- You're a liar!
- She was crazy.
Just because I run a charity
does not mean I have to buy rocks from every old lady.
- Charity?
- Just like everything Roman, it's a part of business.
We loan proceeds seized from criminals to the poor...
and others.
You are passing through?
I do not recall seeing you before.
- I come from Tyre.
The mallet is carved of maple from Sidon.
The chisels are bronze.
The trowel is tin from Phoenician ore.
- Hmm, my, my.
Why would anyone want to part with these?
- I'm on my way to The Dead Sea.
- Shalom, pilgrim.
Lucky me.
I do not often see items of such quality.
If only they were not brought in
by some stranger passing through.
- They weren't stolen,
if that's what you're saying.
- Hmm.
I can justify... 20 Denarii.
- You're joking.
That's a fraction of what they're worth--
- Oh!
Hades and Styx!
- I beg you--
- Leper! You are marked!
You couldn't just die...
you had to take us all to Hell!
You are forbidden to be within four cubits!
Take it and go!
- I didn't mean you... any harm.
My tools were all I had left.
♪ Oh, child, come on in. ♪
♪ Jump in the water.
♪ Got no trouble with the mess you been. ♪
♪ Walk on the water.
♪ Oh, child...
♪ Walk on the water.
♪ Got no trouble.
♪ Walk on the water.
♪ Walk on the water. ♪
- I never knew those little skiffs could hold so many fish.
- They can't.
The weight of the catch and the sailors caused the boat to sink.
They had to jump.
They ended up filling two boats.
Should we put this inside the booth?
- They'll be here any minute.
- At least you have your sword.
Should I have a weapon?
- This can't be the first time
you've been saddled with a couple months' worth of--
- Two years and seven weeks.
- Two years and seven weeks?
- Simon and Andrew were each granted a year gratis.
That totals one year and seven weeks
plus another year less marital credit for Simon.
-Okay.
- Plus penalties.
- That's--that's good.
- We're sitting ducks here.
Just try to-- try to look natural.
- I am natural.
I look exactly how I feel.
- Try to act like a normal person
under normal circumstances.
Forget I said normal.
Gaius!
- Yes, Marcus.
- We thought it was a joke.
- You could say it was comical
when the men leapt from the boats.
- Leapt from their boats?
- They were sinking from the weight.
- I told you it was made up.
You can't catch this many fish that fast.
- Captain, may we continue this conversation on the road?
- Whoa, Gaius.
Don't tell me you're nervous
about guarding a couple months' taxes.
I've just returned
from questioning the man known as John the Baptizer
while in Roman custody
at length, Av Beit Din.
Though his appearance is unconventional
and his teachings ignorant,
I've concluded he presents no material threat to Herod
or to the public peace.
- Order...
The man has a following.
We've heard as much from brother Shmuel's testimony.
Is that not a matter of concern?
- I believe these "followers"
are simply investigating, as one would a loud noise...
and on inspection,
they will that find his words bear as much substance.
He seeks attention.
They do not gather on the Jordan to be immersed
as we understand ritual cleansing.
They stand in line because others are standing in line.
We only legitimized him by ordering his detention.
The very effort to keep him silent
gives him a pedestal.
- But, Nicodemus, we issued no such order.
- Oh?
I was shown sworn statements from the arresting soldiers
saying a Pharisee had ordered his detention.
Perhaps, they were mistaken.
- It was me!
I turned him in.
- Brother Shmuel?
- "He who justifies the wicked
"and he who condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord."”
- Quoting the proverbs of Solomon
is not an explanation.
- I will not turn a blind eye to his sins,
even when all others do.
- What sins?
- He called us a brood of vipers.
- He uses coarse language to attract attention.
- Do you know how vipers are born?
They hatch inside their mothers...
The Law of Moses says
"“You shall not hate your brother in your heart."”
- Were he a member of our congregation
or our faction, we would admonish him, but he's not.
He's a rogue who answers to no one.
- Brother Shmuel, your rash actions
have inflated the importance of a trivial outlier
and drawn undue attention to our sect by Rome.
- But he--
- And I'm astonished that any student
of the great and learned Nicodemus
would have the temerity to bypass his approval.
- I'll talk to him, Av Beit Din.
- You will defer to your teacher
on all matters of polity and practice.
Do I make myself clear?
- Yes, your honor.
- This council is adjourned.
- Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one.
- I thought I was prepared for life on the road.
Snakes, hunger, floods.
- The Torah doesn't mention the blisters, huh?
- What, you never read the book of constant, low-level aches?
- The sermon on dust in your nose?
- Right.
- So, what'd you do before you met Him?
- I, um--I was on my way to join the 288.
- The Jerusalem Temple Choir?
- Yeah.
- Right; okay.
I was Caesar's favorite gladiator.
- ♪ My soul thirsts for you.
♪ My flesh longs for you.
♪ In a dry and weary land
♪ Where there is no water.
Heh-heh-hee!
Wow.
I stand corrected.
- Thank you.
- It's clear why Jesus asked you to join Him.
- I--I don't know if anything's clear.
You know, maybe I'll sing, maybe not.
He's the only one who knows who I'll become.
More than anything, He is a teacher,
and we're His students.
Looks good, boys.
Simon?
My mother is leaving.
I'm escorting her back to Nazareth.
I'll catch up with the others at our camp near Capernaum.
- I understand; all right.
I'll make sure everyone arrives safely.
- I want you to go on ahead.
- Ahead of the others?
- Yes, you have some business to tend to at home.
- Teacher, I can protect the others.
- In time you will.
The others don't have families, you do.
Look at me...
I'm leaving all this fun to escort my eema.
- Yes, Rabbi.
- Remarkable.
For the first time in a year,
quarterly collections will have exceeded Pilate's projections.
And if the fishermen are no longer fishing on Shabbat...
Have an olive, Matthew.
You earned it.
- Thank you, Dominus.
- Simon the Cheat.
Simon the Fraud.
Simon...
the guy who delivered when it mattered most.
I wonder if there's a way to make him do it again.
- It wasn't Simon, Dominus.
- What if I told him it wasn't enough?
He obviously performs well under pressure
and I do have a knack for creating stakes.
- Simon wasn't responsible for this, Dominus.
- Oh, I don't care who he conscripts into his schemes.
- Forgive me, Dominus, if my report was unclear.
There was a man--
- Yes, you're a fine reporter, Matthew,
but you're also a bit of a rube.
I read your report.
It's clear Simon and his accomplice tricked you.
- But there were others--
- Accomplices, fine.
- To what end?
- Who can say?
Maybe Simon wanted the other fishermen off his back.
You said yourself,
word of his disloyalty had spread,
or maybe to spook anyone who'd fish on Shabbat.
He is a wily one.
- The fishermen have taken notice.
- It couldn't have worked out better.
Don't tell me you're spooked.
- I'm neither sophisticated nor subtle, Dominus,
but I'm observant.
I detected no subterfuge.
I recorded everything I witnessed,
however impossible it seemed.
- You did well, Matthew.
Fortunately you have me to interpret for you.
- Forgive me, Praetor.
It's urgent.
- No kidding.
- King Herod's envoy approaches.
- Spotted where?
- Outside Gennesaret, riding north.
- Captain?
Silvius Gemelius, son of Senator Gemelius,
will be arriving in one hour.
- Yes, Dominus.
- Prepare my guard for inspection.
How long would you have stood there?
Things turned out very well with Simon,
and I'm grateful.
Gaius, I've reviewed your service records.
You're Germanic?
- My people were.
- Powerful warriors... even if they did surrender.
- I believe they sensibly joined the winning team,
Dominus.
- Sensibly.
- My only allegiance is to Rome.
I've trained to fight for her since I was a boy.
- And now you will lead.
I hereby promote you to the rank of Primi.
- Thank you for this honor, Praetor.
- Don't slobber.
And Matthew, you're so wonderfully... odd.
Keenly intelligent,
but it's your reactions to the world I love.
Like right now!
How you're not a stain on a cart wheel
is a mystery we will have many moons to unravel,
my new friend.
- I saw no ruse or deception at the seashore, Dominus.
- Because you have no guile.
Give me your first reaction
You will shortly to be visited by a childhood rival
whose father gave him everything,
while yours gave you nothing,
and yet you've risen to a higher rank.
You want to make it clear you won.
That it's your meeting, even if he arrived unannounced.
- I would show him my plans for infrastructure.
Conquest is not simply conquering nations
but imposing a way of life.
- Unbelievable.
So simple.
You're dismissed.
- Thank you, Praetor.
- Hello.
Shalom.
- It's a beautiful day for picking flowers.
- Well, if you like Gilboa Iris, lupine, and anemone,
I sell them in the market.
- Is that Egyptian?
- Yes, I grew up there.
My father was from Ethiopia.
Shalom to you all!
Shalom!
- You were speaking Egyptian?
- I lived there when I was a boy.
- Why were you there?
- We had to leave Bethlehem when I was two years old
because of Herod.
He--
- You lived in Bethlehem
during the massacre of the innocents?
- I did.
- I know this story.
Herod had every child in the area
under the age of two killed.
- Yes; it was very sad.
Not to spoil this beautiful day or anything, huh?
Come on.
- It's a leper!
Stay back!
- Cover your mouths!
Don't breathe his air!
- Don't come any closer.
- It's okay, John, it's okay.
- Please... please.
Please don't turn away from me.
- I won't.
- Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.
Only if You want to; I submit to You.
My sister, she was a servant at the wedding,
she told me what You can do.
I know You can heal me if You are willing.
- I am willing.
Be cleansed.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
What can I... what can I ever do...
- No.
Do not say anything to anyone.
- You don't seek Your own honor?
- Please just do Me this one thing.
- But what do I tell people?
- Go and show yourself to the priest.
Let him inspect you to see that you are cleansed.
Make the proper offering in the temple,
as Moses commanded, and go on your way.
Who has an extra tunic?
Just one of you, just one of you.
That's enough.
Green's definitely your color.
Not too shabby.
- Spread out the flat.
It dries faster.
- Okay.
- Zebedee?
- Yeah?
- Will you check the grapes, please?
- Aah.
I forgot--we no longer have anyone on raisin duty.
Eh... too tart.
Salome!
- What?
-They're coming!
- Zeb! Be careful!
- Ahhhh!
Ooh!
Ohh!
- Hello.
James? John?
-- Yes, Eema?
- Listen to Him, please.
And stay by His side.
- We will, we will.
- It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Salome.
I'm Jesus of Nazareth.
- Of course you are.
- And hello, again, Zebedee.
- It's an honor, Rabbi.
- Eema?
- Eema?!
- Where are my manners?
Quick, come in.
- Are you certain?
There will be others joining us.
- I insist.
Everyone, please.
- Oh! Hey-hey-hey.
Where is Simon?
- He's taking care of some things at home.
Andrew's getting him now.
- Hmm.
Good.
I thought maybe he got cold feet,
or I'd have to go drag him out of The Hammer.
- Are you kidding?
He's the Teacher's pet.
- You would hardly recognize him now.
- Come on.
- Shh-shhh-shhh...
♪ May my meditations please you... ♪
♪ As I rejoice in you, my Lord. ♪
♪ Praise you, Lord.
♪ Praise you, Lord, forevermore. ♪
- ...the wine, oh.
He introduced us to all of his friends.
- It--it really was unlike anything.
We danced-- He danced!
- He danced?
- Yes.
- She's asleep.
Breathing is labored but steady.
- Okay, good.
- That was some soulful singing, my man.
- All right.
- Most are at Zebedee's to regroup.
And eat Salome's cooking.
Don't tell Eden I said that.
What?
Tax man.
- Simon.
Andrew.
- I guess no one told you the good news.
- We squared our debts with Quintus.
- Isn't that great?
So, go back to your cage.
And stop following us.
- It's not you.
I'm here about the man...
- What man?
- The man at the shore who made the fish appear.
- Man on the shore?
You saw no man on the shore, you hear me?
- Yes I did!
I was there! I saw!
- And I bet the first thing you did was tell Rome, huh?
- Simon!
- They don't believe me!
- You really are a traitor.
- Simon!
- Best for you to forget it.
- Go home, Matthew.
- They don't believe what I saw, but I do.
I need to know... am I deceived?
- What good is our answer
if you don't even listen to yourself?
- Rabbi.
- Welcome, Rabbi.
- Greetings.
- Everything is prepared, teacher.
The scrolls of Isaiah, and Malachi.
Would you like us to get you any water, teacher, or...
- No, thank you.
Actually, I'd like to do the readings a little later,
would you mind giving me a little time to myself?
- Of course, teacher.
- Shmuel, would you join me, please?
- Eh... Salome didn't cook?
- No.
- Walnuts?
- So good.
- Ah, your herbs are beautiful.
- Rosemary... dill...
- Mint, coriander, and sage, for Zebedee's indigestion.
- Thank you for sharing that, dear wife.
So, your father was a fisherman?
- Carpenter.
- Is he back in Nazareth?
- No, he's... in heaven.
- What was your father's lineage?
- Josiah, father of Jeconiah at the time of the exile.
- But before the exile, what tribe?
- Abba!
- I like genealogies.
It's what we talk about.
- I would imagine from the tribe of Judah... yes?
- And why would you guess the tribe of Judah?
- Well...
- Are you having a party?
- We heard voices.
- Mara, please come in.
- Rabbi, these are our neighbors, Mara and Eliel.
- Oh, we've heard about you.
- Have you?
The parable of the net.
- I have a question about that.
- Please, our Master is tired,
He's had a long day of walking.
- It's all right.
It's all right.
- You said angels would come
and separate the evil from the righteous.
- Mm-hmm.
- How soon do you think that day would come, Rabbi?
- My friends and I recently returned from a wedding.
The father of the bride was a man of great wealth, Abner.
As the night got longer, near the end of the feast,
what do you think the servants were doing back home?
- Waiting.
If they're good at their jobs.
- Waiting where?
In their rooms?
In the kitchen?
- At the gate.
- Ah, at the gate.
And doing what?
Just standing there in the dark?
- Holding lamps.
- But why?
Why wouldn't they just relax?
- Because they don't know when he's coming back.
- Suppose they figured the master was delayed in coming,
so they took a nap on his bed?
Got drunk on his wine and let their lamps burn down?
That's easy.
They would be fired.
And then kicked out, called a name,
and told that if they ever show their face around here again--
- My friends! Shalom, shalom!
- We were just passing by and heard a familiar voice.
- We heard about the wedding.
Can you do that to the well by my house?
- You know them?
- Yes, Mary introduced them to me.
- Stick around, hmm?
- Why not.
- You were saying, Teacher?
- Ah, yes, thank you, James.
The servants.
So, it will be at the end of all things.
Neither the angels in heaven nor the Son of man
know the day or the hour, but only the Father.
So, you must always be ready,
with your lamps trimmed and burning brightly.
- Yes, what?
- It's getting too crowded.
- Don't worry about it.
You know Eema and Abba love the company.
- I'm not worried about them.
- Oh... okay.
So what do you want to do?
- Let's try to make sure
the path out of your back garden is clear.
- What do you think is going to happen?
- Anything could happen.
All these people, word spreading,
the wrong people stop by.
- Simon, you don't have to be His bodyguard.
I think He can handle... anything.
- Well, He called me,
and if we're not fighting the Romans yet,
I wanna do something until that time comes.
- He called you to catch men.
- I don't know what that means.
- Exactly!
And if He needed you to know what it meant,
He would have told you.
So, just... just be you, okay?
And, hey... maybe you already know.
- Shmuel, my eyes are tired.
Would you mind reading to me
from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
"Comfort, comfort my people says our--"
- A bit further down a few lines.
- "A voice cries, 'In the wilderness
"'prepare the way of Adonai;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'"”
- Hmm... and who does that sound like?
- The heretic John.
- And what heresy do you find in those words,
being that Isaiah said them also?
- The heresy is that John has...
appropriated Isaiah's words.
By taking a spiritual description of God in heaven
and applying it to John's physical successor on earth.
- Successor.
- John said, "After me comes He who is mightier than I,
"the strap of whose sandals
I am not worthy to stoop down and untie."”
- And?
- God has no body.
He cannot wear sandals.
God cannot take human form.
To say so is blasphemy.
- Where does it say that God cannot take human form?
- In the scroll of Deuteronomy--
"You saw no face the day Adonai spoke to you at Horeb--"
- Just because they saw no form
doesn't mean God cannot take one.
- In Exodus... "You cannot see my face,
for no man shall see me and live."”
This person would have to walk around
with his face covered!
- So you would place limits on the Almighty?
- None that are not written in law.
- And if God did something
that you felt contradicted the Torah,
would you tell Him to get back in that box
that you have carved for Him?
Or would you question your interpretation of the Torah?
- When I was a student, I knew all your sayings.
I read every word you wrote.
Your teachings were so sturdy, so reasoned and pure.
- We are still students, Shmuel.
All of us.
Our understanding will never be complete.
- It frightens me
that I can no longer predict your rulings.
- And fear alone ensures we remain ignorant,
asleep in the safety of a rigid tradition.
Take the Sadducees.
They take the first five books, the law of Moses,
as inspired Scripture.
The rest... they disregard.
To them, God stopped speaking when Moses died.
Think of all they have missed... the psalms of David,
the stories of Ruth and Boaz, Esther and Mordecai.
I don't want to live in some bleak past
where God cannot do anything new, do you?
- Why is that your concern?
God gave us His law, we must uphold it!
- We can do both!
Let's look to the ancient roads where the good way is
and walk in it, as Jeremiah said,
and still keep our eyes open
to the startling and the unexpected.
Can we agree on that?
- Yes.
- You and I, we can lead the others in this.
- I beg your pardon, Teacher of teachers.
- What's happened?
- A crowd has gathered in the east side
to see a man preaching.
- A Pharisee?
- No, a common person.
It's not John.
Someone normal.
He has commanded the attention of the entire area.
- We will investigate.
So, you think that because Pilate killed them,
they must have been worse sinners than others?
- I know Pilate wasn't doing it for that reason,
but God must've been punishing them for something.
- No, no, God does not see some as worse than others.
All must repent or perish.
You know the tower in Siloam
which fell and killed the 18, yes?
- Of course.
- Do you think that they were worse than those
who lived in Jerusalem?
No, all must repent or perish.
- I'm out of pistachios, walnuts, breads, and water.
Can you please go next door and ask Deborah for more bread
to feed this crowd.
- Deborah's... at the door.
- They're already being fed.
- What about prayer?
- What about it, Shula?
- I don't like to pray out loud
because I feel embarrassed around the leaders
who know how to do it so much better.
- Ahhh, big words don't matter.
A lot of that's for show anyway.
Don't worry about doing it in public.
It's better to go into your room,
shut the door,
and pray to your Father who sees you in secret.
The same is true for giving to the needy.
Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
- How can my right hand do something
and my left hand not know?
- I mean give generously without thinking about it.
Do not do it for show, to impress others,
don't even congratulate yourself in private.
Give in humility.
- Come! Come!
- When was your last customer?
Matthew?
Hello!
- I'm sorry, what?
- How long has it been since you got a customer?
- I don't have customers.
- When was the last citizen?
- One hour, perhaps two.
- Is there a Jewish holiday that I don't know about?
- There are many you don't know about, Gaius.
- Snap out of it.
Marcus.
Matthew, close the booth and go home.
- It's not time yet.
- There is a situation.
Lock up and get out of here.
- What situation would require we abandon our post?
- A mob in the east slums.
- I'm coming with you.
- Excuse me?
- I'm coming with you.
- I said a mob... of people.
Matthew, I do not have time to protect you.
- How do you think I survive
the other 16 hours of the day?
- I--I have no idea.
- ...which brings up a good point.
All of you listening here...
you're pretty decent people, yes?
Pretty righteous?
Kind of?
Not bad?
Let me tell you a story.
There were two men
that went up into the temple to pray--
-- Excuse us, please!
--one of them a Pharisee,
the best of us, right?
The other was a tax collector...
- Shalom, good to see you.
...the worst, yes?
This is Jesus of Nazareth.
A Pharisee, standing by himself,
goes inside to the temple and he prays this prayer--
- Can you hear okay?
--and he says--
- He's amazing, huh?
"--God, I thank you
"that I am not like other men, extortioners...
- Excuse us.
Please.
- Where are you going?
- Please, we need to see Jesus.
- There's no room up there.
- He's paralyzed from the waist down.
He can't stand.
- There--there is definitely no room then.
- Simon, he deserves to hear Jesus
as much as anyone else.
- Hello, again.
I'm so glad I found you, my friends--
- Why do you need to get closer?
- I saw what your Master did to that leper.
I know what I saw.
- We're trying to keep that under wraps for now.
Look at this crowd.
Imagine what we'd be up against if they--
- Please! Please help me get my friend to Him.
"...rather than the other..."
- We've got company.
- I'll talk to them, I'll talk to them.
- Come with me.
- What's going on here?
- This is a peaceful gathering.
- That's what the Maccabees said.
- They're blocking the road.
- I'll move them.
They just haven't been told where to stand yet.
"...finally he said to himself,
"Even though I don't fear God,
"because this widow keeps bothering me,
"I will see that she gets justice,
so that she doesn't wear me out!"
Listen to what the unjust judge says...
- I'm sorry, there's too many people.
- But you know Him.
Can't you get us closer?
- I don't want to interrupt the Teacher
by causing a scene.
- What if you were me?
- Wouldn't you want your friends to make a scene?
- I was you, once.
- What about the roof?
- I just wanted to hear the Teacher teach!
- Psst!
- Up here!
- It's okay! Come up!
- How did you get up there?
- We climbed the ladder.
It's easy.
- Thank you.
- Where are your parents?
Consider how the wildflowers grow.
- I see, okay.
They do not labor--
Well, the man speaking is called--
- Jesus of Nazareth.
- We know Him.
If this is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today,
and thrown into the fire tomorrow,
how much more will He clothe all of you?
- Ahem.
Excuse me.
- Quiet! We're trying to listen.
- Do you know who you are talking to?
- Shmuel--
- Did you hear his disrespect?
- You remember the Red Quarter?
We're out of our element here.
- But we have to find out who is teaching.
Look at this crowd!
- All the more reason to be cautious.
- Rabbi... it's her!
She is truly restored!
I had only heard your report, not seen her for myself.
She's a different person!
- Why is she here?
A city on a hill cannot be hid.
And if it were nighttime, Zebedee wouldn't light his lamp
and put it under a basket,
he'd put it on a stand where it could light us all.
- Jesus of Nazareth!
I saw what You did to the leper on the road this morning.
My friend has been paralyzed since childhood.
He has no hope but You.
Please...
do for him what You did for the leper.
- What on earth...?
- That's our roof!
- Put it back, man.
- If you are willing, Rabbi, I know You can do this.
- Heal him!
- Is this what you wanted?
Get out your tablet at least.
Mary! Is He in danger?
- I don't know.
No, I don't think so.
- He's got room in there?
- Yes.
- Can you believe we're really here for this?
- Yes.
- You.
By whose authority do You teach?
Answer me!
- If You are willing, Rabbi,
You know You can.
- Hey! I'm talking to You!
By whom do You teach?
Certainly not the authority of any rabbi from Nazareth!
Where did You study?
- Your faith is beautiful.
Son, take heart, your sins are forgiven.
"“Who is this who speaks blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?"”
Right?
But I ask you-- which is easier to say?
"Your sins are forgiven,"
or, "Rise up and walk"?
It's easy to say anything, no?
But... to show you,
and so that you may know,
that the Son of Man has the authority on earth
to forgive sins...
...I say to you, My son,
rise,
pick up your bed,
and go home.
Easy does it.
- Thank you.
- Now, go on.
- Roman guards!
A threat to the public peace!
- Teacher! This way!
- No!
- Go, go...
- Zebedee!
- Mary! Wait!
- You saw it?
- I--I saw a paralytic walk past me on his two feet!
- You asked me before if I knew His name.
Now everyone knows His name, and I fear for His safety.
- I mean no trouble to Him, no dishonor--
- Your friends tried to have Him arrested!
- They're jealous, they're afraid.
But I'm not, I promise.
Mary, please, I need to talk to Him.
- I follow Him, not the other way around.
He doesn't tell anyone His plans.
- Will you ask Him for a meeting?
- I--
- In secret... under cover of night.
At a place of His choosing.
I don't care if it's a ravine or a cave or even a tomb,
But... I just need to speak to Him.
Please, Mary.
- I will try.
- Are you lost?
- Yes, I am.
- Is there a problem, officer?