91Èȱ¬

First broadcast during Holy Week 2008 on 91Èȱ¬ ONE

It's the beginning of Passover week, and the road to Jerusalem is thronged with pilgrims. Amongst them, Jesus and his followers are preparing to enter the city. His disciples are nervous. Soldiers are everywhere, on the look out for trouble. But Jesus is implacable. He hasn't come to Jerusalem to preach; he's come to turn the world upside down and he will enter through the East Gate riding on a donkey's colt - just as the coming of the Messiah has been prophesied in the scriptures. Despite their anxieties, the disciples are thrilled at the prospect.

Meanwhile inside the city, the streets are bursting with thousands of pilgrims who have descended on Jerusalem for Passover. Two thieves, Asher and Eban, murder a man for his paltry belongings.

Also newly arrived from their home in Caesarea are the Roman Governor, Pilate and his wife, Claudia. Neither of them wants to be there but Pilate knows that if he's to be invited back to Rome he has to keep the Emperor Tiberius sweet, and that means keeping the lid on Jerusalem during Passover. He doesn't trust the Temple Guards, the local police force, and tells his lieutenant to have his men patrolling the hotspots of the city.

The High Priest Caiaphas takes tender leave of his pregnant wife Abigail and their two daughters, and makes his way to the Temple. As he is dressed in his robes, he's briefed on the arrival of the preacher from Galilee. Caiaphas is immediately on his guard when he hears that Jesus has entered through the East Gate on a donkey's colt - he knows his Scriptures and he sees Jesus's arrival as provocative and dangerous at such a tense time.

Jesus's entry into Jerusalem is a triumph. He is hailed by crowds of pilgrims who believe that he may be the Messiah, come to lead them either to victory against the Romans or spiritual salvation. Jesus takes his disciples to the Temple, one of the great wonders of the world; the disciples are filled with awe but a little crestfallen when Jesus doesn't take the Temple by storm. Is that not why they've come? Unseen by the others, Judas is whisked away to meet the Sagan, Caiaphas's Captain of the Temple Guard. The Sagan points out icily that he's paying Judas to keep him informed and so far Judas has given him nothing.

Jesus's tour of Jerusalem next takes in the back alleys where, to the disciples' mortification, Jesus engages the attentions of an attractive prostitute, Mina. Jesus remonstrates with them; these are their sisters. At the cleansing pools, where the sick and the destitute lie neglected and alone, Jesus once again reminds his men that the poor, the sick and the sinful are their brothers and sisters.

Back at the brothel, the thieves Asher and Eban are surprised and arrested by the Sagan and his men for their murder of the pilgrim. They have been betrayed by the brothel's madam.

On their way to spend the night in nearby Bethany, Jesus and the disciples come across the quarry at Golgotha - the site of the city's crucifixions. Jesus looks down on the broken crosses with utter horror. This is a foretaste of what's to come. It's Mina the prostitute who breaks this moment of darkness, as she humbly asks to join his followers. Faith and hope flow back into Jesus as he welcomes her in.