A.D. The Bible Continues (2015): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Tomb Is Open - full transcript

Truth?

What is truth?

Many here have seen
you employ demons to heal

and call it the work of God!

Many heard you say
you would destroy the temple

and in three days
build another.

Some testified here
before the Sanhedrin

that you said this.

How do you respond?

Are you going
to refuse to answer?

Are you or are you not
the Messiah?



I am.

And soon you will see
the son of man

sitting at
the right hand of God.

How dare you
speak his name?!

The charge is blasphemy.

He deserves to die!

Judas!

You.

You're one of his men!

No. I-I'm not.

This man is
one of the Nazarene's men!

I-I don't know him.
You're mistaken!

This man walks
with this "son of God"!

I do not!
I don't know him!



I've never
seen him before!

Take him away.

Governor.

The Nazarene's popularity
has strengthened

the zealots' resolve
to rise against us.

His trial
could trigger rebellion.

The word of one Jew
against the might of Rome?

I don't think so,
Marius.

don't!

Release him!

Let him go!

Are you
the king of the Jews?

My kingdom
is not of this world.

So you are a king, then?

You say that I am.

I was born
and came into this world

to testify to the truth.

Everyone on the side
of the truth listens to me.

Truth?

What is truth?

I find no basis
for a charge against him.

Crucify him!

Take him...

And crucify him.

Crucify him!

Out of the way!

Nail them in.

Aah!

Aah!

Aah!

Aah!

See how they come
in their hundreds of thousands

to keep themselves
in God's favor.

It is undeniable that the temple
is a great focal point

for their celebrations,
father.

However, they thrive
in their daily lives

due to the leadership
of the high priest.

You have protected
our sacrificial rites admirably

against the Nazarene's desire
to sweep them away.

My one regret is that
you involved the governor.

It was necessary to call upon
the full force of Roman law.

The Nazarene's crucifixion
sends a message

to all who might challenge
what we labor so hard to uphold.

You did
the right thing.

That
is open to question.

Day by day, more and more people
were being seduced

by the Nazarene's
simplistic homilies.

He had to be exposed.

And so brutally executed?

My husband
took a decision

any high priest
would have taken.

Though my methods
may have differed

during my time in office,

I would have pursued
the same objective.

It was the needless death
of a harmless soul.

"Harmless"?

He threatened
everything we represent

and these people
believe in.

The life of one man
is as nothing, Joseph,

for the sake
of God's nation.

Caiaphas --

ah, enough.

We shall see you
at supper.

Joseph
and his lofty morals.

Floating above the daily grime
of public affairs.

Well,
words come cheap.

Without actions
to test them,

his opinions
are fruitless.

Share this feast.
We're hungry.

Is it correct
the Nazarene alleged

he would
rise from death?

One of his many
outrageous claims

and crude manipulations
of prophecy.

Then ensure he dies swiftly

before he has the chance
to perform a final deception.

Before the first star,
Caiaphas.

Before the very sight
of the rogue

is allowed to pollute
our celebrations.

To you Lord, I call.

You are my rock.

Do not turn a deaf ear to me,
for if you remain silent,

I shall be like
those who go down to the pit.

Hear my cry for mercy.

I call for your help

as I lift my hands
to your most holy place.

My God?

My God?

Why have you forsaken me?

Two items, Governor.

A request to expedite
the death of the Nazarene

from high priest Caiaphas

and a petition to repossess
the Nazarene's body upon death.

Who requests the body?

A Jewish elder

troubled by the Sanhedrin's
persecution of the Nazarene.

His name?

Joseph of Arimathea.

Grant each request.

Keeping them
at each other's throats

prevents them from wrapping
their fingers around ours.

And have Cornelius put
the Nazarene out of his misery.

Are you enjoying
the spectacle?

Spectacle?

Is that how you regard

the crucifixion
of the Nazarene?

Any man who claims to be king
in a Roman province

is committing treason

and must suffer
the consequences.

He does not behave
as a king in my dreams.

The running of the province
can hardly be determined

by the dreams
of the Governor's wife.

The gods find us
in our sleep.

Their message was clear.

The Nazarene
is a good man.

Humble.
Pure of heart.

The man was a danger
to the status quo.

Our Garrison in Judea
is not large, Claudia.

You'll live to regret
your hand in his death.

I took advice.

I weighed it up.

I acted accordingly.

Advice from men

who feared his popularity
would eclipse their own.

He claimed
to be their Messiah.

It was intolerable.

At worst, he's mad!

Is that reason enough --

Claudia.

It's tiresome enough

having every Jewish priest
on my back.

I don't expect
my own wife to join them,

and, yes,
even if he were mad,

we should nail him up
to destroy the messenger

and to warn the people
against his message!

Killing him
won't be the end of him.

It usually is,
my darling.

I-it is...Finished.

Save yourselves!

Come with me!

Out of my way!

This way!

Aah!

Aah!

This is his mother.

So?

Spare her this.
You can see he's dead.

I'll be the judge
of that.

There's no need for this.

Please.

The order is
to make sure.

Identify yourself.

I have permission
to take possession

of the Nazarene's body.

On whose authority?

The Governor's.

If you will allow,

I would like
to offer my own tomb

as your son's
final place of rest.

He'll be at peace there.

I've done
the most terrible thing...

For which there can be
no forgiveness.

I've betrayed innocent blood!

Aah!

She's exhausted.

She's waiting.

Does she really
believe it,

or is it what her grief
wills her to believe?

I think she truly believes
he will rise from death.

Do you?

And I'll tell you the rest
of the story tomorrow night.

Good night.
Come, off to bed.

Good night.

Good night.

Drink something.

In my lifetime,
I could never have imagined

such an assault
on the house of God.

My heart breaks.

We can restore it.

It was not
of your making.

Miraculous that
no one was killed.

Ah.

We thought
you weren't coming.

Apologies.

Come in. Come in.

We were waylaid.

Why?

I was laying
a poor soul to rest.

A relative?

The crucified Nazarene.

I beg your pardon?

He deserved
greater respect in death

than he'd ever
been afforded in life.

Because his followers
named him rabbi, Joseph,

doesn't mean he was one.

The Nazarene gave succor

to those would
take up arms against Rome.

Which would have been
a disaster,

prompting Rome
to unleash reinforcements

that would turn
the Mediterranean red

with Jewish blood.

I don't agree he posed
the threat you believe.

Which is why you will never
become the high priest.

The Jewish people
have survived

the tyranny
of many empires

with pragmatism
and compromise.

With careful helmsmanship,

it will outlast
the Roman occupation.

Not by asking Rome
to crucify Jews, it won't.

May I ask where
the Nazarene was buried?

In my tomb.

"And he made his grave
with the wicked

and his tomb
with the rich."

You are familiar
with Isaiah's prophecy?

I wasn't compelled by prophecy,
but decency.

I find this
hard to believe.

At the very hour we sought

to extinguish
this dangerous flame,

you take it
upon yourself to re-ignite it!

I had no intention other than

to bring this sordid episode
to a dignified conclusion.

But to the weak of mind,

you create the appearance
of fulfilling Isaiah!

Do you not understand
the issue here?

What precisely
was his crime?

To preach that we should
treat each other

as we ourselves would wish
to be treated?

He was killed
for the repeated blasphemy

of claiming
to be the Messiah.

And if he was?
Then he is no more.

Rome holds Judea loose
in its hand

only as long as the Sanhedrin
is able to manage its people.

In addition
to peace and love,

the Nazarene
preached insurrection

against all authority.

I disagree.

Such arrogance!

But you will see,
Joseph.

You have my word,
in or out of your tomb,

the Nazarene's doctrine
will decompose with his corpse.

Peter!

What happened to you?

I was recognized.

I managed to get away.

Mmm. Aah!

The others are here?

No. Mary is convinced

the authorities
will be hunting us down.

You should leave
immediately.

Without them? No.

Where were you, Peter?

Is he dead?

I laid him to rest myself.

Then it's over.

Jesus foretold that Judas would
betray him to the Sanhedrin.

And he did.

He also foretold
that you would deny him.

Tell us you didn't.

I can't lie.

There was a trial.

The mob was baying
for his blood, and...

I was recognized.

What difference does any of this
now make if he's dead?

The last three years
of our lives for nothing.

His mother believes
he will rise.

I would give this arm
to believe the same!

I never had you
for a coward.

Never.

Back! Back up!

Send him away.

Drusus.

Governor.

The high priest
of the temple.

Can't it wait
until after I've eaten?

No,
I'm afraid it can't.

This is a matter
of some urgency.

"Urgent" appears to be your
default state of mind, Caiaphas.

We live in turbulent times,
Governor.

I have a request.

Another one?

Please tell me
it doesn't concern the Nazarene.

I'm certainly grateful
for the decisive manner

in which you've acted
on our behalf so far.

"So far"?

You seek more from me
on this.

I'm afraid so.

You wanted him crucified,
I had him crucified.

What more is necessary?

What is it about this nobody
that so disturbs you?

As you know,
his corpse has been placed

in the tomb of an elder.

What do you mean,
"as you know"?

Is this true?

A petition was made.

You must have known
the friction it would cause.

It never crossed my mind.

In keeping
with his practice,

the Nazarene distorted
ancient prophecies

relating to the rise
of our Messiah

and spread rumor that
he would rise from his own death

after three days.

Roman crucifixion really doesn't
allow for that, Caiaphas.

Nevertheless, by allowing
his body to be entombed

and not consumed
by wild beasts,

you've granted an opportunity
to his followers

to enact the appearance
of resurrection.

And as we know, in Jerusalem,
the appearance of a thing

is often as potent
as the thing itself.

You believe they will raid
the tomb after three days?

It'd be the simplest way
to manipulate events.

Then ensure
it isn't removed.

Post temple guards
outside.

I fear my men
would pose no deterrent

to a band of fanatics.

You want me
to waste Roman soldiers

guarding a Jewish hole?

And place a Roman seal
across the tomb.

Its unlawful breaking
carries the death penalty.

You ask too much.

Had you not granted permission
to entomb him,

this situation
would not have arisen.

Where he lies,
he currently remains a threat

both to the Sanhedrin
and to Rome.

One man?

You underestimate the might
of your Roman overlords.

But if it will finally
bring an end to this,

I will post a small guard
outside the tomb.

I cannot
thank you enough.

At last, something
we can agree upon.

Why didn't you tell me?

I don't have to account for my
decisions to you or anyone else.

don't look now, Matthew,

but I think
we may have been spotted.

Do you want to go back?

If we do,
we confirm their suspicions.

Just keep moving forward.

Hey! You!

Run!

Shout out and you're dead,
understood?

This way!
Keep looking!

Why were you running
from the Romans?

You have one chance
to speak the truth

before we leave
your corpses here.

We're disciples
of Jesus of Nazareth.

Go on.

We fled the city
after he was captured.

Then why come back
to where there are
more Roman soldiers

than anywhere else
in Judea?

To find our brothers.

Well,
he bled like a man.

Remove it.

But break it up.

I recognize this man.

Boaz.

You know this zealot?

We played together
in Galilee as children.

An age away, Peter.

The times reshape us all.

They do.

You are disciples
of the Nazarene?

We are.

Your leader had
a great following
on the streets.

The authorities colluded
and murdered him.

Join us and become a real force
to be reckoned with.

Fighting the Romans?

Whatever it takes
to drive them off our land.

Live by the sword,
and you die by the sword.

Better that than
like a dog on a leash.

Your master preached love.

I shall die
preaching freedom.

Join us!

We are fishermen,
not fighters.

They won't stop with him.

You do know that?

Once the Romans realize

your message
remains a threat,

they will root you out.

And when they've killed
each of you,

they will snuff out his ideas
one by one

until it will be
as if you never existed.

Join us.

I cannot.

What are we waiting for?

The means by which
I intend to put an end

to your incessant mewling
about this Jesus.

Am I not entitled
to an opinion?

You are.

But obsession
is not opinion, Claudia,

and unhealthy obsession
requires radical treatment,

which I believe
is arriving now.

Cornelius, I have a certain
matter only you can clear up.

If I can, of course.

I need to know
one thing from you.

When he was placed
inside his tomb,

are you certain
the Nazarene was dead?

Sir, when I'm instructed
to do a job, I do it.

I was instructed to ensure

the death of the Nazarene
on the cross,

and that's what I did.

He expired before you?

Better than that.

He expired because of me.

And you performed
the proofs of death?

I instructed Longinus
to insert his spear

hard between
the Nazarene's ribs.

And he was dead?

Before and after
the spear.

So, to anyone
who might entertain

the notion
that he might not be dead,

that the Nazarene might actually
somehow have remained alive

after all of what
you've just described,

you would say what?

I would say they were
either mad or a fool.

Thank you, Cornelius.

You may go.

Enough of your dreams
and nonsense, Claudia.

The Nazarene was only
ever flesh and blood.

And we have butchered
the former

and spilled the latter
all over the city.

But if you should
dream of him again,

be sure he proves
his true identity

by his real incarnation.

Not as a handsome prophet
with charisma,

but as a rotting pile of meat
on the floor.

I'm just questioning

whether leaving Jerusalem
at this moment in time

is the right
course of action.

How can saving our lives

not be
the right course of action?!

There's no guarantee
we'll make it to the city wall.

But there's no guarantee they're
actually coming after us.

The high priest walks
hand-in-hand with Pilate!

They killed our leader.

How do we continue to pose
a threat to their authority?!

5,000 people
on a remote hillside

just to hear
him preach --

that was him, not us.

Have you forgotten
his prophecy already?

Have you forgotten,
Peter?

On the third day,
he promises to rise from death.

You need to rest.

Have they forgotten
so quickly?

Can they not wait?

Can you not wait?!

She watched him
being tortured and killed,

moment by moment.

He's dead.

But we are not.

Our flesh and blood waits up
north in Galilee for our return.

Our duty now
is to our families.

Three days.

I owe him that much.

Our faith in him
has to be worth three days.

And if he fails
to rise on the third?

Then we leave like men.

Not cowards.

You think
he's coming back.

I know he is.

How are you so sure?

He raised others
from death.

This is what
was prophesied.

And he promised.

Then why not himself?

High priest.
Ah.

I want you to post temple guards
at Arimathea's tomb.

It must remain sealed.

They speak to no one,
they let no one pass,

and they report
only to me.

Iscariot's been found.

The betrayer?

Well, will he lead us
to the others?

He lies dead
in the Potter's field.

He hanged himself.

What is it
about this Jesus

that drives them
to such madness?

What does it matter?

Without his body, they can't pretend
he's risen from death.

You were with him
at the end?

Only John.

The Romans turned his death
into an atrocious spectacle.

They flayed him
until his back split open.

It was as if they wanted to cut
him down one piece at a time

until he could barely move.

They forced him to his feet
and drove thorns into his head.

They made him...

Drag his cross to Golgotha,

where they nailed him to it...

...and raised him up
for all to see.

It doesn't matter
that you weren't there.

He understood our weakness.

He loved us for it.

Died for it.

None of this
matters now.

You heard the zealot.

We need to leave
before they find us.

Before it's our turn
to look down from Golgotha.

You need to rest.

It's been
a stressful period.

You've done
exceptionally well

to steer the community
to calmer waters.

With your support,
as ever.

You've used Pilate
to great effect to protect us.

Come to bed.

I won't be long.

The charge is blasphemy.

He deserves to die!

Truth?

What is truth?

I don't know him!

You're mistaken!

I've never
seen him before!

The Roman seal has been broken.

The tomb is now opened and
the Nazarene...

is gone.

What do you mean "gone"?