91Èȱ¬

First broadcast during Holy Week 2008 on 91Èȱ¬ ONE

As the other Disciples sleep, Judas quietly slips out of the room. Only Jesus is aware of his leaving. As Jesus prepares for another visit to the Temple, Mina, full of apprehension, wants to know if he's ever been arrested. He hasn't.

A nervous Judas is led in to see Caiaphas, who questions him about Jesus. He warns Judas that Jesus may provoke the sort of unrest with his preaching that causes the Romans to intervene, with consequences too disastrous to imagine.

Pilate faces a morning handing out punishment to the city's miscreants. When he receives news of an impending visit from the Prefect of Syria, however, he is instantly on guard. Why does the Prefect, on his way to Rome, want to see Pilate? Claudia is equally put out - given the scarcity of lamb at Passover she'll be forced to venture out into Jerusalem herself to find a decent piece of meat. On the street her entourage sweeps past Jesus. Meanwhile, a bored Pilate sentences the insurgent, Barabbas, to be crucified. And he decides the two murderous thieves, Asher and Eban, should join him.

Jesus is back at the Temple where the merchants watch him warily. He preaches to an ever-increasing number and now his words are ever more provocative. Caiaphas slips in amongst the crowd and hears Jesus mocking the leaders of the Temple, with their focus on style over substance. Later, as they leave, Peter warns Jesus to be more circumspect. One of Caiaphas' spies hears Jesus respond that there will come a time when every stone in the Temple will be torn down.

On their way back to Bethany, Jesus delivers his fateful news to the disciples. He tells them it is his destiny to be arrested, mocked, wounded and killed. But he also tells them that in three days God will raise him back to life. The disciples are utterly confounded; incomprehension gives way to anger. They are unable to grasp the meaning of Jesus' sacrifice. All they can see is that, having given up their lives for him, Jesus is now going to abandon them.

Later, Judas tells Jesus that he's frightened for him and implores him to save himself. Jesus is filled with compassion at the sight of so much inner turmoil. He tells Judas that a man can have many fathers in his life and that Judas must choose to follow only one. His words hit Judas hard and he pulls away.

Caiaphas cannot sleep for agonising over Jesus' words at the Temple. In the small hours of the night he calls a meeting of the Council, alerting them to his conviction that if Jesus continues there will be a riot. The Council accept that Jesus should be arrested, but Caiaphas warns them that once arrested he may have to be put to death if he's not prepared to renounce his words. It's too late for half measures - they risk fomenting the very unrest they are trying to avoid. Joseph of Arimathea is horrified by the course of action Caiaphas is proposing, but Caiaphas insists that he sees no other choice, if the safety of their people is to be preserved.

As the Disciples prepare for Passover, Judas goes to a Temple awash with sacrificial lambs. He is hauled into an interview with Caiaphas, who wants to know exactly where and when Jesus can be found alone. Judas tells him. Caiaphas insists that Judas be there to point him out. For Judas, this is almost too much to bear.