By Rachel Boxer
It was a good death, as deaths go. And I鈥檝e seen my fair share, believe me! We, the Romans, that is, have mastered the art of death as a spectator sport鈥nd we鈥檇 saved our best for him鈥he one they called Jesus.
Crucifixion, that鈥檚 the way! A slow, lingering, painful death, sure to bring the crowds thronging! We love a good crucifixion, us Romans鈥eserve it for the most vicious criminals only. Serves as a kind of warning to those watching what happens if you mess with the Roman Empire.
I suppose that鈥檚 one of the things that puzzled me about this Jesus. He didn鈥檛 seem to be the usual choice. But when the people were offered an alternative - Barabbas, his name was - they bayed for this Jesus鈥檚 blood instead. And so Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea at the time, had no choice but to release the murderer, Barabbas, and hand over this Jesus. Hand him over to be crucified that is. It didn鈥檛 seem right鈥
I was on duty that day - and it鈥檚 one I鈥檝e never forgotten. Not likely to either鈥
Jesus had already been mocked and humiliated in front of our whole company of soldiers. Throughout it all, he said nothing - not a word! That puzzled me too.
We stripped him and dressed him in a scarlet robe; made him a crown out of the thorn bushes鈥nd put a staff in his right hand. 鈥楬ail! King of the Jews!鈥 we mocked, and pretended to bow before him. Knowing what I know now鈥ell, let鈥檚 say I wouldn鈥檛 have done鈥nd leave it at that, eh?
It was just the beginning of the journey that day鈥
Out in the streets, they grabbed a man from the crowds and gave him the job of carrying the heavy, wooden cross through the streets and up towards the hill they called Golgotha, the Skull. There, we offered Jesus bitter wine to drink, just in case he was thirsty, but he only took a mouthful鈥
And then the deed was done. He was nailed to that cross, high above the heads of the onlookers鈥ith a notice above his head proclaiming 鈥楾his is Jesus, the King of the Jews.鈥
We sat at the foot of the cross, as was our habit, and threw dice to decide who got which bit of his clothes. As usual, I won nothing and although I would never admit it to anyone, I was glad鈥ecause I was beginning to want the whole thing over with. Didn鈥檛 seem to me like we were dealing with the right man鈥
There were two others crucified with him that day - one on his right and one on his left. Some of the passers-by flung insults at him and jeered. 鈥榊ou said you were the Son of God! Get yourself down from there and we鈥檒l believe you!鈥 That kind of thing. But still Jesus said nothing.
The other two made up for it though - they were shouting, calling out in pain those two villains were. And then one of them started hurling insults at Jesus as well鈥ntil the other butted in: 鈥楧on鈥檛 you fear God at all?鈥 he said. 鈥榃e are punished for the crimes we have committed鈥ut this man has done nothing wrong.鈥 And then he turned to Jesus and said: 鈥楻emember me when you come into your kingdom.鈥
Then Jesus spoke his first words鈥trange words they were: 鈥楾ruly, I tell you - today you will be with me in paradise.鈥
Who was this man?
After that, something happened that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end鈥
It was just before midday. I know, because the sun was high in the sky. As if night was falling, the sky grew black鈥n the middle of the day! It stayed that way for hours. Then Jesus spoke his final words, crying out in a loud voice that echoed across the darkness: 鈥楩ather - into your hands I commit my spirit.鈥
And then it was over - no need for us to do any more鈥
At that very moment there was another eerie sound as the earth trembled in response, rocks splitting and cracking鈥n earthquake rippling out across the city. People later reported all sorts of weird things happening鈥eople being raised from the dead鈥hat kind of thing鈥
I鈥檇 seen enough. I couldn鈥檛 help myself. I fell to my knees at the foot of his cross, overcome鈥 mixture of shame and grief. Before I could stop myself, I was saying something鈥aying it out loud: 鈥楽urely this man was the Son of God!鈥
My part in this death was over, except for the paperwork, as they say! I was summoned as chief witness before Governor Pilate to confirm that Jesus was dead - which he was, believe me, 鈥榗os no-one survives a Roman crucifixion, we make sure of that!
Strangely, I still hold by what I said that day, as I trembled at the foot of his cross. 鈥楽urely this man was the Son of God.鈥 In fact, considering what鈥檚 happened since, I鈥檓 even more sure of it than I was then, but that鈥檚 another story for another day.
Duty calls. You don鈥檛 want me punished for deserting my post do you?!
Salvete!
At the foot of the cross
by Rachel Boxer
It was a good death, as deaths go. And I鈥檝e seen my fair share, believe me! We, the Romans, that is, have mastered the art of death as a spectator sport鈥nd we鈥檇 saved our best for him鈥he one they called Jesus.
Crucifixion, that鈥檚 the way! A slow, lingering, painful death, sure to bring the crowds thronging! We love a good crucifixion, us Romans鈥eserve it for the most vicious criminals only. Serves as a kind of warning to those watching what happens if you mess with the Roman Empire.
I suppose that鈥檚 one of the things that puzzled me about this Jesus. He didn鈥檛 seem to be the usual choice. But when the people were offered an alternative - Barabbas, his name was - they bayed for this Jesus鈥檚 blood instead. And so Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea at the time, had no choice but to release the murderer, Barabbas, and hand over this Jesus. Hand him over to be crucified that is. It didn鈥檛 seem right鈥
I was on duty that day - and it鈥檚 one I鈥檝e never forgotten. Not likely to either鈥
Jesus had already been mocked and humiliated in front of our whole company of soldiers. Throughout it all, he said nothing - not a word! That puzzled me too.
We stripped him and dressed him in a scarlet robe; made him a crown out of the thorn bushes鈥nd put a staff in his right hand. 鈥楬ail! King of the Jews!鈥 we mocked, and pretended to bow before him. Knowing what I know now鈥ell, let鈥檚 say I wouldn鈥檛 have done鈥nd leave it at that, eh?
It was just the beginning of the journey that day鈥
Out in the streets, they grabbed a man from the crowds and gave him the job of carrying the heavy, wooden cross through the streets and up towards the hill they called Golgotha, the Skull. There, we offered Jesus bitter wine to drink, just in case he was thirsty, but he only took a mouthful鈥
And then the deed was done. He was nailed to that cross, high above the heads of the onlookers鈥ith a notice above his head proclaiming 鈥楾his is Jesus, the King of the Jews.鈥
We sat at the foot of the cross, as was our habit, and threw dice to decide who got which bit of his clothes. As usual, I won nothing and although I would never admit it to anyone, I was glad鈥ecause I was beginning to want the whole thing over with. Didn鈥檛 seem to me like we were dealing with the right man鈥
There were two others crucified with him that day - one on his right and one on his left. Some of the passers-by flung insults at him and jeered. 鈥榊ou said you were the Son of God! Get yourself down from there and we鈥檒l believe you!鈥 That kind of thing. But still Jesus said nothing.
The other two made up for it though - they were shouting, calling out in pain those two villains were. And then one of them started hurling insults at Jesus as well鈥ntil the other butted in: 鈥楧on鈥檛 you fear God at all?鈥 he said. 鈥榃e are punished for the crimes we have committed鈥ut this man has done nothing wrong.鈥 And then he turned to Jesus and said: 鈥楻emember me when you come into your kingdom.鈥
Then Jesus spoke his first words鈥trange words they were: 鈥楾ruly, I tell you - today you will be with me in paradise.鈥
Who was this man?
After that, something happened that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end鈥
It was just before midday. I know, because the sun was high in the sky. As if night was falling, the sky grew black鈥n the middle of the day! It stayed that way for hours. Then Jesus spoke his final words, crying out in a loud voice that echoed across the darkness: 鈥楩ather - into your hands I commit my spirit.鈥
And then it was over - no need for us to do any more鈥
At that very moment there was another eerie sound as the earth trembled in response, rocks splitting and cracking鈥n earthquake rippling out across the city. People later reported all sorts of weird things happening鈥eople being raised from the dead鈥hat kind of thing鈥
I鈥檇 seen enough. I couldn鈥檛 help myself. I fell to my knees at the foot of his cross, overcome鈥 mixture of shame and grief. Before I could stop myself, I was saying something鈥aying it out loud: 鈥楽urely this man was the Son of God!鈥
My part in this death was over, except for the paperwork, as they say! I was summoned as chief witness before Governor Pilate to confirm that Jesus was dead - which he was, believe me, 鈥榗os no-one survives a Roman crucifixion, we make sure of that!
Strangely, I still hold by what I said that day, as I trembled at the foot of his cross. 鈥楽urely this man was the Son of God.鈥 In fact, considering what鈥檚 happened since, I鈥檓 even more sure of it than I was then, but that鈥檚 another story for another day.
Duty calls. You don鈥檛 want me punished for deserting my post do you?!
Salvete!
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