Easter Slave
Created | Updated Apr 9, 2012
The Roman soliders who were assigned to guard
the Jewish King, the one Governor Pilate had crucified,
got one of their slaves to bring them water.
This meant many trips from the garrison well out to
the mount of execution. The slave, known as Lucius, was not happy but had no say in the matter.
On his first trip he looked at the crucified men with contempt.
He could not respect men that were free but still get themselves executed. As he looked on each one with this contempt in his eyes, the man noticed something strange. Two of the men looked back at him
with the hatred he expected. But the third man looked back at him
with pity in his eyes. As Lucius walked back to refill the jug,
he tried to work out this strange reaction. Surelt this was the Jew
that had been handed in for execution. Even his own people hated him so
much and betrayed him to the Romans. The slave had no time for his
Roman owhners, or for any Roman, but he respected their power.
What made it worse was the story from the slave of the Governor.
According to this woman, the Jew had a chance to defend himself. The
Governor gave him every opportunity to refute all the charges brought against him. But he had remained mute like a slave. And thsi slave said
that the Governor was very keen to release him, just to spite the Jewish
leaders. Without any defence though, the Governor had no choice.
So as the slave trudged back to his masters, he wonded what was
the story behind this strange Jew. As he gave his masters the water
jug, the slave stole a glance up at the crucified Jew. He was shocked when the Jew looked back at him. He could not mistake that look in his eyes. The Jew was looking at him like a brother and not a slave. The slave remembered that look on his own brothers face just before he died at the hands of the Roman legionary soliders. Now this Jew was dying
and in great agony. Just like the slave's own brother. The slave and his brother were part of a raiding party that attacked a Roman town in one of the far western Romaqn provinces. Unfortunately for them, a Roman Legion had arrived the day before. The raiding party ran into
thousands of heavily armed Roman soliders. All had been killed or
badly wounded. The Romans had stopped the killing to take the survivors as slave booty.
The slave returned once more to the garrison for more water. He could not get the face of the dying Jew out of his mind. When he returned he heard the Jew scream out something. Soon after he watched a s the Jew breathed his last. Having seen death close up most of his life, the slave recognised the signs. He said a prayer to his Gods.
Then he went back to the garrison.
On the morning of the following Sunday, the slave was sent out to his masters who were guarding the tomb of the dead Jew. Religious fanatics were suspected of wanting to steal the man's body. So the slave was scared as he approached the tomb to find the soliders gone and the tomb open. Curiousity got the better of him and he looked inside. Then his life cahnged for ever.
the Jewish King, the one Governor Pilate had crucified,
got one of their slaves to bring them water.
This meant many trips from the garrison well out to
the mount of execution. The slave, known as Lucius, was not happy but had no say in the matter.
On his first trip he looked at the crucified men with contempt.
He could not respect men that were free but still get themselves executed. As he looked on each one with this contempt in his eyes, the man noticed something strange. Two of the men looked back at him
with the hatred he expected. But the third man looked back at him
with pity in his eyes. As Lucius walked back to refill the jug,
he tried to work out this strange reaction. Surelt this was the Jew
that had been handed in for execution. Even his own people hated him so
much and betrayed him to the Romans. The slave had no time for his
Roman owhners, or for any Roman, but he respected their power.
What made it worse was the story from the slave of the Governor.
According to this woman, the Jew had a chance to defend himself. The
Governor gave him every opportunity to refute all the charges brought against him. But he had remained mute like a slave. And thsi slave said
that the Governor was very keen to release him, just to spite the Jewish
leaders. Without any defence though, the Governor had no choice.
So as the slave trudged back to his masters, he wonded what was
the story behind this strange Jew. As he gave his masters the water
jug, the slave stole a glance up at the crucified Jew. He was shocked when the Jew looked back at him. He could not mistake that look in his eyes. The Jew was looking at him like a brother and not a slave. The slave remembered that look on his own brothers face just before he died at the hands of the Roman legionary soliders. Now this Jew was dying
and in great agony. Just like the slave's own brother. The slave and his brother were part of a raiding party that attacked a Roman town in one of the far western Romaqn provinces. Unfortunately for them, a Roman Legion had arrived the day before. The raiding party ran into
thousands of heavily armed Roman soliders. All had been killed or
badly wounded. The Romans had stopped the killing to take the survivors as slave booty.
The slave returned once more to the garrison for more water. He could not get the face of the dying Jew out of his mind. When he returned he heard the Jew scream out something. Soon after he watched a s the Jew breathed his last. Having seen death close up most of his life, the slave recognised the signs. He said a prayer to his Gods.
Then he went back to the garrison.
On the morning of the following Sunday, the slave was sent out to his masters who were guarding the tomb of the dead Jew. Religious fanatics were suspected of wanting to steal the man's body. So the slave was scared as he approached the tomb to find the soliders gone and the tomb open. Curiousity got the better of him and he looked inside. Then his life cahnged for ever.
