Part Two

"Shiraz, have you had time to check out the details of your story from the four gospels?"

"No Steve, I've not picked up a book since the 13th March."

"Had you read about Jesus and the crucifixion before you saw the vision?"

"No, but I knew a few facts as general knowledge, you know, what you pick up from school. O boy, for a Christian country, I must say that your schools are in a pathetic condition regards teaching your faith. In Saudi a whole lot of pressure is applied to the learning of the Koran."

"O.K. Shiraz. We shall be interested to hear your tale, especially as you have not been able to study the records before. Please just tell us in your own way, everything you saw and heard."

"Right. Let's begin at nine o'clock on Monday 9th March 1992. I was sitting in an armchair in my bedroom at the Travelodge where I was staying overnight. The TV was on. I was waiting to see the news on BBC1. I wasn't paying too much attention to what was on the screen just prior to nine o'clock, but when the news should have started, there was dead silence. It was this that attracted my attention first.

"I looked at the screen, and the picture was rather dark. I stood up and went over to check. The indicator light showed channel one. That was correct. But there was no sound, and instead of news, it looked like the beginning of a film. I remember turning the light off in the room, so that I could see the picture more clearly.

"Curiosity grabbed my whole attention, and I sat on the edge of the seat, waiting for something to develop, still thinking that I'd broken into a film by mistake. I reasoned that if I missed the news at nine I could always get News at Ten on Carlton. But the complete lack of sound surprised me. I picked up the handset and increased the volume, but nothing happened. So I switched to other channels, but all channels were transmitting the same picture. This was really odd. Finally I tried turning the set off altogether, but even that didn't work. By this time I was totally perplexed but also intrigued, so I sat back and waited to see what would happen.

"The scene before me was that of a wooded area at night. The only light came from a full moon, almost directly overhead. It didn't take me long to calculate that the time must therefore have been around midnight. The camera took me over to where there some very old trees with gnarled trunks. I told you this part of the story last week, Steve. At a guess their girth might have been fifteen feet, with roots splayed out above ground.

"Then I saw three men in eastern dress asleep under one of the trees, and as the camera panned round, there were a number of others asleep further away under another tree. But fairly near to the three was another man, and he wasn't asleep. His attitude was that of a man in prayer, on his knees, head bowed to the ground, arms out in front, hands clasped together. Furthermore I now began to hear some sound. This man was groaning. He sounded in deep distress rather than prayer. I don't know. Perhaps it was both. This distress lasted a long time.

"Then I was shown the three sleeping men again, who were now approached by the distressed man, and I distinctly heard him say, as he woke them up, 'Could you not watch with me for one hour?' They behaved as anyone might behave after being awakened from sleep. Distracted, unaware, perplexed. Apart from yawning, they said nothing.

"Then he walked away, and began praying again. The camera zoomed up close, and I heard him talking to God. It was strange. I couldn't understand what it was all about. He said something about a cup passing from him. Was it possible? But not my wishes, he said, only yours, Abba. I knew that word meant Father. It's nearly the same in Arabic.

"The intensity of this man's suffering was all too obvious to me, the privileged observer. He writhed about in agony, calling to his Father, who was Allah himself. How could this man have had such a personal relationship with Allah? We are not taught in Islam that any man can attain such a privileged position. I could not understand. It struck me very deeply at the time.

"Still his agony continued, until suddenly he threw his head back, and I saw the sweat dripping down his face into his beard, looking in the moonlight almost like drops of blood. It was then that he changed. All the agony was over. He looked upwards, and his eyes were intent. It was as though he saw Allah. I'm almost certain of that. The face became calm, and resolute, and I heard him whisper, 'Father, your will is my will.' Standing up, he wiped his face and composed himself, and I saw just how majestic he was, this man who talked with God on intimate terms. My attention was then drawn towards another man that I hadn’t seen at first, simply because of the camera work. He was hiding behind a tree near at hand, and must have heard all the agony and prayers. I only saw his face peering out, and the shoulder, which was covered by a white sheet.

"Back went the man to the three sleepers, saying, "Wake up. It's time to go. Soon you’ll be able to take all the sleep you need. But here comes my betrayer, look!" They stumbled about, and stood up. One of them, a big man, grabbed his sword. Clearly trouble was at hand, and they were far from ready to face it. But the praying man was fully ready. The man with the sword stood by him, whilst the other two ran off to wake the other men. They joined up into a closely-knit group.

"The camera turned, enabling me to see quite a large company of people approaching from the distant hillside. Many of them had flaming torches; others had lanterns, which they held above their heads. As they approached, I saw a mixture of Roman soldiers and men in eastern dress, some of them wearing what I imagine to be uniforms of some authority. The soldiers carried swords, but the other men held clubs and other weapons. In the lead there was a Roman of high rank, accompanied by a uniformed officer, and another man, who was pointing towards the band of men under the trees.

"The Roman leader motioned to the rest to stop when they were some yards away from the trees, and the third man, the one who was pointing, came forward and walked straight up to the leader of the other company, and kissed him affectionately on both cheeks, addressing him as Rabbi.

"The man answered, saying, 'Judah, is that how you will betray the son of man, even with a kiss?' He then unceremoniously brushed him aside, and walked over to where the captain was standing. The man with the sword followed him closely. The rest just stood where they were. Boldly he spoke to the captain. 'Who are you looking for?' 'Yeshua the Nazarene,' answered the captain. 'I am he,' he answered in a voice that carried great authority, so much so, that it created quite a disturbance amongst those near the front, and many of them tumbled to the ground in a heap.

"But the man with the sword, thinking that this was the time to act, dashed forwards, and wielded his weapon against the uniformed man who stood with the captain. The result was to cut off his right ear. He screamed, and someone shouted, "Malchus, are you all right?' Several gathered round him, whilst Yeshua turned on his man with the sword, and rebuked him soundly. I heard him say, 'Peter, put that sword back in its scabbard. Those who use the sword perish with the sword. I must drink my Father's cup.' And turning to the captain he asked for Malchus to be brought to him. There was some confusion for a moment, because no one knew what might happen. But Yeshua went over to him, and said, 'Father, permit me, this one last time,' and touching the man's bleeding wound, said, 'Be made whole.' And d'you know what? A gasp went up from all those who were near enough to see. The man's ear was restored! I was shattered. It was the last thing I expected to see during an arrest.

"This magnificent being, standing there in all his dignity and authority, was being arrested, and for what, I thought? When the crowd had regained their composure, and the captain and his officer were once again about their intended duty, Yeshua addressed them again. 'Have I not already told you who I am? How is it that you seek to arrest me with swords and clubs, as though I were a robber? I was daily in the Temple teaching, and no one apprehended me. No one laid a hand on me. And yet even now, if I were to ask, my Father would send more than twelve legions of angels. But I desist. It is the hour of the authority of dark powers, and the ancient writings must be fulfilled concerning me.'

"No one moved. There was dead silence. There he stood, just a few yards from the Roman captain, and as many yards behind him were grouped Yeshua's men, huddled together, with Peter, crestfallen, amongst them now. Suddenly I was aware of a movement. The young man who had been hiding behind the tree, moved round towards Peter's group. I distinctly remember him, because of the way he was dressed. It was just as though he'd got out of bed in a hurry, and raced to the site to see what was happening. But he wasn’t wearing a nightshirt. It was more like a sheet wrapped hastily around his naked body. He drew attention to himself by moving at that critical time, otherwise I don't suppose anyone would have noticed him.

"However, all eyes were upon him as he crossed over, and then Yeshua spoke again. 'Here I am. Take me. You have no cause with them,' he said, waving his hand behind towards Peter's group. 'Let them go.' And before anyone had time to consider the issue, they took to their heels and fled up the hill, leaving the young man more or less alone, not knowing which way to turn. However, Peter stopped behind a tree and called out to him. 'John, what are you doing here? Run back home. It's dangerous.' But John dithered, and it was his downfall. A couple of Roman soldiers ran, and grabbed him, but he managed to get away, leaving his night-sheet behind. I heard a loud scream, as a sword flashed, but failed to connect. The last I saw was his naked form running away from whence he had come. One of the soldiers laughed. Holding up the sheet, he said, 'He's left his finger behind.' Then I realised why the young man had screamed.

"And that was that. The captain gave orders to bind Yeshua, who gave himself to them without any struggle. Sensing he was not in a mood to resist, they merely tied his wrists behind his back, and the party turned about and made their way back down the hill into the valley. And that's a useful place to stop for now. - - - So what do you think, Steve?"

"It's fantastic, Shiraz. Almost unbelievable. I almost felt as though I was there as well. We know the story of course, but it came over fresh and meaningful. Tell us more about Yeshua. About his manner and appearance."

"He was tall, with a slight beard and moustache, and his hair was shoulder length, and part of it was plaited at the back. His tunic was well made, and tied in at the waist. But these things don't matter very much. It was his face, and particularly his eyes, that caused the scene to progress as it did. Those men were afraid of him, I can tell you. Imagine it. A whole band of Roman soldiers, together with a company of other officials, whom I later learned had come from the High Priest, - - - why, there must have been fifty of them in all - - all this crowd, heavily armed, to arrest one unarmed man. It was ludicrous. That is, until you stood before him. As soon as he addressed them, his utter authority was apparent. That's why they fell over in a heap. They didn't expect it. I think they imagined that it would be a routine operation, after that traitor guy had pin-pointed who they were looking for."

"Did you see Yeshua speak, or were you behind him?"

"Behind at first, and then in front. And his eyes, in modern technological terms, could have been laser beams. He faced them with anger, and they were cowed. That's what gave Peter the opportunity to use his sword. Otherwise he would never have had an opportunity. If he'd have sprung out at them before that critical moment, he'd have been skewered by one of the Romans. I'm absolutely positive Yeshua's actions saved him from certain death."

"Did you find out who Malchus was, you know, the one whose ear was healed?"

"Only later. I saw him again. He turned out to be the chief steward of the High Priest. Now there's a perplexing thing, don't you think? In the midst of that scene, this leader of men, this Yeshua the Nazarene as they called him, was able to heal a person. I still can't get over it. And Malchus continued to attend to his task of arresting Yeshua as though nothing had happened. Isn't that crazy? What was wrong with those guys? Couldn't they see that Yeshua was not dangerous? Couldn't they see that he was more interested in saving their lives and limbs, rather than hurting anyone? I'm telling you, at that stage in the proceedings, I was fuming inside with the sheer injustice of it. . . . But not as much as later, oh no. . . .It was wicked. But I'll not spill the beans just yet.

"One thing I'd like to ask you, Steve. What did Yeshua mean when he spoke about the cup, the one that he'd have to drink?"

"It was a common or garden expression of those days, meaning something that you knew you would have to face shortly, and couldn't be excused from."

"Right. I understand perfectly. I'm drinking one myself."

"Yes, - - - of course you are. - - - Let's stop there for tonight, Shiraz. . . .Janet, dear, what about a cup of tea for us all?"

CHAPTER TEN

The following evening we continued to record Shiraz’s story

"Shiraz, tell us how the scene changed after the arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane."

"Gethsemane! Was that the name of the place?"

"Yes, it was a favourite haunt for Yeshua and his disciples. In fact they used to sleep there occasionally. It had some very ancient Olive trees in it."

"Ah yes. They would have been the trees I saw. - - So, let me continue with the progress of this amazing film.

"The scene changed almost immediately after I saw the arresting company move off down the valley and then up the steep hill towards the city walls. The new picture was within a very large council chamber, crowded with important looking men. Seated in rather splendid and ornate chairs there were two who were obviously in control of the whole council. Although I didn't know who they were to begin with, I later learned that they were the High Priest, whose name was Joseph Caiaphas, and his father-in-law Hanan. Quite a number of the council members were dressed in similar garb to the High Priest. A second group had its own distinguishing uniform, and the remainder were dressed in a variety of luxuriously tailored eastern outfits.

"Hanan was a man of about sixty five, I should guess. He had white hair and beard, and a rather fierce looking face. Caiaphas was younger, perhaps fifty, whose hair and beard were still black, but just tinged with grey here and there. He had an air of authority about him, as of a man who had been in high office for some years, and was used to throwing his weight about, and getting his own way. His eyes betrayed the look of the obvious diplomat and politician, who used his position to manoeuvre people as a master chess player might handle the pieces on the board.

"I began to hear the conversation in the chamber, and very soon realised that they were in conclave, awaiting the return of the arresting party. It was a solemn moment, very tense, and the two leaders were showing obvious signs of strain on their faces.

"'Joseph my son, we have but little time. Pesach is upon us, and this impostor must be dealt with before sundown tomorrow.'

'We have witnesses waiting outside. They will be called in turn, father.'

'Objection!' called a rather majestic looking man amongst the council members. 'Our law does not permit trial for life during the hours of darkness.'

'Do you seek to thwart us, Joseph from Arimathea? We have business to attend to in the dark hours, followed by judgement at cockcrow. All shall be according to our law.'

"There was a spate of murmuring amongst the council members, and I saw that the majority were hostile towards this man, Joseph from Arimathea, and another learned man seated next to him, whose name I couldn't quite catch, but it seemed to begin with Nic-."

"Could it have been Nicodemus?"

"Yes, - - it could well have been. Was he of the same mind as Joseph?"

"Our records show that."

"Right. - - Well, there was another council member sitting opposite them, a younger man, perhaps thirty years of age, who obviously wanted to let off steam. 'How can you dare to contradict the High Priest, Joseph? Expediency requires we deal with this man of lawlessness as soon as possible, even if it means - ah - slightly BENDING the law.'

'Thank you, Saul,' answered the High Priest. 'Lawlessness is the key word in this case. We have waited and watched for over three years to see whether this man from Galilee was the expected Meshiach, but he has shown himself to fall short of requirements from ancient prophetic writings and the psalms. We looked for one who would sit upon the throne of his father David, and deliver our nation from the tyranny of the Roman oppressor, a man of stature and bearing, but Yeshua falls short on every count.'

'But Yeshua has shown himself able to perform greater miracles than the old prophets Elijah and Elisha,' contended Joseph from Arimathea. 'In fact he has raised many from the dead, including Lazarus of Bethany, who had been in the tomb four days.'

'How can you be so obtuse, Joseph,' shouted the angry Saul. 'Does our Meshiach come from Nazareth? Everyone knows he is to be born in Bethlehem. He is an impostor, a deceiver.'

'Although you are correct in your assertion Saul,' answered the High Priest, 'I must ask you to show more deference to the honourable Joseph, who is also our Nobilis Decurio. Without his assistance, I should not have been able to persuade the Procurator to be ready to confirm the death sentence at dawn. Pontius Pilate is not an easy man to deal with. He hates our nation. But Joseph was able, not only to persuade him to be ready, but also to supply us with military support for tonight's arrest. All this he did at my bidding.'

"There was silence for a few moments."

'I have heard that Yeshua was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the Great,' said Nicodemus, in a very serious voice.

'But we know his true origin,' said Saul, jumping in once again, as of one with a quick mind but a little short of maturity. 'His mother is Mary from Nazareth, a proven prostitute. Yeshua was born of fornication.'

'I agree with Saul from Tarsus,' said the High Priest, 'but such facts are useless to our cause just now. They are important to us, because they condemn this man as an impostor, one who must be punished publicly. As I said the other day, it is expedient that one man die for the nation, rather than the whole nation be destroyed. That is God's will. But only the Procurator can pass the death sentence, and he must be presented with evidence that will convince him. None of these other matters will move him one yod.'

"At that moment a messenger arrived, announcing that the arresting party was seen to be returning, and was nearing the city walls. I saw Joseph of Arimathea arise and walk out of the council chamber. He was a very noble looking individual, a man of serious demeanour, tall, carrying himself with an air of authority. I realised that although he and Nicodemus were not satisfied with the intended proceedings, there was little they could do to stop the process. There must have been about seventy men in the chamber, and they were the only two who were vocally against the trial. If there were others of that mind, they had clearly decided to hold their tongues.

"In the film I followed him outside. Through the doors of the chamber I saw a very large courtyard, where a number of servants were up and about. In the middle of the yard they had lit a fire, and some were warming themselves round it. Joseph went over to a narrow doorway, where a servant girl stood. She lifted the wooden bar that secured the door, and pulled it wide open to allow him out into the street of the city.

"Perhaps this would be a good place to stop again, Steve."

"Thank you Shiraz. You have been able to fill in a whole sequence that remained unknown to us from the records. I'm not at all surprised to learn of the conversations that took place before Yeshua arrived, but you have been able to add colour and meaning to the night's activities."

"Does your record have anything to say about these three men, Joseph from Arimathea, Nicodemus, and Saul from Tarsus?"

"Oh yes. All of them are mentioned. The last one, Saul, occupies a very large place in the New Testament records."

"He was a very arrogant, self-opinionated young man. He looked younger than the average age of the other council members, but was the most vocal."

"Yes, I'm not surprised, but I'll say no more just now. After you've finished your 'de-briefing' I'd like you to read the New Testament. I think you'll be in for quite a shock when you read about Saul’s subsequent career!"

"I'm quite sure he will, too," said Janet, smiling.

"O.K. - - I'll look forward to that. - - But can you tell me a bit more about the council members. Who were they? I mean, I assume that quite a number of them were priests, by their clothing, but the rest?"

"The council was called the Sanhedrin, and in any plenary session there would be seventy one members present."

"That's what I thought Steve! I estimated there were about seventy men present. They were seated on two sides of the chamber, and the High Priest and Hanan were at the far end in the middle. The centre of the chamber floor was left clear."

"Right. - - Well, as you say, there would have been a good number of the priestly class present, many of them would have been Pharisees, but at that time the council was dominated by another, somewhat smaller, group called Sadducees, headed up by Hanan (the one our Bible calls Annas) and Caiaphas. The Pharisees were so named because of the Hebrew word Paresh, meaning 'separate'. They literally separated themselves from the common folk, imagining themselves to be especially holy in the sight of God. The Sadducees were equally 'separated', but named themselves after their founder, Zadok the Priest, in King David's day. But in Yeshua's day the Sadducees had become a class of their own by virtue of their creed, which disbelieved in angels, and spirits, and resurrection from the dead.

"And then you saw another class of men having a distinguishing uniform, and I think these must have been the Scribes, men whose most important function was to copy the ancient writings, making new scrolls. This was a tedious and very time-consuming task, which had to be done under the closest scrutiny against the inclusion of error. Being men who had therefore read the Scriptures that closely, they were always being called for whenever a point of law was being raised.

"Finally, you saw an assortment of variously-dressed men, who I imagine were the Elders, men of rank and position from the secular arm of society. These three groups made up the entire composition of the Sanhedrin. Also, to become a member one usually had to be a man of substance. Poverty was not found in their midst."

"Thanks Steve. It seems you have done your homework."

"Most of the information is to be found in encyclopaedias dealing with the history of the times. I hope it's helped you."

"Oh boy, yes, it has. It seems I've helped you fill in some missing gaps in your knowledge, and you've done the same for me."

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Shiraz continued his tale.

"I saw Joseph from Arimathea leave the council chamber of the Sanhedrin, and go out into the streets of Jerusalem. Before following his progress, I was taken back inside again, where I watched Saul from Tarsus standing talking to the High Priest, after which he walked outside into the large courtyard.

"Caiaphas then addressed one of the most senior of the Pharisees. 'Rabban Gamaliel, Saul from Tarsus has been your pupil for several years. Are you sure he is equipped to deal with the trial and the witnesses? To act as the prosecutor?'

'Yes, - - but I know what you are thinking, Caiaphas. I admit that he is somewhat hot-headed. You have already seen him perform this night. But even if he is a little over-zealous of the law, a trait that many of our members would not consider a negative influence, I can vouch for him that he has a brilliant mind, a quick-thinking brain, and he will not let you down. In due course, with increasing years, undoubtedly he will mellow. Yes, I am convinced you have the right man for the task.'

'That is good. I understand he is even now preparing his witnesses.'

'Joseph my son, I would ask somewhat of you,' said Hanan. 'As the president of the council, I wish to interview the prisoner alone in my chamber, before he appears before the full council.'

'Even as you say, father. But remember, time is short. We must complete our case before cockcrow.'

"Just then, another messenger appeared, saying that the prisoner was being delivered at the gate. My vision was then diverted there, where I saw Yeshua, hands still bound behind his back, entering the courtyard with Malchus and Joseph of Arimathea. A number of other servants of the priests then followed through, and I saw a man's face look round the door before it was finally shut. It was a face that I remembered from the Garden of Gethsemane. It was Peter, who cut off Malchus's ear.

"Zooming up to where Yeshua stood in the courtyard, I heard Joseph speaking to him at the moment when Malchus left them to speak to Caiaphas.

'Master, all is not well. They seek your life.'

'Fear not, my son, the will of my Father must be done. I have kept his commands until now, and I will continue to do so until the end.'

'I will do whatever I can at the trial.'

'You will be as a lone voice. They will be at your throat. This is the hour of darkness, when no man can work. But see, there is one outside the door who wants to be here. Attend rather to him.'

"At that point, Malchus returned, and called to his brother who had also been in the arresting party.

'Benjamin, lead the prisoner into Hanan's chamber. I will follow you with Saul.'

"And so Yeshua was led into a much smaller room, where two oil lamps flickered on opposite walls, and Hanan was seated behind a table.

'And so we meet at last,' said Hanan, as the prisoner was made to stand before the table. 'You are the one who upset the tables and caused an ugly scene in the Temple the other day. They were my tables. And they were my men who worked there. All that happens inside the Temple enclosures is under my care. But you have sought to desecrate the house of God. What have you to say?'

'Have you not heard already? As I said to the crowds, my Father's house is a house of prayer for all nations. You have made it into a den of thieves. And you, Hanan, are the greatest thief of all, for you place all the profits from the money-changers in your own purse.'

"I saw Hanan's cold face take on an ugly determined look, almost as though he could have torn Yeshua's eyes out.

'You stand there bound, and dare to answer me in that fashion?'

'I have spoken openly throughout my ministry. All has been done in the open. I have declared my Father's will in the synagogues and the Temple. Nothing has been done in a corner. Ask the people who have heard me. They will testify to what I say.'

"Saul became exceedingly angry, and walked over to the prisoner and slapped him round the face, hard enough almost to knock him off balance. He struggled to remain standing, but having his hands tied it was impossible. He was caught by Malchus and Benjamin, and returned to his place before Hanan.

'How dare you speak to the senior Chief Priest and President of the Council like that,' exploded Saul.

'If I have spoken evil, find witnesses. But if I have spoken the truth, why do you strike me?'

'Enough! Enough!' said Hanan. 'I will not hear any more. Take him into the council.'

"Yeshua was led through into the large chamber, where his presence caused an immediate murmuring throughout the Sanhedrin. He was brought into the centre of the large room, adequately lit by dozens of flaring lamps round the walls, and made to stand facing Caiaphas, and Hanan, who had rejoined him. Outside in the courtyard a large log fire was still burning, and because the main door was left open, the light from the fire shone on Yeshua's back, and the flickering of the flames caused the High Priest to imagine he was on fire.

"Caiaphas asked Saul to prepare his first witnesses, and whilst he was gone, the High Priest addressed Yeshua.

'Yeshua from Nazareth, you have been brought here tonight on many serious charges against the Mosaic Law. Some of these charges carry the death sentence. Before the first witness is brought in, do you have anything to say?'

"There was absolute silence as everyone waited for him to answer, but he never said one word. He stood there, and as I looked into his face there was undoubted majesty in his eyes, and a composure, - - not a resignation, but composure. The silence was broken by the appearance of Saul followed by an ordinary-looking citizen of Jerusalem, an artisan type, looking inferior by being surrounded by so much sartorial splendour.

'Master Caiaphas, my first witness wishes to address the council. He is Simeon ben Yoseph, a baker.'

'Come forth, Simeon. Have no fear. Tell us plainly what you know about the prisoner standing in our midst.'

"Master, I'm a baker, and I travel about the city delivering my bread, and I have often seen this man. And wherever he goes, he stirs up trouble. Some follow him, and others dislike him. Before long the Romans will cause another bloody massacre if the trouble isn't stopped.'

'I agree with you Simeon, but your testimony must be corroborated by another witness. You understand our law?'

'Yes Master Caiaphas.'

'Then stand aside over there,' he said, pointing to a place to the right of the High Priest. Saul then brought the other witness in.

'Master Caiaphas, this is Judah ben Husham, who operates a camel caravan from Galilee up to our city.'

'Judah, you see the prisoner standing there?'

'Yes, Master Caiaphas. He is Yeshua ben Yoseph from Nazareth.'

'Right. Now, in your travels have you found this man inciting the crowds, and causing disturbances?'

'Only once, Master Caiaphas. That was here in Jerusalem. At all other times he has gathered crowds of people around him, who seem intent on making him king.'

"At this point Caiaphas looked at Hanan, and they were both angry."

'Saul, take these men away. Their testimony is not in agreement. Bring other witnesses.'

"Saul looked uneasy for the first time that night. But he hurried out to the courtyard and brought in another local man.

'Master Caiaphas, this is Yacob the Keriothite whose brother stands here.'

'Ah yes, brother to Judah Ish Kerioth who helped us bring this man to trial. Jacob, do you know this man, the prisoner?'

'Yes, Master Caiaphas. My brother was a disciple of this man until he learned that he was a fraud.'

'Explain yourself.'

'My brother was convinced three years ago that Yeshua was the true Meshiach, so he joined up with the other disciples. But he did many things which are against our laws, so he must have been a fraud.'

'Yes, but you are here to witness yourself. Your brother will be able to speak in one moment.'

'Master Caiaphas, I have followed them around, because my brother was involved, and I saw on many occasions that Yeshua broke the law of the Sabbath day.'

'Ah, now that is very important. Do you know what Moses wrote in the Torah about those who break the Sabbath?'

'Yes Master, like the man who picked up sticks, he had to be stoned to death.'

'Good man. That shows you have been listening well to your Rabbi. This is a serious matter, and I would now like to speak to your brother. Stand over there with the other witnesses,'

"Judah Ish Kerioth came forward. He looked very uneasy, and kept on glancing sideways at Yeshua, and well he might, having betrayed him by a kiss. I wonder whether Yeshua knew he had a fifth columnist in his midst."

'Now Judah, you have been travelling with this man for three years. Is that right?'

'Yes, Master Caiaphas.'

'And your brother tells the council you have witnessed Yeshua break the Sabbath many times. Is that so?'

"He didn't answer immediately, and looked guilty. He turned aside and looked at Yeshua, who turned and gave him a look sufficient to wither the strongest of men. Judah's answer came eventually as a compromise.

'Master Caiaphas - - Master Caiaphas, - -' and he coughed.

'What is the matter with you, man? Just answer the question.'

'I - I have seen him break the Sabbath as the Pharisees define the law, but not as Moses wrote it in the Torah.'

'What do you mean by that, you impudent son of Belial. You are not here to impute illegality to the Sanhedrin. Take him away, Saul. All this contradictory testimony is not getting us anywhere. There, man, over there, stand there with the others. That's right.'

"Judah looked as though he could have run a mile. Clearly he was having second thoughts about what he'd done, and no small wonder after all that I had already observed about Yeshua's character. And I'd only seen a few life-snatches. However, Saul went to find his next witness."

'Master Caiaphas, I now present Lebbeus bar Mahali, who lives in the Judaean hill country. He is an assistant to his local tax collector.'

'Lebbeus, do you recognise the prisoner standing here?'

'Yes, Master Caiaphas. He is Yeshua from Galilee. He has passed through my part of the country on many occasions. I know, because he always has such a crowd following him.'

'And what do you want to testify about him?'

'I heard him tell people that they should not pay their taxes. I think he imagines himself to be a king, come to redeem us from the Roman yoke.'

'Would to God he were, Lebbeus, but a man who advocates lawlessness is not likely to release anyone. He is more likely to put us all in prison. . . .Saul, do you have another witness to this event?'

'Yes, Master Caiaphas. Here is Malachi Ben Hur, who also has duties as a tax collector. His home town is in Galilee.'

'Now Malachi, have you seen the accused man before?'

'Yes, Master Caiaphas. His hometown is in Galilee. I have known him for many years.'

'And what do you have to say about this charge of fraud? Have you heard him say we should not pay our taxes?'

'Yes, I have.'

"There was a murmur throughout the whole council, as they thought they had at last obtained two witnesses who agreed."

'Tell us about the occasion.'

'A crowd of people had gathered, and two Pharisees approached and asked Yeshua about the question of taxes, and he asked someone for a coin. They gave him a denarius, and he looked at it, and turned it over in his hands. Then he said, 'Whose likeness is here represented?' And the Pharisees readily admitted it was Caesar. Then Yeshua said, 'Give to Caesar those things that are his, and to God those things that belong to him.''

"The council groaned. The man thought he had said something else, but clearly he didn't understand."

'Saul, take this man away. He has no corroborative evidence.'

'Master, I still have other witnesses.'

'Then bring them forth, Saul. And try to find two that agree. I am losing my patience.'