Fire and Sword

by D. Brian Shafer

  Paul looked around the room at the grim faces. “As to these charges, I can only say that I have faithfully served my God and have a clear conscience today.”

  “Strike him!” ordered the high priest.

  A Temple soldier struck Paul in the face. Paul turned toward the high priest and pointed at him. “You white-washed wall! You break the law of the very God you say you serve by striking me in here. It is illegal to strike a man who is being questioned by this body! Just as it was when you struck Jesus.”

  “You dare to speak to Ananias that way? How dare you accuse the high priest?” said Zaniah, a Pharisee.

  “This is utterly delicious,” Pellecus said. “Paul is being fed to the lions.”

  “I wouldn’t give up on Paul yet,” interjected Crispin, who had arrived with Serus. “These men are filled with the spirit of religious pride. Paul is filled with the Spirit of God.”

  “Religion will always kill the spirit in a man,” Pellecus countered. “We’ve seen that from the beginning.”

  “Only if that man is controlled by that spirit,” Crispin said. “While it is true that a man is controlled by what he believes, it is also true that Paul believes correctly.”

  “Nevertheless he is finished,” Berenius snapped. “He’ll not lead these men astray with his clever words.”

  “I agree,” said Crispin. “Paul doesn’t need to be led by clever words. He just needs to be led by the Spirit.”

  Paul looked at the men who accused him. Even in this unhappy situation, he felt compassion for these—the leading men of Israel—who were so blinded. He looked at the Sadducees whose mix of piety and politics had secured their position in the Temple. And then there were the Pharisees—caretakers of the Law whose zeal was heartfelt—but misguided. Odd that these two groups should come together when they disagreed on so much. Paul smiled. That was it!

  “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee,” Paul said. “I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.”

  The Sanhedrin looked at each other. They waited a further defense from Paul, but he merely reaffirmed his belief in a resurrection of the dead. Paul waited for his bait to be taken by one of these groups. It didn’t take long.

  “We don’t care about that,” said a Sadducee. “This is a trial, not a session on ridiculous theological notions.”

  “Ridiculous?” asked a Pharisee. “We agree that this is a trial and not a discourse. But the resurrection of the dead is far from ridiculous. It is truth.”

  “It is nonsense, my friend,” countered another Sadducee. “But that’s for another time. Let’s get this trial over with.”

  “You just want him tried because he is a Pharisee and believes in the resurrection of the dead!” another Pharisee shouted. “Perhaps an angel of the Lord spoke to him about these things!”

  “Brothers, please,” Ananias pleaded. “Not today.”

  Within minutes, the Sanhedrin had disintegrated into a shouting match as the Jews loudly debated the resurrection of the dead. Paul could not help but enjoy the fruit of his words. He looked at Ananias, the high priest, who could only scowl at him as he tried to regain order in the house. Finally the Roman sentries came in, took Paul back into their custody, and restored order.

  The angels in the room watched as the trial descended into a melee of theological discourse. Crispin and Serus were amused at the events that had transpired. Pellecus looked at the room with astonishment. Stupid, prideful humans!

  “Can they not get anything right?” Pellecus finally bellowed. “I deliver Paul into their hands, and they squander the moment for this idiotic debate. Paul tricked them.”

  “So he won’t use clever words, Crispin?” asked Berenius.

  “I said he would be led of the Spirit,” said Crispin. “And the Spirit happens to be very clever indeed!”

  Chapter Thirteen

  TRIAL

  Chronicles of the Host

  Jerusalem Departure

  Not only did the Roman soldiers take Paul out of the Sanhedrin, they escorted him to Caesarea. The Jews, infuriated by Paul’s performance in the Sanhedrin, and inflamed by Kara’s agents, sought to murder Paul. The Host, alert to the enemy’s plot, saw to it that the Romans discovered the murderous plan. Paul was then taken by horse to Caesarea, where he awaited an audience with the governor, a man named Felix.

  Paul’s eyes were set upon a larger prize than Caesarea, however. For unknown to anyone else, the Lord Himself had told Paul that he must appear before Caesar. Thus Paul knew that he would eventually journey to the heart of the empire: Rome itself. Paul’s last and greatest journey had begun…

  Caesarea was Herod the Great’s nod to Augustus. Built on a promontory jutting out into the waters, the city had become the largest harbor in the Mediterranean. Herod amassed a fortune from the revenues collected from the harbor and used the money for his many building projects, including the palace in the city that now housed Paul.

  Felix, the governor, received Paul from Jerusalem and placed him under very comfortable house arrest. Paul had the run of the palace, so long as he didn’t venture out of the complex.

  But this would be a brief respite, for the enemy was already working the next phase of the plan to destroy Paul.

  As a governor in a restless province, Felix had one main goal: to keep the peace. Every governor in this region had faced the fickle behavior of the Jews. Now he had in his own house this man Paul, who was a mystery. Here was a man who was clearly not a threat. A Jew. An educated man. A man of letters and discourse. Just the sort who these elite Jewish leaders would consort with. And yet …

  “Your excellency!”

  “Yes, Drusus. What is it?”

  “Ananias has come down from Jerusalem,” Drusus said.

  “Ananias?” pondered Felix. “Which one is he?”

  “The high priest, excellency.”

  “Ah, yes. Paul. Very well, let’s get this over with.”

  Drusus turned to leave. “But I tell you, Drusus. I like Paul. I hope he makes tatters of them all!”

  Drusus smiled and nodded his head in agreement.

  Pellecus and Kara stood in the receiving room of the palace. They awaited the arrival of Ananias and hoped that his audience with Felix would prove fruitful. They knew Felix to be a fair man, and that concerned them. But they also realized his fear of Rome and thought that his ambition would overcome his honor.

  Pellecus looked around the room. “How I long for the days of the first Herod,” he said. “Now that was a human who proved useful.”

  “He was certainly one of our better works,” Kara agreed.

  “You mean one of my better works,” Pellecus said. “I groomed him to be the fearful tyrant he became. Blood ran deep and red in those days. Ah, but these days all the tyrants are in Rome.”

  “Political tyrants, perhaps,” Kara said as Ananias walked in. “But Judea is filled with religious tyrants. And they are the worst kind.”

  “Greetings, Antonius Felix,” Ananias said as he came into the room. With him were some of the elders from the Temple.

  “Ananias! It’s been too long,” said Felix. “Of course, I only make it to Jerusalem once a year. I prefer the sea.”

  “Yes, it’s beautiful here,” Ananias said. “I have brought with me Tertullus, a man who is an expert in the Law.”

  Tertullus bowed his head. “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation,” he said. “We have benefited greatly from your leadership, and our people are extremely grateful.”

  “Thank you,” Felix said as he poured himself wine from a Phoenician decanter. He offered some to his guests, who politely declined.

  “You are an important man, Felix,” Tertullus continued. “And in order not to keep you any longer than necessary, we request a brief but important audience with you in the matter of Paul of Tarsus.”

  “Go on,” Felix said, sitting down.

  �
��Well then, here it is,” the lawyer continued. “We have always admired the Roman sense of order.”

  “An imperative for those who would rule the world,” Felix observed.

  “Quite,” said Tertullus. “But this man Paul is a troublemaker. He stirs riots among the Jews wherever he travels. He made quite a name for himself in Ephesus.”

  “Ah, yes, that was Artemis, I believe,” said Felix. Tertullus looked at Ananias with a surprised glance. “Don’t worry, my friend. I am not that clever. Just well informed.”

  “Ah. Then you know that he upset the entire city,” Tertullus went on. “And he is a ringleader—a rabble-rouser of the Nazarene sect.”

  Tertullus began pacing the room as he spoke, “We Jews try to be tolerant people when we can. But this man even tried to desecrate the Temple.”

  “How so?” asked Felix.

  “Well,” said Ananias. “If you’ll pardon, excellency, our law forbids Gentile incursions into certain things. Not that Gentiles are … I mean …”

  Felix laughed. “I know exactly what you mean, Ananias. I am a Gentile. And there are quite a few I wish I could outlaw as well!”

  “Be that as it may, excellency, we seized him in the Temple and attempted to question him in our Sanhedrin. His insolence proved a problem, and so he is here before you. If you examine this man, you’ll find that the charges against him are true.”

  “And if they are …?”

  Tertullus looked at Ananias.

  “Well, then we would request that you turn him over to us for proper recourse,” Ananias said.

  “Death?” asked Felix.

  “Perhaps.”

  “Stoning?”

  “Possibly.”

  Felix motioned for Drusus. “Send for Paul.” He turned to Ananias. “I’ll never understand the crude ways in which your people put criminals to death. Stoning is so … so primitive. Crude.”

  “It’s tradition among our people, excellency,” said Ananias.

  “As well as the law,” Tertullus added. “We know how to deal with lawbreakers.” As he spoke, Paul entered the room. “Like Paul.”

  Paul came into the room and nodded at the men in the room. “High Priest, welcome to Caesarea. And you are …”

  “Tertullus.”

  “Oh, yes,” Paul said. “The man of law. I was a man of the law once. Now I only follow the law of love.”

  “Does love cause riots and violence?” Ananias demanded. “Does love disgrace the name of God and defile His Temple?”

  “Love does not,” Paul said. “That is law’s doing.”

  Ananias pleaded with Felix. “You see? The man is totally unreasonable. He is an offense to our people and deserving of death.”

  “I will decide who dies and who lives in this matter,” said Felix. The governor bade Paul sit down. “These men don’t think well of you, Paul.”

  “So I see,” Paul said, refusing the wine offered to him.

  “I would hear you out, Paul. I have already heard from these.” He smiled. “I must say, it doesn’t look good for you.”

  “I’m sure they didn’t come with accolades,” Paul said. “But you are a fair man, governor. I will gladly make my defense here and now.”

  “Proceed,” said Felix. His recorder stood by taking down every word. “But please go slowly enough for my scribe.”

  “To start with,” Paul began, “you can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. I had returned from Greece and desired to visit the holy city. Interesting as their story is, my accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the Temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.”

  “That’s a lie,” Tertullus interjected.

  “Moreover, they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. All that I admit is that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they believe to be a sect. But even they know that I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets.”

  He looked at the high priest. “I have the same hope in God as these men. We both believe that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. And because of my love for the Lord, I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”

  “Paul returned after an extended period of causing trouble in Asia and Greece,” said Ananias. “And upon returning to Jerusalem, he proceeded to the Temple right away to create more disturbances.”

  “That isn’t true at all,” Paul responded. “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. And as far as defiling the Temple, the truth is that I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the Temple courts doing this.”

  “I don’t understand the ceremonial aspects,” said Felix. “But what about this crowd of troublemakers who were with you?”

  Paul shook his head. “There was no crowd with me.” He looked at the priests. “The only disturbance I was involved in occurred when I met with the Sanhedrin and declared to them, ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’ That seemed to create some confusion.”

  Felix covered his grin with his hand. There was nothing he enjoyed more than seeing proud men bested by a man of integrity. He looked at the priests and asked them if there were any other charges. They shook their heads.

  “No, excellency,” Ananias said. “It is our hope that you will release Paul into our custody so we may take him back to Jerusalem.”

  “That won’t be possible,” said Felix, standing. “I have not yet made up my mind. Paul will remain a guest in my house until a decision is rendered.”

  “But, excellency…”

  “That is my decision,” said Felix. Drusus escorted the priestly party out. Felix looked at Paul, shaking his head. “You are a scoundrel, Paul. I like that. I’ll decide your case when I talk to Lysias, the commander. For now, you’ll remain here in Caesarea.”

  “Two years! Almost two years Paul has been enjoying the hospitality of Felix in Caesarea. When will it end?”

  Lucifer scanned the room where his several lieutenants met. Nobody had an answer for him, and he paced the floor restlessly, ready to see this thing played out once and for all. Pellecus looked around and, seeing no one else offering anything, spoke.

  “At least while he is under this rather pleasant arrest, he is not taking his vile message abroad,” he offered. “It is contained to Caesarea.”

  “Paul, yes,” Lucifer said. “But the others continue to spread this poison. And the churches he established are strong. He keeps current with them.”

  “We have to smash them,” said Rugio. “They are out of control. I could lead 10,000 angels in assault on some of the churches he has established.”

  “Rugio, ever my warrior,” Lucifer said, placing his hand on his shoulder. “The challenge is not in organizing an attack. The challenge is knowing where to attack.”

  “My lord?”

  “I have been studying our opponent of late,” Lucifer said. “The Most High has granted an enormous amount of authority to the Church. You might even say that the Church is the Lord’s hand to create havoc for us here on earth.”

  “You mean the Most High has given His power over to humans?” said Kara. “It’s disgraceful to think that a creator would share power with His creatures. Especially creatures made of dirt.”

  “You miss the point, Kara,” said Pellecus. “The Most High is not sharing power. He is authorizing it. It is in His name that human faith operates. The fact that creatures made of dirt can overpower us with a single word is more humbling than disgraceful.”

  “Humiliating or disgraceful—either way, they must be dealt with,” said Rugio.

  “Again, my friend, we have been attacking the Church,” said Lucifer. “We will never destroy the Church. The Lord has invested Himself too heavily. But if we can compromise it, I would call that a major victory. A crippled en
emy is at least something we can manage.”

  “And how do you propose we cripple the Church?” asked Kara.

  “By cutting off its head,” said Lucifer.

  Several angels muttered the name Paul.

  “Yes, Paul, or as he prefers, apostle,” said Lucifer.

  “But we’ve tried killing Paul before,” said Kara. “He has been stoned, beaten, abandoned by friends. We have an affliction presently that is seeking to bring him down. He prayed that the Most High would remove the spirit that afflicted him but was told that God’s grace was sufficient for him. He is protected and untouchable.”

  “He is indeed protected,” said Lucifer. “But not untouchable.”

  “What are you saying, lord?”

  “Festus, the new governor who took over after Felix left,” continued Lucifer. “The man is absolutely bent on pleasing the Jews. Nero is an absolute madman on the subject of order. Finally, an emperor who will prove useful.”

  “And Festus?”

  “He met with the high priest in Jerusalem,” Lucifer said. “Ananias has requested that he send Paul to Jerusalem on behalf of the Sanhedrin.”

  He looked at Rugio. “It would be horrible if something befell him before he arrived.”

  Rugio nodded his head and disappeared.

  Lucifer dismissed the group. He took Kara and Pellecus aside and spoke to them. “I would say that the road to Damascus will not be nearly as eventful as the road to Jerusalem!”

  Ananias prepared to meet with his council. As high priest, he was responsible for the spiritual well-being and religious life of his country. The challenge of maintaining his office when a Gentile, pagan culture occupied his nation made it difficult to discharge his duties. He had to balance the decorum of his office with the delicacies of politics in an effort to keep a semblance of independence for his people. Recent events had created a storm around him—not the least of which was the disposition of Paul.