Miracle at Golgotha - Augustus (best short books to read TXT) 📗

here. Understand?”
“Right now?”
“Yes, right now. Here, I have prepared a written request for our property.” The rabbi handed him a rolled parchment tied with a white silk ribbon.
“If I may speak, Rabbi Moshe?”
“Yes, what is it?”
“You told us earlier today that the garments had been stolen. Have they been recovered?”
Rabbi Moshe wrung his hands. “I wish I could say with certainty that our holy vestments were found, but honestly, all I do know is that three burglars were caught tonight trying to enter the temple grounds. Let us pray that the Romans have apprehended the parties responsible for the loss of our garments.”
The news hit Titus hard in the stomach and he felt short of breath. Without a doubt one of the men who’d been caught was his father. He must have gotten impatient, thought Titus, and pushed ahead with his foolish plan to rob the temple.
“Go now,” ordered the rabbi waving them away.
Titus and Simon bowed to the rabbi and rushed out the main entrance to catch up to the screaming mob headed for the home of Pontius Pilate. Maybe his father would be there. Maybe he was still alive.

Chapter 13

Titus and Simon made their way to the front of the mob just as it reached the governor’s palace. The crowd had gotten worked up and they were calling for punishment of the man who claimed to be the Messiah. Titus was surprised when the Roman guards stepped aside to let the temple guards deliver the prisoner to them. However, the bigger surprise was when the Jews stopped at the gate to the palace. The predawn pink in the eastern sky was now visible and the chill in the air made Titus wonder why they weren’t going inside.
“Well, aren’t you going to bring him in?” asked the Roman guard.
One of the temple guards took step toward the Roman. “We cannot enter your grounds, lest we get defiled and not eat the Passover.”
The Roman stared at the Jew for a few seconds and grunted his displeasure. “Very well, remain here.”
Within moments, Pontius Pilate came outside flanked by a multitude of legionnaires and centurions. He studied the prisoner and directed his question at the temple guard. “What accusation do you bring against this man?”
“Well,” began the guard. It was clear he had not contemplated an interrogation by the Roman prefect upon him. “He is a wrongdoer. If he wasn’t, we would not have brought him to you.”
Pilate shook his head. “If you think he did something wrong, then take him and judge him according to your laws.” He glanced at the dark-skinned centurion standing at his side. A huge welt protruded from the side of the centurion's head.
“That makes perfect sense to me. What do you think, Donatus?”
“I fully agree, Master,” answered the centurion.
The ensuing silence was deafening. Titus wondered whether Pilate was waiting for Jesus to speak up or whether he was trying to formulate another question.
Finally, the Jewish temple guard spoke. “It is not lawful for us to kill anyone.”
“Is that right?” asked Pilate in a mocking tone for which he was well known. “Fine, then. Bring him inside,” he said to Donatus, pointing with his chin at the prisoner.
The Jewish part of the crowd remained in the courtyard as Titus and Simon tried their best to blend in with the group of Romans entering the palace gate. They were stopped immediately. Two soldiers drew their swords.
The closest one to Titus pointed the tip of his sword at Titus’ face. “Who are you and what is your business here?”
“I am Titus of Galilee and this is Simon. We came to pick up the holy vestments for the temple.” Titus felt his knees shaking. He could smell the garlic on the man’s breath.
“Who told you we have these vestments?”
“Rabbi Moshe. I mean . . . he was hoping that you had recovered them as we all know they were stolen yesterday.” Then as an afterthought, he added, “And you were successful in capturing the thieves.”
“So we were,” confirmed the soldier. Then he asked Titus a question that left him befuddled. “So how is it that your Jew friends cannot enter the palace grounds but you can. Are you exempt from your own laws?”
Simon tugged at Titus’ tunic. “Maybe we should go back now.”
“Your friend is right, boy. Go back and tell your rabbi we don’t have your garments, though I don’t know for sure,” said the soldier.
If the issue had been only the question of the vestments, Titus might have relented to Simon’s suggestion to leave. However, his father was likely in the building and Titus was determined to enter it. This might be the last time he’d see his father alive. His mind raced to invent an excuse or reason for entering the palace gate.
“I’m not a Jew,” he blurted. He nodded toward Simon. “Neither one of us is.”
“Is that right?” asked the soldier. He tapped a finger to the side of his temple. “Hey, Lucius, let’s do a little exam here,” he said to the second soldier. He lifted Simon’s tunic at the hem as if looking for a mark or hidden weapon. “What did you say was your name and your friend’s name?” he asked, looking at Titus.
“I am Titus of Galilee and my friend is Simon.”
“Alright, Titus of Galilee and Simon. I’ll let you into the palace if you show me in front of this crowd that you’re not Jewish.”
“How do you mean, show you?” asked Simon.
“You know what I’m talking about. Lift up your tunics and untie your undergarments. I want to see your manhood. All Jews are circumcised, right? If you’re telling the truth, then it will be quite obvious to everyone.”
Titus looked at Simon wondering whether Simon had been circumcised. Though the two of them had received religious training from the rabbi, Titus had never discussed religion with his best friend.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s get on with it,” barked the soldier.
The Jewish crowd fell silent waiting to see whether the boys would comply with the soldier’s request. Titus was first. He turned away from the crowd and faced the Roman soldiers. He lifted his tunic in the front then untied his undergarments. Simon copied Titus’ actions. The women in the crowd covered their eyes.
“Ooo wee! Would you look at that, Lucius? This boy is still intact, just the way he was on the day he was born.” The two soldiers laughed heartily before they regained their decorum. “And you, Simon, show us your wares.”
Beads of sweat had formed on Simon’s forehead. He looked at Titus as if pleading forgiveness. “I’m sorry, Titus. I should have told you. I was circumcised right after my family arrived here from Galilee.”
“I knew I smelled a Jew!” mocked the soldier. “Alright then, you can go inside, boy. Stay in the hallways and outside of the private rooms. Your friend Simon cannot set foot inside these walls.”
“Of course, I will do that. Thank you,” said Titus as he hurried through the palace gate, retying his undergarments and smoothing out the wrinkles in his tunic. Titus tapped the outside of his tunic on his chest. The rabbi’s document was still there.

Chapter 14

Titus listened for the loudest voices and walked toward them. He did as instructed by the soldier and remained in the corridors. He came to a large opening in an interior wall. He peered in and saw a rectangular room. Five stairs at one end led to a raised level where Pontius Pilate sat on a throne-like oversized chair. He was flanked by his usual set of guards and counselors. Jesus was kneeling before the Prefect. His hands were bound and he looked fatigued and saddened.
Pilate studied the Galilean Teacher. “So you’re the troublemaker we’ve been hearing about.”
If that was supposed to elicit a response, it didn’t work. Titus slid down against the wall of the door. A Roman soldier glanced at him but appeared not to care as much about Titus as the interrogation of Jesus. He turned his attention back to the Teacher.
“Are you king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “What did you do to make your fellow Jews hate you so much?”
“My kingdom is not of this earth,” answered Jesus. His answer reminded Titus of his mothers observation when she said Jesus was going to an other-worldly place. “That is why my followers did not fight my deliverance to the Jews.”
“Oh, so you are a king?”
Jesus lifted his head and Titus thought he detected a mild shrug. “You say that I am a king.”
“Well, I don’t what the truth is,” said Pilate. “I do know that we caught three of your followers trying to incite a riot. They were spreading lies and seditious talk amongst the Jews and Gentiles about a new king in their midst and they even had holy garments to prove his existence. Do you know anything about that?”
Jesus shook his head.
Titus’ heart sank and he felt his breath become labored. Without a doubt, Pilate’s men had captured his father, as well as Gestas and Barabbas. Titus covered his face and began to weep. Seditious acts and rebellion were enough to receive the death penalty and Titus knew from his experience in Galilee, the Romans would show no mercy.
Just then, the Roman soldier who had seen Titus earlier strolled over to him. “What’s the matter with you?” When Titus didn’t answer, he added, “And what are you doing here?”
Titus rose to his feet and wiped the tears from his face with his forearm. He cleared his throat. “I am here to pick up the holy garments that were stolen and now retrieved.” He reached into this tunic and pulled out the parchment document from Rabbi Moshe. “These are my orders,” he said, handing the order to the soldier.
The soldier unrolled the document and stared at it. He seemed to study it for a few seconds as if he could not focus on the written words. Titus wondered whether the soldier was illiterate. Then the Roman looked at the