King of the Jews Part 26

"This only," said the rabbi. "What I have written I have written."

"Intolerable," said Annas.

Caiaphas also was much perturbed. But collecting himself he asked, "What did he order about the breaking of the bones?"

"About this matter he said he would give his orders to the centurion,"

answered the rabbi.

Then seeing that no more could be done, the Jews began to revile Jesus, going up to the cross and wagging their heads and scoffing at him.

Josue, the priest, went up first and said, "So then it remains written, king of the Jews. Behold, if thou art king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." And all the Jews laughed together.

Then said Eliezer, "Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it again in three days, save thyself!"

And Caiaphas said, "Ha! thou that savest others, thyself thou canst not save."

"Come down," cried one of the witnesses, "Art thou not the Son of G.o.d?"

And Annas said, "He trusted in G.o.d; let him deliver him now if he will have him."

Then cried the hangmen, "What! Don't you hear? Show thy power, mighty king of the Jews," and so the sport went on.

Then Jesus, who all this time had hung motionless and silent, raised slowly and with pain, his head, which had been bowed down, and said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do!"

Hearing Jesus speak, the thief who was crucified on his left said unto him, "Hearest thou? If thou be Christ save thyself and us."

But the other thief who was crucified on the right, answered and said, "Dost thou not fear G.o.d, seeing that thou art in the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss." Then turning to Jesus he said, "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom?"

Then Jesus looked upon him and said, "Verily, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise."

"Listen to that," said Caiaphas scornfully, "he speaks as if he had power over the gates of Paradise."

"What," said the rabbi. "Have not his pride and presumption deserted him even as he hangs helpless on the cross?" And they were wroth with Jesus.

During all this time Mary, the mother of Jesus, and John had been slowly approaching the cross, and now they stood immediately below Jesus, Mary on the right, John on the left. Then Jesus beholding them, said to Mary, "Mother, behold thy son." And slowly and with difficulty turning his head to see John, Jesus added, "Son, behold thy mother."

Then Mary cried in ecstacy of love and adoration, "Even in dying thou carest still for thy mother."

And John tenderly supporting Mary, but looking above to Jesus, exclaimed, "Thy last request is sacred to me."

And then to Mary he said, "Thou my mother, I thy son."

Then Jesus in a hollow voice, cried hoa.r.s.ely, "I thirst."

The centurion hearing him said, "He thirsts and calls for drink."

"Then," said Faustus, "I will reach him some at once." Then taking the reed with the sponge, he filled it with vinegar and pa.s.sed it to the centurion, who, taking a small phial from his dress, poured hyssop on the sponge. Faustus then reached the sponge up to the lips of Jesus.

But Jesus turned away his head and would not drink. "Here, drink,"

said Faustus. "What, wilt thou not?" and seeing that Jesus would not touch the sponge he took it away.

Then Jesus cried in agony, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani!"

But those hearing him did not understand, but imagined he cried for Elias.

"Hark!" said they. "He cried for Elias."

Then Caiaphas laughed and said, "Let be; let us see whether Elias will come to save him."

Then Jesus raising his head with a great effort to heaven, and breathing heavily cried with a loud voice and said, "It is finished.

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" And as Jesus spoke these words his head fell forward on his breast and he gave up the ghost.

Then suddenly the earth rocked and shook violently--thunder pealed--fierce lightnings flashed--darkness fell like a pall over the scene--the people stood trembling with fear.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "It is finished."]

The priests and the people cried out in terror, saying: "What a dreadful earthquake! Do you hear the crash of falling rocks? Woe, woe be to us!"

But the centurion said, "Certainly, this was a righteous man."

Another soldier replied, "G.o.d himself bears witness by these convulsions of nature."

The centurion said, "Oh, his patience in the worst agony, his n.o.ble calm, this last loud cry to heaven at the moment before death, all betoken his divine origin. Verily, he is a Son of G.o.d!"

"Come neighbors," said Oziel, "I will remain no longer in this terrible place."

"Yes," cried Helen, "let us go home and may G.o.d have mercy on us."

And others smiting their b.r.e.a.s.t.s cried, "Almighty G.o.d, we have sinned!

Forgive us."

And so it came to pa.s.s that no one remained round the cross but the holy women and John, and the friends of Jesus with the hangmen.

The chief priests and the rulers still stood together marveling near the cross of the repentant thief, when suddenly a temple servant came rus.h.i.+ng into their midst, breathless with haste.

"High priests and a.s.sembled council!" he exclaimed, "a fearful thing has occurred in the holy place. I tremble in every limb."

"What is it?" cried Caiaphas in alarm. "Not the temple?"

"Has it fallen?" said Annas.

"No," said the servant, "not that, but the veil of the temple has been rent in twain from the top to the bottom. I hastened hither with staggering feet, and feared the whole world was bursting asunder with the shock!"

"Dreadful!" exclaimed the priests and Pharisees, throwing up their hands.

But Caiaphas said, "It is that wretch who has done this by his magic arts. What a blessing it is that he is out of the world! Otherwise he would bring all the elements into disorder."

Then all the priests and Pharisees raised up their voices and cried, shaking their fists against Jesus, "Cursed be the ally of Beelzebub!"

"Now," said Caiaphas, "let us hurry home and see what has happened; then we will come back at once. For I cannot rest until I have seen this fellow's bones broken and the corpse flung into the grave of the transgressors."