Last Days of Jesus (2017) - full transcript

NARRATOR: FOR
ALMOST 2,000 YEARS,

THE STORY OF THE
LAST DAYS OF JESUS

HAS BEEN CELEBRATED BY
CHRISTIANS THE WORLD OVER.

WOMAN: THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL
THING. JESUS HAS TO DIE.

AAH!

NARRATOR: BUT COULD
THERE BE MORE TO THIS STORY

THAN MEETS THE EYE?

JUDAS!

NARRATOR: A PLOT
TWIST THAT SHEDS

AN EXTRAORDINARY NEW LIGHT

ON JESUS' FINAL DAYS...



[MEN SHOUTING]

MAN: THE STORY OF
THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS

AS PORTRAYED IN THE
GOSPELS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

NARRATOR: AND FEATURING THREE
MEN WHO WOULD CHANGE HISTORY:

THE ROMAN EMPEROR'S
RIGHT-HAND MAN...

MAN: SEJANUS IS THE
ESSENCE OF AMBITION.

NARRATOR: THE JEWISH
GOVERNOR OF GALILEE...

MAN: HEROD ANTIPAS... HE WANTED
TO BECOME KING OF THE JEWS.

NARRATOR: AND JESUS...

[SHOUTING]

WOMAN: I SEE JESUS AS
ENORMOUSLY REVOLUTIONARY.

NARRATOR: WHO WAS CAUGHT
UP IN A POLITICAL POWER PLAY

HATCHED BY TWO OF THE MOST
POWERFUL MEN IN THE ROMAN WORLD.

AAH!



NARRATOR: THE FATEFUL
EVENTS LEADING UP

TO THE DEATH OF JESUS

TELL ONE OF THE MOST
FAMOUS STORIES OF ALL TIME...

KNOWN AS THE PASSION.

IN SPRING 32 A.D.,

A CHARISMATIC PREACHER
NAMED JESUS OF NAZARETH

ENTERS THE ANCIENT
CITY OF JERUSALEM

TO BRING ABOUT A REVOLUTION.

WOMAN: THE FIRST EVENT
IN THE PASSION STORY

IS JESUS' ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

ON THE BACK OF A DONKEY,

SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO
ARE WELCOMING HIM INTO THE CITY.

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

NARRATOR: HAILED AS THE MESSIAH,
JESUS AND HIS BAND OF FOLLOWERS

QUICKLY MAKE THEIR
WAY TO THE TEMPLE,

THE HOLIEST SITE IN JUDAISM...

WHERE THEY CONFRONT
THE MONEY CHANGERS.

AND THERE IS THIS
INCIDENT IN THE TEMPLE.

[SHOUTING]

MAN: HE "CLEANSES" THE TEMPLE,
MEANING HE... HE CREATES TROUBLE.

HE OVERTHROWS TABLES. HE
SHUTS DOWN THE ENTIRE TEMPLE.

BOND: HE SAYS, "MY HOUSE
SHOULD BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,

BUT YOU'VE MADE IT
INTO A DEN OF ROBBERS."

WOMAN: HE'S BASICALLY
ACCUSING THE CHIEF PRIESTS

OF BEING THIEVES AND ROBBERS.

AND THAT'S SUCH A
TERRIBLY PROVOCATIVE THING.

[COINS JINGLING]

NARRATOR: FOR ALMOST 24 HOURS,

JESUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS
SHUT DOWN THE TEMPLE,

OPENLY DEFYING
THE TEMPLE PRIESTS.

TWO DAYS LATER, ON THE EVE OF
THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER,

HE GATHERS HIS
FOLLOWERS FOR A MEAL.

BOND: THE NEXT MAJOR EVENT IS

JESUS' LAST MEAL
WITH HIS DISCIPLES

THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DIES.

AND THERE, HE
TAKES BREAD AND WINE

AND TELLS THEM TO
REMEMBER HIM WHEN HE'S GONE.

MAN: JESUS EATS THE LAST
SUPPER JUST WITH THE DISCIPLES.

AND HE SITS DOWN AND
BEGINS TO TELL THEM

"I'M NOT GOING TO EAT
PASSOVER WITH YOU AFTER ALL."

BOND: THEN ONE OF JESUS'
CLOSEST FOLLOWERS, JUDAS,

WHO'S BEEN WITH HIM
SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING,

BETRAYS HIM WITH A KISS.

NARRATOR: JESUS IS ARRESTED
BY THE TEMPLE'S HIGH PRIEST

AND HANDED TO THE ROMAN
PREFECT, PONTIUS PILATE,

CHARGED WITH TREASON.

HE IS THEN PASSED ON TO THE
JEWISH GOVERNOR OF GALILEE,

HEROD ANTIPAS.

BUT HEROD ANTIPAS IS
UNABLE TO PROVE HIS GUILT

AND SENDS HIM
BACK TO THE PREFECT.

BOND: HE'S PASSED BACK
TO THE ROMAN PREFECT,

PONTIUS PILATE,

WHO OFFERS THE PEOPLE
THE CHOICE TO RELEASE JESUS.

HE SAYS, "SHALL I RELEASE
BARABBAS FOR YOU INSTEAD?"

BUT THE PEOPLE SHOUT
FOR THE DEATH OF JESUS.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING]

TAYLOR: PILATE HANDS JESUS OVER
TO BE FLOGGED BY HIS SOLDIERS.

[WHIP CRACKING]

HE'S SO BEATEN UP...

AND A CROWN OF
THORNS IS PUT ON HIS HEAD

BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE
MAKING FUN OF HIM

AND HIS CLAIM TO
BE KING OF THE JEWS.

BOND: WE'RE TOLD THAT
HE CARRIED HIS CROSS

UP TO A PLACE CALLED GOLGOTHA,

WHERE HE'S CRUCIFIED...

AND FINALLY, AFTER
A SHORT TIME, HE DIES.

[PEOPLE WAILING]

NARRATOR: BUT FOR
ALL ITS FAMILIARITY,

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT
THIS STORY THAT SUGGESTS

THERE MIGHT, PERHAPS,

BE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.

TABOR: WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS' LIFE,

YOU CAN TICK THROUGH
VERY QUICKLY THE EVENTS,

BUT SOME OF THE EVENTS DON'T
SEEM TO REALLY MESH OR ADD UP.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING]

NARRATOR: WHY, WHEN JESUS
CAUSES TROUBLE IN THE TEMPLE

AT A VERY TENSE TIME,

ISN'T HE IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED?

JACOBOVICI: HE'S SHUT THE
HOLIEST PLACE IN JUDAISM DOWN,

AND NO ONE DOES ANYTHING.
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

[SHOUTING CONTINUES]

MAN: AND THE ROMANS ARE
JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY.

NORTHWEST CORNER OF TEMPLE
MOUNT, THERE WERE ROMAN TROOPS,

AND YET, THEY NEVER
INTERVENE. WHY NOT?

[OVERLAPPING CONVERSATIONS]

NARRATOR: AND WHY
IS JESUS BETRAYED

BY HIS OWN DISCIPLE, JUDAS?

[JUDAS SHOUTING]

TABOR: WHEN WE THINK OF JUDAS
ISCARIOT, FOLLOWER OF JESUS,

HE ACTUALLY HAS THE
RESPONSIBLE POSITION

TO RUN THE JESUS
MOVEMENT ECONOMICALLY.

AND HE TURNS... HE TURNS AGAINST
JESUS. WHY WOULD HE DO THIS?

JUDAS!

JACOBOVICI: WHY,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,

FOR 30 PIECES OF SILVER,

THE GUY, JUDAH, WHO'S
IN CHARGE OF THE BANK,

SUDDENLY HE BETRAYS
HIM AND COMMITS SUICIDE?

WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?

NARRATOR: AND WHY DOES PILATE,
A MAN FAMED FOR HIS CRUELTY,

OFFER THE PEOPLE THE CHANCE
TO HAVE JESUS RELEASED?

WILSON: PILATE WAS KNOWN AS A
BRUTAL, RUTHLESS ROMAN RULER,

AND YET, WE SEE HIM IN
THE GOSPELS PORTRAYED

AS WEAK, VACILLATING,

NOT SURE WHICH WAY TO TURN.

TABOR: PONTIUS PILATE SEEMS
LIKE HE ALMOST LIKES JESUS,

KEEPS WANTING TO RELEASE HIM.

WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?

WHY WOULDN'T HE
JUST IMMEDIATELY SAY,

"WHAT, HE CLAIMS TO BE A KING?

THEN WE KILL PEOPLE
THAT CLAIM TO BE KINGS"?

JACOBOVICI: THE STORY
OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS

AS PORTRAYED IN THE
GOSPELS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

NARRATOR: THE CONTRADICTIONS

IN THIS MOST FAMOUS
OF GOSPEL STORIES

HAVE BAFFLED HISTORIANS
FOR GENERATIONS.

TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER

A PORTRAIT OF THE
HISTORICAL JESUS

HAS BAMBOOZLED SCHOLARS
FOR A GOOD 200 YEARS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS
THAT SCHOLARS AGREE ON

IN TERMS OF THE
BASIC FACTS OF HIS LIFE,

AND THEN THERE IS ROOM

FOR A GREAT DEAL OF
ARGUMENT AND SPECULATION.

NARRATOR: ONE PROBLEM IS

THAT ANY REAL EVIDENCE
OF THE LIFE OF JESUS

BEYOND THE GOSPELS IS SKETCHY.

WE KNOW JESUS ACTUALLY EXISTED

BECAUSE HE'S ATTESTED
BY ROMAN HISTORIANS.

IN ROMAN TEXTS, JESUS
IS JUST CALLED CRESTOS.

NARRATOR: BUT NOW
A NEW INTERPRETATION

OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS

IS ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE SOME
OF THE MYSTERIES IN THE GOSPELS,

AND IT INVOLVES EVENTS
FAR AWAY FROM JERUSALEM.

JACOBOVICI: EVERYBODY
LOOKS AT THE...

AT THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS

AS IF IT'S A LOCAL STORY.

IT'S NOT A LOCAL STORY.

NARRATOR: TO MANY,
THIS NEW INTERPRETATION

WILL COME AS A SURPRISE,

AND YET IT DRAWS ON
HISTORICAL SOURCES,

ARCHAEOLOGY,

AND HIDDEN CLUES IN
THE GOSPELS THEMSELVES.

JACOBOVICI: THE STORY
OF JESUS' FINAL DAYS

IS A POLITICAL CHESS
GAME HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.

NARRATOR: THE TRAGIC EVENTS
AT THE CENTER OF THIS NEW THEORY

REVOLVE AROUND THE
INTERWEAVING STORIES OF THREE MEN,

EACH WITH
OVERWHELMING AMBITIONS.

ONE IS VERY
FAMILIAR TO US: JESUS.

THE SECOND IS A MAN
WHO'S FAR LESS WELL-KNOWN:

THE GALILEAN RULER
HEROD ANTIPAS...

WILSON: WE KNOW FROM
THE HISTORICAL RECORDS,

PARTICULARLY NOT
ONLY FROM THE GOSPELS

BUT ALSO FROM JOSEPHUS,

THAT HEROD ANTIPAS,
UM, BORE A GRUDGE.

NARRATOR: WHILE
THE THIRD IS MISSING

FROM THE GOSPELS ALTOGETHER...

AELIUS SEJANUS, A ROMAN GENERAL

WHO CAME WITHIN
TOUCHING DISTANCE

OF BECOMING EMPEROR OF ROME.

SEJANUS, I THINK, IS A TYPE THAT
WOULD BE FAMILIAR TO ANYONE

WHO, UH, LIKES A
GOOD MAFIA FILM.

NARRATOR: TOGETHER,
THEIR STORIES HELP EXPLAIN

THE EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS

OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

OUR STORY BEGINS WITH
JESUS' EARLY CHILDHOOD...

AND A LOOK AT THE
WORLD HE GREW UP IN.

THE GOSPELS TELL US JESUS
SPENT HIS CHILDHOOD IN NAZARETH,

NOT FAR FROM THE SEA OF GALILEE.

[DOG BARKING]

TODAY, NAZARETH IS A BUSTLING
TOWN OF AROUND 75,000 PEOPLE.

BUT 2,000 YEARS AGO, IT WAS JUST
A BACKWATER, A SMALL VILLAGE.

THE JESUS WE THINK WE KNOW

WAS THE POOR SON OF
A HUMBLE CARPENTER,

BUT A RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL
DISCOVERY CHALLENGES THAT VIEW.

THE NAZARETH OF 2,000
YEARS AGO IS MOSTLY GONE,

BUT BURIED BENEATH THIS
ANCIENT CONVENT LIE THE REMAINS

OF AN EXTRAORDINARY
STONE DWELLING

THAT, TO PROFESSOR JAMES TABOR,

SUGGESTS A
REMARKABLE POSSIBILITY.

TABOR: BEHIND ME HERE IS ONE
OF THE MOST FASCINATING SITES

IN THE HOLY LAND.

THESE ARE THE REMAINS
OF A FIRST-CENTURY HOUSE

THAT'S BEEN DATED, I
THINK, FAIRLY RELIABLY,

TO THE TIME OF JESUS.

NARRATOR: TABOR
BELIEVES THAT THIS HOUSE

WAS OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE
TO EARLY CHRISTIANS.

TABOR: ABOVE AND ALL AROUND US,

YOU HAVE CONSTRUCTION
OF BYZANTINE CHURCHES.

THAT'S 4th, 5th CENTURY.

AND THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS
THIS? WHY WOULD IT BE PRESERVED?

WHY WOULD YOU BUILD CHURCHES
OVER THE REMAINS OF A HOUSE

CUT OUT OF THE HILLSIDE HERE?

AND I THINK THE ONLY
LOGICAL EXPLANATION IS

THAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING

THIS COULD VERY WELL BE EITHER
THE HOUSE OF JESUS OR MARY

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S PRESERVED.

NARRATOR: THERE'S NO
HARD EVIDENCE THAT THIS WAS

THE HOME JESUS LIVED IN...

BUT IT CERTAINLY
CHALLENGES THE IDEA

THAT NAZARETH WAS ENTIRELY POOR.

TABOR: ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE A HOUSE MADE OUT OF STONE.

AND SO I THINK, IN THAT SENSE,
IT TELLS US THAT NAZARETH

IS A... A PROSPEROUS PLACE.

THIS IDEA THAT JESUS WAS SO
DIRT POOR AND HE WAS ILLITERATE

AND HE COULD NOT EVEN
HARDLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE A LIVING...

I THINK THAT'S VERY UNLIKELY...
AND HE DOES HAVE A TRADE.

NARRATOR: BUT
WHAT IS THAT TRADE?

IT TURNS OUT THE DESCRIPTION
IN THE GOSPELS ISN'T AS CLEAR-CUT

AS WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE.

JESUS IS REFERRED TO IN
THE GOSPELS AS A "TEKTON,"

OR A CARPENTER OR A
BUILDER, STONEMASON.

HIS FATHER ALSO HAS THIS TRADE.

NARRATOR: 2,000 YEARS
AGO, A TEKTON WAS

JUST AS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN

A BUILDING CONTRACTOR
AS A HUMBLE CARPENTER.

TABOR: SO IF THAT'S THE
CASE THAT HE'S WORKING

IN THE BUILDING TRADES,

I THINK WE CAN ASSUME THAT HE
HAS A MODEST AND REASONABLE

LIVELIHOOD AND WAY OF LIFE.

NARRATOR: BUT RICH OR
POOR, THERE WAS ONE THING

THAT EVERYONE IN ANCIENT
GALILEE HAD IN COMMON...

PAYING TAXES.

BOND: THE AVERAGE
GALILEAN HAD TO PAY

MANY DIFFERENT LAYERS OF TAXES.

THERE WERE RELIGIOUS
TAXES, THE TRANSIT TAXES,

THERE WERE TOLL TAXES.

SO MANY, MANY DIFFERENT
TAX BURDENS ON PEOPLE.

THE JEWISH HISTORIAN
JOSEPHUS TELLS US

THAT TAXES WERE GATHERED

BY MEN CALLED
PUBLICANS, OR TAX FARMERS.

SOME OF THEIR METHODS
OF GATHERING THE TAX

WERE LITTLE MORE THAN
GANGSTERS AND EXTORTION,

AND SO IT'S NOT
AT ALL SURPRISING

THAT MOST ORDINARY PEOPLE
ABSOLUTELY HATED THEM.

NARRATOR: BUT ABOVE
ALL, THIS SORT OF BRUTALITY

WAS A REMINDER THAT NAZARETH,

LIKE EVERY OTHER TOWN
AND VILLAGE IN THE REGION,

WAS RULED BY ROME...

THE WORLD'S ONE AND
ONLY SUPERPOWER,

WITH TERRITORIES RIGHT ACROSS
THE MEDITERRANEAN AND BEYOND.

ROME, WHEN JESUS WAS BORN,

WAS PROBABLY THE GREATEST
POWER ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET.

IT'S BEEN ESTIMATED THAT,
UM, ANYTHING UP TO A QUARTER

OF THE POPULATION OF
THE WORLD AT THE TIME

WAS RULED FROM
THE CITY ON THE TIBER.

NARRATOR: THE WORLD
JESUS GREW UP IN

WAS BUILT BY THE
EMPEROR AUGUSTUS.

MAN: THIS MASSIVE WALL IS

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS.

AND WHAT IT DETAILS IS HIS LIFE,

HIS SUCCESSES
POLITICALLY, MILITARILY.

IT ALSO UNDERLINES
WHAT HE PAID FOR,

WHAT HE BUILT, THE GAMES
THAT HE GAVE TO THE PEOPLE.

HE RESTORED OVER 80 TEMPLES.

HE ALSO CREATED BASILICAS,
ROADS, AND SEWER LINES.

HE REALLY TRANSFORMS
THE CITY INTO SOMETHING NEW.

NARRATOR: BUT WHAT
THIS LIST DOESN'T SAY

IS WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM...

THE TERRITORIES
UNDER ROME'S CONTROL.

ARYA: THERE ARE MANY
DIFFERENT FORMS OF TAXATION

IN THE ROMAN PROVINCES,

AND SOMETIMES IT WAS
DOWNRIGHT OPPRESSIVE.

NARRATOR: AND
ROME'S EASTERN EMPIRE,

INCLUDING JUDEA AND GALILEE,
SUFFERED AS MUCH AS ANYWHERE.

ARYA: RIGHT AROUND
THE BIRTH OF JESUS,

A DELEGATION WAS SENT FROM
JUDEA ALL THE WAY TO ROME

TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW
EXCESSIVE THE TAXES HAD BECOME.

NARRATOR: THOSE WHO FAILED
TO PAY THE CRIPPLING TAXES

DEMANDED BY ROME

FACED THE MOST BRUTAL
PUNISHMENT GOING...

CRUCIFIXION.

[BLEATING]

ARYA: NOW, IN JUDEA,

THE JEWS WOULD STONE PEOPLE
TO DEATH WHEN THEY'RE CONDEMNED.

BUT THE ROMANS, THEY
BRING IN SOMETHING NEW.

THEY BRING IN SOMETHING TOTALLY
ALIEN, AND THAT IS CRUCIFIXION.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC.

UH, NAILS GOING THROUGH
YOUR... YOUR FLESH AND BONE.

THE AGONY, THE SHEER AGONY

OF BEING SUSPENDED
BY YOUR OWN WEIGHT,

AND EVENTUALLY, YOU GIVING IN,

AND YOUR ORGANS
ARE DRAGGED DOWN,

AND YOU'RE GONNA ASPHYXIATE.

IT'S... IT'S GOT TO BE ONE OF
THE MOST HORRIBLE WAYS TO DIE.

THEY COULD EVEN
LEAVE YOUR BODY TO ROT

UNTIL IT'S PICKED
APART BY THE BIRDS.

[SEA GULLS CALLING]

NARRATOR: AS JESUS
WAS GROWING UP,

HE WOULD HAVE WITNESSED
MANY SUCH CRUCIFIXIONS.

BOND: WE KNOW, FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT IN THE REVOLT

AFTER THE DEATH OF
HEROD THE GREAT IN 4 BCE,

THE SYRIAN LEGATE, VARUS,

BROUGHT LEGIONS
DOWN INTO GALILEE

TO QUELL THE TROUBLE,

AND HE CRUCIFIED 2,000
OF THE REBELS AFTER THAT.

NARRATOR: FOR MANY YEARS,
OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CRUCIFIXION

CAME SOLELY FROM
WRITTEN RECORDS.

BUT THEN ARCHAEOLOGISTS
IN JERUSALEM MADE

A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY...

A DISCOVERY WHICH OVERTURNS

MANY OF THE MOST
COMMONLY HELD ASSUMPTIONS

ABOUT THE MEANS OF CRUCIFIXION.

NARRATOR: FOUND ABOUT
A MILE FROM THE SITE

WHERE JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED,

THIS TINY ARTIFACT IS
OF HUGE IMPORTANCE...

AS IT CONTAINS CRUCIAL CLUES

TO HOW CRUCIFIXION MAY HAVE
ACTUALLY BEEN CARRIED OUT.

AND THE FIRST CLUE TO EMERGE

IS THE TYPE OF WOOD
USED IN MANY CRUCIFIXIONS.

NARRATOR: THE NEXT CLUES
COME FROM THE NAIL ITSELF.

[HAMMERING]

NARRATOR: SO JESUS IS BORN

INTO AN ERA WHERE
CRUCIFIXION HAS BEEN PERFECTED.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING]

BOND: CRUCIFIXION WOULD
HAVE BEEN FAIRLY COMMONPLACE

IN FIRST-CENTURY SOCIETY.

IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
UNCOMMON TO SEE PEOPLE

STRUNG UP AT CROSSROADS,
IN PROMINENT PLACES.

AND YOU COULD BE CRUCIFIED

BECAUSE YOU WERE A SLAVE
OR A... A GENERAL ROBBER

WHO HAD SOMEHOW
FALLEN FOUL OF THE LAW.

[SHOUTING CONTINUES]

TABOR: AND SO THIS
WAS A COMMON SCENE.

WHEN JESUS WAS GROWING
UP RIGHT HERE IN THIS REGION,

HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO
WALK BY ON THE WAY TO WORK

OR WHATEVER HE WAS DOING
IN TERMS OF HIS EVERYDAY LIFE

AND MAYBE PASS A ROTTING CORPSE

OF ONE OF HIS FELLOW
JEWISH COUNTRYMEN.

NARRATOR: BUT THE
GREATEST INFLUENCE

ON THE YOUNG JESUS IS RELIGION,

AND THE GOSPELS CONTAIN SEVERAL
CLUES THAT JESUS WAS FAR MORE

THAN AN ILLITERATE
CARPENTER'S SON.

TAYLOR: IN PAUL'S
"LETTER TO THE GALATIANS,"

HE SAYS THAT JESUS WAS
BROUGHT UP "UNDER THE LAW,"

MEANING HE WAS A DESCENDANT
OF DAVID, HE WAS A JEW

AND KEPT JEWISH LAW.

WILSON: WE FIND HIM AT THE
AGE OF 12 IN THE SYNAGOGUE.

THERE HE IS DISCUSSING
THE INTERPRETATION

OF THE JEWISH LAW, THE TORAH.

TAYLOR: SO IN THE
"GOSPEL OF LUKE,"

JESUS TEACHES THE
TEACHERS OF THE LAW

WHEN HE HAS HIS BAR MITZVAH.

NARRATOR: CRUCIALLY, BY THE
TIME JESUS HAD BEGUN TO TEACH,

ANCIENT JUDAISM WAS
IN A STATE OF UPHEAVAL.

THE RELIGIOUS SCENE
IN JUDEA AND GALILEE

IN THE FIRST CENTURY

WAS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED.

THERE WERE ALL SORTS OF
DIFFERENT WAYS OF BEING JEWISH.

[PRAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

THERE WERE COMPETING GROUPS.

IT WAS A VERY DYNAMIC
RELIGIOUS CULTURE.

NARRATOR: AND SITTING ON TOP
OF THIS RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE

WERE THE SADDUCEES.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING]

BOND: THE SADDUCEES
WERE VERY CONSERVATIVE.

THEY TENDED TO BE
WEALTHY ARISTOCRATS,

VERY CLOSELY ALLIED TO
ROME AND ROME'S INTERESTS,

MUCH LESS LIKED BY
THE ORDINARY PEOPLE.

NARRATOR: AND IT WAS
THESE HATED COLLABORATORS,

THE SADDUCEES, WHO
HAD A COMPLETE MONOPOLY

OF JERUSALEM'S HOLY
TEMPLE AND ITS RITUALS.

JACOBOVICI: BEHIND ME IS
THE HOLIEST SITE IN JUDAISM.

IT'S THE WESTERN WALL OF
WHAT USED TO BE THE OUTER WALL

TO THE TEMPLE WHICH STOOD
ABOVE IT, THE... THE HOLY TEMPLE.

AND THIS WAS THE
CENTER OF JUDAISM.

THIS WAS THE HOUSE OF GOD,
WHERE HEAVEN AND EARTH MET.

NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN A THOUSAND YEARS,

YOU'VE GOT A CRISIS,

WHERE THE PEOPLE DO NOT REGARD
THE PRIESTHOOD AS LEGITIMATE.

NARRATOR: NOT FAR
FROM THE WESTERN WALL

ARE SOME FIRST-CENTURY REMAINS
THAT REVEAL THE ENORMOUS GULF

THAT EXISTED BETWEEN
THE PRIESTHOOD

AND THE AVERAGE JUDAEAN.

TABOR: WHERE I'M
STANDING RIGHT NOW,

IT'S 20 FEET BELOW THE
PRESENT SURFACE OF JERUSALEM

INSIDE THE OLD CITY.

AND THIS IS THE BASEMENT AREA

OF A VERY LUXURIOUS
COMPLEX OF MANSIONS

THAT THE HIGH PRIESTS
INHABITED IN THE TIME OF JESUS.

YOU CAN NOTICE THESE
LUXURIOUS MOSAIC FLOORS.

AND BEHIND ME IS THIS BATHTUB.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
VERY WEALTHY ROYAL PEOPLE

WOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF LUXURY.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IT
GOING UP 2 AND 3 STORIES

WITH LUXURIOUS
ROOMS AND APARTMENTS

AND COURTYARDS AND SO FORTH?

EVEN THOUGH THE SADDUCEES
WOULD CERTAINLY DEFEND

THEIR POSITION AND THEIR WEALTH,

I THINK ON THE GROUND,
IT WAS QUITE EASY

FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE TO
SEE THEM AS OVERLY WEALTHY

AND CORRUPT AND ESSENTIALLY,
AS WE WOULD SAY TODAY,

RIPPING OFF THE MASSES FOR
THEIR OWN LUXURY AND COMFORT.

NARRATOR: IN THE
CHRISTIAN BIBLE,

A SECOND GROUP OF RELIGIOUS JEWS

ARE EXPLICITLY PORTRAYED
AS ENEMIES OF JESUS:

THE PHARISEES.

BUT MODERN HISTORIANS
THINK THAT IS UNLIKELY

TO HAVE BEEN THE CASE.

BOND: THE PHARISEES WERE

A PROGRESSIVE, INNOVATIVE
GROUP IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY
INTERESTED IN NEW IDEAS,

SO, FOR EXAMPLE,
RESURRECTION AND FREE WILL.

BUT, IN GENERAL, THEY
WERE WELL-REGARDED

AND THOUGHT OF AS BEING
PIOUS AND PEOPLE TO LOOK UP TO.

JACOBOVICI: THEY
REPRESENTED THE POOR

AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE COULDN'T...
DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE MONEY

TO BUY A SACRIFICE
FOR THE TEMPLE.

THEY SAID, "NO, YOUR
PRAYER IS MORE IMPORTANT."

SO THEY ACTUALLY REPRESENTED
A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT.

THEY'RE THE GOOD GUYS.

NARRATOR: AND SO THE
PASSION'S PRINCIPAL PLAYER, JESUS,

FAR FROM BEING A
POOR CARPENTER'S SON,

WAS IN ALL LIKELIHOOD
AN EDUCATED PREACHER...

WHO LIVED IN A VIOLENT WORLD
AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION

THAT IT WAS TIME FOR
THINGS TO CHANGE.

MEANWHILE, THE SECOND
PLAYER IN OUR STORY,

A MAN DESTINED TO PLAY A
PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE DEATH OF JESUS,

WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL-KNOWN
TO EVERY JEW IN GALILEE:

HEROD ANTIPAS.

TAYLOR: SO HEROD ANTIPAS,
DEAR OLD HEROD ANTIPAS,

HE IS ONE OF THE SONS
OF HEROD THE GREAT,

WHO WAS BASICALLY
GIVEN A LICENSE TO RULE.

THE ROMANS GAVE MANY CLIENT
KINGS AND RULERS LICENSES,

ESSENTIALLY,

TO DO THE WILL OF
ROME, KEEP THE PEACE,

AND, UH, LIVE RATHER PRIVILEGED
LIVES IN THEIR TERRITORY.

TABOR: HEROD ANTIPAS
HAD, UH, GROWN UP IN ROME,

AND HEROD THE GREAT
SENT ALL OF HIS CHILDREN,

YOU MIGHT SAY, TO
FINISHING SCHOOL.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST
ANYWHERE IN ROME

AS IF THEY WERE SLUMMING IT.

THE CHILDREN OF HEROD THE
GREAT, INCLUDING HEROD ANTIPAS,

ACTUALLY WERE THE ENTOURAGE
OF THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

THEY'RE GETTING THE VERY BEST
EXPOSURE TO ROMAN CULTURE

AND THEY'RE MOVING FREELY

WITHIN THE PALACE OF
THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

NARRATOR: IN THE GOSPELS,

HEROD ANTIPAS ONLY APPEARS
FLEETINGLY IN JESUS' STORY,

AND THE PICTURE
THEY PAINT OF HIM

IS CONTRADICTORY AND UNCLEAR.

BUT HEROD ANTIPAS WAS, IN FACT,

A CRUCIAL FIGURE
AT THE TIME OF JESUS,

AND HE HAD A BURNING AMBITION...

TO BE KING OF ALL JUDEA.

HEROD ANTIPAS IS A... IS A VERY
INTERESTING HISTORICAL FIGURE,

YOU KNOW, WORTHY
OF A SHAKESPEARE.

HE IS, UH, THE SON
OF HEROD THE GREAT.

HE WANTS TO BE GREAT.
HE WANTS TO BE LIKE DAD.

HE WANTS TO RULE. HE
WANTS TO BE KING OF THE JEWS.

AND YET, HE'S
FRUSTRATED. HE CAN'T BE.

HE'S GOT A... A TITLE THAT'S KIND
OF A GOVERNOR KIND OF TITLE.

NARRATOR: WHEN THE DEATH
OF HEROD ANTIPAS' FATHER,

HEROD THE GREAT,

LEADS TO A VIOLENT
UPRISING IN JUDEA,

THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS
IS QUICK TO ACT...

STAMPING OUT THE REBELLION AND
DIVIDING HEROD THE GREAT'S LAND

BETWEEN HIS 3 SONS,
LEAVING HEROD ANTIPAS

WITH JUST TWO SMALL
TERRITORIES TO GOVERN.

TAYLOR: UNLIKE HEROD THE GREAT,

HEROD ANTIPAS WAS NOT
THE KING OF THE JUDAEANS,

RULING THIS VAST TERRITORY.

HE WAS ONLY GIVEN A
LITTLE POCKET HANDKERCHIEF

OF TERRITORY IN GALILEE

AND ANOTHER ONE
ON THE OTHER SIDE

OF THE JORDAN RIVER

IN PEREA.

WE KNOW FROM THE
HISTORICAL RECORDS,

PARTICULARLY NOT
ONLY FROM THE GOSPELS,

BUT ALSO FROM JOSEPHUS,

THAT IT RUBBED HIM THE
WRONG WAY ALL OF HIS LIFE.

HE WANTED TO RECLAIM
THE TITLE "KING OF THE JEWS."

NARRATOR: AND AROUND
JESUS' 18th BIRTHDAY,

A SEISMIC EVENT IN ROME
PROVIDES HEROD ANTIPAS

WITH THE OPPORTUNITY
HE'S BEEN LOOKING FOR.

IN 14 A.D., NEWS IS ANNOUNCED

OF THE DEATH OF THE
ROMAN EMPEROR AUGUSTUS.

ARYA: AFTER THE
DEATH OF AUGUSTUS,

THERE IS A BIG
PERIOD OF MOURNING,

NOT JUST IN ROME
BUT THE ENTIRE EMPIRE.

THIS IS A PERSON WHO ENDED
GENERATIONS OF CIVIL WARS,

AND NOW, WHO'S GONNA
FILL IN THOSE SHOES?

NARRATOR: WHEN
AUGUSTUS' WILL IS READ OUT,

IT CONFIRMS HIS 56-YEAR-OLD
STEPSON TIBERIUS AS HIS HEIR.

HOLLAND: TIBERIUS IS, BY BLOOD,

AMONG THE MOST EMINENT
MEN IN THE REPUBLIC.

BY VIRTUE OF HIS
MILITARY ACHIEVEMENT,

HE'S INCOMPARABLY
THE GREATEST GENERAL.

TWICE HE SAVES ROME,
ESSENTIALLY THE WESTERN FRONT,

FROM COMPLETE IMPLOSION.

SO THAT MEANS THAT WHEN
AUGUSTUS DIES IN A.D. 14,

TIBERIUS IS PRINCEPS, OR FIRST
CITIZEN YOU COULD SAY, BY RIGHT.

NARRATOR: BUT FOR ALL
HIS MILITARY PROWESS,

TIBERIUS TURNS OUT TO HAVE

FAR LESS APPETITE FOR
THE WORLD OF POLITICS.

TIBERIUS BECOMING
THE EMPEROR AT 56,

WELL, HE'S NO SPRING CHICKEN.

HE'S NOT THE YOUNG ENTHUSIAST.

I MEAN, THIS IS A
GUY WHOSE REIGN

IS MARKED BY BEING A PERSON
THAT'S SOMBER, MOODY, GLOOMY.

HOLLAND: EVEN TO THE MOST
BRILLIANT OF ROMAN HISTORIANS,

HE SEEMS AN ENIGMA,

A MAN WHO IS SIMULTANEOUSLY
HONORABLE AND DISHONORABLE,

A MAN WHO IS MOTIVATED
BY A SENSE OF DUTY

AND YET CONSTANTLY SEEMS
TO WANT TO RUN AWAY FROM IT.

NARRATOR: THE CHANGE OF EMPEROR
SPURS HEROD ANTIPAS INTO ACTION,

AND HE TRIES TO
CONVINCE TIBERIUS

TO OVERTURN THE DECISION
OF HIS PREDECESSOR AUGUSTUS

AND MAKE HIM KING.

BOND: HEROD ANTIPAS WAS

ALWAYS VERY AWARE
OF WHO HIS PATRON WAS

AND WHO COULD GIVE HIM
THE THINGS HE WANTED.

SO HE WAS VERY KEEN TO STAY

ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF
THE EMPEROR TIBERIUS,

ALWAYS TO BE SEEN AS FLATTERING
HIM AND SHOWERING HIM WITH...

WITH WHATEVER
BENEDICTIONS HE COULD.

WHAT HE WAS HOPING FOR
WAS TO BE MADE LIKE HIS FATHER,

KING OF THE JEWS.

TABOR: THE ONLY PERSON
WHO CAN GIVE HIM THIS RANKING

IS THE EMPEROR OF ROME,

AND SO HE COMES
UP WITH THIS PLAN.

NARRATOR: HEROD ANTIPAS NOW
BUILDS A MAGNIFICENT NEW CITY

ON THE SHORES OF
THE SEA OF GALILEE,

JUST 20 MILES EAST
OF JESUS' HOMETOWN.

BOND: HEROD WANTED TO BUILD

A GREAT CITY THAT WOULD
REFLECT HIS OWN GRANDEUR

BUT ALSO ACT AS AN
ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITOL,

THE SEAT OF HERODIAN
POWER IN THE REGION.

NARRATOR: BUT THIS NEW CITY
IS NO MERE VANITY PROJECT.

IT IS A SHAMELESS GAMBIT

TO CONVINCE THE NEW EMPEROR
TO GRANT HEROD ANTIPAS

HIS FATHER'S OLD KINGDOM.

BOND: AND HE NAMED
THAT CITY TIBERIAS,

AND THAT SHOWED THE PEOPLE
JUST WHOSE PATRONAGE HE ENJOYED

BUT PERHAPS JUST AS
IMPORTANTLY, IT ALSO WAS AN ATTEMPT

TO CURRY FAVOR WITH
THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

TABOR: WHAT HE'S
AFTER HIS WHOLE LIFE

IS TO BECOME KING
OF ALL THE JEWS.

AND I THINK HE BELIEVES THAT BY
DEDICATING THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY,

MAYBE INVITING TIBERIUS
TO COME FOR THE DEDICATION,

THAT HE COULD FINALLY
ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

NARRATOR: BUT IN BUILDING HIS
MONUMENT TO THE NEW EMPEROR,

HEROD ANTIPAS ALSO SHOWS
HE IS WILDLY OUT OF TOUCH

WITH THE PEOPLE
HE YEARNS TO RULE.

BOND: ONE OF THE FASCINATING
THINGS THAT JOSEPHUS TELLS US

ABOUT THE FOUNDING OF THIS CITY

WAS THAT HEROD ANTIPAS BUILT IT

ON THE SITE OF A
JEWISH CEMETERY.

NOW, THIS WAS A VERY BAD MOVE
BECAUSE GRAVES AND CORPSES

GENERALLY WERE
REGARDED AS IMPURE TO JEWS,

AND ANYONE TOUCHING
THEM OR BEING NEAR THEM

WOULD BE MADE RITUALLY UNCLEAN,

AND THAT PREVENTED THEM GOING
ABOUT CERTAIN RELIGIOUS DUTIES.

IT SHOWS A GREAT
DEAL OF INSENSITIVITY

TOWARDS THE RELIGIOUS
FEELINGS OF HIS PEOPLE,

BUT HE MUST HAVE BEEN
SO TAKEN UP BY THIS DESIRE

TO PLEASE THE EMPEROR

THAT HE SIMPLY DIDN'T CARE.

NARRATOR: AND YET,

HEROD ANTIPAS' MAGNIFICENT
GESTURE GOES UNREWARDED.

THE NEW EMPEROR, LIKE
AUGUSTUS BEFORE HIM,

REFUSES TO GIVE HIM
THE CROWN OF JUDEA.

BOND: FOR WHATEVER REASON,

TIBERIUS NEVER REALLY SEEMS TO
HAVE RESPONDED TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

HE JUST WASN'T LISTENING.

NARRATOR: DESPITE
THIS BITTER SETBACK,

IT'S NOT LONG
BEFORE HEROD ANTIPAS

GETS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY

TO BECOME KING OF THE JEWS...

WITH THE METEORIC RISE OF
ROMAN POLITICS' BRIGHT NEW STAR,

A MAN, NOT EVEN
MENTIONED IN THE GOSPELS,

BECAUSE HE WAS LATER
ERASED FROM ROMAN HISTORY.

[HORSE SNORTS]

HIS NAME IS AELIUS SEJANUS,

AND WHAT HAPPENS TO SEJANUS

WILL HAVE A CRUCIAL BEARING
ON THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS.

SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING EMPEROR,

TIBERIUS APPOINTS SEJANUS AS
HEAD OF HIS ELITE BODYGUARD,

THE PRAETORIAN GUARD.

HOLLAND: LUCIUS AELIUS SEJANUS

IS A MAN OF
CONSIDERABLE ABILITY.

HE IS PRESENTED IN THE SOURCES

ALMOST AS KIND OF THE
ESSENCE OF AMBITION.

HE SEEMS TO CONSIST
OF NOTHING ELSE.

BUT TIBERIUS WOULD
NOT HAVE SPONSORED HIM

HAD SEJANUS NOT HAD TALENTS

THAT WOULD SERVE TIBERIUS'
PURPOSES VERY WELL.

NARRATOR: ACCORDING TO
THE RULES OF ROMAN POLITICS,

SEJANUS HAS REACHED
THE PINNACLE OF HIS CAREER.

ARYA: SEJANUS IS FROM
AN OLD ETRUSCAN FAMILY.

AND, UH, FOLLOWING IN THE
FOOTSTEPS OF HIS FATHER,

HE'S THE HEAD OF THE
PRAETORIAN GUARD.

IT'S A BIG DEAL.

BUT HE'S GOT CERTAIN LIMITATIONS

BECAUSE HE'S OF THE
EQUESTRIAN ORDER,

AND THAT'S NOT THE
TOP OF ROMAN SOCIETY.

HE'S NOT A SENATOR, BUT
IT'S ALMOST AT THE TOP.

AND THIS IS A PERSON
WITH A LOT OF AMBITION.

NARRATOR: BUT FROM THE OUTSET,

SEJANUS REVEALS HE HAS
AMBITIONS FAR ABOVE HIS STATION,

AND HE QUICKLY MAKES
A BOLD STRATEGIC MOVE.

ARYA: THE PRAETORIAN
GUARD UNDER AUGUSTUS

WAS REALLY A BODYGUARD SYSTEM,

BUT UNDER SEJANUS,

THE PRAETORIAN GUARD TAKES
ON AN ENTIRELY NEW ASPECT.

NARRATOR: SEJANUS
MOVES HIS SOLDIERS

WITHIN ROME'S CITY WALLS.

ARYA: THE PRAETORIAN GUARD
WERE TYPICALLY STATIONED IN TOWNS

SURROUNDING AND OUTSIDE OF ROME

THAT COULD BE CALLED
UP ON IMMEDIATE NOTICE

TO SERVE THE EMPEROR.

BUT THAT ALL CHANGES
UNDER SEJANUS.

UNDER HIS WATCH,
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

BARRACKS ARE BEING BUILT
WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS...

RIGHT HERE WHERE I'M
STANDING, THE CASTRA PRAETORIA.

AND THAT IS A BIG, BOLD
POWERFUL STATEMENT.

WHEREAS BEFORE THE
MILITARY WAS HIDDEN AWAY

FROM THE CITY, NOW
THEY'RE LIVING IN IT.

NARRATOR: IT ISN'T
LONG BEFORE SEJANUS

EXPANDS HIS MILITARY MUSCLE.

ARYA: HE LITERALLY
DOUBLES THE NUMBER.

SO NOW YOU'RE GETTING UP TO
10,000 OF ELITE, VETERAN FORCES

WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

ROME IS NOW A MILITARIZED CITY.

NARRATOR: LITTLE BY LITTLE,

SEJANUS BEGINS TO MAKE
HIMSELF INDISPENSABLE

TO THE EMPEROR.

AND WHEN DISASTER STRIKES,
SEJANUS SEIZES HIS CHANCE.

HOLLAND: IN A.D. 22,

THERE IS A FIRE IN ROME'S
GREATEST THEATER.

SEJANUS, WITH GREAT
ABILITY, PUTS IT OUT,

AND THIS IMMEDIATELY
RECOMMENDS HIM TO TIBERIUS,

BECAUSE THE ABILITY TO
CONTROL FIRE IS A KEY PART

OF AN EMPEROR'S DUTY.

THE PEOPLE OF ROME
LIVE IN DREAD OF FIRE.

SO FROM THAT POINT ON,

SEJANUS IS ACCEPTED BY
TIBERIUS AS HIS MOST ABLE SERVANT.

NARRATOR: SOON
THERE ARE WHISPERS

THAT SEJANUS HAS DESIGNS

ON THE IMPERIAL THRONE,

DESPITE THERE BEING MORE
OBVIOUS CANDIDATES FOR EMPEROR.

AND IT'S IN THIS MOMENT

THAT HE'S STARTING TO
SET HIS SIGHTS EVEN HIGHER.

NOW, THERE ARE SOME
OBSTACLES IN HIS WAY.

GERMANICUS, THE
ADOPTED SON OF TIBERIUS,

AND DRUSUS, THE NATURAL-BORN
SON OF THE EMPEROR.

SO ONE OR THE OTHER
WILL SUCCEED THE EMPEROR,

BUT IF THEY'RE NO LONGER ALIVE,

WHO IS THE
SUCCESSOR OF TIBERIUS?

NARRATOR: IN 19 A.D.,

TIBERIUS' ADOPTED SON
AND DARLING OF THE PEOPLE...

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

GERMANICUS, UNEXPECTEDLY
DIES FROM A MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS.

ARYA: GERMANICUS
IS SENT EAST TO SYRIA.

AND IT'S THERE, AMONG SERIOUSLY
INTERESTING CIRCUMSTANCES,

THAT HE DOES
BECOME ILL AND DIES.

AND, IMMEDIATELY, THE
CHARGE IS HE WAS POISONED.

NARRATOR: ALTHOUGH SEJANUS
IS CAREFUL TO AVOID BLAME,

FINGERS START TO POINT

WHEN TIBERIUS' OTHER
SON, DRUSUS, IS LATER KILLED.

OH!

[BOWL CLATTERS TO FLOOR]

HOLLAND: IT WOULD BE SAID
THAT SEJANUS HAD PLAYED A ROLE

IN ELIMINATING PERHAPS HIS
MOST OBVIOUS RIVAL, DRUSUS.

AND IF WE ARE TO TRUST THE
STORIES THAT WERE LATER TOLD,

SEJANUS HAD THEN PLOTTED WITH
DRUSUS' OWN WIFE TO POISON HIM.

CERTAINLY IT... IT WAS A STORY
THAT WAS WIDELY BELIEVED.

NARRATOR: WHETHER INVOLVED
IN THE BROTHERS' DEATHS OR NOT,

SEJANUS IS WITHIN
TOUCHING DISTANCE

OF TAKING CONTROL
OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

MEANWHILE, IN THE
ROMAN PROVINCE OF JUDEA,

AN UNKNOWN PREACHER CALLED
JESUS IS ABOUT TO HAVE AN EPIPHANY.

THE GOSPELS TELL US
THAT AROUND THE AGE OF 30,

JESUS GOES ON A
JOURNEY TO SEE HIS COUSIN,

THE CHARISMATIC JEWISH LEADER
NOW KNOWN AS JOHN THE BAPTIST.

TABOR: JOHN THE BAPTIST IS
A PRIEST IN THE JEWISH FAITH.

HE'S THE SON OF A PRIEST.

AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THOUGH,
HE REJECTED THAT CALLING.

INSTEAD, HE FEELS THE CALL
TO GO OUT INTO THE DESERT,

OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS.

AND APPARENTLY HE IS CONVINCED

THAT HE'S BEEN
CALLED AS A PROPHET

TO PROCLAIM THE IMMINENT
COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

AND THE GOSPELS LIST ALL OF
THE REGIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY

WHERE PEOPLE ARE
FLOCKING TO HEAR JOHN.

[WATER SPLASHING]

NARRATOR: BUT JOHN IS
MORE THAN JUST A PREACHER.

HE IS THE HEAD OF AN
EMERGING RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT.

WHEN WE FIRST ENCOUNTER
JOHN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT,

HE'S DOWN HERE AT THE
RIVER JORDAN DIPPING PEOPLE,

BAPTIZING PEOPLE IN THE WATER.

THINK OF IT AS
AN INITIATION RITE.

YOU COME DOWN HERE
TO THE RIVER JORDAN,

AND YOU'RE BAPTIZED
BY JOHN THE BAPTIZER.

THEN YOU HAVE JOINED

THIS, WHAT THEY CALLED, A
NEW COVENANT MOVEMENT.

JOHN IS PROCLAIMING THAT
THE END OF THE AGE IS NEAR,

THAT THE KINGDOM OF
GOD IS READY TO BE SET UP.

NARRATOR: JOHN'S MESSAGE
IS SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL.

COLLABORATE WITH
ROME AT YOUR PERIL,

BECAUSE JUDGMENT DAY IS COMING,

AND WHILE THE RIGHTEOUS
SHALL RULE THE EARTH,

THE WICKED WILL PERISH.

TABOR: JESUS HIMSELF
FOLLOWS THE CAREER OF JOHN.

HE KNOWS ABOUT IT,

AND HE FINALLY DECIDES
"I'M JOINING UP," BASICALLY.

AND HE COMES DOWN
HERE TO THE RIVER JORDAN,

AND HE HIMSELF IS
BAPTIZED BY JOHN.

TAYLOR: WHAT WE GET IN
"THE GOSPEL OF MARK" IS

THIS EXTRAORDINARY STORY

OF JESUS BASICALLY
SORT OF ARRIVING,

COMING OUT OF THE CROWD

IN THE RIVER JORDAN.

THE HEAVENS ARE SPLIT OPEN,

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDS

OUT OF THE HEAVENS
UPON HIM LIKE A DOVE.

AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON,
EVERYTHING CHANGES FOR JESUS.

HE KNOWS THAT HE
NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING.

TABOR: THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORDS

THAT HE HAS THIS
SPIRITUAL EPIPHANY,

BUT WHAT'S VERY CLEAR IS

HE'S DEFINITIVELY
CASTING HIS LOT WITH JOHN

AND WITH THE MOVEMENT,

AND THAT INDEED MARKS

THE BEGINNING OF THIS
REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR.
REPENT. THE TIME IS AT HAND.

[PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY]

NARRATOR: AND
AROUND THE SAME TIME

THAT JESUS FINDS HIS CALLING,

THE EMPEROR OF ROME
RECEIVES A SIGN FROM HIS GODS...

A SIGN THAT WILL LEAVE
THE AMBITIOUS SEJANUS

ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE THRONE.

IN 26 A.D., SEJANUS IS
ATTENDING A DINNER PARTY

AT TIBERIUS' SEASIDE VILLA
IN SPELUNCA, NEAR NAPLES.

HOLLAND: "SPELUNCA"
IN LATIN MEANS CAVE,

AND THE CENTERPIECE
OF THE ESTATE WAS

INDEED A GREAT SEA CAVE.

TIBERIUS AND HIS GUESTS
WERE LYING THERE, EATING,

WHEN SUDDENLY DISASTER STRIKES.

[ROCKS FALLING]

THERE IS AN EARTHQUAKE.

A GREAT CASCADE OF ROCKS

COME BOUNCING DOWN
THE SLOPES OF THE HILL.

THE PRAETORIANS SAW
WHAT WAS HAPPENING,

AND IN HIGH STATE OF ALARM,
CAME RUSHING FORWARD,

BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.

IT SEEMED THAT TIBERIUS
HAD BEEN CRUSHED TO DEATH

BENEATH THIS VAST
CASCADE OF RUBBLE.

BUT WHEN THEY STARTED
PICKING AWAY THE ROCKS,

THEY FIND AN ASTONISHING SCENE.

THEY FOUND THAT TIBERIUS,
PROSTRATE, HAD BEEN SHELTERED

BY SOMEBODY'S BODY
WHO'D LEAPT TO COVER HIM,

AND THAT PERSON WAS SEJANUS.

AND SEJANUS, AS
WELL AS TIBERIUS,

HAD SURVIVED THE AVALANCHE.

NARRATOR: ANY SUSPICIONS
ABOUT SEJANUS' DEVOTION

TO THE EMPEROR

ARE SWEPT AWAY BY THE AVALANCHE.

AND FROM THAT POINT ON,

TIBERIUS COULD BE ABSOLUTELY
CERTAIN IN SEJANUS' LOYALTY.

HE HAD PROVED IT EVEN TO THE
POINT OF RISKING HIS OWN LIFE.

NARRATOR: TO TIBERIUS,

AN OLD MAN WITH NO GREAT
DESIRE TO RUN AN EMPIRE,

HIS BRUSH WITH DEATH
MEANS ONLY ONE THING.

[BELLS TOLLING]

HOLLAND: TIBERIUS IS A MAN

WHO IS ALERT TO THE SIGNS
THAT ARE SENT BY THE GODS,

AND IT SEEMS PROBABLE

THAT THE EARTHQUAKE AND
THE RESULTING AVALANCHE

SEEMED TO HAVE CONFIRMED
HIM IN HIS OPINIONS

THAT, UM, HE SHOULD
NOT RETURN TO ROME.

AND CERTAINLY IT'S THE
CASE THAT FROM THEN ON

UNTIL HIS DEATH IN A.D. 37,

TIBERIUS NEVER DOES SET FOOT

BACK WITHIN THE
SACRED LIMITS OF ROME.

NARRATOR: ENCOURAGED BY SEJANUS,

TIBERIUS RETIRES TO
THE ISLAND OF CAPRI,

JUST OFF THE COAST OF NAPLES,

TO LIVE A LIFE OF LUXURY
IN HIS PRIVATE PALACE,

THE VILLA OF JUPITER.

HOLLAND: CAPRI HAD BEEN THE
PRIVATE PROPERTY OF AUGUSTUS,

AND SO TIBERIUS WHEN HE
BECAME EMPEROR, UM, INHERITED IT.

AND HE INHERITED THIS VILLA,

WHICH HE THEN DEVELOPED
ON A MASSIVE SCALE.

SO THAT BY A.D. 27,

WHEN HE ESSENTIALLY
SETTLED HERE FOR GOOD,

UM, THIS COVERED ALMOST 2 ACRES.

NARRATOR: WITH TIBERIUS
OUT OF THE PICTURE,

THE DAY-TO-DAY
RUNNING OF THE EMPIRE

FALLS TO HIS TRUSTED
RIGHT-HAND MAN, SEJANUS.

WELL, ONCE SEJANUS HAS
PERSUADED, ENCOURAGED, PERHAPS,

TIBERIUS TO MOVE TO CAPRI,

IT MEANS THAT HE IS IN
A POSITION TO CONTROL

ACCESS TO THE EMPEROR.

THE RELATIONSHIP PERHAPS
IS THAT OF THE MAFIA BOSS,

TIBERIUS HERE IN CAPRI,

WITH SEJANUS IN ROME
AS HIS CONSIGLIERE.

VERY QUICKLY, PEOPLE KNOW
THAT IF YOU WANT ANYTHING DONE,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
TO GO TO SEJANUS.

HE'S VIRTUALLY THE MOUTHPIECE.

HE'S GONNA STAND IN
FOR THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

HOLLAND: AND THAT, OF COURSE,
GIVES HIM INCREDIBLE POWER.

UM, ESSENTIALLY THE
POWER THAT TIBERIUS WIELDS

HAS BEEN INVESTED IN HIS DEPUTY.

NARRATOR: SEJANUS MOVES
QUICKLY TO SHORE UP HIS POSITION

BY MAKING A NUMBER OF
IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS,

ONE OF THEM IN THE KEY BUT
REBELLIOUS PROVINCE OF JUDEA.

IN 26 A.D., A ROMAN ARISTOCRAT
NAMED PONTIUS PILATE

ARRIVES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
PORT OF CAESAREA

TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE REGION.

BOND: ON ARRIVAL
IN THE PROVINCE,

PILATE WOULD HAVE MADE HIS
HEADQUARTERS IN CAESAREA.

THIS WAS GOING TO
BE THE ROMAN BASE,

AS IT HAD BEEN FOR ALL THE
OTHER PREFECTS BEFORE HIM.

THIS IS A REPLICA OF A
STONE THAT CONTAINS

OUR ONLY INSCRIPTIONAL
EVIDENCE FOR PONTIUS PILATE.

IT WAS FOUND HERE
AT CAESAREA IN 1961,

AND WHAT'S REALLY
INTERESTING ABOUT IT IS

THAT HERE IS "NTIUS PILATUS,"

WHICH IS CLEARLY A
REFERENCE TO PONTIUS PILATE.

NARRATOR: THE
STONE ALSO TELLS US

THAT SEJANUS WANTED A STRONG MAN

TO KEEP THE TROUBLESOME
JUDAEANS IN CHECK.

BOND: THIS WORD
HERE, "PRAEFECTUS,"

THIS SHOWS THAT PILATE'S
TITLE WAS ACTUALLY PREFECT,

WHICH IS A MILITARY TITLE.

IT SUGGESTS THAT PILATE'S
MAIN ROLE HERE IN THE PROVINCE

WAS TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER,

TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE
WAS NO RIOTS OR REBELLIONS,

THAT NATIONAL SECURITY
WAS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES.

NARRATOR: AND ALTHOUGH
THE GOSPELS PORTRAY

PILATE AS A REASONABLE MAN,

HISTORICAL RECORDS PAINT

QUITE A DIFFERENT PICTURE
OF SEJANUS' MAN IN JUDEA.

TAYLOR: THE KIND OF
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE

IN PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA

OR JOSEPHUS ABOUT PONTIUS PILATE

SHOW HIM AS A PRETTY
CRUEL AND GHASTLY MAN.

[HORSE SNORTS]

BOND: HIS GOVERNORSHIP
WAS A LIST OF ATROCITIES,

INCLUDING EXECUTIONS OF
PRISONERS WITHOUT TRIAL.

SO YOU GET A VERY
DIFFERENT PICTURE OF PILATE

FROM THESE SOURCES COMPARED
TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE GOSPELS.

NARRATOR: PILATE'S APPOINTMENT
SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE

THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

THERE'S A NEW BOSS IN ROME,

AND HIS MAN WON'T
STAND FOR ANY TROUBLE.

ARYA: AND THIS GUY IS RUTHLESS.

THIS GUY IS QUICK TO
ACT, AND HE'S VIOLENT.

PILATE'S GONNA PUT DOWN
INSURRECTION BRUTALLY.

[MAN SCREAMING]

IT'S GONNA BE SENDING
OUT A MESSAGE...

A GRAPHIC, GRUESOME WARNING.

[SCREAMING]

DO NOT CROSS THE ROMANS.

[SCREAMING CONTINUES]

NARRATOR: WITH
SEJANUS NOW IN CHARGE,

HEROD ANTIPAS IS QUICK TO
RESURRECT HIS LIFELONG AMBITION.

JACOBOVICI: EVERY SHIFT IN
THE POLITICAL CONSTELLATION IS

VERY IMPORTANT TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

SO HE BELIEVES THAT SEJANUS IS
ABOUT TO BECOME THE BIG BOSS.

HE WANTS TO RIDE THAT GRAVY
TRAIN TO THE ULTIMATE PRIZE...

KING OF THE JEWS.

TABOR: THE STORY GOES,

HE TOOK A TRIP TO ROME,
AND HE FELL IN LOVE.

AND THE PERSON HE FELL IN
LOVE WITH WAS A JEWISH WOMAN,

WHO WAS IN ROME AT THE
TIME, MARRIED TO HIS BROTHER.

AND HE TALKS HER INTO... "LEAVE
YOUR HUSBAND AND MARRY ME."

SO THAT'S THE STORY WE GET.

THAT'S HOW JOSEPHUS,
THE HISTORIAN OF THE TIME,

REPORTS IT.

NARRATOR: BUT THERE
ARE STRONG CLUES

THAT THE MARRIAGE TO HERODIAS

WAS PART OF HEROD ANTIPAS'
LONG-HELD PLAN TO BECOME KING.

TABOR: WE'VE GOT TO
ASK, WHO IS HERODIAS?

BECAUSE THERE'S A
POLITICAL DIMENSION TO THIS

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO REALLY UNDERSTAND.

WILSON: HIS BROTHER'S WIFE,
HERODIAS, IS VERY ATTRACTIVE.

SHE WAS OF ROYAL STOCK,
ROYAL JEWISH STOCK,

AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON
WHY HE WANTED TO MARRY HER,

TO MARRY INTO THE
REMAINING SURVIVOR

OF THE JEWISH ROYAL FAMILY.

AND MAYBE THAT WOULD
GIVE HIM GREATER CREDIBILITY

AND GREATER LEGITIMACY
IN THE EYES OF ROME

AS WELL AS HIS PEOPLE.

NARRATOR: WHILE ALSO ENABLING

HEROD ANTIPAS TO KEEP THE
REGION QUIET AND PAYING ITS TAXES.

JACOBOVICI:
SUDDENLY HE CAN GO...

AND I THINK THE INITIATIVE
WOULD HAVE COME FROM HIM...

AND SAY, "LISTEN,

"I'VE BEEN TRYING TO
BECOME KING OF THE JEWS.

"TIBERIUS DON'T LET ME.

"HE CALLED ME TETRARCH,
LOUSY GOVERNOR.

BUT LET ME BE KING, AND
I'LL PACIFY JUDEA FOR YOU."

NARRATOR: BUT HEROD ANTIPAS'
PLAN ISN'T WITHOUT ITS DANGERS.

BECAUSE IN ORDER
TO MARRY HERODIAS,

HE MUST FIRST DIVORCE
HIS EXISTING WIFE...

A PRINCESS FROM THE POWERFUL
NEIGHBORING KINGDOM OF NABATEA.

HEROD ANTIPAS' DECISION
TO DIVORCE HIS FIRST WIFE

WAS ACTUALLY A VERY DANGEROUS
THING TO DO POLITICALLY.

TAYLOR: THE NABATAEAN KING
WAS ENORMOUSLY POWERFUL.

SO IN SNUBBING HIS DAUGHTER,

IT WAS A DIPLOMATIC
INCIDENT OF THE FIRST ORDER.

JACOBOVICI: THAT'S WAR.

THAT'S SLAPPING A
NABATAEAN KING IN THE FACE.

NARRATOR: AND YET THE
MARRIAGE GOES AHEAD,

SEEMINGLY WITH
SEJANUS' APPROVAL,

BECAUSE THE NABATAEAN
KING DOES NOTHING.

TABOR: HEROD ANTIPAS
WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS

UNLESS THERE WAS PERMISSION

AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS
OF THE IMPERIAL COURT.

JACOBOVICI: YOU'VE
GOT TO LOOK TO ROME.

THEY'RE THE BOSSES.

THE UNDERLINGS DON'T DO THINGS

WITHOUT GETTING THE
OK FROM THE BOSSES.

NARRATOR: BUT AS HEROD
ANTIPAS AND HIS NEW BRIDE

AWAIT THE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT

THAT WILL SEE THEM MADE
KING AND QUEEN OF JUDEA,

THEIR PLANS ARE SUDDENLY
THROWN INTO CHAOS...

WHEN THEIR MARRIAGE
IS PUBLICLY CRITICIZED

BY THE POPULAR
PREACHER JOHN THE BAPTIST.

JACOBOVICI: JOHN THE
BAPTIST DOESN'T GO ALONG.

HE SAYS, "IT SAYS,
ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW,

"YOU CANNOT MARRY
YOUR BROTHER'S WIFE

WHILE HE'S STILL ALIVE," AND
I'M NOT GIVING AN INCH ON THAT.

JOHN COULDN'T REMAIN
LOYAL TO THE TORAH

AND TO THE LAWS OF THE BIBLE

AND BLESS HEROD ANTIPAS'
MARRIAGE TO HIS SISTER-IN-LAW.

NARRATOR: CRITICIZED BY JOHN,

HEROD ANTIPAS' PLANS
ARE NOW IN TURMOIL

BECAUSE HAVING PROMISED
SEJANUS A QUIET KINGDOM,

THE LAST THING HE NOW
NEEDS IS A RELIGIOUS UPRISING.

TABOR: WE SHOULD REMEMBER
THAT HEROD ANTIPAS, MOST OF ALL,

WANTS TO BE KING OF THE JEWS.

NOW A VERY POPULAR
PROPHET AND PREACHER,

JOHN THE BAPTIST, IS
TELLING CROWDS OF PEOPLE

THAT HE'S LIVING IN SIN AND
WICKEDNESS AND ADULTERY.

IF THE POPULATION SUDDENLY
RISES UP AND SAYS NO,

THEN HIS WHOLE THING
WILL FALL THROUGH.

SO, IT'S NOT JUST A MORAL POINT.

IT... IT'S ACTUALLY UPSETTING

HIS WHOLE LIFE'S
PROJECT, POTENTIALLY,

SO IT'S A VERY, VERY
SERIOUS THREAT.

TAYLOR: IF YOU COMBINE THE SENSE
OF SOMEONE WHO IS ENORMOUSLY

POPULAR GETTING THE CROWDS,
WITH SOMEONE WHO COULD POTENTIALLY

CRITICIZE YOU...

[SHOUTING]

BOY, YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM.

YOU HAD BETTER GET
RID OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

NARRATOR: HEROD ANTIPAS QUICKLY
ARRESTS THE TROUBLESOME JOHN.

[TALKING INDISTINCTLY]

JOHN: NO! NO!
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

HEROD ANTIPAS IS CANNY,

AND HE'S... HE'S REALLY
GETTING RID OF JOHN

BEFORE ANYTHING
TROUBLING HAPPENS,

BEFORE THERE'S A REVOLUTION.

NARRATOR: JOHN IS IMPRISONED
IN A HILLTOP FORTRESS

OVERLOOKING THE DEAD
SEA, CALLED MACHAERUS.

TABOR: HEROD ANTIPAS
TAKES HIM ACROSS THE JORDAN

TO A DESERT FORTRESS.

NARRATOR: BUT WITH
ONE EYE ON ROME,

HEROD ANTIPAS IS HESITANT
TO GO ANY FURTHER.

TABOR: AND I THINK HE
WANTS TIME TO THINK.

WHAT IS HE GONNA
DO? SHOULD HE KILL HIM?

WHAT IF A FULL-SCALE
REVOLT BREAKS OUT

AS A RESULT OF HIM KILLING HIM?

MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT MOVE.

HE'S PROBABLY GOT HIS
EYE TOWARD ROME AGAIN.

WHAT WOULD SEJANUS THINK?
WHAT WOULD THE EMPEROR THINK?

IS THIS THE MOVE TO MAKE?

JACOBOVICI: IF HE JUST
WANTED TO KILL HIM,

HE COULD HAVE
KILLED HIM ON DAY ONE.

IF YOU WANTED TO SET HIM FREE,
IF HE THOUGHT HE WAS NO THREAT,

HE COULD HAVE LET HIM GO.

BUT HE DOESN'T KILL JOHN.

NARRATOR: BUT HEROD
ANTIPAS MAY ALSO HAVE HAD

ANOTHER VERY GOOD REASON
FOR KEEPING JOHN ALIVE,

AND THAT WAS HIS LARGE
NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS.

JACOBOVICI: HEROD ANTIPAS
DOESN'T WANT TO KILL JOHN.

WHY? BECAUSE JOHN
HAS A FOLLOWING.

VERY SIMPLE. THERE'S
MUSCLE BEHIND JOHN.

SO BEFORE HE'S GONNA EXECUTE
HIM, HE'D BETTER BE CAREFUL.

SO THE HESITANCY THAT...

THAT HEROD ANTIPAS SHOWS MEANS

THAT THERE'S A
POLITICAL PLAY AT HAND.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

NARRATOR: THE GOSPELS
TELL US THAT WITH JOHN IN JAIL,

HIS MESSAGE IS TAKEN
UP BY HIS COUSIN, JESUS.

WILSON: WE FIND
HIM VERY EARLY ON

WITH A VERY SIMPLE
POLITICAL MESSAGE: "REPENT.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD
IS AT HAND. REPENT."

NARRATOR: BUT WHILE
JESUS' MESSAGE MIGHT BE

THE SAME AS JOHN'S, HIS
METHODS ARE DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE INSTEAD OF WAITING
FOR THE PEOPLE TO COME TO HIM,

JESUS SENDS HIS MESSAGE
OUT TO THE PEOPLE

BY ASSEMBLING A TEAM
OF APOSTLES OR DISCIPLES.

TAYLOR: AN APOSTLE
IS SOMEONE SENT OUT

INSTEAD OF JESUS.

THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION IS
NOT JUST TO BE A FOLLOWER

AND NOT JUST TO BE A DISCIPLE

BUT TO BE SOMEONE WHO
GOES OUT INSTEAD OF JESUS

BECAUSE HE CAN'T GET AROUND
TO ALL THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

NARRATOR: EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT IS

THE NUMBER OF
APOSTLES JESUS CHOOSES.

WILSON: JESUS PICKS A
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS... 12...

A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER,
A SYMBOLIC NUMBER.

TAYLOR: I THINK THE... THE IDEA
OF THE 12 IS VERY IMPORTANT

BECAUSE IT RECALLS
THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

NARRATOR: THE 12 FORMER
TRIBES OF ANCIENT ISRAEL

THAT IT WAS PROPHESIED
WOULD ONE DAY BE REUNITED

UNDER THE KINGDOM OF GOD,

SUGGESTING THAT IN THAT KINGDOM,

THE DISCIPLES WOULD BE
MORE THAN JUST MESSENGERS.

TABOR: HE SAYS YOU'RE
GONNA SIT ON THRONES,

JUDGING THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

THIS IS NOT JUST SOME PIOUS
THOUGHT ABOUT AN AFTERLIFE

OR HEAVEN OR SOME OTHER WORLD.

IT'S A GOVERNMENT.

JACOBOVICI: HE'S DOING SOMETHING
VERY, VERY SOPHISTICATED.

HE SURROUNDS HIMSELF
WITH A SPECTRUM

OF EVERYBODY KIND
OF FROM LEFT TO RIGHT,

FROM REVOLUTIONARY
TO ANTI-REVOLUTIONARY.

HE'S POSITIONING HIMSELF
TO ACHIEVE HIS AGENDA.

WILSON: THIS IS THE CADRE
OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT

OF THE TRANSFORMED WORLD
THAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT.

NARRATOR: AFTER MORE
THAN A YEAR IN PRISON,

JOHN'S FATE IS FINALLY
SEALED NOT BY HEROD ANTIPAS,

BUT, ACCORDING TO THE
GOSPELS, HIS NEW WIFE... HERODIAS.

TABOR: THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY

SURROUNDING THE DEATH OF
JOHN THE BAPTIST IS VERY DRAMATIC.

THERE'S A BIRTHDAY PARTY AT
THE FORTRESS OF MACHAERUS,

WHERE HE'S BEING HELD,

AND HERODIAS ARRANGES FOR
HER DAUGHTER TO DANCE FOR HEROD.

WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THIS DANCE.

BUT HEROD IS SO
MOVED BY IT, HE SAYS,

"I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU
WANT UP TO HALF MY KINGDOM."

AND HERODIAS MORE OR LESS,
WHISPERS IN SALOME'S EAR,

"ASK FOR THE HEAD
OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

I WANT IT BROUGHT IN
ON A PLATTER RIGHT NOW."

AND THAT'S WHAT SHE ASKED
FOR, AND THAT'S WHAT WAS DONE.

NARRATOR: BUT LOOK
BEYOND THE NEW TESTAMENT,

AND IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE
THAT HEROD ANTIPAS' DECISION

TO FINALLY KILL JOHN MAY HAVE
HAD A HIDDEN POLITICAL MOTIVE.

JACOBOVICI: I THINK THE
TIME GAP... ONE YEAR...

IS VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT

BECAUSE SOMETHING
HAPPENED THERE.

WE GOT TO FILL IT
IN. WHAT HAPPENED?

TWO THINGS MAY HAPPEN
IN THIS ONE-YEAR WAIT.

NUMBER ONE, IT BECOMES
CLEAR TO HEROD ANTIPAS

THAT JOHN WON'T PLAY ALONG.

HE'S NOT GONNA
BLESS THIS MARRIAGE.

AND, SECONDLY, THERE'S
ANOTHER RISING STAR.

WHILE HE'S IN JAIL, HIS... JOHN
THE BAPTIST'S COUSIN, JESUS,

WHY, HE'S GATHERING THE
CROWDS THAT JOHN USED TO.

SO THIS GIVES HEROD
ANTIPAS TWO REASONS TO SAY,

"WELL, MAYBE I DON'T
NEED HIM ANYMORE."

[MAN YELLS]

[THUD]

NARRATOR: FROM THE
GOSPELS, WE LEARN

THAT EARLY ON IN HIS MINISTRY,

JESUS BECOMES KNOWN
TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

BOND: SOMEONE LIKE HEROD
ANTIPAS WOULD HAVE HAD

A WHOLE NETWORK OF
SPIES AND INFORMERS

KEEPING HIM ABREAST OF
EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING

WITHIN HIS REALM.

AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE
THAT SOMEBODY LIKE JESUS,

WHO HAS A GREAT FOLLOWING...

HE'S GOT CROWDS
WHEREVER HE WENT...

WOULD HAVE VERY QUICKLY COME
TO HEROD ANTIPAS' ATTENTION.

AND WE ARE TOLD IN THE GOSPELS

THAT ANTIPAS WANTED
TO HEAR JESUS.

HE WAS KEEN TO MEET HIM.

NARRATOR: BUT LOOK CLOSER,

AND THE LINK BETWEEN HEROD
ANTIPAS AND JESUS BECOMES

EVEN MORE INTRIGUING

WITH THE REVELATION THAT PEOPLE
VERY CLOSE TO HEROD ANTIPAS

ARE NOT ONLY EMBEDDED
WITHIN JESUS' MOVEMENT

BUT ARE ACTUALLY FUNDING IT.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

JACOBOVICI: IT TAKES A LOT
OF MONEY TO HAVE 12 DISCIPLES,

AND THERE'S ALL THEIR
WIVES AND ALL THEIR KIDS.

YOU'RE RUNNING AROUND
WITH 100, 200, 300 FOLLOWERS,

SOMEBODY'S GOTTA PAY FOR THIS.

NARRATOR: AND THE
GOSPELS THEMSELVES TELL US

EXACTLY WHO IS PAYING THE BILL.

WILSON: NOW, THE
GOSPEL OF LUKE TELLS US

THAT HIS MOVEMENT WAS
FUNDED BY WEALTHY WOMEN.

THERE WAS JOANNA.

AND JOANNA WAS
THE WIFE OF CHUZA,

THE CHIEF OF STAFF
OF HEROD ANTIPAS.

THAT'S A VERY
INTERESTING CONNECTION.

JACOBOVICI: THAT MEANS
THAT JESUS IS HANGING OUT

WITH THE WIFE OF THE GUY, CHUZA,

WHO'S RUNNING THE WHOLE
GOVERNMENT AT THE TIME.

THIS WOMAN IS A POLITICALLY
CONNECTED PERSON

THAT SHE CAN TURN ON
AND OFF THE BACKING,

THE MONEY, THE
POLITICAL SUPPORT.

THIS HINTS AT A VERY
INTERESTING LINK, PERHAPS,

BETWEEN JESUS

AND THE MOST POWERFUL MAN
IN THE LAND, HEROD ANTIPAS.

NARRATOR: AND ACCORDING
TO EARLY CHRISTIAN SOURCES,

JOANNA ISN'T THE ONLY
PERSON IN JESUS' ENTOURAGE

CLOSE TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

INCREDIBLY, HEROD ANTIPAS'
OWN FOSTER BROTHER,

A MAN CALLED MANAHEN,

WHO WOULD LATER START
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

OUTSIDE JUDEA, IS ALSO A
PART OF JESUS' MOVEMENT.

TAYLOR: MANAHEN TURNS UP
IN THE "ACTS" OF THE APOSTLES

AS AN EARLY DISCIPLE OF JESUS,

AND IT'S SAID THAT HE GREW
UP WITH HEROD ANTIPAS.

IF HE WAS AN ARISTOCRAT
ASSOCIATED WITH HEROD ANTIPAS,

THAT'S VERY, VERY INTERESTING.

JACOBOVICI: JESUS DOES NOT
JUST HAS ACCESS TO FISHERMEN.

HE HAS ACCESS TO THE HIGHEST
ECHELONS OF POWER AT THE TIME.

NARRATOR: WHEN JESUS IS GIVEN

THE NEWS OF JOHN
THE BAPTIST'S DEATH,

HIS MISSION TAKES
ON A NEW URGENCY.

TABOR: WE'RE TOLD IN THE GOSPELS

THAT THE WORD IS TAKEN TO JESUS.

HE GETS THE HORRIBLE NEWS.

THIS IS HIS RELATIVE, THE
PERSON HE'S WORKED WITH,

AND NOW HE'S DEAD.

AND NOW EVERYTHING FALLS
ON THE SHOULDERS OF JESUS.

HE ESSENTIALLY IS
THINKING, "IS IT UP TO ME NOW

TO TAKE OVER THIS MOVEMENT?"

REMEMBER THERE'S A
SINGULAR MOVEMENT.

I WOULD CALL IT

A MESSIANIC POLITICAL
MOVEMENT OF REVOLUTION.

WHO'S NOW GOING TO BE IN CHARGE?

IT'S VERY CLEAR, HE
REALIZES, YOU KNOW,

"I NOW WILL HAVE TO DO
WHAT JOHN WAS DOING."

AND HE BEGINS TO
ACCELERATE HIS MINISTRY.

I THINK HE REALLY
BELIEVES MORE THAN EVER

THE TIME IS AT HAND.

NARRATOR: BUT,
CRUCIALLY, FOR JESUS,

TWO SIZEABLE OBSTACLES REMAIN.

WILSON: IN JESUS' MISSION,
HE HAS TWO MAIN TARGETS.

ONE, OF COURSE, IS THE
OCCUPYING ROMAN FORCE.

AND SECONDLY HE HAS IN MIND
THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT,

THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED
MORE WITH RITUAL NICETIES

RATHER THAN THE MORE ETHICAL
NATURE OF THE JEWISH LAW.

[GOAT BLEATING]

NARRATOR: JESUS BEGINS
BY SETTING HIS SIGHTS

ON THE HIGH PRIEST
CAIAPHAS AND THE SADDUCEES,

THOSE CORRUPT GUARDIANS
OF THE JEWISH FAITH,

AND THE CONTROLLERS OF
THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.

TAYLOR: I SEE JESUS AS
ENORMOUSLY REVOLUTIONARY.

HE IS PLACING HIMSELF AMONG
THOSE WHO ARE DISEMPOWERED

AND MARGINALIZED IN THE
PRESENT WORLD ORDER,

AND HE IS SAYING, "THESE
PEOPLE ARE MY PEOPLE.

"AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
CHARGE RIGHT NOW ARE NOT MORAL.

"THEY'RE NOT ON THE SIDE OF
GOD. THEY'RE ABUSING THEIR POWER.

THEY'RE EXPLOITING THE WEAK
AND THE MARGINAL AND THE POOR."

WILSON: HE'S TALKING
ABOUT REGIME CHANGE.

THAT'S WHAT'S ON HIS MIND.

AND HIS DISCIPLES ARE GOING
TO HELP HIM SPEARHEAD THIS.

NARRATOR: AS HIS FAME SPREADS,

JESUS STARTS TO BE
SEEN IN A NEW LIGHT,

NOT SIMPLY AS A HERALD
OF GOD'S NEW KINGDOM,

BUT AS ITS LEADER, ITS MESSIAH.

JACOBOVICI: THIS
AREA OF JERUSALEM

IS ASSOCIATED WITH KING DAVID,

AND THAT'S ASSOCIATED
WITH THE IDEA OF MESSIAH.

WHEN WE THINK OF MESSIAH
TODAY, WE MIGHT THINK OF, YOU KNOW,

THE GREEK TERM, CHRIST.

WE MIGHT THINK OF IT
AS... AS GOD ON EARTH,

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT
IT MEANT IN JESUS' TIME.

WHAT IT MEANT WAS
"DESCENDANT OF DAVID."

YOU KNOW, IT MEANT "KING
ON EARTH, NOT IN HEAVEN."

AND YOU HAD TO BE
FROM THE DAVIDIC LINE.

YOU HAD TO HAVE ROYAL
BLOOD RUNNING IN YOUR VEINS

AND YOU HAD TO FREE
THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

THAT WAS... THAT'S
WHAT YOUR JOB WAS.

IT WAS A POLITICAL STATEMENT.

NARRATOR: FOUR
YEARS INTO HIS MINISTRY

AND MORE POPULAR
THAN EVER BEFORE,

JESUS NOW DOES AN
EXTRAORDINARY THING.

AFTER YEARS OF
AVOIDING THE SPOTLIGHT,

JESUS HEADS SOUTH FOR THE
JUDAEAN CAPITAL, JERUSALEM.

JACOBOVICI: THERE'S
SOMETHING VERY SIGNIFICANT

IN JESUS' DECISION
TO GO INTO JERUSALEM.

UNTIL THAT POINT, HE NOT
ONLY AVOIDS JERUSALEM,

HE AVOIDS ALL BIG
CITIES IN THE GALILEE.

HE DOESN'T GO TO SEPPHORIS;
HE DOESN'T GO TO TIBERIAS.

HE SEEMS TO HAVE A
CONSCIOUS STRATEGY,

AND THAT STRATEGY IS TO
STICK TO THE LITTLE VILLAGES

AND THE SMALL TOWNS.

NARRATOR: IN "JOHN" 7:1,

IT STATES THAT JESUS
KNOWS A VISIT TO JERUSALEM

WILL MEAN CERTAIN DEATH.

JACOBOVICI: IN "JOHN,"
HIS BROTHERS TAUNT HIM.

YOU KNOW, "IF YOU ARE

"WHO YOU SAY ARE, WHAT
ARE YOU DOING OVER HERE?

WHY DON'T YOU GO TO JERUSALEM?"

AND HE EXPLICITLY
TELLS US WHY HE DOESN'T.

HE SAYS, "I FEEL IN DANGER.

MY LIFE WOULD BE IN DANGER
IF I WENT TO JERUSALEM."

SUDDENLY HE DOES AN ABOUT-FACE.

HE ACTUALLY DECIDES TO
GO STRAIGHT FOR JERUSALEM,

THE CAPITAL.

NARRATOR: THE GOSPELS
TELL US THAT JESUS ARRIVES

TO FIND THE CITY BRISTLING
WITH WORSHIPPERS,

GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE
JEWISH FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER.

[CHANTING IN HEBREW]

2,000 YEARS AGO ON
THESE VERY STEPS,

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF JEWISH PILGRIMS

CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD,

FROM AS FAR AS AFRICA
AND ROME AND PARTHIA,

TO THESE STEPS THAT
LED UP TO THE TEMPLE.

RIGHT THROUGH HERE STOOD
THE TEMPLE, THE HOUSE OF GOD,

THE HOLIEST PLACE IN JUDAISM.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

JACOBOVICI: AT THE SAME TIME,
THERE'S SO MUCH TENSION HERE

BECAUSE THE PLACE IS
RUN BY PAGANS, BY ROMANS.

THEY'RE PUSHING THEM
AROUND. THEY'RE IN CONTROL.

THEY'RE OCCUPYING
THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

IT'S A SPIRITUAL HIGH IN
A POLITICALLY TENSE TIME.

NARRATOR: AND IT'S
PRECISELY THIS TENSION

WHICH MAKES JESUS' NEXT
MOVE SO INEXPLICABLE,

CONFOUNDING MANY SCHOLARS.

HE HEADS STRAIGHT FOR
JERUSALEM'S SACRED TEMPLE,

WHERE HE LAUNCHES A VIOLENT
ATTACK ON THE MONEY CHANGERS,

THE PEOPLE WHO ENABLE PILGRIMS

TO BUY ANIMALS FOR
RITUAL SACRIFICE.

WILSON: ONE OF THE MOST
RADICAL THINGS THAT JESUS DOES IS

HE PUTS THE CURRENCY
CONVERTERS OUT OF BUSINESS.

[SHOUTING]

BOND: HE OVERTURNS THE
TABLES OF THE MONEY CHANGERS

AND THE PIGEON SELLERS,

AND HE SAYS, "MY HOUSE
SHOULD BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,

BUT YOU'VE MADE IT
INTO A DEN OF ROBBERS."

WILSON: AND THAT'S A
VERY, VERY RADICAL STEP

BECAUSE IT'S AN ASSAULT
UPON THE PRIESTHOOD.

JACOBOVICI: IMAGINE
IF RIGHT NOW I WALKED

IN TO THIS MONEY-CHANGER AND
STARTED SMASHING THE PLACE UP.

I MEAN, I WOULD BE PINNED
TO THE GROUND IN SECONDS,

THERE WOULD BE
SOLDIERS ALL OVER ME,

BECAUSE I THINK MY LIFE
WOULD BE IN DANGER, AS...

BECAUSE JERUSALEM THEN, AS
NOW, WAS A HIGH-TENSION PLACE.

[MAN YELLING]

NARRATOR: BUT THE ODDEST
THING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT

IS THAT THE TEMPLE GUARDS
DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING

TO STOP JESUS.

TABOR: IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE
WHAT THE PRIESTLY CLASS...

IN PARTICULAR CAIAPHAS,
THE HIGH PRIEST...

WHAT THEY WOULD
HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS.

THEY WITNESSED IT, AND THEY
SEEMED TO JUST STAND BACK

AND LET IT HAPPEN.

NARRATOR: SO HOW DO
WE EXPLAIN THIS MYSTERY?

WHY IS JESUS ALLOWED TO GET
AWAY WITH SUCH A SERIOUS CRIME?

[EXCITED CHATTER]

ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER LIES WITH
UNFOLDING EVENTS BACK IN ROME.

BY THE FALL OF 31 A.D.,

ROME'S ULTIMATE
POWER BROKER, SEJANUS,

IS ON THE BRINK OF
ASSUMING COMPLETE CONTROL.

HOLLAND: BY OCTOBER 31,
IT APPEARS THAT SEJANUS

IS WITHIN REACH OF
THE ULTIMATE PRIZE.

HE IS CONSUL; HE IS A SENATOR.

HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF
AS A FAVORITE OF THE MASSES.

ABOVE ALL, THOUGH, HE IS
THE FAVORED ONE OF TIBERIUS.

AND SO IT SEEMS TO MANY IN ROME

NOT JUST THAT SEJANUS IS
THE DEPUTY OF THE EMPEROR

BUT THAT HE IS MOVING
TOWARDS A POSITION

WHERE HIS POWER

MIGHT ALMOST RIVAL THAT
OF THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

NARRATOR: WHAT'S
MORE, THERE ARE RUMORS

THAT THE EMPEROR IN EXILE
IS NO LONGER FIT TO GOVERN.

HOLLAND: STORIES ARE TOLD ABOUT
WHAT TIBERIUS GOT UP TO ON CAPRI

THAT TO THIS DAY ARE
INCREDIBLY SHOCKING.

I MEAN, FAR TOO
SHOCKING FOR ME TO TALK

EVEN ON THE MOST
ADULT OF CHANNELS.

AND THEY'VE REALLY SERVED
TO BLACKEN TIBERIUS' REPUTATION

FOR GOOD.

THE SOURCES FOR
THESE STORIES ARE

PRINCIPALLY TWO HISTORIANS,
TACITUS AND SUETONIOUS.

SUETONIOUS, IN PARTICULAR, IS

A KIND OF VERY
TABLOID, UH, HISTORIAN

WHO ABSOLUTELY REVELS
IN THE FILTHY THINGS

THAT GREAT MEN ARE
SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE.

BUT IT... IT'S REALLY BRED

OF A DEEP-SEATED
ROMAN ASSUMPTION

THAT SOMEONE WITH POLITICAL
POWER WHO IS CRAVING PRIVACY

CAN ONLY BE DOING
IT FOR ONE REASON,

AND THAT REASON MUST BE
THAT HE'S AN ENORMOUS PERVERT.

NARRATOR: BUT WHY WOULD
THIS POWER SHIFT IN ROME

STOP THE ROMAN GUARDS
FROM ARRESTING JESUS

INSIDE THE TEMPLE?

ACCORDING TO A NEW THEORY,
THE INCIDENT CAN BE EXPLAINED

BY A POSSIBLE DEAL
BETWEEN HEROD ANTIPAS,

AND THE
EMPEROR-IN-WAITING, SEJANUS...

A DEAL ALLUDED TO BY MORE
THAN ONE 1st-CENTURY HISTORIAN.

[BELL TOLLING]

JACOBOVICI: THE IDEA THAT
HEROD ANTIPAS AND SEJANUS

WERE CO-CONSPIRATORS,
THAT'S NOT A NEW IDEA.

PHILO TALKS ABOUT IT;
JOSEPHUS TALKS ABOUT IT.

THE NEPHEW OF
HEROD ANTIPAS ACCUSES

HEROD ANTIPAS BEFORE
THE NEW EMPEROR, CALIGULA:

"MY UNCLE CONSPIRED
WITH SEJANUS".

NARRATOR: SO WHAT WERE
HEROD ANTIPAS AND SEJANUS

CONSPIRING ABOUT?

THE CLUES STRETCH BACK

TO THE MARRIAGE OF HEROD
ANTIPAS INTO JEWISH ROYALTY...

TO THE ARREST OF
JOHN THE BAPTIST,

AND TO THE PRESENCE OF
PEOPLE CLOSE TO HEROD ANTIPAS

AMONG JESUS' FOLLOWERS...

CLUES THAT POINT TO AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN HEROD ANTIPAS

AND SEJANUS

TO ALLOW HEROD ANTIPAS TO
FULFILL HIS LIFELONG AMBITION

OF BECOMING KING OF THE JEWS,

AND TO HELP HIM ACHIEVE THIS...

TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
FOR JESUS IN HIS EFFORTS

TO RID THE TEMPLE OF
CAIAPHAS AND THE HIGH PRIESTS.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

IT'S A BOLD THEORY, BUT IT
MAKES A GOOD DEAL OF SENSE.

FOR STARTERS, IT WOULD
HAVE GIVEN SEJANUS

A TROUBLE-FREE TAX-PAYING JUDEA.

JACOBOVICI: JUDEA IS
CONSTANTLY RISING IN REVOLUTION.

CONSTANTLY.

THE LAST THING
THAT SEJANUS NEEDS

THE DAY AFTER HE GRABS POWER

IS FOR SOME MESSIAH FIGURE
TO SAY, "THIS IS THE MOMENT.

THERE'S A TRANSITION IN ROME.
LET'S GO FOR IT. REVOLUTION!"

THAT'S THE LAST THING HE
NEEDS. HE DOESN'T NEED THAT.

SO IF HE CAN GET A
DEAL WITH ANTIPAS...

AND BY DOING THAT, SUDDENLY
HE'S NOT FACING REVOLUTION...

WHY NOT?

NARRATOR: TAPPING INTO THE
POPULARITY OF A RELIGIOUS FIGURE

LIKE JESUS WOULD ALSO
HAVE STRENGTHENED

HEROD ANTIPAS'
ROYAL CREDENTIALS.

JACOBOVICI: IF YOU CAN
HARNESS A POPULAR PREACHER

AND SAY, "I'LL BE THE
KING. YOU GET THE TEMPLE.

"YOU CAN PUT INTO PLAY ALL
YOUR RELIGIOUS REFORMS,

"AND I'LL HELP YOU GET RID OF
THIS ILLEGITIMATE PRIESTHOOD

"THAT NOBODY LIKES.

"JUST DON'T TURN THOSE MASSES
AGAINST ROME AND THE CROWN,

"AND WE'LL BOTH
ACHIEVE WHAT WE WANT.

"INSTEAD OF BAD
RULERS AND BAD PRIESTS,

WE'LL HAVE A KING OF THE JEWS,
AND A NEW HIGH PRIESTHOOD."

NARRATOR: INTERESTINGLY, THIS
IDEA OF TWO RULERS OR MESSIAHS...

ONE RELIGIOUS, ONE
SECULAR... WASN'T NEW.

IN FACT, IN JESUS'
DAY IT WAS EXPECTED.

TABOR: EVEN THOUGH TODAY
PEOPLE THINK OF ONE MESSIAH...

JEWS AND CHRISTIANS... YOU KNOW,

THE MESSIAH'S EITHER
COME OR HE HASN'T COME,

BUT IT'S ALWAYS ONE MESSIAH...

AT THE TIME OF JESUS,
THE BIBLE ITSELF,

AS WELL AS THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS,

UNIVERSALLY SAY THAT THERE
ARE ACTUALLY TWO MESSIAHS.

ONE IS A KING OF THE
LINE OF KING DAVID

WHO SITS ON A THRONE

AND CARRIES OUT MORE
THE POLITICAL SIDE OF THINGS,

AND THE OTHER IS A PRIEST WHO'S
MORE THE SPIRITUAL COUNSELOR.

AND THEY'RE EXPECTING
BOTH, NOT ONE OR THE OTHER.

NARRATOR: IF HEROD ANTIPAS
DID INDEED CONVINCE SEJANUS

TO MAKE HIM KING OF THE JEWS,

THEN JESUS' POPULAR
TAKEOVER OF THE TEMPLE

WOULD HAVE BEEN
TO HIS ADVANTAGE.

COULD THIS EXPLAIN
WHY JESUS IS LEFT ALONE?

[MAN YELLS, INDISTINCT CHATTER]

JACOBOVICI: IT ALWAYS
SEEMS REALLY ODD TO ME

THAT JESUS COMES INTO JERUSALEM

AND STARTS MAKING TROUBLE
AND NOBODY BOTHERS HIM.

THERE WERE SOLDIERS EVERYWHERE.

THERE WERE PILGRIMS... TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS...

AND YET NOTHING
HAPPENS TO JESUS.

HOW CAN THAT BE? THERE'S
ONLY ONE POSSIBILITY.

HE HAD PERMISSION
FROM THE AUTHORITIES.

[EXCITED CHATTER CONTINUES]

NARRATOR: MUCH TO THE FURY
OF CAIAPHAS AND THE PRIESTHOOD.

TABOR: AND I THINK THEY'RE JUST
ROCKED BACK ON THEIR HEELS,

AND THEY'RE HAVING
SECRET MEETINGS AFTER THAT,

THINKING, "HOW ARE
WE GONNA HANDLE THIS?

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?"

NARRATOR: BUT THIS NEW
THEORY ALSO OFFERS A SOLUTION

TO SOME OF THE OTHER
MYSTERIES ASSOCIATED

WITH JESUS' LAST DAYS.

AFTER HIS TEMPLE TAKEOVER,

THE GOSPELS TELL US OF A
REMARKABLE TURNAROUND

IN JESUS' FORTUNES.

WITHIN A FEW DAYS, JESUS
HOSTS A FAMOUS SUPPER

WHERE HE STUNS HIS DISCIPLES
WITH A SHOCKING PREMONITION.

TAYLOR: WE HAVE THIS SUPPER,

THIS LAST SUPPER, WHERE
HE MEETS WITH HIS DISCIPLES.

AND WE HAVE THIS GREAT WEIGHT

OF A SENSE THAT SOMETHING
IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

BOND: JESUS CLEARLY KNEW
THAT HIS DEATH WAS COMING,

AND HE TOOK BREAD,
AND HE TOOK WINE,

AND HE TOLD THEM
TO EAT AND DRINK THIS

AND WHENEVER THEY
DID IT IN THE FUTURE,

TO REMEMBER HIS
DEATH THROUGH IT.

BOND: AND HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES
THAT ONE OF THEM WOULD BETRAY

HIM AND THAT THE REST OF
THEM WOULD BE SCATTERED.

NARRATOR: LATER THAT
EVENING, AS HE PREDICTED,

JESUS IS BETRAYED.

BOND: AND SOON ENOUGH, ONE
OF HIS CLOSEST FOLLOWERS, JUDAS,

ARRIVES WITH AN ARRESTING PARTY.

THEY'VE COME OUT WITH
SWORDS AND CLUBS AND TORCHES,

AND PERHAPS BECAUSE IT'S DARK,

JUDAS COMES OVER TO
JESUS AND KISSES HIM,

AND THAT'S THE SIGN BY WHICH
ALL OF THE ARRESTING PARTY KNOW

WHICH PERSON TO TAKE.

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

WILSON: WHY DID
JUDAS BETRAY HIM?

WHAT WAS THE FEAR?

WHAT PROMPTED JUDAS AT THAT
TIME RATHER THAN ANY OTHER TIME

TO TURN HIM IN?

NARRATOR: THAT NIGHT, JUST
HOURS BEFORE PASSOVER,

THE BUSIEST DAY IN
THE TEMPLE CALENDAR,

THE GOSPELS TELL
US JESUS IS TRIED

BY THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES
ON A CHARGE OF BLASPHEMY.

FOUND NOT GUILTY, HE IS
THEN BROUGHT BEFORE PILATE

ON A NEW CHARGE OF TREASON.

JACOBOVICI: WE'RE
AT DAVID'S TOWER,

AND THIS IS WHERE JESUS
WOULD HAVE BEEN TRIED.

I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING
THAT WE'RE RIGHT THERE.

THIS IS WHERE IT ALL WENT DOWN.

TAYLOR: HE'S TAKEN TO PILATE

ACCORDING TO THE
"GOSPEL OF MARK,"

AT DAWN, SO IT'S ABOUT
6 A.M. IN THE MORNING.

PILATE THEN INTERVIEWS HIM,

IF YOU COULD SAY
IT'S AN INTERVIEW.

IT'S HARDLY A TRIAL.

JACOBOVICI: HERE'S A
GUY WHO'S VERY EVIL,

AND YET HE TREATS THIS
ONE RABBI, THIS ONE JEW,

WITH TREMENDOUS RESPECT.

HE DOESN'T SEEM
TO WANT TO KILL HIM.

TABOR: HE SEEMS LIKE HE ALMOST
LIKES JESUS. HE EQUIVOCATES.

HE GOES IN THE PALACE
AND OUT OF THE PALACE,

TAKES A LONG TIME DELIBERATING,
KEEPS WANTING TO RELEASE HIM.

TAYLOR: GIVEN THAT WE
HAVE THIS INFORMATION

ABOUT PONTIUS PILATE,
THAT HE WAS PRETTY AWFUL,

WHY IS HE PRESENTED AS SUCH
A NICE GUY IN THE GOSPELS?

NARRATOR: UNABLE
TO FIND HIM GUILTY,

PILATE THEN PASSES
JESUS ON TO HEROD ANTIPAS,

WHO QUICKLY SENDS HIM BACK

UNTIL PILATE FINALLY HANDS
JESUS OVER TO THE JEWISH CROWDS

WHO CALL FOR HIM TO BE EXECUTED.

TAYLOR: THEY GO TO PILATE.

IT'S THE CROWD THAT THEN
ALSO ASK FOR BARABBAS

TO BE RELEASED RATHER THAN JESUS

AS A SORT OF SPECIAL
BONUS FOR THE PASSOVER.

NARRATOR: JESUS IS TAKEN OUTSIDE
THE CITY GATES AND CRUCIFIED.

[MEN CHANTING]

BUT COULD ALL OF THIS
HAVE REALLY HAPPENED

IN THE SPACE OF A FEW HOURS
AS THE GOSPELS SUGGEST?

TAYLOR: WE GET THIS REAL
SENSE OF URGENCY, GOING QUICKLY,

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
HIGH PRIEST'S HOUSE.

FIRST THING IN THE
MORNING, PILATE...

ACCORDING TO THE
"GOSPEL OF MARK," JESUS IS

ON THE CROSS AT
9:00 IN THE MORNING.

IT'S GOING FROM ONE
THING TO THE NEXT.

NARRATOR: THE PROBLEM
GOES AWAY, HOWEVER,

IF YOU STRETCH THE
TIMELINE FOR JESUS' LAST DAYS

INTO SEVERAL MONTHS.

ACCORDING TO THE SAME
THEORY WHICH PROPOSES

HE HAD HIGH-LEVEL SUPPORT
FOR HIS TEMPLE COUP,

JESUS DIDN'T ENTER JERUSALEM
IN THE SPRING FOR PASSOVER

AS THE GOSPELS SUGGEST

BUT 6 MONTHS
EARLIER IN THE AUTUMN.

IF TRUE, THEN THE
STORY IN THE GOSPELS

SUDDENLY MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE.

ONE OF THE CLUES THAT JESUS,
WHEN HE COMES INTO JERUSALEM,

IS NOT COMING AT
THE TIME OF PASSOVER,

IS THE FACT THAT
THE GOSPELS TELL US

THAT HE'S MET BY
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

WHO ARE WAVING PALM FRONDS
AT HIM AND SAYING HOSANNAS.

NOW, SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT
YOU CAN JUST PICK UP PALM FRONDS

THE WAY YOU PICK UP DAFFODILS.

THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

PALMS ARE DIFFICULT TO GET.

EITHER THE PALM TREE IS
VERY HIGH... OR EVEN IF IT'S LOW,

THE LEAVES ARE VERY BIG.

THEY HAVE THORNS.

YOU... YOU NEED A
MACHETE TO CUT THEM DOWN.

THERE'S ONLY ONE TIME OF
YEAR IN THE JEWISH CALENDAR...

THEN AS NOW... THAT YOU CAN
HAVE ACCESS TO PALM FRONDS,

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE,
WHEN THEY'RE HARVESTED.

AND THEY'RE ONLY
HARVESTED ONCE A YEAR

AS PART OF THE RITUAL,

SAYING HOSANNAHS AND
WAVING PALM FRONDS...

THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE
JEWISH HOLIDAY... TABERNACLES.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

WILSON: EVERY
HOLIDAY HAS A MARKER.

IF YOU GO AROUND THE
UNITED STATES AND YOU SEE

ALL SORTS OF ORANGE PUMPKINS,

YOU KNOW IT'S THE
HOLIDAY OF HALLOWEEN.

IT'S NOT EASTER. IT'S
NOT VALENTINE'S DAY.

IT'S NOT CHRISTMAS.

JACOBOVICI: SO THAT
TELLS US THAT JESUS

COULD NOT HAVE ENTERED IN
THE SPRING, AT PASSOVER TIME.

HE MUST HAVE ENTERED JERUSALEM

6 MONTHS EARLIER,
DURING TABERNACLES.

NARRATOR: LEADING SOME
SCHOLARS TO IDENTIFY

THE MOST LIKELY DATE FOR
JESUS' ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

AS THE FALL OF 31 A.D.,

6 MONTHS EARLIER THAN
PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT RESULT
OF THIS NEW ELONGATED TIMELINE IS

THAT JESUS' SUDDEN
ARREST NOW COINCIDES

WITH A DRAMATIC TURN
OF EVENTS IN ROME...

[BELL TOLLING]

BECAUSE IN THE FALL OF 31 A.D.,

AS JESUS IS HUMILIATING
THE TEMPLE PRIESTS

AND HEROD ANTIPAS IS CLOSING
IN ON THE JEWISH THRONE,

SEJANUS IS SUMMONED
TO THE ROMAN SENATE.

HOLLAND: IT SEEMS
THAT SEJANUS' HOPES

ARE ABOUT TO BE REALIZED THAT
HE IS ABOUT TO BE CONFIRMED

BY TIBERIUS NOT JUST
AS HIS DEPUTY BUT AS HIS...

ALMOST HIS EQUAL.

AND EVERYONE HAS ASSEMBLED
IN THE SENATE HOUSE TO HEAR

A MISSIVE FROM TIBERIUS,
SEEMINGLY TO CONFIRM THIS.

BUT THEN AS THE LETTER
BEGINS TO BE READ OUT,

SORT OF PUZZLED LOOKS ON
THE FACES OF THE SENATORS

BECAUSE TIBERIUS
SEEMS TO BE EXERCISING

SOME NIGGLES ABOUT WHAT
SEJANUS HAS BEEN UP TO.

NARRATOR: THE LONGER
THE LETTER GOES ON,

THE WORSE THINGS
LOOK FOR SEJANUS.

ARYA: THE CONTENTS
OF THE LETTER SPECIFY

THAT SEJANUS DIRECTLY CONSPIRED
TO POISON AND MURDER DRUSUS,

TIBERIUS' SON.

SO AT THAT MOMENT,
WITH THIS EVIDENCE,

TIBERIUS, WELL, FOR HIM,

IT'S LIKE HE'S BEEN
WOKEN OUT OF A DREAM

AND A VEIL HAS BEEN LIFTED.

HOLLAND: WHEN THE
ULTIMATE BLOW IS ANNOUNCED

THAT TIBERIUS IS CONDEMNING
SEJANUS AS A TRAITOR,

THERE'S NOTHING
THAT SEJANUS CAN DO.

[SOLDIERS GRUNTING]

NARRATOR: HIS TREACHERY EXPOSED,

SEJANUS IS THROWN INTO ROME'S
NOTORIOUS TULLIANUM PRISON.

[BELL TOLLING]

ARYA: THE TULLIANUM
WASN'T LIKE A MODERN PRISON.

IT WASN'T THAT YOU
CAME INTO THE TULLIANUM,

DID YOUR TIME, AND THEN LEFT.

WHEN YOU CAME INTO THE
TULLIANUM, THAT WAS IT.

YOU WEREN'T GONNA EXIT ALIVE.

ARYA: AFTER HIS ARREST
ON THE 18th OF OCTOBER,

SEJANUS WAS
BROUGHT DIRECTLY HERE

AND LOWERED THROUGH
THIS HOLE INTO THE TULLIANUM

TO AWAIT HIS FATE.

THE HISTORIAN SALLUST
DESCRIBES THE TULLIANUM AS A PLACE

THAT WAS BOTH
DISGUSTING AND VILE

BECAUSE OF THE STENCH,
BECAUSE OF THE FILTH

THAT ACCUMULATES IN A
VERY SMALL, TIGHT SPACE.

HOLLAND: SEJANUS' DOWNFALL
WAS AS UNEXPECTED, AS BRUTAL,

AND AS TOTAL AS ANY
IN ROMAN HISTORY.

NARRATOR: WITHIN
HOURS OF HIS ARREST,

SEJANUS IS SENTENCED TO DEATH.

ARYA: THE STANDARD PRACTICE
FOR EXECUTION OF PRISONERS

PLACED HERE IS BY GARROTING.

SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS
YOU'RE HAVING THE EXECUTIONERS

COME DOWN IN THIS SPACE,
PUTTING A ROPE AROUND YOUR NECK,

AND SQUEEZING
THE LIFE OUT OF YOU.

[GROANING]

ARYA: AND THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED RIGHT HERE TO SEJANUS.

HOLLAND: A CORPSE OF THE MAN WHO
ONLY A FEW DAYS BEFORE HAD BEEN

THE SECOND MOST
POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD

IS KICKED AND TRASHED TO A PULP,

AND THEN IT'S DRAGGED OFF BY
HOOK AND DUMPED INTO THE TIBER.

NARRATOR: AS NEWS OF
SEJANUS' DOWNFALL SPREADS

ACROSS THE EMPIRE,

HIS FORMER ALLIES IN JUDEA NOW
FIND THEMSELVES VULNERABLE.

JACOBOVICI: THE DEATH
OF SEJANUS MEANS

THE MAIN PERSON
WHO HAD AN INTEREST

IN A NEW POLITICAL
CONFIGURATION,

A NEW POLITICAL/RELIGIOUS
CONFIGURATION IN JERUSALEM,

HE'S GONE.

SO IF YOU WERE
PLAYING ON HIS TEAM,

YOU WERE WEARING HIS
JERSEY, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.

I THINK EVERYBODY IS THINKING,
"HOW DO I SURVIVE THIS?"

SO HEROD ANTIPAS IS
NOT THINKING RIGHT NOW

ABOUT BEING KING.

HE'S JUST WORRIED ABOUT
NOT BEING EXECUTED.

JACOBOVICI: PONTIUS
PILATE IS HOLDING HIS BREATH.

MAYBE HE CAN PRESENT HIMSELF
AS AN ASSET INSTEAD OF A LIABILITY.

SO I THINK RIGHT AWAY, YOU
HAVE RIGHT THROUGH THE EMPIRE,

A RIPPLE EFFECT WHERE
EVERYBODY IS SCARED.

[MEN SPEAKING EXCITEDLY]

NARRATOR: WITH SEJANUS GONE

AND THE RULING
STRUCTURES NOW IN TURMOIL,

JESUS, TOO, IS NOW IN DANGER.

SUDDENLY, THE LAST SUPPER
TAKES ON A DIFFERENT COMPLEXION.

JACOBOVICI: THE LAST SUPPER MAY
VERY WELL BE A STRATEGY MEETING.

"WHAT DO WE DO?

WHAT ARE THE
OPTIONS? INSURRECTION?"

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ARGUE
THE EMPIRE IS VULNERABLE,

IT'S IN TRANSITION.

"GO BACK TO GALILEE?"

VERY BAD. YOU COME
BACK AS LOSERS.

YOU... YOU TOOK YOUR
GAME TO THE BIG TOWN,

YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO WIN.

YOU COME BACK A LOSER.

THAT'S NOT A WAY
TO GET A FOLLOWING.

THAT'S A WAY OF
ALIENATING A FOLLOWING.

SIT AND WAIT AND SEE
HOW THINGS WILL WORK OUT?

I THINK THAT JESUS
HAS A NO-WIN SITUATION.

THE LAST SUPPER MAY
VERY WELL BE THAT, UM,

DOOMED STRATEGY MEETING,

WHERE THEY WERE
LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT

AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ONE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

NARRATOR: ACCORDING
TO THE THEORY,

THE BEHAVIOR OF THE ZEALOT JUDAS

MIGHT ALSO NOW BE EXPLAINED.

JACOBOVICI: HE KIND OF
ALIENATED THE EXTREMISTS

IN HIS ENTOURAGE, THE ZEALOTS.

THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON

THAT A REVOLUTIONARY
WOULD TURN AGAINST YOU.

IF YOU APPEAR TO
COLLABORATE WITH THE REGIME

AND YOU PROMISE
THE REVOLUTIONARY,

"I'LL DELIVER EVERYTHING WE
WANT, BUT WITHOUT BLOODSHED,"

HE MIGHT PLAY ALONG FOR A WHILE.

BUT IF AFTER YOU'RE
DESERTED, YOU CAN'T DELIVER,

AND YOU LOOK LIKE
YOU JUST COLLABORATED

AND HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT,

THEN THE REVOLUTIONARY
WILL TURN AGAINST YOU.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.

QUIT, JUDAS!

JUDAS!

NARRATOR: EVENTUALLY
THE MEETING BREAKS UP.

JESUS HAS LOST JUDAS.

TAYLOR: SO JESUS,

AFTER THE DISCIPLES, UM,
HAVE HAD THIS DINNER WITH HIM,

AND IT'S QUITE LATE,

HE GOES OUT FROM JERUSALEM

AND GOES TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES,

AN AREA THAT'S CULTIVATED
CALLED GETHSEMANE.

WE'RE TOLD THAT JESUS GOES AWAY

FROM WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE
IS SHELTERING IN GETHSEMANE,

AND HE PRAYS.

NARRATOR: WITHOUT PROTECTION,

SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER
HE ATTACKED THE TEMPLE,

JESUS IS FINALLY ARRESTED.

AND THE EXPANDED TIMELINE
NOW SHEDS A VERY DIFFERENT LIGHT

ON THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOW.

JACOBOVICI: IF WE
EXPAND "HOLY WEEK"

INTO "HOLY 6 MONTHS,"
IF YOU WILL, UH...

WHAT HAPPENS DURING THAT PERIOD?

WELL, JESUS IS VERY VULNERABLE.

I CAN IMAGINE THAT INSTEAD OF
BEING IN JAIL FOR A DAY OR TWO,

HE'S ACTUALLY IN
JAIL FOR MONTHS.

HE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST
POLITICAL PRISONER IN JAIL

WITH THE AUTHORITIES NOT
KNOWING WHAT TO DO WITH HIM.

SO IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT
WHILE EVERYBODY WAS WAITING

TO SEE WHERE THE CARDS FALL
THAT JESUS WAS LANGUISHING IN JAIL

REALLY NOT KNOWING
WHAT HIS FATE WOULD BE.

NARRATOR: A SIGN OF
THIS GENERAL CONFUSION

IS THE BEHAVIOR
OF PONTIUS PILATE,

MORE VULNERABLE THAN EVER,

AS TIBERIUS NOW
TURNS HIS VENGEANCE

ON SEJANUS' ASSOCIATES.

ARYA: AFTER DEALING
WITH SEJANUS,

TIBERIUS THEN SETS HIS SIGHTS
ON SEJANUS' FAMILY, HIS FRIENDS,

HIS ALLIES.

AND HE STARTS TO
ELIMINATE THEM ONE BY ONE.

NARRATOR: KNOWING THAT JUST
ONE FALSE MOVE COULD RESULT

IN HIS DEATH WARRANT, PILATE
IS UNSURE WHAT TO DO NEXT.

JACOBOVICI: EITHER YOU TAKE
THE STORY IN THE GOSPELS

AS JUST MADE UP

OR YOU SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE.

THERE WAS A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN
PILATE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO."

AND ONCE YOU PLACE
IT IN THAT CONTEXT,

THEN PILATE'S
HESITATION MAKES SENSE.

I WOULD HESITATE.
YOU DON'T KNOW.

EVERYTHING IS IN
TURMOIL. WHAT DO YOU DO?

NARRATOR: AS THE
DUST SETTLES IN ROME,

JESUS' LIFE HANGS
IN THE BALANCE.

THE HIGH PRIEST, CAIAPHAS,
WANTS JESUS DEAD,

BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO HAVE HIM KILLED

WHILE THE MEN WHO DO...
HEROD ANTIPAS AND PILATE...

ARE BIDING THEIR TIME
HOPING THINGS WILL BLOW OVER.

EVENTUALLY JESUS'
FATE IS DECIDED

WHEN A DRAMATIC PROCLAMATION
EMANATING FROM ROME

SWINGS THE BALANCE OF POWER

BACK TOWARDS THE
HIGH PRIEST, CAIAPHAS.

IN HIS BOOK, "THE ANTIQUITIES,"

THE FIRST-CENTURY
PHILOSOPHER PHILO REPORTS

THAT SEVERAL MONTHS
AFTER SEJANUS' EXECUTION,

THE EMPEROR TIBERIUS ISSUES
AN UNPRECEDENTED EDICT...

A HANDS-OFF WARNING TO
EVERY PREFECT IN THE EMPIRE.

ARYA: BECAUSE SEJANUS
HAD BEEN ACCUSED

OF UNFAIRLY TREATING THE JEWS,
TIBERIUS ISSUED A SPECIAL EDICT.

AND IT'S RECORDED
IN PHILO, AND IT SAYS,

"AND HE CHARGED HIS
PROCURATORS IN EVERY PLACE

"TO DISTURB NONE OF
THE ESTABLISHED CUSTOMS

BUT EVEN TO REGARD THEM AS A
TRUST COMMITTED TO THEIR CARE."

IN OTHER WORDS,
IT'S A TACIT APPROVAL

OF THE ESTABLISHED
RELIGIOUS ORDER.

CAIAPHAS, THE
TEMPLE, THE PRIESTS.

"LET THEM BE. LET
THEM DO THEIR JOB."

JACOBOVICI: SO YOU HAVE
THE EDICT FROM TIBERIUS,

WHICH EMPOWERS ALL THE ENEMIES
OF JESUS, ANTIPAS, AND PILATE.

HERE THEY WERE, THINKING
THAT THEY HAVE FULL CONTROL,

AND SUDDENLY NOTHING.

UP COMES THE OLD
PRIESTHOOD... CAIAPHAS, ANANUS.

AND THEY... YOU KNOW,
IT'S PAYBACK TIME.

NARRATOR: FINALLY, CAIAPHAS

COULD NOW GET HIS
REVENGE ON JESUS

BY REMINDING PILATE OF
THE EMPEROR'S ORDER.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

JACOBOVICI: THE HIGH PRIESTS
ARE WHISPERING IN HIS EAR,

"IF YOU DO NOT
DEAL WITH THIS MAN,

YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
A FRIEND OF CAESAR'S."

THAT'S THE LAST STRAW.

NARRATOR: BUT EVEN NOW,
PILATE SEEMS DETERMINED

TO OFFER JESUS
ONE LAST CHANCE...

BY GIVING THE CROWD THE FINAL
SAY ON WHETHER TO EXECUTE HIM.

BIZARRELY, THEY CONDEMN
THEIR FORMER HERO TO DEATH.

BOND: WHY WERE THEY ONE MINUTE
VERY POSITIVE TOWARDS JESUS

AND YET, IN FRONT OF
PILATE, SUDDENLY THEY...

THEY TURN AGAINST HIM?

JACOBOVICI: I DON'T THINK
THEY SAID, "CRUCIFY HIM."

WHY WOULD THEY WANT A
JEWISH RABBI TO BE CRUCIFIED

BY THEIR ENEMIES?

BUT I DO THINK HE
LOST POPULARITY.

YOU HAVE TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED.

NARRATOR: ONCE AGAIN, THE
EXPANDED TIMELINE PROVIDES US

WITH A POSSIBLE ANSWER.

[MEN CHANTING]

JACOBOVICI: IF YOU SEE IT IN
THE CONTEXT OF ONE WEEK,

THEN THE CROWD IS CRAZY.

"WE LOVE HIM ON SUNDAY.
WE HATE HIM ON FRIDAY."

BUT IF YOU SEE IT IN THE CONTEXT

OF A SIX-MONTH PERIOD,
THEN YOU SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE."

WILSON: DISILLUSIONMENT,
DOUBT, DISAPPOINTMENT...

YET ANOTHER FAILED
MESSIAH ON THE DOORSTEP.

ALL OF THESE KIND OF
SENTIMENTS COULD ARISE

OVER A SIX-MONTH PERIOD

WHEREAS IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY
THEY WOULD HAVE ARISEN

IN FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.

[ROPES STRETCHING]

[YELLING]

UH!

NARRATOR: DRAWN INTO
A FAILED POWER PLAY,

JESUS IS HUMILIATED BEFORE
BEING TAKEN AWAY TO BE CRUCIFIED.

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

BOND: IN THE GOSPELS, JESUS IS
TAKEN TO A PLACE CALLED GOLGOTHA

OR "PLACE OF THE SKULL,"

AND IT'S HERE THAT
HE'S PUT ON A CROSS.

AS TO WHO WAS THERE WITH
HIM, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.

SOME OF THE GOSPELS SAY THAT
THERE WERE JUST A FEW WOMEN

STANDING AT A DISTANCE,

BUT JOHN'S GOSPEL
SUGGESTS THAT JESUS' MOTHER

AND AT LEAST ONE OF
HIS DISCIPLES WAS THERE

WITHIN EARSHOT OF JESUS

AND THAT THEY
WATCHED HIM AS HE DIED.

BOND: IT'S AN
EXTREMELY LONELY DEATH,

AND WE SHOULDN'T FORGET

JUST HOW TERRIBLE
CRUCIFIXION ACTUALLY WAS.

[GROANING]

BOND: THE PERSON
WOULD HAVE BEEN NAKED;

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
SCOURGED ALREADY.

[GROANING CONTINUES]

TAYLOR: HE TAKES
ABOUT SIX HOURS TO DIE,

WHICH IS REALLY
QUITE A SHORT TIME

FOR SOMEONE WHO'S
BEING CRUCIFIED.

AND IT WAS EXPECTED
THAT IT WOULD BE

A VERY, VERY LONG,
DRAWN-OUT TORTUROUS DEATH.

[SCREAMS]

BOND: THE WAY THAT YOU DIED
WAS SIMPLY FROM EXHAUSTION,

SUFFOCATION AS YOUR BODY
COULD NO LONGER RAISE ITSELF

ON THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN
THAT CAME THROUGH YOUR HANDS.

SO IT WAS THE MOST HORRIBLE
DEATH THAT ANYONE COULD IMAGINE.

[SCREAMS]

[WIND HOWLING]

NARRATOR: BY DRAWING ON EVIDENCE
FROM CONTEMPORARY HISTORIANS

AND EVEN FROM THE
GOSPELS THEMSELVES,

THIS NEW
INTERPRETATION LEAVES US

WITH A VERY DIFFERENT
PICTURE OF JESUS' LAST DAYS.

WILSON: I DON'T THINK
WE SHOULD THINK OF JESUS

AS A MARGINAL HUMAN BEING,

A PEASANT RUNNING AROUND
THE GALILEE ON HIS OWN,

PREACHING ABOUT
THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

HE'S HAD CONNECTIONS TO
HEROD ANTIPAS' CHIEF OF STAFF

THROUGH HIS WIFE,

CONNECTIONS TO THE PHARISEES,

WHO ARE THE TEACHERS,
CONNECTIONS TO THE SADDUCEES.

HE HAD INFLUENCE AND
HE HAD CONNECTIONS.

NARRATOR: BUT IF JESUS WAS
SUPPORTED BY A POLITICAL PLOT

HATCHED BY TWO OF
THE MOST POWERFUL MEN

IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE,

WHY IS THERE ABSOLUTELY NO
RECORD OF IT IN THE GOSPELS?

THE ANSWER MAY WELL
HAVE SOMETHING TO DO

WITH WHEN THEY WERE WRITTEN
AND WHO THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR.

[INDISTINCT SINGING]

BECAUSE AT THE TIME THE
GOSPELS WERE COMPOSED,

IT WAS ILLEGAL TO
MENTION SEJANUS' NAME

ANYWHERE IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

HOLLAND: TIBERIUS' VENGEANCE IS

NOT JUST AGAINST THE
PERSON OF SEJANUS,

BUT AGAINST HIS REPUTATION.

AND HE PRONOUNCES,
EFFECTIVELY, A DAMNATIO MEMORIAE,

A DETERMINATION THAT THE VERY
MEMORY OF SEJANUS WILL BE ERASED

FROM THE PUBLIC RECORD.

ANY STATUE OF HIM, ANY
DEDICATION IN HIS HONOR

IS TO BE STRUCK DOWN,

SO YOU'RE DENYING THAT
THE GUY EVER EXISTED.

NARRATOR: MENTION OF
SEJANUS WAS STILL DANGEROUS

DECADES AFTER HIS DEATH,

THE VERY TIME

THE GOSPELS WERE WRITTEN.

TABOR: WHAT MANY
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE

ABOUT THE GOSPELS IS

THEY'RE NOT CONTEMPORARY
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS

OF WHAT HAPPENED.

LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE
THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE.

WILSON: THEY'RE
ANONYMOUS WRITINGS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO MATTHEW,
MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN HAPPEN TO BE.

TABOR: BUT AS WE STUDY
THEM MORE, WE REALIZE,

FIRST OF ALL, THEY WERE
WRITTEN 40, 50, 60, 70 YEARS

AFTER JESUS.

NARRATOR: AND THE
STORY THEY ALL DESCRIBE

IS CAREFULLY CRAFTED.

TAYLOR: YOU THINK OF
THE GOSPELS AS YOU WOULD

A POLITICIAN TRYING
TO PERSUADE YOU

OF A PARTICULAR
WAY OF SEEING THINGS.

THEY INVOLVE A LOT OF CHOICE
IN TERMS OF WHAT GOES INTO THEM

AND WHAT GETS LEFT OUT,

BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH DESIGNED
AS RECRUITMENT LITERATURE.

AND IF YOU'VE GOT
RECRUITMENT LITERATURE,

YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL
YOU DON'T ALIENATE PEOPLE.

NARRATOR: AND THE ONE
GROUP THE GOSPEL WRITERS

HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT
TO OFFEND WERE THE ROMANS.

TAYLOR: IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES

FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN,

THAT YOU COULD BE, UM, HAULED
IN FRONT OF ROMAN AUTHORITIES

AND ALL SORTS OF TERRIBLE
THINGS WOULD HAPPEN TO YOU,

YOU MIGHT WANT
TO BE A BIT CAREFUL

ABOUT YOUR PORTRAYAL
OF THE ROMANS.

[MEN SPEAKING COMMANDS]

NARRATOR: IT'S NOT
SURPRISING, THEN,

THAT IF SEJANUS DID HAVE

A PART TO PLAY IN THE
LAST DAYS OF JESUS,

THE GOSPEL WRITERS
CHOSE TO LEAVE HIM OUT.

THE POWER PLAY LEADING
UP TO JESUS' EXECUTION

WILL CONTINUE TO
BE HOTLY DEBATED,

BUT WHAT EVERYONE CAN
AGREE ON IS THAT JESUS LAUNCHED

A MOVEMENT THAT
CHANGED THE WORLD.

BOND: FOR ME, THE HISTORICAL
JESUS WAS A JEWISH PROPHET

WHO FELT THAT GOD WAS
ABOUT TO BREAK INTO HUMAN LIFE

AND ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM.

TABOR: HE THINKS THE KINGDOM
IS NEAR, THE END IS NEAR,

AND THAT HE'S CHOSEN
BY GOD TO BE THE MESSIAH,

BASICALLY THE
RULER OF THE WORLD.

TAYLOR: A VERY CHALLENGING
FIGURE WHO WAS VERY COURAGEOUS

AND WILLING TO DIE FOR
WHAT HE BELIEVED IN.

HE EXPECTED FOR GOD TO VINDICATE
HIM WITH HIS LEGIONS OF ANGELS

AND TO EXALT HIM, EVEN IF HE HAD
TO SUFFER, AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

[HORSE SNORTS]

NARRATOR: FOLLOWING
JESUS' DEATH,

PONTIUS PILATE SURVIVES
THE SEJANUS WITCH HUNT

AND RETURNS TO HIS OLD WAYS.

AFTER ANOTHER
SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS,

HE'S EVENTUALLY
REMOVED FROM OFFICE.

[MAN YELLING]

HEROD ANTIPAS BIDES HIS
TIME UNTIL A NEW MAN, CALIGULA,

IS CROWNED IN ROME.

BUT WHEN HEROD ANTIPAS
TRIES TO CONVINCE HIM

TO MAKE HIM KING OF THE JEWS,

HIS CONSPIRACY WITH
SEJANUS IS REVEALED,

AND HE DIES IN EXILE.

[INFANTS CRYING]

JESUS' FOLLOWERS REFUSE
TO LET THE DREAM DIE

WITH THEIR LEADER.

HIS DEATH BECOMES THE
FOUNDATION OF A NEW RELIGION

PRACTICED BY BILLIONS
THE WORLD OVER.