A5- PART T

A gospel in blank verse with rhymed parables
The High Priest chose to try another tack.
‘The men you call disciples, what of them?
And what exactly is it that you teach?’
But Jesus would have none of this. He said,
‘Why question me? What I have taught, I’ve taught
quite publicly, in synagogues, in fields
or in the Temple’s precincts – anywhere
where anyone who wanted to, could hear.
They are the ones you should be questioning.
The listeners all know what I have said.
Why don’t you question them?’ At which response
an officer smacked Jesus in the face.
‘Is that the way to answer the High Priest?’
‘If what I have just said is not the truth
then bring in witnesses to contradict.
Why use brute force when what I say is true?’
Almost in desperation, Caiaphas,
aware that Jesus might well slip the net,
since neither by paid witnesses nor trick,
could he be tempted to condemn himself,
then posed again the question he’d been asked,
by many who had seen his miracles…
did Jesus claim to be the very Christ?
‘I urge you, by the Blessed One Himself,
to tell us if you are the Son of God.
Come, tell us now, in all solemnity.’
‘Oh, yes. It’s as you say’ was the reply.
‘Indeed, I’ll tell you more. The day will come
when you, you all, will see the Son of Man
as David prophesied, at God’s right hand
in clouds of glory, coming down from heaven.’
The High Priest knew his Psalms and recognised,
at once, the implications of the claim.
This man had turned the tables. He would rule:
and some day he would judge their makeshift trial.
Whatever qualms of conscience troubled him
the wily Caiaphas could see at once
that Jesus by these words condemned himself.
The man whose wisdom and whose innocence
frustrated all their tricks and villainies
by this assertion played into their hands.
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