News Article On The Crucificion

During my third year in college I made a discovery in an English library.

I was looking for a book to explain Dun Scotus to me. After failing to find it, the librarian told me the book was downstairs "in the stacks". I went downstairs and found these giant shelves that could be moved by turning vault-shaped wheels.

The books were not arranged alphabetically.

While looking through a certain row of books I accidentally backed up against a manuscript that fell right off the shelf. A student walked by and said, "Americans ..." And looked up at the ceiling.

While picking up the manuscript I saw that it was actually a newspaper from mid-first century Palestine.

After reading the article I thought to myself how strangely it resembled articles of our day and age. It almost sounded like it was written by someone from the Associated Press!

The Bodlian library didn't let me borrow the book, so I had to make some clumsy xeroxes, but I have preserved the words in the exact translation I found them.

Execution May Signify Political Changes!
by Alexander Bar-Judas

City of David, Palestine.

This last Friday a Jew was executed in the tumultuous region of Palestine, which has grown deeply concerned with its foreign occupation.

So deeply, in fact, that as many as 60% of the population disapproves of it.

Historically, many in the land have been said to be the Messiah. Some say such a descendent of King David will deliver the people from Roman authority.

Many experts suggest this execution was different.

During the trials which condemned the accused man, the Judge, Pontius Pilate, asked the public if they would prefer to release Barrabas -a notorious criminal. This proved to be a suggestion that was utterly rejected by the crowd, and the accused man was soon crucified.

While this may seem trifling to many, experts note that Pontius Pilate was influenced -and finally gave into- the will of the public.

A growing school of scholars have identified similarities between a succcessful, prospering government and the way it follows popular opinion. These scholars have suggested that once a government follows the public it will prosper.

Although the death of this Jew will clearly be forgotten by the beginning of next week, he may well have played a part in shaping history. Perhaps the occasion of his death will introduce a magnificent change in government where everything will be done in a socially acceptable manner.

Of course his disciples saw things in different terms.

One of his followers, when asked about the political implications of the Jew's execution, replied cryptically, "This man will never be your king until you have personally allowed him to be your king."

Although this man called Jesus will likely be considered a failure by the few who remember him, his message did seem to have a certain value in one sense:

The condemned man seemed to distrust earthly alliances and political associations -a move that many clearly recognize now to be a mistake- but he was said to teach about love and being a servant.

He was known to speak on behalf of criminals -and in one case- a woman who was caught in the act of adultery.

Although people had found this to be offensive against what they considered to be the Law of Moses, historians will most likely recognize him as a progressive thinker far ahead of his time -looking forward to the day when people would be able to look past their feelings of guilt and shame.

Some had put their hopes on Him to deliver them from their sin, but perhaps there is also room to consider his fight against intolerance, unsocial behavior, governments which expect the people to obey them, neglecting inalienable rights, and poor tax codes.

Perhaps the governing priest, Caiaphas, was correct about him. Because the Romans hated uprisings, perhaps it was better for him to die so that the public could go on. After all ... he was just one man.

I found the article shocking because I don't really think of Jesus as a political figure. In fact, it sort of seemed like maybe he was ... I don't know ... misunderstood?

Like people wanted to make him some kind of a ruler or something?

But they didn't want him to rule over their own lives personally?

Well, one never knows what will turn up in a dusty library basement anyway. I hope you didn't find the article as confusing as I did.