The Great Gospel of John
Volume 4
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi (cont.)
- Chapter 15 -
The enigmatic Roman authority of Herod.
Said Cyrenius: "What you wish, will happen to you; since I'm quite satisfied with your description of Herodes and know now how I have to deal with him. But tell me, whether his sub- rule authority is in fact as you have described it to me earlier! You didn't see my name signed at the bottom? Or did you ever had the opportunity to have a look at that document? Be truthful and tell me exactly what you know!"
2
Says Zinka: "Nothing easier than that, since I know how to write and can speak three languages, I already have made about fifty copies of this document, which each time Herodes had to take to the governor for verification with the original in exchange for ten silver groschen! I did not saw your name, however, only the name of the currently ruling emperor. I cannot tell you anything more about it."
3
Says Cyrenius: "This is then apparently a new authority, with a completely different content as the one I myself has undersigned! Could you also tell me the time when Herodes obtained the infamous authority from Rome?"
4
Says Zinka: "Oh, nothing easier than that! This authority he already obtained a year before, which I know very precisely, since I wrote the application for it. It was indeed requested in the application, that the emperor as a complete sole lord and ruler, should pass over all subordinated positions, and should ad personam (for his person only) provide an authority to cover him in a way and manner, as stated under the remark in the application. But now comes the actual main issue, behind which - thus only according to my view - lies a big fraud!
5
That Herodes actually made an application to Rome, I can vouch for as a trustworthy witness, since I, as said already, has set and written the application myself. The extraordinary application did not went - as easily understandable - without a heavy attachment of gold and silver to Rome. The couriers were five of the highest ranking pharisees, who at the same time in their very own capacity undertook a trip to Rome. A few days before their departure they came to Herodes and asked him, if there wasn't anything they could do for him in Rome.
6
For Herodes they came as called; since for four weeks already he considered every possibility, how and by whom he could deliver the extraordinary application to Rome in the safest and most secret manner. This opportunity was welcomed by him even more so, since he had a good relationship with those five most clever pharisees and regarded them as the most trustworthy of their kind. When he asked them for their delivery fee, which normally from Jerusalem was not under two-hundred pounds, they said it will cost him nothing; because what they do for him they do out of pure friendship, since he also had done quite a lot of important friendship services to them!
7
With that Herodes was more than completely content and gave to the five the application together with the heavy load which thirty camels had to carry. In this way the extraordinary application went according to word to Rome, but according to the truth most likely somewhere else, that we cannot know!
8
A trip from here to Rome lasts under favourable weather conditions three full weeks, otherwise also a month; one stays in Rome for a few days, sometimes even for weeks, and it takes time until someone gets to the emperor. Such an application is in the most favourable case not completed in less than half a year, because he has to deal with thousands of more important government issues. Now we get to the return trip which must take up the same time as the forward trip! From many experiences accurately calculated, according to my knowledge nothing has returned from Rome earlier than three quarters of a year.
9
However, the five messengers handed the requested authority, precisely according to the remark in the application written by me, to Herodes within the time frame of less than six weeks, complete, written on nice parchment with all known signatures of the emperor and congratulated Herodes with all kind of pomp; I kept my thoughts for myself, but I still put my head on a block, that the five messengers during the opportunity at hand, were just as little in Rome as myself!
10
The scoundrels have hidden the heavy attachment and the thirty camels well, forged the signature and other signs of the emperor and have given Herodes a confidential imperial authority, of which he knows as much as you do, elated lord and master! Just note, elated lord, this is only my personal opinion; it is possible that the authority did in fact came from the emperor! Perhaps the ships had a good wind, forth and back, this would explain at least in some way the trip to and fro, and by chance they could have found the emperor at a leisure, business free hour immediately at their arrival in Rome. He allowed them to see him immediately and issued them with the requested authority, whereupon they immediately found a ship steering back to Asia and with a most favourable wind they reached the coast of Judea! In short, I do not want to be a judge! Everything is just my surmise and calculation."