The busy streets of Jerusalem provided David with a series of excellent hiding spots as he chased after Tom and Tarsus, who were now headed for the upper city. David was happy to see that the upper city was busy as well. He moved from building to building, staying in the shadows and acting as inconspicuous as possible. Tom had no idea he was being followed.
David watched as Tom and Tarsus entered an extravagant building, which David recognized as one of the Pharisee meeting places. It was bright white and smooth with columns on either side of the thick, solid oak door. This was truly the Beverly Hills of ancient Israel. David scanned the front of the building and noticed a walkway around the second floor, which he thought must look down upon an open atrium. He knew this would be his only chance to find out what was going on behind that door.
After leaning out from his hiding place behind a well-groomed donkey, David searched the road for prying eyes and found none. The streets this far into the upper city were almost always quiet save for the occasional heated debate. But right now, the streets were empty, which suited David’s plans perfectly. He bolted across the road and hid behind a Roman-made statue of Julius Caesar, meant to remind even the rich who was in charge of their lives. Behind the statue, a tall wall decorated with an elaborate and colorful mosaic of Moses studying the law rose to about four feet below the second floor walkway. David grabbed hold of Caesar’s solid forearm, planted a foot on the figure’s backside and heaved himself up, praying the statue would hold his weight. Should he tip it over and be caught, it would surely cost him his life. David leaned over with both hands and grabbed the top of the wall, his feet firmly planted on the statue’s buttocks.
Just then, the front door of the building swung open and two voices spilled out into the street. Two servants exited and headed toward the lower city, both grumbling about their masters. One of the servants laughed and looked back toward the building. He stopped and grabbed the other man’s arm. David had been spotted!
David stared at the men as he hung between the statue and the wall. They looked at him, studied his face, his clothes. David didn’t know what to do. His mind raced and no feasible solution came to mind. He did the only thing he could think to do. To David’s surprise, the two servants returned his smile, nodded to him in approval and then they turned and left without a word. David sighed, thanking God that these men had as much contempt for their masters as he did.
With a burst of energy gained by the adrenaline that surged through his body as he was caught in the act, David pushed off the statue and pulled himself up onto the wall. From there it was a quick jump and heave over the walkway’s railing. David lay on his belly and slid across the floor to an open window from which he could hear voices. He poked his head around the corner and looked into the wide-open room. There were ten Pharisees sitting around Tom, who had the center stage. David recognized several of the Pharisees: Silas, Simeon, Gamaliel and Tarsus-all had confronted Jesus at one time or another over the past years. And the man Tom was standing in front of…that was Caiaphas, the high priest. David knew this was no ordinary meeting.
Tom felt as uncomfortable with these men as he did at LightTech black tie events where he was required to shmooze with investors. It was true that Tom made as much money in a year as most men in a lifetime, but he preferred to live like the average guy. These were the kind of men who loved their money and had no qualms over showing it. But they were a means to an end. Tom was sure they could help discredit Jesus. Tom remained silent as Tarsus finished up his tale of Lazarus being brought back from the dead.
“He did what?” Caiaphas asked.
“Raised him from the dead!” Tarsus replied insistently.
Caiaphas looked at Tom. “And you witnessed this as well?”
“Yes,” said Tom, though he did not believe Jesus had really brought Lazarus from the dead. But that’s what Jesus wanted people to believe, so that’s what he’d get.
“How?” Caiaphas asked.
“He had the stone removed from the grave by some of his disciples. He simply yelled the man’s name and commanded him to come out,” Tarsus explained.
Caiaphas leaned back and addressed Tom again. “And you, his…disciple… Why have you come to tell us this?”
“It is true that I am called a disciple of Jesus. But he gave me the title against my will. I do not believe what he teaches. I do not believe he is God or what he does is from God. Truly, I am not his disciple.”
Caiaphas was very pleased with Tom’s answer. “I see…and would you work to prove such things to be false? Would you work to undo what Jesus has done?”
“That’s why I’m here,” Tom replied.
“Can you confirm some items for us then?” Caiaphas asked, eager to get on with the questioning.
“Certainly,” Tom replied.
“Does Jesus claim to be one and the same as God the Father?”
“Yes.”
“Does he claim to heal the sick and lame with power bestowed upon him by the Father, even on the Sabbath?”
“Yes.”
“Does he speak openly against us, the teachers of the divine law of Moses?”
“Yes.”
“You see! It’s as I told you. Jesus does such things while claiming to be God the Father!” Tarsus said.
David heard every word. He turned away from the window full of rage. He knew if he didn’t leave now he would confront the men and perhaps even be killed for his insolence. David had heard enough. Tom was betraying Jesus. He was betraying David. He was making a lie out of the Bible. David knew now that there were two turncoats in the disciple’s ranks, and Tom was one of them. David climbed back down to the street and walked away, looking at the ground, full of confusion and questions.
The Pharisees grew more excited. “If we let him go on like this everyone will believe in him!” Silas shouted. “The Romans won’t stand for it!”
“I agree,” Simeon said. “They’ll destroy the temple and take our nation from us. We must demand that Jesus stop at once.”
Tom’s eyes bounced from one Pharisee to the next as they eagerly agreed. He stopped on the face of Caiaphas, who cracked a smile, as though he had just had the most wonderful thought. “Do you not realize what an opportunity this presents, for all of us? The death of one man can be the catalyst for something much greater. He will be silenced, permanently, and our nation will become a strong body again as a result,” Caiaphas said.
“With us at its head!” agreed Tarsus happily.
The room was all nods and smiles. “We must be careful in our actions. Only a conviction of crimes punishable by death will serve our cause. Killing him outright will enrage the masses,” Silas said.
Tarsus raised and clenched his fist dramatically, “Then we must turn the masses against him!”
Caiaphas turned to Tom again. “Can we count on your help?”
Tom felt sick to his stomach. This isn’t what he came here to accomplish. “You…you plan to kill him?”
“Of course,” Caiaphas replied.
Tom was terrified. He had handed his friend over to men who would kill him, and yet, if he refused to help now, they might kill him just for knowing. Tom struggled to find words and found only one. “No.”
Caiaphas blinked. “What did you say?”
“No…” Tom said nervously. “I came here to prove Jesus was a fake, a simple street magician, not to plot his death.”
Caiaphas shook his head quickly as though clearing his mind. “You have given testimony to his crimes yourself. You must understand that he-”
“Hasn’t done anything so bad as to deserve a death sentence,” Tom interrupted.
The faces of the Pharisees surrounding Tom grew grim, but Tom forged on, strengthened by the weight of his own guilt. “He’s broken some of your stupid moral laws. He’s said some things that go against what you’ve been taught, but you’re talking about a man who has been my friend regardless of our differences. I will not help you kill him.”