New Believers Of God

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The following week at CCD, we did something a little bit different.

"Today, we're watching a movie." said Ms. Crane.

Right away, we were all overjoyed. That's when you knew it was going to be a fun day.

From there, she walked over to the TV and put a disc in the DVD player.

"This is Jesus of Nazareth." she told us "We're not going to watch the whole thing. I just want to show you one specific part."

With that said, she fast forwarded through it until reaching the part she was referring to, then pressed play.

At first glance, we were seeing a whole crowd of people shouting and cheering, and a man, Pontius Pilate, standing above them, raising his hands.

"Then let it be written," he said, "That Jesus of Nazareth is guilty of treason by proclaiming himself king of the jews, and is sentenced to be crucified."

I quickly realized what I was about to be shown. This was the crucifixion of Jesus.

It then cut to Jesus himself, looking down as he heard those words. Wearing the infamous crown of thorns upon his head. Bleeding all over from being flogged.

Of course, I had been told about this in multiple ways before. Every year, the church put on a play about it, where it would be told as a musical, and I would also attend Stations of the Cross, where it would be told in a story-like manner. But here, I was seeing a genuine depiction of it. Probably the closest thing to how it actually took place. No lightheartedness, the real deal.

After a few more brief scenes, it cut again to Jesus being led out of the temple, now with his arms tied to a log on his back, and surrounded by guards as he stumbled forward. People in the crowd were attempting to help him, only to be forced back by them.

"Get on!" shouted one "Make room! Make room!"

"Get out of the way!" shouted another "Clear away!"

Jesus continued to be moved along, beathing heavily as he struggled to carry the piece of his cross. Everybody around him was crying and yelling, some pleading for his innocence, some calling him a traitor.

Eventually, he was led to the other part of his cross. A large wooden stake implanted in the ground. This is what had been introduced to us as Golgotha.

He was laid on the ground and stripped of his garment. Next thing we knew, nails were being driven into his hands, moaning in great agony as it happened.

My whole class gasped and cringed at the sight of this, getting somewhat of a feeling for what he was going through. It was almost as if we were really there in person.

He was then hoisted up to the stake, where the same thing was done to his feet as well. Following that, a sign was placed above him.

"Take down that sign!" yelled a member of the crowd "He is an insult! He is not the king of the jews!"

Along with Jesus was a pair of robbers, one on each side of him, also being crucified. This particular part was common knowledge to me.

"Father." he said, "Forgive them, they know not what they do."