The Centurion and the Crown of Thorns

by Chuck Antone, Jr

  Even while Rae-dona was reciting the ancient prophecy, Marcus felt puzzled. 'I don’t get it,' he said quietly, almost apologetically, when she finished.

  Rae-dona took his hand. 'You saw the wonders in the sky at the time of Jesus’ death. There was blood on the cross, and the earthquake damaged houses in Jerusalem so badly that many fires broke out. The sun turned to darkness, and the full moon that night looked red through the smoke.'

  Marcus nodded. 'I remember it clearly. It was indeed a great and awesome day.'

  'Are we all going to dream special dreams and see visions?' Antony asked, awestruck.

  'Very soon, we think,' said Rae-dona. 'Jesus promised He would give us His Spirit soon after His death. Wonderful things are about to happen to the followers of Jesus. Joel says that with these signs, God will pour out His Spirit on all of us. I think that’s something really exciting for us to look forward to.'

  Antony said he couldn’t wait, but Rae-donna said quietly that she believed the words of Joel contained a warning as well as good news, for something terrible was shortly going to happen to Jerusalem, just as Jesus had foretold. And she thought other words in the whole prophecy seemed to contain a revelation for the end of time.

  She turned to Marcus. 'Do you realize that this prophecy of the darkness is your tenth and final prophecy that you’ve asked the Lord to reveal to you?'

  ‘Yes, I’ve been counting each of them as we go along, and crossing them off my list as we find how they were fulfilled. I can’t wait for the pouring out of God’s Spirit. That will be yet another prophecy come true. Now what do we do? Where do we go from here?'

  Before the question could be answered, a loud knocking and shouting at the door made them jump.

  'Open up! This is an order from the Roman governor. We have come to arrest Marcus, the ex-centurion and traitor to the Roman army, and retrieve the crown that belongs to Rome. Open the door or we will knock it down!'

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  No one in the room panicked. Everyone remained quiet. It was Ametrius who broke the silence.

  'Marcus, they’ve recognized your horse tied up outside. Go quickly out the back way and take one of the donkeys. Later tonight I’ll be at the place where we’d planned to meet. I’ll stall the soldiers who are here to arrest you. Go. Don’t worry. It will be all right.'

  As Marcus looked around the room his eyes rested on his son who looked terrified. He thought of what the Lord had just done for him. 'No, I will not run away. I must have faith that our heavenly Father will take care of me.'

  He walked toward the door. Everyone followed.

  'I’m Marcus, the one you’re looking for.'

  Cardius stared him straight in the eye. 'I know who you are. You are Marcus the traitor. We want the crown you stole the other night. Where is it?'

  'Arrest me and take me back to the city. That’s why you’re here.'

  With a cynical smile on his lips, Cardius said, 'No. Actually, you’re no good to us any longer. What we came for is the crown and its powers. I repeat, where is it?' His voice had grown louder and more demanding.

  Marcus hesitated, and before he could answer, Cardius shouted out, 'All right, Marcus, you’ve made your choice. Men, go into the house and search every nook and cranny. And if you must, destroy every item you find. If you still don’t find what we’re looking for, burn the house down.'

  While shouting his orders, Cardius kept looking at Marcus, his fake smile growing wider and wider.

  All of a sudden Marcus heard a man’s voice say, 'Give him My crown.'

  He turned to Ametrius. 'What did you say?'

  Ametrius shook his head. 'Nothing.'

  Then Marcus looked at Diana’s father who also shook his head.

  Once again he heard the voice saying, 'Give him My crown.'

  Marcus opened his tunic and handed the crown to Cardius.

  'Thank you,' Cardius said, with that same smirk on his face. 'I knew you wouldn’t want your friend’s house burned down. You are too much of a sentimentalist. Unlike me. I rule, and will rule the men who were once under your command with an iron hand. You tried to rule them with patience and understanding, and look where it got you.'

  Marcus said nothing.

  'And Tribune Octavius says there is no need for you to resign formally. Your name is already off the legion’s list. That’s official. Oh, and you’ve lost all pay due to you. You can be thankful that there will be no further punishment -- and that’s no thanks to me. I wanted you imprisoned. No one in the legion wants to see you again, so keep well away.'

  Marcus turned to the Roman soldiers. Some would not meet his eyes, but others looked with concern and respect for what he had just done. He was sure that they knew he could have escaped, traveled far, and never would have been heard from again. But instead he stayed like a true solder, protecting his loved ones and friends.

  Marcus looked at them, wondering how many of them would someday become believers. 'How did you find me?' he asked.

  Cardius laughed. 'We have spies everywhere. You ought to know all about that. And next time you want to hide, make sure your horse is shut away. That old nag of yours is very recognizable.'

  Cardius and his men marched away in formation,, with Cardius looking proud of what he had accomplished. He definitely knew this would look great on his record when he was up for a promotion.

  'Father,' Antony asked, 'why did you give the man the crown so easily? Do you really think they would have burnt down the house if you hadn’t?'

  'Maybe or maybe not, I don’t know. I just gave them the crown because Jesus told me to'

  'How did He do that, Father. I didn’t hear anything?'

  'I did. I heard Jesus say to me, ‘Give him My crown.’'

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  Antony was nearly in tears. 'Tell me, Father, what are we to do now?'

  'First of all, my son, let’s all go back into Diana’s parents’ house and pray. We’ll ask God to direct our paths. Apparently I’m no longer under arrest. I’m not even in the army, so I’m free to follow the Lord wherever He will lead me -- or in this case, where He will lead all of us.'

  'And will they take your horse as well as the crown?'

  'No, Antony, the horse is mine. We are infantry, not part of the cavalry, but I sometimes use my horse on duty as a centurion. Soldiers of Rome have to provide their own equipment. I believe we will be able to make great use of the horse as we work for God.'

  After a time of prayer, everyone fell silent to listen to God and discover what He might have for them.

  Then Marcus prayed for all to hear. 'Please, God, help us to know what the next thing is You want us to do. Speak to our hearts and minds. Reveal to us our next step in our walk with You.'

  They all agreed with a united 'Amen.' Then they fell silent again as they listened for God’s voice.

  After a time, Marcus looked around the room. 'Did anyone get any direction from our God?'

  Diana’s mother said, 'I saw a room full of people. They were raising their hands and worshiping the Lord.'

  Ametrius said, 'I saw a village square and a man standing in the middle of many people. He was teaching them about Jesus.'

  'Then it’s settled,' Marcus said. 'We’ll all go to the village were John the disciple lives. For while we were silent I too saw some of these things and heard a voice say, ‘Go back to where you came from.’ I wasn’t sure where that was, but now I know we are to go back to John and hear more of his teaching. The village square Ametrius saw is where the disciple teaches every day, and the room full of people worshiping that Diana’s mother saw is where John lives. We’ll leave early in the morning, if that’s all right with all of you.'

  *

  The next morning the women prepared food for the journey while the men got their donkeys ready. They were all excited about their journey, knowing that the Lord was directing them.

  Ametrius said, 'How will everyone travel? Who will ride with whom?'

  Marcus said, 'I’ve
been thinking about this. We don’t want to overburden the donkeys, so I suggest a man walks alongside a woman who will ride each donkey. I can put Rae-dona and Antony on my horse. I’m happy to walk. Ametrius, you should walk as well. Your horse will easily take Justina and one of the women.'

  *

  They didn’t stop on the way, but while they traveled they ate the food the women had prepared earlier. They wanted to arrive in time to hear John teaching in the village square that afternoon.

  They had a great journey with lots of fun, singing, laughing, and shouting out amens along the way. Everyone kept close together, walkers and riders, as Diana’s mother shared how she and her family became believers.

  When they arrived at the square, they could see people gathering. They quickly tied up the two horses and the donkeys, and hurried to the place where John was getting ready.

  The women found places to sit on the ground while the men stood close by. There was an air of excitement as John began to teach.

  'My friends who are here today, you are soon going to hear all sorts of wild rumors about Jesus. Untrue stories. There will be people who claim to have messages from every spirit, but test them to see if they are from God. I’m sorry to say you will encounter many fake prophets, so be warned. Some will pretend to be Jesus, returned to earth. They are false christs. Let’s call them antichrists.

  'This is how you must test them. A spirit from God will confess that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has been born as a human being -- a real person. Any spirit that does not say this, is a spirit working against the true Messiah, the true Christ.

  'My children -- may I call you children? -- you are all young in the faith, so that is how I see you. Jesus has promised that very soon now He will live in each of His followers through the Holy Spirit. Always remember that the Holy Spirit is much greater, much more powerful than Satan who is here in the world. These evil spirits are all around us. We can’t see them, but unfortunately many people listen to them and believe them. But we disciples of Jesus are from God. So if you know God, please listen to me. Anybody here who is not from God, will not want to understand what I and the other disciples are saying. Listen carefully: what we are teaching you will enable you to tell the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of error.

  'You still have a long way to go. We all do. I want you to continue to think about love. True love comes from God, so love one another, for everyone who loves in this way is born into God’s family and knows Him. God is love. God’s love was shown to us clearly when He sent His only Son Jesus into the world, to give us this new life through Him.

  'Is anyone here still wondering what true love is? Let me tell you plainly what it is. True love is loving God and loving each other. Yes, we love God, but don’t forget that He loved us before we loved Him. He loved each one of us so much that He sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross, taking the punishment each one of us deserves. My friends, it’s because God loves us so much that we must love each other.

  'You need to be bold and tell other people about Jesus. Tell your families. Tell your enemies too. Tell them that God the Father has sent Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world. If you do that, God will always be with you. The Day of Judgment is coming, and if you live in the love of God, and admit that Jesus is the Son of God, you have absolutely nothing to be afraid of.'

  John paused, looked around, and smiled. Those who had been there before, knew the time had come for the teachings for the day to end. After a lengthy time of questions and answers, in which John amplified much of what he had already taught, he drew the meeting to an end.

  'That is all for now, my children. We will see many of you tonight, and don’t forget to bring your families and friends. Give them a chance to hear about the love of God and how much He loves them.'

  John looked over the crowd and waved at Marcus and Rae-dona as they came toward him.

  'Welcome, my friends. I’m so happy the Lord has brought you safely back to us.'

  Ametrius and his whole family with Antony stood quietly by Marcus and Rae-dona. 'I see you’ve brought friends with you. Come, you can all rest and wash at my house and tell us what’s happened since we saw you last. Mary, Salome and the others in the household will be happy to see you, because we’ve been praying for you often since you left us.'

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  On the way to John’s house, Marcus filled John in with all the things that had taken place. He said he was no longer a wanted man, so it was unlikely John’s household and the fellowship would be in any danger.

  He explained he was not disappointed that he would no longer be in the Roman army, because he was sure God had other plans for him. But he was sorry he had to give up the crown of thorns, even though it was God’s command for him to do so.

  John said, 'I wonder what will happen to it. I’m sure its power will no longer exist. God wouldn’t use His crown to heal an enemy or to bring more glory to Caesar and his army. Maybe someday the Lord will let us know and reveal to us its destiny.'

  When they reached John’s house, Salome and Mary greeted them at the door. The seven other traveling companions were in awe meeting Mary the mother of Jesus. At first they made no conversation with her, but it only took a short time for Mary to make them feel at home and comfortable with her presence.

  John said, 'The five men will stay at my brother’s house. James is still away with our father Zebedee, telling people about our Savior. Marcus will take them there. He knows the way. The women will stay here in this house. We’ll gather here tonight for our fellowship, just after the sun sets.

  'Again, Marcus, would you please share the things that have happened to you since you left us -- your arrest, the earth shaken, the healing of your son, and of course having to surrender the crown of thorns.'

  'If you wish, John, I’ll do whatever you ask. I know many have been praying for me. Maybe Diana’s father and mother can share how they came to know Jesus. I’ve heard some of their testimony on the way here, and I know the people will enjoy hearing what they have to say.'

  'Marcus, the fellowship loves to hear how someone has become a believer. If they’re willing, we’ll put them on the schedule.'

  Marcus turned to Diana’s parents. They seemed to be a little nervous, but they nodded and responded with a 'Yes.'

  The men followed Marcus to the house where James was living, although he was away sharing about Jesus. Mary and Salome took the women up to their quarters where they would be spending the night. John went to his room to rest, pray and prepare for the evening's teaching.

  The women were clearly too excited to rest for long. They asked Mary and Salome to direct them to where the men were staying.

  The two women said that they were going there shortly, as they wanted to take them something to eat, and had been getting things ready for them. Mary and Salome assured them that there would be enough food for everyone.

  In the meantime, the men and the three boys were also up from their rest, and sharing with one another. When they heard the knock on the door, one of Diana’s twin brothers opened it. They were surprised to see the women and Justina walk into the house with baskets of food in their arms. The women were equally surprised to see that John the disciple was with them.

  Ametrius said, 'Welcome, you are just in time. John was about to tell us of the prophecy concerning Judas Iscariot, the traitor who turned Jesus over to the authorities in the garden of Gethsemane.'

  'Before you begin, John,' his mother Salome said, 'let’s spread the food out on the table. Then we can take something on our plates to eat while we listen to your story. It’s a sad story, but another prophecy was fulfilled that day.'

  John smiled as he looked around the room. 'My mother has many gifts. One, as you can see, is the gift of taking care of people and making them feel comfortable.'

  'Yes,' Mary said, 'from the moment I came into Salome’s home I’ve felt welcome. We call it the gift of hospitality.'

  Salome shook her head, sm
iled at Mary, and with a wave of her hand said, 'Come and get your food everyone, so John can tell his story. You know my son John was there, so you can be sure whatever he tells us is exactly the way it happened.'

  They got their food, then each one finding a place to sit down, waited for the story to begin.

  Turning to Marcus, John said, 'Marcus, you and Ametrius being in the Roman army may have witnessed what I’m about to share with you. Maybe you were there that night when Judas, who we thought was our friend, betrayed Jesus with a kiss.'

  Marcus explained that the arrest had been made by the Temple guards, although he and his men had been put on standby in case there was a riot. He could remember that night vividly.

  John continued. 'The other disciples and I aren’t sure why Judas would do such a thing to our Lord. He sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, the redemption price for a slave. This prophecy was made by Zechariah, one of the prophets of long ago.

  'Zechariah said that the Lord had spoken to him to act the part of a good shepherd, the coming Messiah, but the people rejected him, and insulted him by giving him the wages of a slave.

  'Let me quote from the Scriptures exactly what Zechariah said. ‘I said to them: If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind! So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages.’'

  John stopped for a short time, then said, 'Zechariah goes on to say that the Lord told him to throw the thirty shekels to the potter, and he did. After Judas realized that Jesus had been condemned he felt remorse and tried to return the thirty pieces of silver. He told the Chief Priest that he’d betrayed an innocent man. They said it was his problem and he had to take care of it himself. Judas threw the silver into the Temple sanctuary and went out and hanged himself.

  'We all felt bad and wished that Judas had come to Jesus and asked for forgiveness. The eleven of us knew that our Lord would have forgiven him that very moment.

  'The Chief Priest took the silver to buy the Potter’s Field, a burial place for strangers. It used to belong to a potter who dug there for clay to make vessels. I heard someone yesterday calling it the Field of Blood.