was named after the capital city of Persia. This name honored the nation that allowed the Jews to return to their ancestral home and rebuild their temple. The gate depicted, ever so ornately, the royal palace of that great city. For this reason, it was often referred to as the “Beautiful Gate.” Through this gate one would enter directly into the outer courtyard of the temple, the court of the Gentiles. Consequently, to reach this gate from inside the city, one had to enter the western side of the Temple Mount and cross the entire courtyard.

  As Caleb expected, the outer courtyard and its beautiful porticoes were bustling with activity. Newly arrived pilgrims were exchanging their Greek and Roman currency for that which was acceptable for use in the temple. That currency was then used to buy animals for sacrifice, food from local vendors, souvenirs from local artisans, and even payment for guided tours of the temple grounds. Some complained that the exchange rate was unfair, a complaint that Caleb knew on occasion had merit. But he was also a businessman and knew that the temple had expenses beyond what most could likely imagine. While some complained, most understood this to be the business of the temple. Priests of varying ranks were also moving about the area directing traffic, answering questions, and facilitating regular temple tasks. The increased number of people meant a need for additional priests.

  Making their way through the hustle and bustle took a while. They declined at least five offers for a guided tour of either the temple or city. Twice Miriam stopped to admire the work of another potter and ask about sculpting techniques, both times causing Caleb to think he had lost her in the crowd. After the second time he snapped at her, saying they didn’t want to miss their family’s arrival. To this she simply smiled, told him to relax, and that they had plenty of time. This response only frustrated him more. He hated when she pointed out how uptight he could be—more often than not, she was right. And she turned out to be right again. They arrived at the gate at least an hour before their family arrived. Thankfully, Miriam didn’t rub it in.

  The early arrival gave them a chance to enjoy watching the pilgrims coming up the road singing and dancing. They knew each song, and they sang them with all gathered there—songs of God’s faithfulness, his holy dwelling, and his deliverance. While Caleb’s faith had waned of late, he couldn’t help but sing these songs he had known since he was a child. Watching the reunion of family and friends was good for his soul: the kisses and embraces, the old jokes followed by laughter, the grandparents meeting grandchildren for the first time, and the tears of joy that accompanied it all. He loved his people, and he loved how much they loved each other. Caleb even joined some of these reunions as he recognized friends arriving to the city.

  While caught up in one of these reunions, Caleb noticed a commotion brewing around him. Many people were speaking excitedly and moving to the front of the gate. Miriam pulled on his arm. “Come on Caleb, we need to see this. The prophet from Galilee is coming!” He suddenly understood, and together they worked their way to the front of the gate—not an easy task.

  At first, Caleb saw a large crowd of people on the road moving across the Kidron Valley toward the city. The crowd was at least a hundred, maybe more. It grew as he watched, with some people running down from the city to join it and others catching up with it from behind. They were singing and shouting, but from this distance Caleb couldn’t make out what the people were saying.

  As the crowd drew closer, he made out a man at the center who was riding what looked to be a horse. The people near him were taking off their coats and laying them down in front of him. Others were waving what looked like palm branches and laying them down along with the cloaks. The striking scene reminded Caleb of the stories he had heard about the great deliverer, Simeon Maccabeus, entering the city of Jerusalem. Was this really happening?

  As the crowd drew closer, it became clear that the man was riding not a horse but a donkey. He could finally hear what the crowd was saying. The most dominant sound was the chanting of “Hosanna”—a declaration of coming salvation! But others were shouting, “Hail the Son of David,” “Blessed be the coming kingdom of David,” and “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” He couldn’t believe what was happening! This prophet was entering the city as a king, as a conquering messiah and deliverer of Jerusalem!

  While others were rushing to join the crowd, Caleb slowly stepped back. Dread filled him. He looked around and saw four Roman soldiers stationed at the gate, frantically talking with each other. As he watched them, two remained at the gate while two ran in the direction of the Antonia fortress, which was adjacent to the northern retaining wall of the Temple Mount. It was the headquarters of Roman military power in Jerusalem. The remaining two soldiers made no movement but stood tensely, watching the crowd move closer. A number of others looked shocked and afraid, with some deciding to leave the scene altogether.

  Caleb’s mind was racing. What did this mean? What would be the consequence? He expected at any moment to see more Roman soldiers storming to the gate to bring this display to an end and arrest Jesus. But none came.

  The crowd was a mere thirty feet away now, and he could see Jesus clearly. He was smiling and touching the hands of those who reached out to greet him. He wore the common robes of a peasant. He bore no special decoration, nor did he appear to be carrying any sort of weapon. His face was weathered, but not old in appearance. He had an unkempt beard that could not conceal a warm smile. His eyes were kind and his face warm and sincere. He seemed unconcerned about the political gravity of the situation that surrounded him. When he was about ten feet from the gate, he signaled two men to help him dismount from the donkey. They led the animal back down the road away from the city. The crowd pressed in on him and swallowed him up as it moved through the gate into the outer courtyard of the temple.

  Caleb was startled by someone grabbing his shoulders and shouting his name over the noise of the crowd. The sight of his cousin Jacob jolted him out of his concern for the Galilean prophet, reminding him of the reason he was at the Shushan Gate. The joy and excitement of seeing Jacob overcame the dread in his heart. They embraced, kissed each other on the cheek, and exchanged warm words of greeting. As they were doing so, Miriam suddenly appeared with Aunt Elizabeth and Cousin Mary. It was a joyful and happy reunion.

  “When did you arrive?” asked Caleb. “I didn’t see you coming up the road.”

  “We
were in the crowd with the prophet Jesus!” Cousin Mary replied.

  “You likely saw us coming, then, even if you didn’t!” said Jacob with a smile, followed by a laugh.

  The fact that his family was a part of this dramatic entrance quickly sobered Caleb, though he tried not to let his face reveal his concern. It was awkward to suddenly realize that those he loved most dearly held a surprisingly different perspective than his own. Trying to hide his concern and surprise, Caleb replied, “Ah, so you were a part of the dramatic entrance? No wonder I didn’t see you in all that commotion!”

  “Wasn’t it all so exciting?!” asked Mary.

  “It most certainly was!” replied Miriam—a response that surprised Caleb, but he wasn’t sure why. “Did you travel with him all the way from the north?” his sister asked excitedly.

  “Oh, no,” said Jacob. “We first saw him with his followers in Jericho four days ago. As you know, we always stay there a day or two with my father’s kin. When we arrived, we heard rumors that the prophet Jesus had arrived in Jericho that same day and would be teaching in the synagogue the following morning. We had heard of him even in Damascus, yet he had never been there. We were eager to hear him, so we decided to get up early to go to the synagogue. And it is a good thing we arrived early, as it seemed the entire town had the same idea. The synagogue was filled to capacity with an overflow surrounding it!”

  “But it was worth it!” said Mary. “He was wonderful! His words were kind and gracious and spoken with such charisma. He spoke passionately of a new age about to dawn for God’s people and a new work that God would soon be doing in this world—work that would bring justice and peace to the poor and the longsuffering. The kingdom of God is near, he said, and people need to prepare their hearts for it by forgiving one another, sharing with those in need, and extending compassion to those on the margins of our community. The kingdom of God is open to all who embrace it, he said!”

  “It was truly powerful, my cousin,” said Jacob with deep sincerity. “I was not sure what to expect, as I had heard so many different rumors. But the way he spoke and the things he said moved my spirit deeply. He never openly claimed to be the one God had sent, but the way he spoke seemed to claim it with every word. Many who heard him felt the same way, though there were some prominent Pharisees who were deeply offended by him. Apparently, the night before he had celebrated a dinner at the home of a chief tax collector, which must have put them off. If I am honest, to hear that he was the guest of such a person was off-putting to me at first. But when I heard him the following morning, it all seemed to make sense.”

  Caleb’s mind was trying to take all this in. “So, did you stay with him from that point on?”

  “No,” his aunt replied. “Apparently, he left the city the next day, early in the morning. We heard he wanted to reach Bethany before the Sabbath—”

  “But we were able to join him and his group when we went through Bethany this morning,” Mary interrupted. “Jacob asked one of his disciples if we could travel with them the short distance to Jerusalem, and he welcomed us. And as you saw, we were not the only ones! Many others wanted to join us as we were leaving. The group got larger and larger as we got closer to the city gate!”

  “Did he ride on the donkey all the way from Bethany?” Caleb asked.

  “Yes,” Jacob replied. “Two men brought it to him right before he left. I think they were from among his closest disciples.”

  “So he arranged to enter the city on a donkey?” asked Caleb, incredulity in his voice.

  “Yes!” both Mary and Jacob replied.

  “Did he also instruct people to wave branches and place their cloaks in front of him?”

  “Of course not!” replied his aunt. “That just, well . . . well it just started to happen, I guess. Why so many questions, Caleb?”

  “I . . . well . . .” Caleb stammered. “I am just curious, I guess. It was quite a spectacle, and I guess . . . well, I guess I am just trying to understand it all. What does it mean? This man entered the city like one of the great Maccabean conquerors to shouts of ‘salvation’ and declarations that he is God’s appointed deliverer.” They all looked back at him, nodding and affirming what he had just said. He stared blankly, stunned they were not more worried about what they had just taken part in.

  “Isn’t it all so exciting?” exclaimed Mary.

  “Exciting?” Caleb asked. “Well, it certainly created a lot of excitement yes, but . . . but . . .”

  “But what?” asked Elizabeth with a look of confusion on her face.

  “But it is also dangerous, isn’t it?” Caleb asked cautiously. “As he was coming near the gate, two Roman soldiers ran off toward the Antonia. I half expected them to return with two hundred more, arrest the prophet, and disband the crowd.”

  There was a moment’s pause as his family thought about what he had just said. Jacob broke the silence. “Yes, I guess in the back of my mind I knew that what we were doing, and what he was doing, was dangerous in a way. But in the moment, it just didn’t seem to matter. After I heard him teach and watched him, escorting him into the city in that way just seemed right, and so . . . so I joined in.”

  “Yes, I think that says it all quite well,” said Elizabeth. “We will do what we must, and the Romans will do what they must!” she added defiantly.

  Those words sent a chill through Caleb, who couldn’t hide his surprise at his aunt’s response. “I am not sure you are thinking this through to its likely conclusion. I fear what the presence of this prophet will do to our city.”

  Jacob took him by his shoulders and looked him in the eye. “My cousin, have faith. If he is God’s anointed, all will be well. If he is not, God will make that clear. Do not fear—rely on your faith!”

  Caleb caught a quick glance from his sister, who was aware that he had not yet expressed his recent doubts to his cousin and closest friend. Now was certainly not the time. Caleb sought a way to end this awkward exchange, thinking that perhaps with this visit it would be harder to pick things up where they last left off. “Yes. Yes, of course you are right, Jacob. My curiosity and worry got the best of me. Our God must be trusted,” he forced himself to say. He wanted to get them out of temple grounds as quickly as he could. “Now let’s get you and your things back to the house. It is time to settle in and take some refreshment. There is much to catch up on!”

  As they began to exit the gate, they saw a large crowd gathered and a great commotion in the direction he and his sister had initially come from. Wanting to stay away from any more excitement caused by the prophet, Caleb turned in the opposite direction, saying, “It’s less crowded this way. It will make for a quicker route home.” The others followed, though they found themselves going against the flow of traffic moving toward the great commotion behind them.

  Caleb couldn’t get off the Temple Mount fast enough. He would now have plenty of information to share with his contact, though he rightly guessed that the public nature of these events undermined his chance of presenting anything new.

  Cheers went up behind him as he and his family finally reached an exit from the Temple Mount. While the others looked back, he did not want to know what had happened and urged them forward.

  ELEAZAR

  Eleazar was in the temple scheduling priestly duties for the coming week when he was interrupted by loud knocking on the door of his private chambers. Startled and annoyed, he opened the door to see a wide-eyed and frantic young Levite named Malachi standing before him, saying nothing. “Is something the matter, Malachi? Why have you come? What is wrong?”

  “It, it’s . . .” he stammered.

  “What is it, boy? Loosen your tongue!”

  “The . . . the . . . the prophet Jesus, sir, he . . . he has arrived!” said Malachi nervously.

  “He is here in the city? When did he arrive?” Eleazar was surprised by this news.

  “Just now, sir. He hadn’t even made it to the gate before I ran to tell you.” Malachi still could not seem
to catch his breath or gather his wits.

  “All right, thank you for informing me, Malachi. Though I am not sure his mere arrival is worth bothering me in my private chambers. If his presence brings about any urgent news, let me know immediately.” Eleazar started to turn around, but to his surprise, Malachi grabbed his shoulder. This was not something a Levite would do a high-ranking priest, and it brought a flash of anger from Eleazar.

  Malachi recoiled slightly but continued. “But . . . but, it already has, sir! His arrival itself, sir, and how he arrived, sir!”

  “What do you mean? In what manner did he arrive?” It began to dawn on Eleazar that something serious might have already happened.

  “As . . . as a king, sir! His entrance into the city was like that of a king, sir.” Fearing another flash of anger, Malachi flinched as he said these last words.

  But his words did not bring anger—merely confusion. Eleazar was having a hard time wrapping his mind around what the Levite was saying. “What?! What do you mean he arrived as a king? I don’t understand.”

  Malachi began to calm down. He took a moment to gather himself and then began to explain what he had witnessed. “He approached the city from Bethany, sir, intending to enter through the Beautiful Gate. But he approached the city riding on a donkey, sir, with a great crowd of people—hundreds of people—escorting him into the city. They placed cloaks and palm branches on the ground in front of him, and they were waving palm branches, as they were all shouting and cheering.”

  The news was stunning. “What were they shouting, Malachi? Tell me!”

  “They were crying out ‘Hosanna,’ sir, and calling this prophet a king, a son of David who would bring the kingdom of David. It reminded me of the stories I have heard about the Maccabees, sir. Jesus entered the city like the great conqueror Simeon, and the people acted like he was one.” It was obvious that the event had made quite an impression on Malachi, who remained wide-eyed in his recounting of it.