Last Days of Jesus

NARRATOR: FOR ALMOST 2,000 YEARS, THE STORY OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS HAS BEEN CELEBRATED BY CHRISTIANS THE WORLD OVER.

WOMAN: THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL THING.

JESUS HAS TO DIE.

AAH!

NARRATOR: BUT COULD THERE BE MORE TO THIS STORY THAN MEETS THE EYE?

JUDAS!

NARRATOR: A PLOT TWIST THAT SHEDS AN EXTRAORDINARY NEW LIGHT ON JESUS' FINAL DAYS... [MEN SHOUTING] MAN: THE STORY OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS AS PORTRAYED IN THE GOSPELS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

NARRATOR: AND FEATURING THREE MEN WHO WOULD CHANGE HISTORY: THE ROMAN EMPEROR'S RIGHT-HAND MAN... MAN: SEJANUS IS THE ESSENCE OF AMBITION.

NARRATOR: THE JEWISH GOVERNOR OF GALILEE... MAN: HEROD ANTIPAS--HE WANTED TO BECOME KING OF THE JEWS.

NARRATOR: AND JESUS... [SHOUTING] WOMAN: I SEE JESUS AS ENORMOUSLY REVOLUTIONARY.

NARRATOR: WHO WAS CAUGHT UP IN A POLITICAL POWER PLAY HATCHED BY TWO OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN THE ROMAN WORLD.

NARRATOR: THE FATEFUL EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE DEATH OF JESUS TELL ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS STORIES OF ALL TIME-- KNOWN AS THE PASSION.

IN SPRING 32 A.D., A CHARISMATIC PREACHER NAMED JESUS OF NAZARETH ENTERS THE ANCIENT CITY OF JERUSALEM TO BRING ABOUT A REVOLUTION.

WOMAN: THE FIRST EVENT IN THE PASSION STORY IS JESUS' ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM ON THE BACK OF A DONKEY, SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE WELCOMING HIM INTO THE CITY.

[PEOPLE CHEERING] NARRATOR: HAILED AS THE MESSIAH, JESUS AND HIS BAND OF FOLLOWERS QUICKLY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE TEMPLE, THE HOLIEST SITE IN JUDAISM... WHERE THEY CONFRONT THE MONEY CHANGERS.

AND THERE IS THIS INCIDENT IN THE TEMPLE.

[SHOUTING] MAN: HE "CLEANSES" THE TEMPLE, MEANING HE--HE CREATES TROUBLE.

HE OVERTHROWS TABLES.

HE SHUTS DOWN THE ENTIRE TEMPLE.

BOND: HE SAYS, "MY HOUSE SHOULD BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER, BUT YOU'VE MADE IT INTO A DEN OF ROBBERS."

WOMAN: HE'S BASICALLY ACCUSING THE CHIEF PRIESTS OF BEING THIEVES AND ROBBERS.

AND THAT'S SUCH A TERRIBLY PROVOCATIVE THING.

[COINS JINGLING] NARRATOR: FOR ALMOST 24 HOURS, JESUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS SHUT DOWN THE TEMPLE, OPENLY DEFYING THE TEMPLE PRIESTS.

TWO DAYS LATER, ON THE EVE OF THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER, HE GATHERS HIS FOLLOWERS FOR A MEAL.

BOND: THE NEXT MAJOR EVENT IS JESUS' LAST MEAL WITH HIS DISCIPLES THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DIES.

AND THERE, HE TAKES BREAD AND WINE AND TELLS THEM TO REMEMBER HIM WHEN HE'S GONE.

MAN: JESUS EATS THE LAST SUPPER JUST WITH THE DISCIPLES.

AND HE SITS DOWN AND BEGINS TO TELL THEM "I'M NOT GOING TO EAT PASSOVER WITH YOU AFTER ALL."

BOND: THEN ONE OF JESUS' CLOSEST FOLLOWERS, JUDAS, WHO'S BEEN WITH HIM SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING, BETRAYS HIM WITH A KISS.

NARRATOR: JESUS IS ARRESTED BY THE TEMPLE'S HIGH PRIEST AND HANDED TO THE ROMAN PREFECT, PONTIUS PILATE, CHARGED WITH TREASON.

HE IS THEN PASSED ON TO THE JEWISH GOVERNOR OF GALILEE, HEROD ANTIPAS.

BUT HEROD ANTIPAS IS UNABLE TO PROVE HIS GUILT AND SENDS HIM BACK TO THE PREFECT.

BOND: HE'S PASSED BACK TO THE ROMAN PREFECT, PONTIUS PILATE, WHO OFFERS THE PEOPLE THE CHOICE TO RELEASE JESUS.

HE SAYS, "SHALL I RELEASE BARABBAS FOR YOU INSTEAD?"

BUT THE PEOPLE SHOUT FOR THE DEATH OF JESUS.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING] TAYLOR: PILATE HANDS JESUS OVER TO BE FLOGGED BY HIS SOLDIERS.

[WHIP CRACKING] HE'S SO BEATEN UP... AND A CROWN OF THORNS IS PUT ON HIS HEAD BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE MAKING FUN OF HIM AND HIS CLAIM TO BE KING OF THE JEWS.

BOND: WE'RE TOLD THAT HE CARRIED HIS CROSS UP TO A PLACE CALLED GOLGOTHA, WHERE HE'S CRUCIFIED... AND FINALLY, AFTER A SHORT TIME, HE DIES.

[PEOPLE WAILING] NARRATOR: BUT FOR ALL ITS FAMILIARITY, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS STORY THAT SUGGESTS THERE MIGHT, PERHAPS, BE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.

TABOR: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS' LIFE, YOU CAN TICK THROUGH VERY QUICKLY THE EVENTS, BUT SOME OF THE EVENTS DON'T SEEM TO REALLY MESH OR ADD UP.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING] NARRATOR: WHY, WHEN JESUS CAUSES TROUBLE IN THE TEMPLE AT A VERY TENSE TIME, ISN'T HE IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED?

JACOBOVICI: HE'S SHUT THE HOLIEST PLACE IN JUDAISM DOWN, AND NO ONE DOES ANYTHING.

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

[SHOUTING CONTINUES] MAN: AND THE ROMANS ARE JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY.

NORTHWEST CORNER OF TEMPLE MOUNT, THERE WERE ROMAN TROOPS, AND YET, THEY NEVER INTERVENE.

WHY NOT?

[OVERLAPPING CONVERSATIONS] NARRATOR: AND WHY IS JESUS BETRAYED BY HIS OWN DISCIPLE, JUDAS?

[JUDAS SHOUTING] TABOR: WHEN WE THINK OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, FOLLOWER OF JESUS, HE ACTUALLY HAS THE RESPONSIBLE POSITION TO RUN THE JESUS MOVEMENT ECONOMICALLY.

AND HE TURNS--HE TURNS AGAINST JESUS.

WHY WOULD HE DO THIS?

JUDAS!

JACOBOVICI: WHY, ALL OF A SUDDEN, FOR 30 PIECES OF SILVER, THE GUY, JUDAH, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE BANK, SUDDENLY HE BETRAYS HIM AND COMMITS SUICIDE?

WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?

NARRATOR: AND WHY DOES PILATE, A MAN FAMED FOR HIS CRUELTY, OFFER THE PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO HAVE JESUS RELEASED?

WILSON: PILATE WAS KNOWN AS A BRUTAL, RUTHLESS ROMAN RULER, AND YET, WE SEE HIM IN THE GOSPELS PORTRAYED AS WEAK, VACILLATING, NOT SURE WHICH WAY TO TURN.

TABOR: PONTIUS PILATE SEEMS LIKE HE ALMOST LIKES JESUS, KEEPS WANTING TO RELEASE HIM.

WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?

WHY WOULDN'T HE JUST IMMEDIATELY SAY, "WHAT, HE CLAIMS TO BE A KING?

THEN WE KILL PEOPLE THAT CLAIM TO BE KINGS"?

JACOBOVICI: THE STORY OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS AS PORTRAYED IN THE GOSPELS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

NARRATOR: THE CONTRADICTIONS IN THIS MOST FAMOUS OF GOSPEL STORIES HAVE BAFFLED HISTORIANS FOR GENERATIONS.

TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER A PORTRAIT OF THE HISTORICAL JESUS HAS BAMBOOZLED SCHOLARS FOR A GOOD 200 YEARS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT SCHOLARS AGREE ON IN TERMS OF THE BASIC FACTS OF HIS LIFE, AND THEN THERE IS ROOM FOR A GREAT DEAL OF ARGUMENT AND SPECULATION.

NARRATOR: ONE PROBLEM IS THAT ANY REAL EVIDENCE OF THE LIFE OF JESUS BEYOND THE GOSPELS IS SKETCHY.

WE KNOW JESUS ACTUALLY EXISTED BECAUSE HE'S ATTESTED BY ROMAN HISTORIANS.

IN ROMAN TEXTS, JESUS IS JUST CALLED CRESTOS.

NARRATOR: BUT NOW A NEW INTERPRETATION OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS IS ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE SOME OF THE MYSTERIES IN THE GOSPELS, AND IT INVOLVES EVENTS FAR AWAY FROM JERUSALEM.

JACOBOVICI: EVERYBODY LOOKS AT THE-- AT THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS AS IF IT'S A LOCAL STORY.

IT'S NOT A LOCAL STORY.

NARRATOR: TO MANY, THIS NEW INTERPRETATION WILL COME AS A SURPRISE, AND YET IT DRAWS ON HISTORICAL SOURCES, ARCHAEOLOGY, AND HIDDEN CLUES IN THE GOSPELS THEMSELVES.

JACOBOVICI: THE STORY OF JESUS' FINAL DAYS IS A POLITICAL CHESS GAME HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.

NARRATOR: THE TRAGIC EVENTS AT THE CENTER OF THIS NEW THEORY REVOLVE AROUND THE INTERWEAVING STORIES OF THREE MEN, EACH WITH OVERWHELMING AMBITIONS.

ONE IS VERY FAMILIAR TO US: JESUS.

THE SECOND IS A MAN WHO'S FAR LESS WELL-KNOWN: THE GALILEAN RULER HEROD ANTIPAS... WILSON: WE KNOW FROM THE HISTORICAL RECORDS, PARTICULARLY NOT ONLY FROM THE GOSPELS BUT ALSO FROM JOSEPHUS, THAT HEROD ANTIPAS, UM, BORE A GRUDGE.

NARRATOR: WHILE THE THIRD IS MISSING FROM THE GOSPELS ALTOGETHER... AELIUS SEJANUS, A ROMAN GENERAL WHO CAME WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE OF BECOMING EMPEROR OF ROME.

SEJANUS, I THINK, IS A TYPE THAT WOULD BE FAMILIAR TO ANYONE WHO, UH, LIKES A GOOD MAFIA FILM.

NARRATOR: TOGETHER, THEIR STORIES HELP EXPLAIN THE EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS OF THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS.

[BIRDS CHIRPING] OUR STORY BEGINS WITH JESUS' EARLY CHILDHOOD... AND A LOOK AT THE WORLD HE GREW UP IN.

THE GOSPELS TELL US JESUS SPENT HIS CHILDHOOD IN NAZARETH, NOT FAR FROM THE SEA OF GALILEE.

[DOG BARKING] TODAY, NAZARETH IS A BUSTLING TOWN OF AROUND 75,000 PEOPLE.

BUT 2,000 YEARS AGO, IT WAS JUST A BACKWATER, A SMALL VILLAGE.

THE JESUS WE THINK WE KNOW WAS THE POOR SON OF A HUMBLE CARPENTER, BUT A RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY CHALLENGES THAT VIEW.

THE NAZARETH OF 2,000 YEARS AGO IS MOSTLY GONE, BUT BURIED BENEATH THIS ANCIENT CONVENT LIE THE REMAINS OF AN EXTRAORDINARY STONE DWELLING THAT, TO PROFESSOR JAMES TABOR, SUGGESTS A REMARKABLE POSSIBILITY.

TABOR: BEHIND ME HERE IS ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING SITES IN THE HOLY LAND.

THESE ARE THE REMAINS OF A FIRST-CENTURY HOUSE THAT'S BEEN DATED, I THINK, FAIRLY RELIABLY, TO THE TIME OF JESUS.

NARRATOR: TABOR BELIEVES THAT THIS HOUSE WAS OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO EARLY CHRISTIANS.

TABOR: ABOVE AND ALL AROUND US, YOU HAVE CONSTRUCTION OF BYZANTINE CHURCHES.

THAT'S 4th, 5th CENTURY.

AND THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THIS?

WHY WOULD IT BE PRESERVED?

WHY WOULD YOU BUILD CHURCHES OVER THE REMAINS OF A HOUSE CUT OUT OF THE HILLSIDE HERE?

AND I THINK THE ONLY LOGICAL EXPLANATION IS THAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING THIS COULD VERY WELL BE EITHER THE HOUSE OF JESUS OR MARY AND THAT'S WHY IT'S PRESERVED.

NARRATOR: THERE'S NO HARD EVIDENCE THAT THIS WAS THE HOME JESUS LIVED IN...

BUT IT CERTAINLY CHALLENGES THE IDEA THAT NAZARETH WAS ENTIRELY POOR.

TABOR: ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A HOUSE MADE OUT OF STONE.

AND SO I THINK, IN THAT SENSE, IT TELLS US THAT NAZARETH IS A--A PROSPEROUS PLACE.

THIS IDEA THAT JESUS WAS SO DIRT POOR AND HE WAS ILLITERATE AND HE COULD NOT EVEN HARDLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE A LIVING-- I THINK THAT'S VERY UNLIKELY... AND HE DOES HAVE A TRADE.

NARRATOR: BUT WHAT IS THAT TRADE?

IT TURNS OUT THE DESCRIPTION IN THE GOSPELS ISN'T AS CLEAR-CUT AS WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE.

JESUS IS REFERRED TO IN THE GOSPELS AS A "TEKTON," OR A CARPENTER OR A BUILDER, STONEMASON.

HIS FATHER ALSO HAS THIS TRADE.

NARRATOR: 2,000 YEARS AGO, A TEKTON WAS JUST AS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN A BUILDING CONTRACTOR AS A HUMBLE CARPENTER.

TABOR: SO IF THAT'S THE CASE THAT HE'S WORKING IN THE BUILDING TRADES, I THINK WE CAN ASSUME THAT HE HAS A MODEST AND REASONABLE LIVELIHOOD AND WAY OF LIFE.

NARRATOR: BUT RICH OR POOR, THERE WAS ONE THING THAT EVERYONE IN ANCIENT GALILEE HAD IN COMMON-- PAYING TAXES.

BOND: THE AVERAGE GALILEAN HAD TO PAY MANY DIFFERENT LAYERS OF TAXES.

THERE WERE RELIGIOUS TAXES, THE TRANSIT TAXES, THERE WERE TOLL TAXES.

SO MANY, MANY DIFFERENT TAX BURDENS ON PEOPLE.

THE JEWISH HISTORIAN JOSEPHUS TELLS US THAT TAXES WERE GATHERED BY MEN CALLED PUBLICANS, OR TAX FARMERS.

SOME OF THEIR METHODS OF GATHERING THE TAX WERE LITTLE MORE THAN GANGSTERS AND EXTORTION, AND SO IT'S NOT AT ALL SURPRISING THAT MOST ORDINARY PEOPLE ABSOLUTELY HATED THEM.

NARRATOR: BUT ABOVE ALL, THIS SORT OF BRUTALITY WAS A REMINDER THAT NAZARETH, LIKE EVERY OTHER TOWN AND VILLAGE IN THE REGION, WAS RULED BY ROME...

THE WORLD'S ONE AND ONLY SUPERPOWER, WITH TERRITORIES RIGHT ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN AND BEYOND.

ROME, WHEN JESUS WAS BORN, WAS PROBABLY THE GREATEST POWER ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET.

IT'S BEEN ESTIMATED THAT, UM, ANYTHING UP TO A QUARTER OF THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD AT THE TIME WAS RULED FROM THE CITY ON THE TIBER.

NARRATOR: THE WORLD JESUS GREW UP IN WAS BUILT BY THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS.

MAN: THIS MASSIVE WALL IS THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS.

AND WHAT IT DETAILS IS HIS LIFE, HIS SUCCESSES POLITICALLY, MILITARILY.

IT ALSO UNDERLINES WHAT HE PAID FOR, WHAT HE BUILT, THE GAMES THAT HE GAVE TO THE PEOPLE.

HE RESTORED OVER 80 TEMPLES.

HE ALSO CREATED BASILICAS, ROADS, AND SEWER LINES.

HE REALLY TRANSFORMS THE CITY INTO SOMETHING NEW.

NARRATOR: BUT WHAT THIS LIST DOESN'T SAY IS WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM-- THE TERRITORIES UNDER ROME'S CONTROL.

ARYA: THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT FORMS OF TAXATION IN THE ROMAN PROVINCES, AND SOMETIMES IT WAS DOWNRIGHT OPPRESSIVE.

NARRATOR: AND ROME'S EASTERN EMPIRE, INCLUDING JUDEA AND GALILEE, SUFFERED AS MUCH AS ANYWHERE.

ARYA: RIGHT AROUND THE BIRTH OF JESUS, A DELEGATION WAS SENT FROM JUDEA ALL THE WAY TO ROME TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW EXCESSIVE THE TAXES HAD BECOME.

NARRATOR: THOSE WHO FAILED TO PAY THE CRIPPLING TAXES DEMANDED BY ROME FACED THE MOST BRUTAL PUNISHMENT GOING-- CRUCIFIXION.

[BLEATING] ARYA: NOW, IN JUDEA, THE JEWS WOULD STONE PEOPLE TO DEATH WHEN THEY'RE CONDEMNED.

BUT THE ROMANS, THEY BRING IN SOMETHING NEW.

THEY BRING IN SOMETHING TOTALLY ALIEN, AND THAT IS CRUCIFIXION.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC.

UH, NAILS GOING THROUGH YOUR-- YOUR FLESH AND BONE.

THE AGONY, THE SHEER AGONY OF BEING SUSPENDED BY YOUR OWN WEIGHT, AND EVENTUALLY, YOU GIVING IN, AND YOUR ORGANS ARE DRAGGED DOWN, AND YOU'RE GONNA ASPHYXIATE.

IT'S--IT'S GOT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST HORRIBLE WAYS TO DIE.

THEY COULD EVEN LEAVE YOUR BODY TO ROT UNTIL IT'S PICKED APART BY THE BIRDS.

[SEA GULLS CALLING] NARRATOR: AS JESUS WAS GROWING UP, HE WOULD HAVE WITNESSED MANY SUCH CRUCIFIXIONS.

BOND: WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IN THE REVOLT AFTER THE DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT IN 4 BCE, THE SYRIAN LEGATE, VARUS, BROUGHT LEGIONS DOWN INTO GALILEE TO QUELL THE TROUBLE, AND HE CRUCIFIED 2,000 OF THE REBELS AFTER THAT.

NARRATOR: FOR MANY YEARS, OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CRUCIFIXION CAME SOLELY FROM WRITTEN RECORDS.

BUT THEN ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN JERUSALEM MADE A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY-- A DISCOVERY WHICH OVERTURNS MANY OF THE MOST COMMONLY HELD ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE MEANS OF CRUCIFIXION.

[MAN SPEAKING] NARRATOR: FOUND ABOUT A MILE FROM THE SITE WHERE JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED, THIS TINY ARTIFACT IS OF HUGE IMPORTANCE... AS IT CONTAINS CRUCIAL CLUES TO HOW CRUCIFIXION MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN CARRIED OUT.

AND THE FIRST CLUE TO EMERGE IS THE TYPE OF WOOD USED IN MANY CRUCIFIXIONS.

NARRATOR: THE NEXT CLUES COME FROM THE NAIL ITSELF.

[HAMMERING] NARRATOR: SO JESUS IS BORN INTO AN ERA WHERE CRUCIFIXION HAS BEEN PERFECTED.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING] BOND: CRUCIFIXION WOULD HAVE BEEN FAIRLY COMMONPLACE IN FIRST-CENTURY SOCIETY.

IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN UNCOMMON TO SEE PEOPLE STRUNG UP AT CROSSROADS, IN PROMINENT PLACES.

AND YOU COULD BE CRUCIFIED BECAUSE YOU WERE A SLAVE OR A--A GENERAL ROBBER WHO HAD SOMEHOW FALLEN FOUL OF THE LAW.

[SHOUTING CONTINUES] TABOR: AND SO THIS WAS A COMMON SCENE.

WHEN JESUS WAS GROWING UP RIGHT HERE IN THIS REGION, HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO WALK BY ON THE WAY TO WORK OR WHATEVER HE WAS DOING IN TERMS OF HIS EVERYDAY LIFE AND MAYBE PASS A ROTTING CORPSE OF ONE OF HIS FELLOW JEWISH COUNTRYMEN.

NARRATOR: BUT THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON THE YOUNG JESUS IS RELIGION, AND THE GOSPELS CONTAIN SEVERAL CLUES THAT JESUS WAS FAR MORE THAN AN ILLITERATE CARPENTER'S SON.

TAYLOR: IN PAUL'S "LETTER TO THE GALATIANS," HE SAYS THAT JESUS WAS BROUGHT UP "UNDER THE LAW," MEANING HE WAS A DESCENDANT OF DAVID, HE WAS A JEW AND KEPT JEWISH LAW.

WILSON: WE'D FIND HIM AT THE AGE OF 12 IN THE SYNAGOGUE.

THERE HE IS DISCUSSING THE INTERPRETATION OF THE JEWISH LAW, THE TORAH.

TAYLOR: SO IN THE "GOSPEL OF LUKE," JESUS TEACHES THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW WHEN HE HAS HIS BAR MITZVAH.

NARRATOR: CRUCIALLY, BY THE TIME JESUS HAD BEGUN TO TEACH, ANCIENT JUDAISM WAS IN A STATE OF UPHEAVAL.

THE RELIGIOUS SCENE IN JUDEA AND GALILEE IN THE FIRST CENTURY WAS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED.

THERE WERE ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF BEING JEWISH.

[PRAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] THERE WERE COMPETING GROUPS.

IT WAS A VERY DYNAMIC RELIGIOUS CULTURE.

NARRATOR: AND SITTING ON TOP OF THIS RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE WERE THE SADDUCEES.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING] BOND: THE SADDUCEES WERE VERY CONSERVATIVE.

THEY TENDED TO BE WEALTHY ARISTOCRATS, VERY CLOSELY ALLIED TO ROME AND ROME'S INTERESTS, MUCH LESS LIKED BY THE ORDINARY PEOPLE.

NARRATOR: AND IT WAS THESE HATED COLLABORATORS, THE SADDUCEES, WHO HAD A COMPLETE MONOPOLY OF JERUSALEM'S HOLY TEMPLE AND ITS RITUALS.

JACOBOVICI: BEHIND ME IS THE HOLIEST SITE IN JUDAISM.

IT'S THE WESTERN WALL OF WHAT USED TO BE THE OUTER WALL TO THE TEMPLE WHICH STOOD ABOVE IT, THE--THE HOLY TEMPLE.

AND THIS WAS THE CENTER OF JUDAISM.

THIS WAS THE HOUSE OF GOD, WHERE HEAVEN AND EARTH MET.

NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A THOUSAND YEARS, YOU'VE GOT A CRISIS, WHERE THE PEOPLE DO NOT REGARD THE PRIESTHOOD AS LEGITIMATE.

NARRATOR: NOT FAR FROM THE WESTERN WALL ARE SOME FIRST-CENTURY REMAINS THAT REVEAL THE ENORMOUS GULF THAT EXISTED BETWEEN THE PRIESTHOOD AND THE AVERAGE JUDAEAN.

TABOR: WHERE I'M STANDING RIGHT NOW, IT'S 20 FEET BELOW THE PRESENT SURFACE OF JERUSALEM INSIDE THE OLD CITY.

AND THIS IS THE BASEMENT AREA OF A VERY LUXURIOUS COMPLEX OF MANSIONS THAT THE HIGH PRIESTS INHABITED IN THE TIME OF JESUS.

YOU CAN NOTICE THESE LUXURIOUS MOSAIC FLOORS.

AND BEHIND ME IS THIS BATHTUB.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, VERY WEALTHY ROYAL PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF LUXURY.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IT GOING UP 2 AND 3 STORIES WITH LUXURIOUS ROOMS AND APARTMENTS AND COURTYARDS AND SO FORTH?

EVEN THOUGH THE SADDUCEES WOULD CERTAINLY DEFEND THEIR POSITION AND THEIR WEALTH, I THINK ON THE GROUND, IT WAS QUITE EASY FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE TO SEE THEM AS OVERLY WEALTHY AND CORRUPT AND ESSENTIALLY, AS WE WOULD SAY TODAY, RIPPING OFF THE MASSES FOR THEIR OWN LUXURY AND COMFORT.

NARRATOR: IN THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE, A SECOND GROUP OF RELIGIOUS JEWS ARE EXPLICITLY PORTRAYED AS ENEMIES OF JESUS: THE PHARISEES.

BUT MODERN HISTORIANS THINK THAT IS UNLIKELY TO HAVE BEEN THE CASE.

BOND: THE PHARISEES WERE A PROGRESSIVE, INNOVATIVE GROUP IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN NEW IDEAS, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, RESURRECTION AND FREE WILL.

BUT, IN GENERAL, THEY WERE WELL-REGARDED AND THOUGHT OF AS BEING PIOUS AND PEOPLE TO LOOK UP TO.

JACOBOVICI: THEY REPRESENTED THE POOR AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE COULDN'T-- DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY A SACRIFICE FOR THE TEMPLE.

THEY SAID, "NO, YOUR PRAYER IS MORE IMPORTANT."

SO THEY ACTUALLY REPRESENTED A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT.

THEY'RE THE GOOD GUYS.

NARRATOR: AND SO THE PASSION'S PRINCIPAL PLAYER, JESUS, FAR FROM BEING A POOR CARPENTER'S SON, WAS IN ALL LIKELIHOOD AN EDUCATED PREACHER... WHO LIVED IN A VIOLENT WORLD AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT WAS TIME FOR THINGS TO CHANGE.

MEANWHILE, THE SECOND PLAYER IN OUR STORY, A MAN DESTINED TO PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE DEATH OF JESUS, WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL-KNOWN TO EVERY JEW IN GALILEE: HEROD ANTIPAS.

TAYLOR: SO HEROD ANTIPAS, DEAR OLD HEROD ANTIPAS, HE IS ONE OF THE SONS OF HEROD THE GREAT, WHO WAS BASICALLY GIVEN A LICENSE TO RULE.

THE ROMANS GAVE MANY CLIENT KINGS AND RULERS LICENSES, ESSENTIALLY, TO DO THE WILL OF ROME, KEEP THE PEACE, AND, UH, LIVE RATHER PRIVILEGED LIVES IN THEIR TERRITORY.

TABOR: HEROD ANTIPAS HAD, UH, GROWN UP IN ROME, AND HEROD THE GREAT SENT ALL OF HIS CHILDREN, YOU MIGHT SAY, TO FINISHING SCHOOL.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST ANYWHERE IN ROME AS IF THEY WERE SLUMMING IT.

THE CHILDREN OF HEROD THE GREAT, INCLUDING HEROD ANTIPAS, ACTUALLY WERE THE ENTOURAGE OF THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

THEY'RE GETTING THE VERY BEST EXPOSURE TO ROMAN CULTURE AND THEY'RE MOVING FREELY WITHIN THE PALACE OF THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

NARRATOR: IN THE GOSPELS, HEROD ANTIPAS ONLY APPEARS FLEETINGLY IN JESUS' STORY, AND THE PICTURE THEY PAINT OF HIM IS CONTRADICTORY AND UNCLEAR.

BUT HEROD ANTIPAS WAS, IN FACT, A CRUCIAL FIGURE AT THE TIME OF JESUS, AND HE HAD A BURNING AMBITION-- TO BE KING OF ALL JUDEA.

HEROD ANTIPAS IS A--IS A VERY INTERESTING HISTORICAL FIGURE, YOU KNOW, WORTHY OF A SHAKESPEARE.

HE IS, UH, THE SON OF HEROD THE GREAT.

HE WANTS TO BE GREAT.

HE WANTS TO BE LIKE DAD.

HE WANTS TO RULE.

HE WANTS TO BE KING OF THE JEWS.

AND YET, HE'S FRUSTRATED.

HE CAN'T BE.

HE'S GOT A--A TITLE THAT'S KIND OF A GOVERNOR KIND OF TITLE.

NARRATOR: WHEN THE DEATH OF HEROD ANTIPAS' FATHER, HEROD THE GREAT, LEADS TO A VIOLENT UPRISING IN JUDEA, THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS IS QUICK TO ACT...

STAMPING OUT THE REBELLION AND DIVIDING HEROD THE GREAT'S LAND BETWEEN HIS 3 SONS, LEAVING HEROD ANTIPAS WITH JUST TWO SMALL TERRITORIES TO GOVERN.

TAYLOR: UNLIKE HEROD THE GREAT, HEROD ANTIPAS WAS NOT THE KING OF THE JUDAEANS, RULING THIS VAST TERRITORY.

HE WAS ONLY GIVEN A LITTLE POCKET HANDKERCHIEF OF TERRITORY IN GALILEE AND ANOTHER ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN RIVER IN PEREA.

WE KNOW FROM THE HISTORICAL RECORDS, PARTICULARLY NOT ONLY FROM THE GOSPELS, BUT ALSO FROM JOSEPHUS, THAT IT RUBBED HIM THE WRONG WAY ALL OF HIS LIFE.

HE WANTED TO RECLAIM THE TITLE "KING OF THE JEWS."

NARRATOR: AND AROUND JESUS' 18th BIRTHDAY, A SEISMIC EVENT IN ROME PROVIDES HEROD ANTIPAS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY HE'S BEEN LOOKING FOR.

IN 14 A.D., NEWS IS ANNOUNCED OF THE DEATH OF THE ROMAN EMPEROR AUGUSTUS.

ARYA: AFTER THE DEATH OF AUGUSTUS, THERE IS A BIG PERIOD OF MOURNING, NOT JUST IN ROME BUT THE ENTIRE EMPIRE.

THIS IS A PERSON WHO ENDED GENERATIONS OF CIVIL WARS, AND NOW, WHO'S GONNA FILL IN THOSE SHOES?

NARRATOR: WHEN AUGUSTUS' WILL IS READ OUT, IT CONFIRMS HIS 56-YEAR-OLD STEPSON TIBERIUS AS HIS HEIR.

HOLLAND: TIBERIUS IS, BY BLOOD, AMONG THE MOST EMINENT MEN IN THE REPUBLIC BY VIRTUE OF HIS MILITARY ACHIEVEMENT.

HE'S INCOMPARABLY THE GREATEST GENERAL.

TWICE HE SAVES ROME, ESSENTIALLY THE WESTERN FRONT, FROM COMPLETE IMPLOSION.

SO THAT MEANS THAT WHEN AUGUSTUS DIES IN A.D. 14, TIBERIUS IS PRINCEPS, OR FIRST CITIZEN YOU COULD SAY, BY RIGHT.

NARRATOR: BUT FOR ALL HIS MILITARY PROWESS, TIBERIUS TURNS OUT TO HAVE FAR LESS APPETITE FOR THE WORLD OF POLITICS.

TIBERIUS BECOMING THE EMPEROR AT 56, WELL, HE'S NO SPRING CHICKEN.

HE'S NOT THE YOUNG ENTHUSIAST.

I MEAN, THIS IS A GUY WHOSE REIGN IS MARKED BY BEING A PERSON THAT'S SOMBER, MOODY, GLOOMY.

HOLLAND: EVEN TO THE MOST BRILLIANT OF ROMAN HISTORIANS, HE SEEMS AN ENIGMA, A MAN WHO IS SIMULTANEOUSLY HONORABLE AND DISHONORABLE, A MAN WHO IS MOTIVATED BY A SENSE OF DUTY AND YET CONSTANTLY SEEMS TO WANT TO RUN AWAY FROM IT.

NARRATOR: THE CHANGE OF EMPEROR SPURS HEROD ANTIPAS INTO ACTION, AND HE TRIES TO CONVINCE TIBERIUS TO OVERTURN THE DECISION OF HIS PREDECESSOR AUGUSTUS AND MAKE HIM KING.

BOND: HEROD ANTIPAS WAS ALWAYS VERY AWARE OF WHO HIS PATRON WAS AND WHO COULD GIVE HIM THE THINGS HE WANTED.

SO HE WAS VERY KEEN TO STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE EMPEROR TIBERIUS, ALWAYS TO BE SEEN AS FLATTERING HIM AND SHOWERING HIM WITH-- WITH WHATEVER BENEDICTIONS HE COULD.

WHAT HE WAS HOPING FOR WAS TO BE MADE LIKE HIS FATHER, KING OF THE JEWS.

TABOR: THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN GIVE HIM THIS RANKING IS THE EMPEROR OF ROME, AND SO HE COMES UP WITH THIS PLAN.

NARRATOR: HEROD ANTIPAS NOW BUILDS A MAGNIFICENT NEW CITY ON THE SHORES OF THE SEA OF GALILEE, JUST 20 MILES EAST OF JESUS' HOMETOWN.

BOND: HEROD WANTED TO BUILD A GREAT CITY THAT WOULD REFLECT HIS OWN GRANDEUR BUT ALSO ACT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITOL, THE SEAT OF HERODIAN POWER IN THE REGION.

NARRATOR: BUT THIS NEW CITY IS NO MERE VANITY PROJECT.

IT IS A SHAMELESS GAMBIT TO CONVINCE THE NEW EMPEROR TO GRANT HEROD ANTIPAS HIS FATHER'S OLD KINGDOM.

BOND: AND HE NAMED THAT CITY TIBERIAS, AND THAT SHOWED THE PEOPLE JUST WHOSE PATRONAGE HE ENJOYED BUT PERHAPS JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IT ALSO WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CURRY FAVOR WITH THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

TABOR: WHAT HE'S AFTER HIS WHOLE LIFE IS TO BECOME KING OF ALL THE JEWS.

AND I THINK HE BELIEVES THAT BY DEDICATING THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, MAYBE INVITING TIBERIUS TO COME FOR THE DEDICATION, THAT HE COULD FINALLY ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

NARRATOR: BUT IN BUILDING HIS MONUMENT TO THE NEW EMPEROR, HEROD ANTIPAS ALSO SHOWS HE IS WILDLY OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE PEOPLE HE YEARNS TO RULE.

BOND: ONE OF THE FASCINATING THINGS THAT JOSEPHUS TELLS US ABOUT THE FOUNDING OF THIS CITY WAS THAT HEROD ANTIPAS BUILT IT ON THE SITE OF A JEWISH CEMETERY.

NOW, THIS WAS A VERY BAD MOVE BECAUSE GRAVES AND CORPSES GENERALLY WERE REGARDED AS IMPURE TO JEWS, AND ANYONE TOUCHING THEM OR BEING NEAR THEM WOULD BE MADE RITUALLY UNCLEAN, AND THAT PREVENTED THEM GOING ABOUT CERTAIN RELIGIOUS DUTIES.

IT SHOWS A GREAT DEAL OF INSENSITIVITY TOWARDS THE RELIGIOUS FEELINGS OF HIS PEOPLE, BUT HE MUST HAVE BEEN SO TAKEN UP BY THIS DESIRE TO PLEASE THE EMPEROR THAT HE SIMPLY DIDN'T CARE.

NARRATOR: AND YET, HEROD ANTIPAS' MAGNIFICENT GESTURE GOES UNREWARDED.

THE NEW EMPEROR, LIKE AUGUSTUS BEFORE HIM, REFUSES TO GIVE HIM THE CROWN OF JUDEA.

BOND: FOR WHATEVER REASON, TIBERIUS NEVER REALLY SEEMS TO HAVE RESPONDED TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

HE JUST WASN'T LISTENING.

NARRATOR: DESPITE THIS BITTER SETBACK, IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE HEROD ANTIPAS GETS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME KING OF THE JEWS... WITH THE METEORIC RISE OF ROMAN POLITICS' BRIGHT NEW STAR, A MAN, NOT EVEN MENTIONED IN THE GOSPELS, BECAUSE HE WAS LATER ERASED FROM ROMAN HISTORY.

[HORSE SNORTS] HIS NAME IS AELIUS SEJANUS, AND WHAT HAPPENS TO SEJANUS WILL HAVE A CRUCIAL BEARING ON THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS.

SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING EMPEROR, TIBERIUS APPOINTS SEJANUS AS HEAD OF HIS ELITE BODYGUARD, THE PRAETORIAN GUARD.

HOLLAND: LUCIUS AELIUS SEJANUS IS A MAN OF CONSIDERABLE ABILITY.

HE IS PRESENTED IN THE SOURCES ALMOST AS KIND OF THE ESSENCE OF AMBITION.

HE SEEMS TO CONSIST OF NOTHING ELSE.

BUT TIBERIUS WOULD NOT HAVE SPONSORED HIM HAD SEJANUS NOT HAD TALENTS THAT WOULD SERVE TIBERIUS' PURPOSES VERY WELL.

NARRATOR: ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF ROMAN POLITICS, SEJANUS HAS REACHED THE PINNACLE OF HIS CAREER.

ARYA: SEJANUS IS FROM AN OLD ETRUSCAN FAMILY.

AND, UH, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS FATHER, HE'S THE HEAD OF THE PRAETORIAN GUARD.

IT'S A BIG DEAL.

BUT HE'S GOT CERTAIN LIMITATIONS BECAUSE HE'S OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER, AND THAT'S NOT THE TOP OF ROMAN SOCIETY.

HE'S NOT A SENATOR, BUT IT'S ALMOST AT THE TOP.

AND THIS IS A PERSON WITH A LOT OF AMBITION.

NARRATOR: BUT FROM THE OUTSET, SEJANUS REVEALS HE HAS AMBITIONS FAR ABOVE HIS STATION, AND HE QUICKLY MAKES A BOLD STRATEGIC MOVE.

ARYA: THE PRAETORIAN GUARD UNDER AUGUSTUS WAS REALLY A BODYGUARD SYSTEM, BUT UNDER SEJANUS, THE PRAETORIAN GUARD TAKES ON AN ENTIRELY NEW ASPECT.

NARRATOR: SEJANUS MOVES HIS SOLDIERS WITHIN ROME'S CITY WALLS.

ARYA: THE PRAETORIAN GUARD WERE TYPICALLY STATIONED IN TOWNS SURROUNDING AND OUTSIDE OF ROME THAT COULD BE CALLED UP ON IMMEDIATE NOTICE TO SERVE THE EMPEROR.

BUT THAT ALL CHANGES UNDER SEJANUS, UNDER HIS WATCH.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, BARRACKS ARE BEING BUILT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS-- RIGHT HERE WHERE I'M STANDING, THE CASTRA PRAETORIA.

AND THAT IS A BIG, BOLD POWERFUL STATEMENT.

WHEREAS BEFORE THE MILITARY WAS HIDDEN AWAY FROM THE CITY, NOW THEY'RE LIVING IN IT.

NARRATOR: IT ISN'T LONG BEFORE SEJANUS EXPANDS HIS MILITARY MUSCLE.

ARYA: HE LITERALLY DOUBLES THE NUMBER.

SO NOW YOU'RE GETTING UP TO 10,000 OF ELITE, VETERAN FORCES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

ROME IS NOW A MILITARIZED CITY.

NARRATOR: LITTLE BY LITTLE, SEJANUS BEGINS TO MAKE HIMSELF INDISPENSABLE TO THE EMPEROR.

AND WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, SEJANUS SEIZES HIS CHANCE.

HOLLAND: IN A.D. 22, THERE IS A FIRE IN ROME'S GREATEST THEATER.

SEJANUS, WITH GREAT ABILITY, PUTS IT OUT, AND THIS IMMEDIATELY RECOMMENDS HIM TO TIBERIUS, BECAUSE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL FIRE IS A KEY PART OF AN EMPEROR'S DUTY.

THE PEOPLE OF ROME LIVE IN DREAD OF FIRE.

SO FROM THAT POINT ON, SEJANUS IS ACCEPTED BY TIBERIUS AS HIS MOST ABLE SERVANT.

NARRATOR: SOON THERE ARE WHISPERS THAT SEJANUS HAS DESIGNS ON THE IMPERIAL THRONE, DESPITE THERE BEING MORE OBVIOUS CANDIDATES FOR EMPEROR.

AND IT'S IN THIS MOMENT THAT HE'S STARTING TO SET HIS SIGHTS EVEN HIGHER.

NOW, THERE ARE SOME OBSTACLES IN HIS WAY.

GERMANICUS, THE ADOPTED SON OF TIBERIUS, AND DRUSUS, THE NATURAL-BORN SON OF THE EMPEROR.

SO ONE OR THE OTHER WILL SUCCEED THE EMPEROR, BUT IF THEY'RE NO LONGER ALIVE, WHO IS THE SUCCESSOR OF TIBERIUS?

NARRATOR: IN 19 A.D., TIBERIUS' ADOPTED SON AND DARLING OF THE PEOPLE... [WOMAN SCREAMING] GERMANICUS, UNEXPECTEDLY DIES FROM A MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS.

ARYA: GERMANICUS IS SENT EAST TO SYRIA.

AND IT'S THERE, AMONG SERIOUSLY INTERESTING CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT HE DOES BECOME ILL AND DIES.

AND, IMMEDIATELY, THE CHARGE IS HE WAS POISONED.

NARRATOR: ALTHOUGH SEJANUS IS CAREFUL TO AVOID BLAME, FINGERS START TO POINT WHEN TIBERIUS' OTHER SON, DRUSUS, IS LATER KILLED.

OH!

[BOWL CLATTERS TO FLOOR] HOLLAND: IT WOULD BE SAID THAT SEJANUS HAD PLAYED A ROLE IN ELIMINATING PERHAPS HIS MOST OBVIOUS RIVAL, DRUSUS.

AND IF WE ARE TO TRUST THE STORIES THAT WERE LATER TOLD, SEJANUS HAD THEN PLOTTED WITH DRUSUS' OWN WIFE TO POISON HIM.

CERTAINLY IT--IT WAS A STORY THAT WAS WIDELY BELIEVED.

NARRATOR: WHETHER INVOLVED IN THE BROTHERS' DEATHS OR NOT, SEJANUS IS WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE OF TAKING CONTROL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

MEANWHILE, IN THE ROMAN PROVINCE OF JUDEA, AN UNKNOWN PREACHER CALLED JESUS IS ABOUT TO HAVE AN EPIPHANY.

THE GOSPELS TELL US THAT AROUND THE AGE OF 30, JESUS GOES ON A JOURNEY TO SEE HIS COUSIN, THE CHARISMATIC JEWISH LEADER NOW KNOWN AS JOHN THE BAPTIST.

TABOR: JOHN THE BAPTIST IS A PRIEST IN THE JEWISH FAITH.

HE'S THE SON OF A PRIEST.

AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THOUGH, HE REJECTED THAT CALLING.

INSTEAD, HE FEELS THE CALL TO GO OUT INTO THE DESERT, OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS.

AND APPARENTLY HE IS CONVINCED THAT HE'S BEEN CALLED AS A PROPHET TO PROCLAIM THE IMMINENT COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

AND THE GOSPELS LIST ALL OF THE REGIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE ARE FLOCKING TO HEAR JOHN.

[WATER SPLASHING] NARRATOR: BUT JOHN IS MORE THAN JUST A PREACHER.

HE IS THE HEAD OF AN EMERGING RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT.

WHEN WE FIRST ENCOUNTER JOHN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, HE'S DOWN HERE AT THE RIVER JORDAN DIPPING PEOPLE, BAPTIZING PEOPLE IN THE WATER.

THINK OF IT AS AN INITIATION RITE.

YOU COME DOWN HERE TO THE RIVER JORDAN, AND YOU'RE BAPTIZED BY JOHN THE BAPTIZER.

THEN YOU HAVE JOINED THIS, WHAT THEY CALLED, A NEW COVENANT MOVEMENT.

JOHN IS PROCLAIMING THAT THE END OF THE AGE IS NEAR, THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS READY TO BE SET UP.

NARRATOR: JOHN'S MESSAGE IS SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL.

COLLABORATE WITH ROME AT YOUR PERIL, BECAUSE JUDGMENT DAY IS COMING, AND WHILE THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL RULE THE EARTH, THE WICKED WILL PERISH.

TABOR: JESUS HIMSELF FOLLOWS THE CAREER OF JOHN.

HE KNOWS ABOUT IT, AND HE FINALLY DECIDES "I'M JOINING UP," BASICALLY.

AND HE COMES DOWN HERE TO THE RIVER JORDAN, AND HE HIMSELF IS BAPTIZED BY JOHN.

TAYLOR: WHAT WE GET IN "THE GOSPEL OF MARK" IS THIS EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF JESUS BASICALLY SORT OF ARRIVING, COMING OUT OF THE CROWD IN THE RIVER JORDAN.

THE HEAVENS ARE SPLIT OPEN, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDS OUT OF THE HEAVENS UPON HIM LIKE A DOVE.

AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON, EVERYTHING CHANGES FOR JESUS.

HE KNOWS THAT HE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING.

TABOR: THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORDS THAT HE HAS THIS SPIRITUAL EPIPHANY, BUT WHAT'S VERY CLEAR IS HE'S DEFINITIVELY CASTING HIS LOT WITH JOHN AND WITH THE MOVEMENT, AND THAT INDEED MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THIS REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR.

REPENT.

THE TIME IS AT HAND.

[PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY] NARRATOR: AND AROUND THE SAME TIME THAT JESUS FINDS HIS CALLING, THE EMPEROR OF ROME RECEIVES A SIGN FROM HIS GODS-- A SIGN THAT WILL LEAVE THE AMBITIOUS SEJANUS ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE THRONE.

IN 26 A.D., SEJANUS IS ATTENDING A DINNER PARTY AT TIBERIUS' SEASIDE VILLA IN SPELUNCA, NEAR NAPLES.

HOLLAND: "SPELUNCA" IN LATIN MEANS CAVE, AND THE CENTERPIECE OF THE ESTATE WAS INDEED A GREAT SEA CAVE.

TIBERIUS AND HIS GUESTS WERE LYING THERE, EATING, WHEN SUDDENLY DISASTER STRIKES.

[ROCKS FALLING] THERE IS AN EARTHQUAKE.

A GREAT CASCADE OF ROCKS COME BOUNCING DOWN THE SLOPES OF THE HILL.

THE PRAETORIANS SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AND IN HIGH STATE OF ALARM, CAME RUSHING FORWARD, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.

IT SEEMED THAT TIBERIUS HAD BEEN CRUSHED TO DEATH BENEATH THIS VAST CASCADE OF RUBBLE.

BUT WHEN THEY STARTED PICKING AWAY THE ROCKS, THEY FIND AN ASTONISHING SCENE.

THEY FOUND THAT TIBERIUS, PROSTRATE, HAD BEEN SHELTERED BY SOMEBODY'S BODY WHO'D LEAPT TO COVER HIM, AND THAT PERSON WAS SEJANUS.

AND SEJANUS, AS WELL AS TIBERIUS, HAD SURVIVED THE AVALANCHE.

NARRATOR: ANY SUSPICIONS ABOUT SEJANUS' DEVOTION TO THE EMPEROR ARE SWEPT AWAY BY THE AVALANCHE.

AND FROM THAT POINT ON, TIBERIUS COULD BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN IN SEJANUS' LOYALTY.

HE HAD PROVED IT EVEN TO THE POINT OF RISKING HIS OWN LIFE.

NARRATOR: TO TIBERIUS, AN OLD MAN WITH NO GREAT DESIRE TO RUN AN EMPIRE, HIS BRUSH WITH DEATH MEANS ONLY ONE THING.

[BELLS TOLLING] HOLLAND: TIBERIUS IS A MAN WHO IS ALERT TO THE SIGNS THAT ARE SENT BY THE GODS, AND IT SEEMS PROBABLE THAT THE EARTHQUAKE AND THE RESULTING AVALANCHE SEEMED TO HAVE CONFIRMED HIM IN HIS OPINIONS THAT, UM, HE SHOULD NOT RETURN TO ROME.

AND CERTAINLY IT'S THE CASE THAT FROM THEN ON UNTIL HIS DEATH IN A.D. 37, TIBERIUS NEVER DOES SET FOOT BACK WITHIN THE SACRED LIMITS OF ROME.

NARRATOR: ENCOURAGED BY SEJANUS, TIBERIUS RETIRES TO THE ISLAND OF CAPRI, JUST OFF THE COAST OF NAPLES, TO LIVE A LIFE OF LUXURY IN HIS PRIVATE PALACE, THE VILLA OF JUPITER.

HOLLAND: CAPRI HAD BEEN THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF AUGUSTUS, AND SO TIBERIUS WHEN HE BECAME EMPEROR, UM, INHERITED IT.

AND HE INHERITED THIS VILLA, WHICH HE THEN DEVELOPED ON A MASSIVE SCALE.

SO THAT BY A.D. 27, WHEN HE ESSENTIALLY SETTLED HERE FOR GOOD, UM, THIS COVERED ALMOST 2 ACRES.

NARRATOR: WITH TIBERIUS OUT OF THE PICTURE, THE DAY-TO-DAY RUNNING OF THE EMPIRE FALLS TO HIS TRUSTED RIGHT-HAND MAN, SEJANUS.

WELL, ONCE SEJANUS HAS PERSUADED, ENCOURAGED, PERHAPS, TIBERIUS TO MOVE TO CAPRI, IT MEANS THAT HE IS IN A POSITION TO CONTROL ACCESS TO THE EMPEROR.

THE RELATIONSHIP PERHAPS IS THAT OF THE MAFIA BOSS, TIBERIUS HERE IN CAPRI, WITH SEJANUS IN ROME AS HIS CONSIGLIERE.

VERY QUICKLY, PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF YOU WANT ANYTHING DONE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO TO SEJANUS.

HE'S VIRTUALLY THE MOUTHPIECE.

HE'S GONNA STAND IN FOR THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

HOLLAND: AND THAT, OF COURSE, GIVES HIM INCREDIBLE POWER.

UM, ESSENTIALLY THE POWER THAT TIBERIUS WIELDS HAS BEEN INVESTED IN HIS DEPUTY.

NARRATOR: SEJANUS MOVES QUICKLY TO SHORE UP HIS POSITION BY MAKING A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS, ONE OF THEM IN THE KEY BUT REBELLIOUS PROVINCE OF JUDEA.

IN 26 A.D., A ROMAN ARISTOCRAT NAMED PONTIUS PILATE ARRIVES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN PORT OF CAESAREA TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE REGION.

BOND: ON ARRIVAL IN THE PROVINCE, PILATE WOULD HAVE MADE HIS HEADQUARTERS IN CAESAREA.

THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE ROMAN BASE, AS IT HAD BEEN FOR ALL THE OTHER PREFECTS BEFORE HIM.

THIS IS A REPLICA OF A STONE THAT CONTAINS OUR ONLY INSCRIPTIONAL EVIDENCE FOR PONTIUS PILATE.

IT WAS FOUND HERE AT CAESAREA IN 1961, AND WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT IT IS THAT HERE IS "PONTIUS PILATUS," WHICH IS CLEARLY A REFERENCE TO PONTIUS PILATE.

NARRATOR: THE STONE ALSO TELLS US THAT SEJANUS WANTED A STRONG MAN TO KEEP THE TROUBLESOME JUDAEANS IN CHECK.

BOND: THIS WORD HERE, "PRAEFECTUS," THIS SHOWS THAT PILATE'S TITLE WAS ACTUALLY PREFECT, WHICH IS A MILITARY TITLE.

IT SUGGESTS THAT PILATE'S MAIN ROLE HERE IN THE PROVINCE WAS TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS NO RIOTS OR REBELLIONS, THAT NATIONAL SECURITY WAS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES.

NARRATOR: AND ALTHOUGH THE GOSPELS PORTRAY PILATE AS A REASONABLE MAN, HISTORICAL RECORDS PAINT QUITE A DIFFERENT PICTURE OF SEJANUS' MAN IN JUDEA.

TAYLOR: THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE IN PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA OR JOSEPHUS ABOUT PONTIUS PILATE SHOW HIM AS A PRETTY CRUEL AND GHASTLY MAN.

[HORSE SNORTS] BOND: HIS GOVERNORSHIP WAS A LIST OF ATROCITIES, INCLUDING EXECUTIONS OF PRISONERS WITHOUT TRIAL.

SO YOU GET A VERY DIFFERENT PICTURE OF PILATE FROM THESE SOURCES COMPARED TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE GOSPELS.

NARRATOR: PILATE'S APPOINTMENT SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

THERE'S A NEW BOSS IN ROME, AND HIS MAN WON'T STAND FOR ANY TROUBLE.

ARYA: AND THIS GUY IS RUTHLESS.

THIS GUY IS QUICK TO ACT, AND HE'S VIOLENT.

PILATE'S GONNA PUT DOWN INSURRECTION BRUTALLY.

[MAN SCREAMING] IT'S GONNA BE SENDING OUT A MESSAGE-- A GRAPHIC, GRUESOME WARNING.

[SCREAMING] DO NOT CROSS THE ROMANS.

[SCREAMING CONTINUES] NARRATOR: WITH SEJANUS NOW IN CHARGE, HEROD ANTIPAS IS QUICK TO RESURRECT HIS LIFELONG AMBITION.

JACOBOVICI: EVERY SHIFT IN THE POLITICAL CONSTELLATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

SO HE BELIEVES THAT SEJANUS IS ABOUT TO BECOME THE BIG BOSS.

HE WANTS TO RIDE THAT GRAVY TRAIN TO THE ULTIMATE PRIZE-- KING OF THE JEWS.

TABOR: THE STORY GOES, HE TOOK A TRIP TO ROME, AND HE FELL IN LOVE.

AND THE PERSON HE FELL IN LOVE WITH WAS A JEWISH WOMAN, WHO WAS IN ROME AT THE TIME, MARRIED TO HIS BROTHER.

AND HE TALKS HER INTO--"LEAVE YOUR HUSBAND AND MARRY ME."

SO THAT'S THE STORY WE GET.

THAT'S HOW JOSEPHUS, THE HISTORIAN OF THE TIME, REPORTS IT.

NARRATOR: BUT THERE ARE STRONG CLUES THAT THE MARRIAGE TO HERODIAS WAS PART OF HEROD ANTIPAS' LONG-HELD PLAN TO BECOME KING.

TABOR: WE'VE GOT TO ASK, WHO IS HERODIAS?

BECAUSE THERE'S A POLITICAL DIMENSION TO THIS THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND.

WILSON: HIS BROTHER'S WIFE, HERODIAS, IS VERY ATTRACTIVE.

SHE WAS OF ROYAL STOCK, ROYAL JEWISH STOCK, AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY HE WANTED TO MARRY HER, TO MARRY INTO THE REMAINING SURVIVOR OF THE JEWISH ROYAL FAMILY.

AND MAYBE THAT WOULD GIVE HIM GREATER CREDIBILITY AND GREATER LEGITIMACY IN THE EYES OF ROME AS WELL AS HIS PEOPLE.

NARRATOR: WHILE ALSO ENABLING HEROD ANTIPAS TO KEEP THE REGION QUIET AND PAYING ITS TAXES.

JACOBOVICI: SUDDENLY HE CAN GO-- AND I THINK THE INITIATIVE WOULD HAVE COME FROM HIM-- AND SAY, "LISTEN, "I'VE BEEN TRYING TO BECOME KING OF THE JEWS.

"TIBERIUS DON'T LET ME.

"HE CALLED ME TETRARCH, LOUSY GOVERNOR.

BUT LET ME BE KING, AND I'LL PACIFY JUDEA FOR YOU."

NARRATOR: BUT HEROD ANTIPAS' PLAN ISN'T WITHOUT ITS DANGERS.

BECAUSE IN ORDER TO MARRY HERODIAS, HE MUST FIRST DIVORCE HIS EXISTING WIFE... A PRINCESS FROM THE POWERFUL NEIGHBORING KINGDOM OF NABATEA.

HEROD ANTIPAS' DECISION TO DIVORCE HIS FIRST WIFE WAS ACTUALLY A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO DO POLITICALLY.

TAYLOR: THE NABATAEAN KING WAS ENORMOUSLY POWERFUL.

SO IN SNUBBING HIS DAUGHTER, IT WAS A DIPLOMATIC INCIDENT OF THE FIRST ORDER.

JACOBOVICI: THAT'S WAR.

THAT'S SLAPPING A NABATAEAN KING IN THE FACE.

NARRATOR: AND YET THE MARRIAGE GOES AHEAD, SEEMINGLY WITH SEJANUS' APPROVAL, BECAUSE THE NABATAEAN KING DOES NOTHING.

TABOR: HEROD ANTIPAS WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS UNLESS THERE WAS PERMISSION AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE IMPERIAL COURT.

JACOBOVICI: YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK TO ROME.

THEY'RE THE BOSSES.

THE UNDERLINGS DON'T DO THINGS WITHOUT GETTING THE OK FROM THE BOSSES.

NARRATOR: BUT AS HEROD ANTIPAS AND HIS NEW BRIDE AWAIT THE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WILL SEE THEM MADE KING AND QUEEN OF JUDEA, THEIR PLANS ARE SUDDENLY THROWN INTO CHAOS...

WHEN THEIR MARRIAGE IS PUBLICLY CRITICIZED BY THE POPULAR PREACHER JOHN THE BAPTIST.

JACOBOVICI: JOHN THE BAPTIST DOESN'T GO ALONG.

HE SAYS, "IT SAYS, ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW, "YOU CANNOT MARRY YOUR BROTHER'S WIFE WHILE HE'S STILL ALIVE," AND I'M NOT GIVING AN INCH ON THAT.

JOHN COULDN'T REMAIN LOYAL TO THE TORAH AND TO THE LAWS OF THE BIBLE AND BLESS HEROD ANTIPAS' MARRIAGE TO HIS SISTER-IN-LAW.

NARRATOR: CRITICIZED BY JOHN, HEROD ANTIPAS' PLANS ARE NOW IN TURMOIL BECAUSE HAVING PROMISED SEJANUS A QUIET KINGDOM, THE LAST THING HE NOW NEEDS IS A RELIGIOUS UPRISING.

TABOR: WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT HEROD ANTIPAS, MOST OF ALL, WANTS TO BE KING OF THE JEWS.

NOW A VERY POPULAR PROPHET AND PREACHER, JOHN THE BAPTIST, IS TELLING CROWDS OF PEOPLE THAT HE'S LIVING IN SIN AND WICKEDNESS AND ADULTERY.

IF THE POPULATION SUDDENLY RISES UP AND SAYS NO, THEN HIS WHOLE THING WILL FALL THROUGH.

SO, IT'S NOT JUST A MORAL POINT.

IT--IT'S ACTUALLY UPSETTING HIS WHOLE LIFE'S PROJECT, POTENTIALLY, SO IT'S A VERY, VERY SERIOUS THREAT.

TAYLOR: IF YOU COMBINE THE SENSE OF SOMEONE WHO IS ENORMOUSLY POPULAR GETTING THE CROWDS, WITH SOMEONE WHO COULD POTENTIALLY CRITICIZE YOU... [SHOUTING] BOY, YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM.

YOU HAD BETTER GET RID OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

NARRATOR: HEROD ANTIPAS QUICKLY ARRESTS THE TROUBLESOME JOHN.

[TALKING INDISTINCTLY] JOHN: NO!

NO!

NO!

NO!

NO!

NO!

NO!

HEROD ANTIPAS IS CANNY, AND HE'S--HE'S REALLY GETTING RID OF JOHN BEFORE ANYTHING TROUBLING HAPPENS, BEFORE THERE'S A REVOLUTION.

NARRATOR: JOHN IS IMPRISONED IN A HILLTOP FORTRESS OVERLOOKING THE DEAD SEA, CALLED MACHAERUS.

TABOR: HEROD ANTIPAS TAKES HIM ACROSS THE JORDAN TO A DESERT FORTRESS.

NARRATOR: BUT WITH ONE EYE ON ROME, HEROD ANTIPAS IS HESITANT TO GO ANY FURTHER.

TABOR: AND I THINK HE WANTS TIME TO THINK.

WHAT IS HE GONNA DO?

SHOULD HE KILL HIM?

WHAT IF A FULL-SCALE REVOLT BREAKS OUT AS A RESULT OF HIM KILLING HIM?

MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT MOVE.

HE'S PROBABLY GOT HIS EYE TOWARD ROME AGAIN.

WHAT WOULD SEJANUS THINK?

WHAT WOULD THE EMPEROR THINK?

IS THIS THE MOVE TO MAKE?

JACOBOVICI: IF HE JUST WANTED TO KILL HIM, HE COULD HAVE KILLED HIM ON DAY ONE.

IF YOU WANTED TO SET HIM FREE, IF HE THOUGHT HE WAS NO THREAT, HE COULD HAVE LET HIM GO.

BUT HE DOESN'T KILL JOHN.

NARRATOR: BUT HEROD ANTIPAS MAY ALSO HAVE HAD ANOTHER VERY GOOD REASON FOR KEEPING JOHN ALIVE, AND THAT WAS HIS LARGE NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS.

JACOBOVICI: HEROD ANTIPAS DOESN'T WANT TO KILL JOHN.

WHY?

BECAUSE JOHN HAS A FOLLOWING.

VERY SIMPLE.

THERE'S MUSCLE BEHIND JOHN.

SO BEFORE HE'S GONNA EXECUTE HIM, HE'D BETTER BE CAREFUL.

SO THE HESITANCY THAT-- THAT HEROD ANTIPAS SHOWS MEANS THAT THERE'S A POLITICAL PLAY AT HAND.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] NARRATOR: THE GOSPELS TELL US THAT WITH JOHN IN JAIL, HIS MESSAGE IS TAKEN UP BY HIS COUSIN, JESUS.

WILSON: WE FIND HIM VERY EARLY ON WITH A VERY SIMPLE POLITICAL MESSAGE: "REPENT.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND.

REPENT."

NARRATOR: BUT WHILE JESUS' MESSAGE MIGHT BE THE SAME AS JOHN'S, HIS METHODS ARE DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE PEOPLE TO COME TO HIM, JESUS SENDS HIS MESSAGE OUT TO THE PEOPLE BY ASSEMBLING A TEAM OF APOSTLES OR DISCIPLES.

TAYLOR: AN APOSTLE IS SOMEONE SENT OUT INSTEAD OF JESUS.

THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION IS NOT JUST TO BE A FOLLOWER AND NOT JUST TO BE A DISCIPLE BUT TO BE SOMEONE WHO GOES OUT INSTEAD OF JESUS BECAUSE HE CAN'T GET AROUND TO ALL THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

NARRATOR: EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT IS THE NUMBER OF APOSTLES JESUS CHOOSES.

WILSON: JESUS PICKS A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS--12-- A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER, A SYMBOLIC NUMBER.

TAYLOR: I THINK THE...THE IDEA OF THE 12 IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT RECALLS THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

NARRATOR: THE 12 FORMER TRIBES OF ANCIENT ISRAEL THAT IT WAS PROPHESIED WOULD ONE DAY BE REUNITED UNDER THE KINGDOM OF GOD, SUGGESTING THAT IN THAT KINGDOM, THE DISCIPLES WOULD BE MORE THAN JUST MESSENGERS.

TABOR: HE SAYS YOU'RE GONNA SIT ON THRONES, JUDGING THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

THIS IS NOT JUST SOME PIOUS THOUGHT ABOUT AN AFTERLIFE OR HEAVEN OR SOME OTHER WORLD.

IT'S A GOVERNMENT.

JACOBOVICI: HE'S DOING SOMETHING VERY, VERY SOPHISTICATED.

HE SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH A SPECTRUM OF EVERYBODY KIND OF FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, FROM REVOLUTIONARY TO ANTI-REVOLUTIONARY.

HE'S POSITIONING HIMSELF TO ACHIEVE HIS AGENDA.

WILSON: THIS IS THE CADRE OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT OF THE TRANSFORMED WORLD THAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT.

NARRATOR: AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR IN PRISON, JOHN'S FATE IS FINALLY SEALED NOT BY HEROD ANTIPAS, BUT, ACCORDING TO THE GOSPELS, HIS NEW WIFE--HERODIAS.

TABOR: THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY SURROUNDING THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST IS VERY DRAMATIC.

THERE'S A BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE FORTRESS OF MACHAERUS, WHERE HE'S BEING HELD, AND HERODIAS ARRANGES FOR HER DAUGHTER TO DANCE FOR HEROD.

WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THIS DANCE.

BUT HEROD IS SO MOVED BY IT, HE SAYS, "I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT UP TO HALF MY KINGDOM."

AND HERODIAS MORE OR LESS, WHISPERS IN SALOME'S EAR, "ASK FOR THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

I WANT IT BROUGHT IN ON A PLATTER RIGHT NOW."

AND THAT'S WHAT SHE ASKED FOR, AND THAT'S WHAT WAS DONE.

NARRATOR: BUT LOOK BEYOND THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT HEROD ANTIPAS' DECISION TO FINALLY KILL JOHN MAY HAVE HAD A HIDDEN POLITICAL MOTIVE.

JACOBOVICI: I THINK THE TIME GAP--ONE YEAR-- IS VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENED THERE.

WE GOT TO FILL IT IN.

WHAT HAPPENED?

TWO THINGS MAY HAPPEN IN THIS ONE-YEAR WAIT.

NUMBER ONE, IT BECOMES CLEAR TO HEROD ANTIPAS THAT JOHN WON'T PLAY ALONG.

HE'S NOT GONNA BLESS THIS MARRIAGE.

AND, SECONDLY, THERE'S ANOTHER RISING STAR.

WHILE HE'S IN JAIL, HIS--JOHN THE BAPTIST'S COUSIN, JESUS, WHY, HE'S GATHERING THE CROWDS THAT JOHN USED TO.

SO THIS GIVES HEROD ANTIPAS TWO REASONS TO SAY, "WELL, MAYBE I DON'T NEED HIM ANYMORE."

[MAN YELLS] [THUD] NARRATOR: FROM THE GOSPELS, WE LEARN THAT EARLY ON IN HIS MINISTRY, JESUS BECOMES KNOWN TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

BOND: SOMEONE LIKE HEROD ANTIPAS WOULD HAVE HAD A WHOLE NETWORK OF SPIES AND INFORMERS KEEPING HIM ABREAST OF EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITHIN HIS REALM.

AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT SOMEBODY LIKE JESUS, WHO HAS A GREAT FOLLOWING-- HE'S GOT CROWDS WHEREVER HE WENT-- WOULD HAVE VERY QUICKLY COME TO HEROD ANTIPAS' ATTENTION.

AND WE ARE TOLD IN THE GOSPELS THAT ANTIPAS WANTED TO HEAR JESUS.

HE WAS KEEN TO MEET HIM.

NARRATOR: BUT LOOK CLOSER, AND THE LINK BETWEEN HEROD ANTIPAS AND JESUS BECOMES EVEN MORE INTRIGUING WITH THE REVELATION THAT PEOPLE VERY CLOSE TO HEROD ANTIPAS ARE NOT ONLY EMBEDDED WITHIN JESUS' MOVEMENT BUT ARE ACTUALLY FUNDING IT.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] JACOBOVICI: IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE 12 DISCIPLES, AND THERE'S ALL THEIR WIVES AND ALL THEIR KIDS.

YOU'RE RUNNING AROUND WITH 100, 200, 300 FOLLOWERS, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA PAY FOR THIS.

NARRATOR: AND THE GOSPELS THEMSELVES TELL US EXACTLY WHO IS PAYING THE BILL.

WILSON: NOW, THE GOSPEL OF LUKE TELLS US THAT HIS MOVEMENT WAS FUNDED BY WEALTHY WOMEN.

THERE WAS JOANNA.

AND JOANNA WAS THE WIFE OF CHUZA, THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF HEROD ANTIPAS.

THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING CONNECTION.

JACOBOVICI: THAT MEANS THAT JESUS IS HANGING OUT WITH THE WIFE OF THE GUY, CHUZA, WHO'S RUNNING THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT AT THE TIME.

THIS WOMAN IS A POLITICALLY CONNECTED PERSON THAT SHE CAN TURN ON AND OFF THE BACKING, THE MONEY, THE POLITICAL SUPPORT.

THIS HINTS AT A VERY INTERESTING LINK, PERHAPS, BETWEEN JESUS AND THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE LAND, HEROD ANTIPAS.

NARRATOR: AND ACCORDING TO EARLY CHRISTIAN SOURCES, JOANNA ISN'T THE ONLY PERSON IN JESUS' ENTOURAGE CLOSE TO HEROD ANTIPAS.

INCREDIBLY, HEROD ANTIPAS' OWN FOSTER BROTHER, A MAN CALLED MANAHEN, WHO WOULD LATER START THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH OUTSIDE JUDEA, IS ALSO A PART OF JESUS' MOVEMENT.

TAYLOR: MANAHEN TURNS UP IN THE "ACTS" OF THE APOSTLES AS AN EARLY DISCIPLE OF JESUS, AND IT'S SAID THAT HE GREW UP WITH HEROD ANTIPAS.

IF HE WAS AN ARISTOCRAT ASSOCIATED WITH HEROD ANTIPAS, THAT'S VERY, VERY INTERESTING.

JACOBOVICI: JESUS DOES NOT JUST HAS ACCESS TO FISHERMEN.

HE HAS ACCESS TO THE HIGHEST ECHELONS OF POWER AT THE TIME.

NARRATOR: WHEN JESUS IS GIVEN THE NEWS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST'S DEATH, HIS MISSION TAKES ON A NEW URGENCY.

TABOR: WE'RE TOLD IN THE GOSPELS THAT THE WORD IS TAKEN TO JESUS.

HE GETS THE HORRIBLE NEWS.

THIS IS HIS RELATIVE, THE PERSON HE'S WORKED WITH, AND NOW HE'S DEAD.

AND NOW EVERYTHING FALLS ON THE SHOULDERS OF JESUS.

HE ESSENTIALLY IS THINKING, "IS IT UP TO ME NOW TO TAKE OVER THIS MOVEMENT?"

REMEMBER THERE'S A SINGULAR MOVEMENT.

I WOULD CALL IT A MESSIANIC POLITICAL MOVEMENT OF REVOLUTION.

WHO'S NOW GOING TO BE IN CHARGE?

IT'S VERY CLEAR, HE REALIZES, YOU KNOW, "I NOW WILL HAVE TO DO WHAT JOHN WAS DOING."

AND HE BEGINS TO ACCELERATE HIS MINISTRY.

I THINK HE REALLY BELIEVES MORE THAN EVER THE TIME IS AT HAND.

NARRATOR: BUT, CRUCIALLY, FOR JESUS, TWO SIZEABLE OBSTACLES REMAIN.

WILSON: IN JESUS' MISSION, HE HAS TWO MAIN TARGETS.

ONE, OF COURSE, IS THE OCCUPYING ROMAN FORCE.

AND SECONDLY HE HAS IN MIND THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT, THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED MORE WITH RITUAL NICETIES RATHER THAN THE MORE ETHICAL NATURE OF THE JEWISH LAW.

[GOAT BLEATING] NARRATOR: JESUS BEGINS BY SETTING HIS SIGHTS ON THE HIGH PRIEST CAIAPHAS AND THE SADDUCEES, THOSE CORRUPT GUARDIANS OF THE JEWISH FAITH, AND THE CONTROLLERS OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.

TAYLOR: I SEE JESUS AS ENORMOUSLY REVOLUTIONARY.

HE IS PLACING HIMSELF AMONG THOSE WHO ARE DISEMPOWERED AND MARGINALIZED IN THE PRESENT WORLD ORDER, AND HE IS SAYING, "THESE PEOPLE ARE MY PEOPLE.

"AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CHARGE RIGHT NOW ARE NOT MORAL.

"THEY'RE NOT ON THE SIDE OF GOD.

THEY'RE ABUSING THEIR POWER.

THEY'RE EXPLOITING THE WEAK AND THE MARGINAL AND THE POOR."

WILSON: HE'S TALKING ABOUT REGIME CHANGE.

THAT'S WHAT'S ON HIS MIND.

AND HIS DISCIPLES ARE GOING TO HELP HIM SPEARHEAD THIS.

NARRATOR: AS HIS FAME SPREADS, JESUS STARTS TO BE SEEN IN A NEW LIGHT, NOT SIMPLY AS A HERALD OF GOD'S NEW KINGDOM, BUT AS ITS LEADER, ITS MESSIAH.

JACOBOVICI: THIS AREA OF JERUSALEM IS ASSOCIATED WITH KING DAVID, AND THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE IDEA OF MESSIAH.

WHEN WE THINK OF MESSIAH TODAY, WE MIGHT THINK OF, YOU KNOW, THE GREEK TERM, CHRIST.

WE MIGHT THINK OF IT AS--AS GOD ON EARTH, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT MEANT IN JESUS' TIME.

WHAT IT MEANT WAS "DESCENDANT OF DAVID."

YOU KNOW, IT MEANT "KING ON EARTH, NOT IN HEAVEN."

AND YOU HAD TO BE FROM THE DAVIDIC LINE.

YOU HAD TO HAVE ROYAL BLOOD RUNNING IN YOUR VEINS AND YOU HAD TO FREE THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

THAT WAS--THAT'S WHAT YOUR JOB WAS.

IT WAS A POLITICAL STATEMENT.

NARRATOR: FOUR YEARS INTO HIS MINISTRY AND MORE POPULAR THAN EVER BEFORE, JESUS NOW DOES AN EXTRAORDINARY THING.

AFTER YEARS OF AVOIDING THE SPOTLIGHT, JESUS HEADS SOUTH FOR THE JUDAEAN CAPITAL, JERUSALEM.

JACOBOVICI: THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SIGNIFICANT IN JESUS' DECISION TO GO INTO JERUSALEM.

UNTIL THAT POINT, HE NOT ONLY AVOIDS JERUSALEM, HE AVOIDS ALL BIG CITIES IN THE GALILEE.

HE DOESN'T GO TO SEPPHORIS; HE DOESN'T GO TO TIBERIAS.

HE SEEMS TO HAVE A CONSCIOUS STRATEGY, AND THAT STRATEGY IS TO STICK TO THE LITTLE VILLAGES AND THE SMALL TOWNS.

NARRATOR: IN "JOHN" 7:1, IT STATES THAT JESUS KNOWS A VISIT TO JERUSALEM WILL MEAN CERTAIN DEATH.

JACOBOVICI: IN "JOHN," HIS BROTHERS TAUNT HIM.

YOU KNOW, "IF YOU ARE "WHO YOU SAY ARE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER HERE?

WHY DON'T YOU GO TO JERUSALEM?"

AND HE EXPLICITLY TELLS US WHY HE DOESN'T.

HE SAYS, "I FEEL IN DANGER.

MY LIFE WOULD BE IN DANGER IF I WENT TO JERUSALEM."

SUDDENLY HE DOES AN ABOUT-FACE.

HE ACTUALLY DECIDES TO GO STRAIGHT FOR JERUSALEM, THE CAPITAL.

NARRATOR: THE GOSPELS TELL US THAT JESUS ARRIVES TO FIND THE CITY BRISTLING WITH WORSHIPPERS, GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE JEWISH FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER.

[CHANTING IN HEBREW] 2,000 YEARS AGO ON THESE VERY STEPS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JEWISH PILGRIMS CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, FROM AS FAR AS AFRICA AND ROME AND PARTHIA, TO THESE STEPS THAT LED UP TO THE TEMPLE.

RIGHT THROUGH HERE STOOD THE TEMPLE, THE HOUSE OF GOD, THE HOLIEST PLACE IN JUDAISM.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] JACOBOVICI: AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S SO MUCH TENSION HERE BECAUSE THE PLACE IS RUN BY PAGANS, BY ROMANS.

THEY'RE PUSHING THEM AROUND.

THEY'RE IN CONTROL.

THEY'RE OCCUPYING THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

IT'S A SPIRITUAL HIGH IN A POLITICALLY TENSE TIME.

NARRATOR: AND IT'S PRECISELY THIS TENSION WHICH MAKES JESUS' NEXT MOVE SO INEXPLICABLE, CONFOUNDING MANY SCHOLARS.

HE HEADS STRAIGHT FOR JERUSALEM'S SACRED TEMPLE, WHERE HE LAUNCHES A VIOLENT ATTACK ON THE MONEY CHANGERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ENABLE PILGRIMS TO BUY ANIMALS FOR RITUAL SACRIFICE.

WILSON: ONE OF THE MOST RADICAL THINGS THAT JESUS DOES IS HE PUTS THE CURRENCY CONVERTERS OUT OF BUSINESS.

[SHOUTING] BOND: HE OVERTURNS THE TABLES OF THE MONEY CHANGERS AND THE PIGEON SELLERS, AND HE SAYS "MY HOUSE SHOULD BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER, BUT YOU'VE MADE IT INTO A DEN OF ROBBERS."

WILSON: AND THAT'S A VERY, VERY RADICAL STEP BECAUSE IT'S AN ASSAULT UPON THE PRIESTHOOD.

JACOBOVICI: IMAGINE IF RIGHT NOW I WALKED IN TO THIS MONEY-CHANGER AND STARTED SMASHING THE PLACE UP.

I MEAN, I WOULD BE PINNED TO THE GROUND IN SECONDS, THERE WOULD BE SOLDIERS ALL OVER ME, BECAUSE I THINK MY LIFE WOULD BE IN DANGER, AS-- BECAUSE JERUSALEM THEN, AS NOW, WAS A HIGH-TENSION PLACE.

[MAN YELLING] NARRATOR: BUT THE ODDEST THING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT IS THAT THE TEMPLE GUARDS DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO STOP JESUS.

TABOR: IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT THE PRIESTLY CLASS-- IN PARTICULAR CAIAPHAS, THE HIGH PRIEST-- WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS.

THEY WITNESSED IT, AND THEY SEEMED TO JUST STAND BACK AND LET IT HAPPEN.

NARRATOR: SO HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THIS MYSTERY?

WHY IS JESUS ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH SUCH A SERIOUS CRIME?

[EXCITED CHATTER] ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER LIES WITH UNFOLDING EVENTS BACK IN ROME.

BY THE FALL OF 31 A.D., ROME'S ULTIMATE POWER BROKER, SEJANUS, IS ON THE BRINK OF ASSUMING COMPLETE CONTROL.

HOLLAND: BY OCTOBER 31, IT APPEARS THAT SEJANUS IS WITHIN REACH OF THE ULTIMATE PRIZE.

HE IS CONSUL; HE IS A SENATOR.

HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A FAVORITE OF THE MASSES.

ABOVE ALL, THOUGH, HE IS THE FAVORED ONE OF TIBERIUS.

AND SO IT SEEMS TO MANY IN ROME NOT JUST THAT SEJANUS IS THE DEPUTY OF THE EMPEROR BUT THAT HE IS MOVING TOWARDS A POSITION WHERE HIS POWER MIGHT ALMOST RIVAL THAT OF THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

NARRATOR: WHAT'S MORE, THERE ARE RUMORS THAT THE EMPEROR IN EXILE IS NO LONGER FIT TO GOVERN.

HOLLAND: STORIES ARE TOLD ABOUT WHAT TIBERIUS GOT UP TO ON CAPRI THAT TO THIS DAY ARE INCREDIBLY SHOCKING.

I MEAN, FAR TOO SHOCKING FOR ME TO TALK EVEN ON THE MOST ADULT OF CHANNELS.

AND THEY'VE REALLY SERVED TO BLACKEN TIBERIUS' REPUTATION FOR GOOD.

THE SOURCES FOR THESE STORIES ARE PRINCIPALLY TWO HISTORIANS, TACITUS AND SUETONIOUS.

SUETONIOUS, IN PARTICULAR, IS A KIND OF VERY TABLOID, UH, HISTORIAN WHO ABSOLUTELY REVELS IN THE FILTHY THINGS THAT GREAT MEN ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE.

BUT IT--IT'S REALLY BRED OF A DEEP-SEATED ROMAN ASSUMPTION THAT SOMEONE WITH POLITICAL POWER WHO IS CRAVING PRIVACY CAN ONLY BE DOING IT FOR ONE REASON, AND THAT REASON MUST BE THAT HE'S AN ENORMOUS PERVERT.

NARRATOR: BUT WHY WOULD THIS POWER SHIFT IN ROME STOP THE ROMAN GUARDS FROM ARRESTING JESUS INSIDE THE TEMPLE?

ACCORDING TO A NEW THEORY, THE INCIDENT CAN BE EXPLAINED BY A POSSIBLE DEAL BETWEEN HEROD ANTIPAS, AND THE EMPEROR-IN-WAITING, SEJANUS-- A DEAL ALLUDED TO BY MORE THAN ONE 1st-CENTURY HISTORIAN.

[BELL TOLLING] JACOBOVICI: THE IDEA THAT HEROD ANTIPAS AND SEJANUS WERE CO-CONSPIRATORS, THAT'S NOT A NEW IDEA.

PHILO TALKS ABOUT IT; JOSEPHUS TALKS ABOUT IT.

THE NEPHEW OF HEROD ANTIPAS ACCUSES HEROD ANTIPAS BEFORE THE NEW EMPEROR, CALIGULA: "MY UNCLE CONSPIRED WITH SEJANUS".

NARRATOR: SO WHAT WERE HEROD ANTIPAS AND SEJANUS CONSPIRING ABOUT?

THE CLUES STRETCH BACK TO THE MARRIAGE OF HEROD ANTIPAS INTO JEWISH ROYALTY... TO THE ARREST OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND TO THE PRESENCE OF PEOPLE CLOSE TO HEROD ANTIPAS AMONG JESUS' FOLLOWERS-- CLUES THAT POINT TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN HEROD ANTIPAS AND SEJANUS TO ALLOW HEROD ANTIPAS TO FULFILL HIS LIFELONG AMBITION OF BECOMING KING OF THE JEWS, AND TO HELP HIM ACHIEVE THIS-- TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR JESUS IN HIS EFFORTS TO RID THE TEMPLE OF CAIAPHAS AND THE HIGH PRIESTS.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS] IT'S A BOLD THEORY, BUT IT MAKES A GOOD DEAL OF SENSE.

FOR STARTERS, IT WOULD HAVE GIVEN SEJANUS A TROUBLE-FREE TAX-PAYING JUDEA.

JACOBOVICI: JUDEA IS CONSTANTLY RISING IN REVOLUTION.

CONSTANTLY.

THE LAST THING THAT SEJANUS NEEDS THE DAY AFTER HE GRABS POWER IS FOR SOME MESSIAH FIGURE TO SAY, "THIS IS THE MOMENT.

THERE'S A TRANSITION IN ROME.

LET'S GO FOR IT.

REVOLUTION!"

THAT'S THE LAST THING HE NEEDS.

HE DOESN'T NEED THAT.

SO IF HE CAN GET A DEAL WITH ANTIPAS-- AND BY DOING THAT, SUDDENLY HE'S NOT FACING REVOLUTION... WHY NOT?

NARRATOR: TAPPING INTO THE POPULARITY OF A RELIGIOUS FIGURE LIKE JESUS WOULD ALSO HAVE STRENGTHENED HEROD ANTIPAS' ROYAL CREDENTIALS.

JACOBOVICI: IF YOU CAN HARNESS A POPULAR PREACHER AND SAY, "I'LL BE THE KING.

YOU GET THE TEMPLE.

"YOU CAN PUT INTO PLAY ALL YOUR RELIGIOUS REFORMS, "AND I'LL HELP YOU GET RID OF THIS ILLEGITIMATE PRIESTHOOD "THAT NOBODY LIKES.

"JUST DON'T TURN THOSE MASSES AGAINST ROME AND THE CROWN, "AND WE'LL BOTH ACHIEVE WHAT WE WANT.

"INSTEAD OF BAD RULERS AND BAD PRIESTS, WE'LL HAVE A KING OF THE JEWS, AND A NEW HIGH PRIESTHOOD."

NARRATOR: INTERESTINGLY, THIS IDEA OF TWO RULERS OR MESSIAHS-- ONE RELIGIOUS, ONE SECULAR--WASN'T NEW.

IN FACT, IN JESUS' DAY IT WAS EXPECTED.

TABOR: EVEN THOUGH TODAY PEOPLE THINK OF ONE MESSIAH-- JEWS AND CHRISTIANS--YOU KNOW, THE MESSIAH'S EITHER COME OR HE HASN'T COME, BUT IT'S ALWAYS ONE MESSIAH-- AT THE TIME OF JESUS, THE BIBLE ITSELF, AS WELL AS THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, UNIVERSALLY SAY THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO MESSIAHS.

ONE IS A KING OF THE LINE OF KING DAVID WHO SITS ON A THRONE AND CARRIES OUT MORE THE POLITICAL SIDE OF THINGS, AND THE OTHER IS A PRIEST THAT'S MORE THE SPIRITUAL COUNSELOR.

AND THEY'RE EXPECTING BOTH, NOT ONE OR THE OTHER.

NARRATOR: IF HEROD ANTIPAS DID INDEED CONVINCE SEJANUS TO MAKE HIM KING OF THE JEWS, THEN JESUS' POPULAR TAKEOVER OF THE TEMPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO HIS ADVANTAGE.

COULD THIS EXPLAIN WHY JESUS IS LEFT ALONE?

[MAN YELLS, INDISTINCT CHATTER] JACOBOVICI: IT ALWAYS SEEMS REALLY ODD TO ME THAT JESUS COMES INTO JERUSALEM AND STARTS MAKING TROUBLE AND NOBODY BOTHERS HIM.

THERE WERE SOLDIERS EVERYWHERE.

THERE WERE PILGRIMS-- TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS-- AND YET NOTHING HAPPENS TO JESUS.

HOW CAN THAT BE?

THERE'S ONLY ONE POSSIBILITY.

HE HAD PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHORITIES.

[EXCITED CHATTER CONTINUES] NARRATOR: MUCH TO THE FURY OF CAIAPHAS AND THE PRIESTHOOD.

TABOR: AND I THINK THEY'RE JUST ROCKED BACK ON THEIR HEELS, AND THEY'RE HAVING SECRET MEETINGS AFTER THAT, THINKING, "HOW ARE WE GONNA HANDLE THIS?

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?"

NARRATOR: BUT THIS NEW THEORY ALSO OFFERS A SOLUTION TO SOME OF THE OTHER MYSTERIES ASSOCIATED WITH JESUS' LAST DAYS.

AFTER HIS TEMPLE TAKEOVER, THE GOSPELS TELL US OF A REMARKABLE TURNAROUND IN JESUS' FORTUNES.

WITHIN A FEW DAYS, JESUS HOSTS A FAMOUS SUPPER WHERE HE STUNS HIS DISCIPLES WITH A SHOCKING PREMONITION.

TAYLOR: WE HAVE THIS SUPPER, THIS LAST SUPPER, WHERE HE MEETS WITH HIS DISCIPLES.

AND WE HAVE THIS GREAT WEIGHT OF A SENSE THAT SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

BOND: JESUS CLEARLY KNEW THAT HIS DEATH WAS COMING, AND HE TOOK BREAD, AND HE TOOK WINE, AND HE TOLD THEM TO EAT AND DRINK THIS AND WHENEVER THEY DID IT IN THE FUTURE, TO REMEMBER HIS DEATH THROUGH IT.

BOND: AND HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT ONE OF THEM WOULD BETRAY HIM AND THAT THE REST OF THEM WOULD BE SCATTERED.

NARRATOR: LATER THAT EVENING, AS HE PREDICTED, JESUS IS BETRAYED.

BOND: AND SOON ENOUGH, ONE OF HIS CLOSEST FOLLOWERS, JUDAS, ARRIVES WITH AN ARRESTING PARTY.

THEY'VE COME OUT WITH SWORDS AND CLUBS AND TORCHES, AND PERHAPS BECAUSE IT'S DARK, JUDAS COMES OVER TO JESUS AND KISSES HIM, AND THAT'S THE SIGN BY WHICH ALL OF THE ARRESTING PARTY KNOW WHICH PERSON TO TAKE.

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING] WILSON: WHY DID JUDAS BETRAY HIM?

WHAT WAS THE FEAR?

WHAT PROMPTED JUDAS AT THAT TIME RATHER THAN ANY OTHER TIME TO TURN HIM IN?

NARRATOR: THAT NIGHT, JUST HOURS BEFORE PASSOVER, THE BUSIEST DAY IN THE TEMPLE CALENDAR, THE GOSPELS TELL US JESUS IS TRIED BY THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES ON A CHARGE OF BLASPHEMY.

FOUND NOT GUILTY, HE IS THEN BROUGHT BEFORE PILATE ON A NEW CHARGE OF TREASON.

JACOBOVICI: WE'RE AT DAVID'S TOWER, AND THIS IS WHERE JESUS WOULD HAVE BEEN TRIED.

I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING THAT WE'RE RIGHT THERE.

THIS IS WHERE IT ALL WENT DOWN.

TAYLOR: HE'S TAKEN TO PILATE ACCORDING TO THE "GOSPEL OF MARK," AT DAWN, SO IT'S ABOUT 6 A.M.

IN THE MORNING.

PILATE THEN INTERVIEWS HIM, IF YOU COULD SAY IT'S AN INTERVIEW.

IT'S HARDLY A TRIAL.

JACOBOVICI: HERE'S A GUY WHO'S VERY EVIL, AND YET HE TREATS THIS ONE RABBI, THIS ONE JEW, WITH TREMENDOUS RESPECT.

HE DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO KILL HIM.

TABOR: HE SEEMS LIKE HE ALMOST LIKES JESUS.

HE EQUIVOCATES.

HE GOES IN THE PALACE AND OUT OF THE PALACE, TAKES A LONG TIME DELIBERATING, KEEPS WANTING TO RELEASE HIM.

TAYLOR: GIVEN THAT WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION ABOUT PONTIUS PILATE, THAT HE WAS PRETTY AWFUL, WHY IS HE PRESENTED AS SUCH A NICE GUY IN THE GOSPELS?

NARRATOR: UNABLE TO FIND HIM GUILTY, PILATE THEN PASSES JESUS ON TO HEROD ANTIPAS, WHO QUICKLY SENDS HIM BACK UNTIL PILATE FINALLY HANDS JESUS OVER TO THE JEWISH CROWDS WHO CALL FOR HIM TO BE EXECUTED.

TAYLOR: THEY GO TO PILATE.

IT'S THE CROWD THAT THEN ALSO ASKS FOR BARABBAS TO BE RELEASED RATHER THAN JESUS AS A SORT OF SPECIAL BONUS FOR THE PASSOVER.

NARRATOR: JESUS IS TAKEN OUTSIDE THE CITY GATES AND CRUCIFIED.

[MEN CHANTING] BUT COULD ALL OF THIS HAVE REALLY HAPPENED IN THE SPACE OF A FEW HOURS AS THE GOSPELS SUGGEST?

TAYLOR: WE GET THIS REAL SENSE OF URGENCY, GOING QUICKLY, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, HIGH PRIEST'S HOUSE.

FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, PILATE-- ACCORDING TO THE "GOSPEL OF MARK," JESUS IS ON THE CROSS AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING.

IT'S GOING FROM ONE THING TO THE NEXT.

NARRATOR: THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY, HOWEVER, IF YOU STRETCH THE TIMELINE FOR JESUS' LAST DAYS INTO SEVERAL MONTHS.

ACCORDING TO THE SAME THEORY WHICH PROPOSES HE HAD HIGH-LEVEL SUPPORT FOR HIS TEMPLE COUP, JESUS DIDN'T ENTER JERUSALEM IN THE SPRING FOR PASSOVER AS THE GOSPELS SUGGEST BUT 6 MONTHS EARLIER IN THE AUTUMN.

IF TRUE, THEN THE STORY IN THE GOSPELS SUDDENLY MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE.

ONE OF THE CLUES THAT JESUS, WHEN HE COMES INTO JERUSALEM, IS NOT COMING AT THE TIME OF PASSOVER, IS THE FACT THAT THE GOSPELS TELL US THAT HE'S MET BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WAVING PALM FRONDS AT HIM AND SAYING HOSANNAS.

NOW, SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT YOU CAN JUST PICK UP PALM FRONDS THE WAY YOU PICK UP DAFFODILS.

THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

PALMS ARE DIFFICULT TO GET.

EITHER THE PALM TREE IS VERY HIGH--OR EVEN IF IT'S LOW, THE LEAVES ARE VERY BIG.

THEY HAVE THORNS.

YOU--YOU NEED A MACHETE TO CUT THEM DOWN.

THERE'S ONLY ONE TIME OF YEAR IN THE JEWISH CALENDAR-- THEN AS NOW--THAT YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO PALM FRONDS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE HARVESTED.

AND THEY'RE ONLY HARVESTED ONCE A YEAR AS PART OF THE RITUAL, SAYING HOSANNAHS AND WAVING PALM FRONDS-- THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE JEWISH HOLIDAY--TABERNACLES.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] WILSON: EVERY HOLIDAY HAS A MARKER.

IF YOU GO AROUND THE UNITED STATES AND YOU SEE ALL SORTS OF ORANGE PUMPKINS, YOU KNOW IT'S THE HOLIDAY OF HALLOWEEN.

IT'S NOT EASTER.

IT'S NOT VALENTINE'S DAY.

IT'S NOT CHRISTMAS.

JACOBOVICI: SO THAT TELLS US THAT JESUS COULD NOT HAVE ENTERED IN THE SPRING, AT PASSOVER TIME.

HE MUST HAVE ENTERED JERUSALEM 6 MONTHS EARLIER, DURING TABERNACLES.

NARRATOR: LEADING SOME SCHOLARS TO IDENTIFY THE MOST LIKELY DATE FOR JESUS' ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM AS THE FALL OF 31 A.D., 6 MONTHS EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT RESULT OF THIS NEW ELONGATED TIMELINE IS THAT JESUS' SUDDEN ARREST NOW COINCIDES WITH A DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS IN ROME... [BELL TOLLING] BECAUSE IN THE FALL OF 31 A.D., AS JESUS IS HUMILIATING THE TEMPLE PRIESTS AND HEROD ANTIPAS IS CLOSING IN ON THE JEWISH THRONE, SEJANUS IS SUMMONED TO THE ROMAN SENATE.

HOLLAND: IT SEEMS THAT SEJANUS' HOPES ARE ABOUT TO BE REALIZED THAT HE IS ABOUT TO BE CONFIRMED BY TIBERIUS NOT JUST AS HIS DEPUTY BUT AS HIS-- ALMOST HIS EQUAL.

AND EVERYONE HAS ASSEMBLED IN THE SENATE HOUSE TO HEAR A MISSIVE FROM TIBERIUS, SEEMINGLY TO CONFIRM THIS.

BUT THEN AS THE LETTER BEGINS TO BE READ OUT, SORT OF PUZZLED LOOKS ON THE FACES OF THE SENATORS BECAUSE TIBERIUS SEEMS TO BE EXERCISING SOME NIGGLES ABOUT WHAT SEJANUS HAS BEEN UP TO.

NARRATOR: THE LONGER THE LETTER GOES ON, THE WORSE THINGS LOOK FOR SEJANUS.

ARYA: THE CONTENTS OF THE LETTER SPECIFY THAT SEJANUS DIRECTLY CONSPIRED TO POISON AND MURDER DRUSUS, TIBERIUS' SON.

SO AT THAT MOMENT, WITH THIS EVIDENCE, TIBERIUS, WELL, FOR HIM, IT'S LIKE HE'S BEEN WOKEN OUT OF A DREAM AND A VEIL HAS BEEN LIFTED.

HOLLAND: WHEN THE ULTIMATE BLOW IS ANNOUNCED THAT TIBERIUS IS CONDEMNING SEJANUS AS A TRAITOR, THERE'S NOTHING THAT SEJANUS CAN DO.

[SOLDIERS GRUNTING] NARRATOR: HIS TREACHERY EXPOSED, SEJANUS IS THROWN INTO ROME'S NOTORIOUS TULLIANUM PRISON.

[BELL TOLLING] ARYA: THE TULLIANUM WASN'T LIKE A MODERN PRISON.

IT WASN'T THAT YOU CAME INTO THE TULLIANUM, DID YOUR TIME, AND THEN LEFT.

WHEN YOU CAME INTO THE TULLIANUM, THAT WAS IT.

YOU WEREN'T GONNA EXIT ALIVE.

ARYA: AFTER HIS ARREST ON THE 18th OF OCTOBER, SEJANUS WAS BROUGHT DIRECTLY HERE AND LOWERED THROUGH THIS HOLE INTO THE TULLIANUM TO AWAIT HIS FATE.

THE HISTORIAN SALLUST DESCRIBES THE TULLIANUM AS A PLACE THAT WAS BOTH DISGUSTING AND VILE BECAUSE OF THE STENCH, BECAUSE OF THE FILTH THAT ACCUMULATES IN A VERY SMALL, TIGHT SPACE.

HOLLAND: SEJANUS' DOWNFALL WAS AS UNEXPECTED, AS BRUTAL, AND AS TOTAL AS ANY IN ROMAN HISTORY.

NARRATOR: WITHIN HOURS OF HIS ARREST, SEJANUS IS SENTENCED TO DEATH.

ARYA: THE STANDARD PRACTICE FOR EXECUTION OF PRISONERS PLACED HERE IS BY GARROTING.

SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE HAVING THE EXECUTIONERS COME DOWN IN THIS SPACE, PUTTING A ROPE AROUND YOUR NECK, AND SQUEEZING THE LIFE OUT OF YOU.

[GROANING] ARYA: AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE TO SEJANUS.

HOLLAND: A CORPSE OF THE MAN WHO ONLY A FEW DAYS BEFORE HAD BEEN THE SECOND MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD IS KICKED AND TRASHED TO A PULP, AND THEN IT'S DRAGGED OFF BY HOOK AND DUMPED INTO THE TIBER.

NARRATOR: AS NEWS OF SEJANUS' DOWNFALL SPREADS ACROSS THE EMPIRE, HIS FORMER ALLIES IN JUDEA NOW FIND THEMSELVES VULNERABLE.

JACOBOVICI: THE DEATH OF SEJANUS MEANS THE MAIN PERSON WHO HAD AN INTEREST IN A NEW POLITICAL CONFIGURATION, A NEW POLITICAL/RELIGIOUS CONFIGURATION IN JERUSALEM, HE'S GONE.

SO IF YOU WERE PLAYING ON HIS TEAM, YOU WERE WEARING HIS JERSEY, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.

I THINK EVERYBODY IS THINKING, "HOW DO I SURVIVE THIS?"

SO HEROD ANTIPAS IS NOT THINKING RIGHT NOW ABOUT BEING KING.

HE'S JUST WORRIED ABOUT NOT BEING EXECUTED.

JACOBOVICI: PONTIUS PILATE IS HOLDING HIS BREATH.

MAYBE HE CAN PRESENT HIMSELF AS AN ASSET INSTEAD OF A LIABILITY.

SO I THINK RIGHT AWAY, YOU HAVE RIGHT THROUGH THE EMPIRE, A RIPPLE EFFECT WHERE EVERYBODY IS SCARED.

[MEN SPEAKING EXCITEDLY] NARRATOR: WITH SEJANUS GONE AND THE RULING STRUCTURES NOW IN TURMOIL, JESUS, TOO, IS NOW IN DANGER.

SUDDENLY, THE LAST SUPPER TAKES ON A DIFFERENT COMPLEXION.

JACOBOVICI: THE LAST SUPPER MAY VERY WELL BE A STRATEGY MEETING.

"WHAT DO WE DO?

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?

INSURRECTION?"

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ARGUE THE EMPIRE IS VULNERABLE, IT'S IN TRANSITION.

"GO BACK TO GALILEE?"

VERY BAD.

YOU COME BACK AS LOSERS.

YOU--YOU TOOK YOUR GAME TO THE BIG TOWN, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO WIN.

YOU COME BACK A LOSER.

THAT'S NOT A WAY TO GET A FOLLOWING.

THAT'S A WAY OF ALIENATING A FOLLOWING.

SIT AND WAIT AND SEE HOW THINGS WILL WORK OUT?

I THINK THAT JESUS HAS A NO-WIN SITUATION.

THE LAST SUPPER MAY VERY WELL BE THAT, UM, DOOMED STRATEGY MEETING, WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ONE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] NARRATOR: ACCORDING TO THE THEORY, THE BEHAVIOR OF THE ZEALOT JUDAS MIGHT ALSO NOW BE EXPLAINED.

JACOBOVICI: HE KIND OF ALIENATED THE EXTREMISTS IN HIS ENTOURAGE, THE ZEALOTS.

THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON THAT A REVOLUTIONARY WOULD TURN AGAINST YOU.

IF YOU APPEAR TO COLLABORATE WITH THE REGIME AND YOU PROMISE THE REVOLUTIONARY, "I'LL DELIVER EVERYTHING WE WANT, BUT WITHOUT BLOODSHED," HE MIGHT PLAY ALONG FOR A WHILE.

BUT IF AFTER YOU'RE DESERTED, YOU CAN'T DELIVER, AND YOU LOOK LIKE YOU JUST COLLABORATED AND HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT, THEN THE REVOLUTIONARY WILL TURN AGAINST YOU.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.

QUIT, JUDAS!

JUDAS!

NARRATOR: EVENTUALLY THE MEETING BREAKS UP.

JESUS HAS LOST JUDAS.

TAYLOR: SO JESUS, AFTER THE DISCIPLES, UM, HAVE HAD THIS DINNER WITH HIM, AND IT'S QUITE LATE, HE GOES OUT FROM JERUSALEM AND GOES TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AN AREA THAT'S CULTIVATED CALLED GETHSEMANE.

WE'RE TOLD THAT JESUS GOES AWAY FROM WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE IS SHELTERING IN GETHSEMANE, AND HE PRAYS.

NARRATOR: WITHOUT PROTECTION, SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER HE ATTACKED THE TEMPLE, JESUS IS FINALLY ARRESTED.

AND THE EXPANDED TIMELINE NOW SHEDS A VERY DIFFERENT LIGHT ON THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOW.

JACOBOVICI: IF WE EXPAND "HOLY WEEK" INTO "HOLY 6 MONTHS," IF YOU WILL, UH... WHAT HAPPENS DURING THAT PERIOD?

WELL, JESUS IS VERY VULNERABLE.

I CAN IMAGINE THAT INSTEAD OF BEING IN JAIL FOR A DAY OR TWO, HE'S ACTUALLY IN JAIL FOR MONTHS.

HE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST POLITICAL PRISONER IN JAIL WITH THE AUTHORITIES NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO WITH HIM.

SO IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT WHILE EVERYBODY WAS WAITING TO SEE WHERE THE CARDS FALL THAT JESUS WAS LANGUISHING IN JAIL REALLY NOT KNOWING WHAT HIS FATE WOULD BE.

NARRATOR: A SIGN OF THIS GENERAL CONFUSION IS THE BEHAVIOR OF PONTIUS PILATE, MORE VULNERABLE THAN EVER, AS TIBERIUS NOW TURNS HIS VENGEANCE ON SEJANUS' ASSOCIATES.

ARYA: AFTER DEALING WITH SEJANUS, TIBERIUS THEN SETS HIS SIGHTS ON SEJANUS' FAMILY, HIS FRIENDS, HIS ALLIES.

AND HE STARTS TO ELIMINATE THEM ONE BY ONE.

NARRATOR: KNOWING THAT JUST ONE FALSE MOVE COULD RESULT IN HIS DEATH WARRANT, PILATE IS UNSURE WHAT TO DO NEXT.

JACOBOVICI: EITHER YOU TAKE THE STORY IN THE GOSPELS AS JUST MADE UP OR YOU SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE.

THERE WAS A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN PILATE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO."

AND ONCE YOU PLACE IT IN THAT CONTEXT, THEN PILATE'S HESITATION MAKES SENSE.

I WOULD HESITATE.

YOU DON'T KNOW.

EVERYTHING IS IN TURMOIL.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

NARRATOR: AS THE DUST SETTLES IN ROME, JESUS' LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

THE HIGH PRIEST, CAIAPHAS, WANTS JESUS DEAD, BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE HIM KILLED WHILE THE MEN WHO DO-- HEROD ANTIPAS AND PILATE-- ARE BIDING THEIR TIME HOPING THINGS WILL BLOW OVER.

EVENTUALLY JESUS' FATE IS DECIDED WHEN A DRAMATIC PROCLAMATION EMANATING FROM ROME SWINGS THE BALANCE OF POWER BACK TOWARDS THE HIGH PRIEST, CAIAPHAS.

IN HIS BOOK, "THE ANTIQUITIES," THE FIRST-CENTURY PHILOSOPHER PHILO REPORTS THAT SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER SEJANUS' EXECUTION, THE EMPEROR TIBERIUS ISSUES AN UNPRECEDENTED EDICT... A HANDS-OFF WARNING TO EVERY PREFECT IN THE EMPIRE.

ARYA: BECAUSE SEJANUS HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF UNFAIRLY TREATING THE JEWS, TIBERIUS ISSUED A SPECIAL EDICT.

AND IT'S RECORDED IN PHILO, AND IT SAYS, "AND HE CHARGED HIS PROCURATORS IN EVERY PLACE "TO DISTURB NONE OF THE ESTABLISHED CUSTOMS BUT EVEN TO REGARD THEM AS A TRUST COMMITTED TO THEIR CARE."

IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S A TACIT APPROVAL OF THE ESTABLISHED RELIGIOUS ORDER.

CAIAPHAS, THE TEMPLE, THE PRIESTS.

"LET THEM BE.

LET THEM DO THEIR JOB."

JACOBOVICI: SO YOU HAVE THE EDICT FROM TIBERIUS, WHICH EMPOWERS ALL THE ENEMIES OF JESUS--ANTIPAS AND PILATE.

HERE THEY WERE, THINKING THAT THEY HAVE FULL CONTROL, AND SUDDENLY NOTHING.

UP COMES THE OLD PRIESTHOOD-- CAIAPHAS, ANANUS.

AND THEY--YOU KNOW, IT'S PAYBACK TIME.

NARRATOR: FINALLY, CAIAPHAS COULD NOW GET HIS REVENGE ON JESUS BY REMINDING PILATE OF THE EMPEROR'S ORDER.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION] JACOBOVICI: THE HIGH PRIESTS ARE WHISPERING IN HIS EAR, "IF YOU DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS MAN, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED A FRIEND OF CAESAR'S."

THAT'S THE LAST STRAW.

NARRATOR: BUT EVEN NOW, PILATE SEEMS DETERMINED TO OFFER JESUS ONE LAST CHANCE-- BY GIVING THE CROWD THE FINAL SAY ON WHETHER TO EXECUTE HIM.

BIZARRELY, THEY CONDEMN THEIR FORMER HERO TO DEATH.

BOND: WHY WERE THEY ONE MINUTE VERY POSITIVE TOWARDS JESUS AND YET, IN FRONT OF PILATE, SUDDENLY THEY-- THEY TURN AGAINST HIM?

JACOBOVICI: I DON'T THINK THEY SAID, "CRUCIFY HIM."

WHY WOULD THEY WANT A JEWISH RABBI TO BE CRUCIFIED BY THEIR ENEMIES?

BUT I DO THINK HE LOST POPULARITY.

YOU HAVE TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED.

NARRATOR: ONCE AGAIN, THE EXPANDED TIMELINE PROVIDES US WITH A POSSIBLE ANSWER.

[MEN CHANTING] JACOBOVICI: IF YOU SEE IT IN THE CONTEXT OF ONE WEEK, THEN THE CROWD IS CRAZY.

"WE LOVE HIM ON SUNDAY.

WE HATE HIM ON FRIDAY."

BUT IF YOU SEE IT IN THE CONTEXT OF A SIX-MONTH PERIOD, THEN YOU SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE."

WILSON: DISILLUSIONMENT, DOUBT, DISAPPOINTMENT-- YET ANOTHER FAILED MESSIAH ON THE DOORSTEP.

ALL OF THESE KIND OF SENTIMENTS COULD ARISE OVER A SIX-MONTH PERIOD WHEREAS IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY IT WOULD HAVE ARISEN IN FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.

[ROPES STRETCHING] [YELLING] UH!

NARRATOR: DRAWN INTO A FAILED POWER PLAY, JESUS IS HUMILIATED BEFORE BEING TAKEN AWAY TO BE CRUCIFIED.

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING] BOND: IN THE GOSPELS, JESUS IS TAKEN TO A PLACE CALLED GOLGOTHA OR "PLACE OF THE SKULL," AND IT'S HERE THAT HE'S PUT ON A CROSS.

AS TO WHO WAS THERE WITH HIM, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.

SOME OF THE GOSPELS SAY THAT THERE WERE JUST A FEW WOMEN STANDING AT A DISTANCE, BUT JOHN'S GOSPEL SUGGESTS THAT JESUS' MOTHER AND AT LEAST ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES WAS THERE WITHIN EARSHOT OF JESUS AND THAT THEY WATCHED HIM AS HE DIED.

BOND: IT'S AN EXTREMELY LONELY DEATH, AND WE SHOULDN'T FORGET JUST HOW TERRIBLE CRUCIFIXION ACTUALLY WAS.

[GROANING] BOND: THE PERSON WOULD HAVE BEEN NAKED; THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SCOURGED ALREADY.

[GROANING CONTINUES] TAYLOR: HE TAKES ABOUT SIX HOURS TO DIE, WHICH IS REALLY QUITE A SHORT TIME FOR SOMEONE WHO'S BEING CRUCIFIED.

AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT IT WOULD BE A VERY, VERY LONG, DRAWN-OUT TORTUROUS DEATH.

[SCREAMS] BOND: THE WAY THAT YOU DIED WAS SIMPLY FROM EXHAUSTION, SUFFOCATION AS YOUR BODY COULD NO LONGER RAISE ITSELF ON THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN THAT CAME THROUGH YOUR HANDS.

SO IT WAS THE MOST HORRIBLE DEATH THAT ANYONE COULD IMAGINE.

[SCREAMS] [WIND HOWLING] NARRATOR: BY DRAWING ON EVIDENCE FROM CONTEMPORARY HISTORIANS AND EVEN FROM THE GOSPELS THEMSELVES, THIS NEW INTERPRETATION LEAVES US WITH A VERY DIFFERENT PICTURE OF JESUS' LAST DAYS.

WILSON: I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD THINK OF JESUS AS A MARGINAL HUMAN BEING, A PEASANT RUNNING AROUND THE GALILEE ON HIS OWN, PREACHING ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

HE'S HAD CONNECTIONS TO HEROD ANTIPAS' CHIEF OF STAFF THROUGH HIS WIFE, CONNECTIONS TO THE PHARISEES, WHO ARE THE TEACHERS, CONNECTIONS TO THE SADDUCEES.

HE HAD INFLUENCE AND HE HAD CONNECTIONS.

NARRATOR: BUT IF JESUS WAS SUPPORTED BY A POLITICAL PLOT HATCHED BY TWO OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE, WHY IS THERE ABSOLUTELY NO RECORD OF IT IN THE GOSPELS?

THE ANSWER MAY WELL HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHEN THEY WERE WRITTEN AND WHO THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR.

[INDISTINCT SINGING] BECAUSE AT THE TIME THE GOSPELS WERE COMPOSED, IT WAS ILLEGAL TO MENTION SEJANUS' NAME ANYWHERE IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

HOLLAND: TIBERIUS' VENGEANCE IS NOT JUST AGAINST THE PERSON OF SEJANUS, BUT AGAINST HIS REPUTATION.

AND HE PRONOUNCES, EFFECTIVELY, A DAMNATIO MEMORIAE, A DETERMINATION THAT THE VERY MEMORY OF SEJANUS WILL BE ERASED FROM THE PUBLIC RECORD.

ANY STATUE OF HIM, ANY DEDICATION IN HIS HONOR IS TO BE STRUCK DOWN, SO YOU'RE DENYING THAT THE GUY EVER EXISTED.

NARRATOR: MENTION OF SEJANUS WAS STILL DANGEROUS DECADES AFTER HIS DEATH, THE VERY TIME THE GOSPELS WERE WRITTEN.

TABOR: WHAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE ABOUT THE GOSPELS IS THEY'RE NOT CONTEMPORARY EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF WHAT HAPPENED.

LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE.

WILSON: THEY'RE ANONYMOUS WRITINGS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN HAPPEN TO BE.

TABOR: BUT AS WE STUDY THEM MORE, WE REALIZE, FIRST OF ALL, THEY WERE WRITTEN 40, 50, 60, 70 YEARS AFTER JESUS.

NARRATOR: AND THE STORY THEY ALL DESCRIBE IS CAREFULLY CRAFTED.

TAYLOR: YOU THINK OF THE GOSPELS AS YOU WOULD A POLITICIAN TRYING TO PERSUADE YOU OF A PARTICULAR WAY OF SEEING THINGS.

THEY INVOLVE A LOT OF CHOICE IN TERMS OF WHAT GOES INTO THEM AND WHAT GETS LEFT OUT, BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH DESIGNED AS RECRUITMENT LITERATURE.

AND IF YOU'VE GOT RECRUITMENT LITERATURE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL YOU DON'T ALIENATE PEOPLE.

NARRATOR: AND THE ONE GROUP THE GOSPEL WRITERS HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO OFFEND WERE THE ROMANS.

TAYLOR: IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN, THAT YOU COULD BE, UM, HAULED IN FRONT OF ROMAN AUTHORITIES AND ALL SORTS OF TERRIBLE THINGS WOULD HAPPEN TO YOU, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE A BIT CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR PORTRAYAL OF THE ROMANS.

[MEN SPEAKING COMMANDS] NARRATOR: IT'S NOT SURPRISING, THEN, THAT IF SEJANUS DID HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS, THE GOSPEL WRITERS CHOSE TO LEAVE HIM OUT.

THE POWER PLAY LEADING UP TO JESUS' EXECUTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE HOTLY DEBATED, BUT WHAT EVERYONE CAN AGREE ON IS THAT JESUS LAUNCHED A MOVEMENT THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.

BOND: FOR ME, THE HISTORICAL JESUS WAS A JEWISH PROPHET WHO FELT THAT GOD WAS ABOUT TO BREAK INTO HUMAN LIFE AND ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM.

TABOR: HE THINKS THE KINGDOM IS NEAR, THE END IS NEAR, AND THAT HE'S CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE THE MESSIAH, BASICALLY THE RULER OF THE WORLD.

TAYLOR: A VERY CHALLENGING FIGURE WHO WAS VERY COURAGEOUS AND WILLING TO DIE FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED IN.

HE EXPECTED FOR GOD TO VINDICATE HIM WITH HIS LEGIONS OF ANGELS AND TO EXALT HIM, EVEN IF HE HAD TO SUFFER, AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

[HORSE SNORTS] NARRATOR: FOLLOWING JESUS' DEATH, PONTIUS PILATE SURVIVES THE SEJANUS WITCH HUNT AND RETURNS TO HIS OLD WAYS.

AFTER ANOTHER SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS, HE'S EVENTUALLY REMOVED FROM OFFICE.

[MAN YELLING] HEROD ANTIPAS BIDES HIS TIME UNTIL A NEW MAN, CALIGULA, IS CROWNED IN ROME.

BUT WHEN HEROD ANTIPAS TRIES TO CONVINCE HIM TO MAKE HIM KING OF THE JEWS, HIS CONSPIRACY WITH SEJANUS IS REVEALED, AND HE DIES IN EXILE.

[INFANTS CRYING] JESUS' FOLLOWERS REFUSE TO LET THE DREAM DIE WITH THEIR LEADER.

HIS DEATH BECOMES THE FOUNDATION OF A NEW RELIGION PRACTICED BY BILLIONS THE WORLD OVER.