Fate Of John The Baptist (1950s)

[Music] [Music] far to the south in the desolate Fortress of my Kairos John the Baptist were still held captive but even there he had heard of the acts and deeds of Jesus the man whom he had called the Lamb of God and when two of his followers came secretly to his cell John begged them to go to Jesus and ask if he was truly the one who was to come and obedient to John's requests they undertook the long arduous journey northward they traveled across the hot bitter salt shores of the Dead Sea not the fertile valley of the Jordan skirting Cimmerian coming at last to the Sea of Galilee through Canaris they journey Tiberias Magdala and at last they came to Capernaum do you believe that I am able to do this let it be done to you according to your faith [Music] rabbi we come from the man John the Baptist is imprisoned at papyrus but he has no fear this spirit is as strong as ever he sent us to ask the question you ask what you will he said seek out the Nazarene and when you have found him ask him this are you he who wants to come or shall we look for another go and tell John what you have seen in her the blind receive their sight the lame walk lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have good news preached to them and blessed is he who takes no offense Sydney we will tell him master word for word as you have told us who are those two followers of a prophet called John the Baptist prophet a wild man clad in skins dining on locusts and wild honey I've heard it said that he was sincere devout a ranting raving madman and uh what did you go into the wilderness to behold a reed shaken by the wind a man clothed in soft raiment the all those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in King's courts what then did you go out to see a prophet yes I tell you and more than a prophet this is he of whom it is written behold I send my messenger before thy face who shall prepare the way before thee truly I say to you among those born of women there is risen no one greater than John the Baptist but the what shall I compare the men of this generation what do they like they are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another we piped to you when you did not dance we wailed and you did not weep why John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking the wine and you say he has a demon the son of man has come eating and drinking and you say behold a glutton and a drunkard a friend of tax collectors and sinners yet wisdom is justified by her deeds now you are hearing the truth real truth not the absence of men men who would weigh us down with his yoke of a thousand laws laws that we cannot understand come to me all ye who labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden light [Music] while the master continued with his missions his disciples by 2 and 2 were imparting his teachings to the people of Israel Thaddeus and James the less [Music] Bartholomew and Thomas bringing word of a new concept of God's kingdom of a kingdom in which the living Spirit of God ruled by love they spoke to man of every class and station to the rich as well as to the poor to the proud and to the humble asking not the value of a man's purse but the worth of his spirit and the truth that Jesus had taught them they taught to all who received him explaining as the master had explained patient as he was patient with them eager to share with all men the story of God's love as they had learned it from Jesus lips they were plane men able to speak simply to plain people the first missionaries of Jesus they spoke on the streets and in the homes in the language the humble understood and as the master had commanded them they ministered to the sick the late the afflicted [Music] and that's the way my father taught me to make a splice they never lose a net it to make a spice like that all that you and Peter's say sounded wonderful Andrew - wonderful I'm afraid of running a place in God's favor as simple as you say it is why do the scribes and Pharisees trouble themselves with the thousand rules God's rules are simple it's man's misunderstanding that's made them complex yes but but surely those who've devoted their lives to following the law and if a twist of the law should stand first before the almighty Lord Jesus tells us that all men shall be judged by their sincerity not by their acts he said that the kingdom of heaven will be like this a net cast into the scene gathering fish of every kind we pull in our nets and separate the good from the bad just so will God's angels separate the men you me the scribes the Pharisees the whole catch the good they'll save the evil of cast away to be as simple as that far to the south John the Baptist messengers returned to the grim Fortress of my Kairos on the desolate eastern shore of the Dead Sea [Music] [Music] Zillah you were unharmed master yes I'm quite safe quite safe for the time at least the whole test was busy with preparations for Herod's birthday feast I've been completely forgotten but don't tell me the Nazarene did you find him and what did he say we saw him at Capernaum with a great crowd around it some see some crippled some blind and others scores of others who follow him from town to town just to hear his voice for the first time the demoscene the light Damascene spiced of course then I think the red battalion then with the roasted meats that purple Cypriot Romans always loved no no no you fool put the incense up there close to Claudia's chair he adores the scent Villa Capua reeks of it ha well what do you think have I neglected anything nothing trivial well I should hope not every detail is important tonight not only will Almighty to be here but the senator from Rome as well so us head repeat he is close to Tiberius very close if he speaks well of me when he returns to the capital think one bank we're just going to keep him from telling him the truth your subjects cheer you revile your name threaten open revolt and all because of one man that again and again and again until you destroy him you you put the taper over there that corners blacker than a tool every hour you let him live unless the people feel you spare him another week even another thing I have no time my guests are coming I must eat 100 things seal your crown your kingdom see what you're about to lose because you fear one men I do not fear you you fear his God by I must prepare for the senator a god unable to release him from his chains a god powerless to open the dungeon door howdy arias will laugh when the senator tells them that you fear one unarmed follower of such a god enough silence wait see that the princess Ptolemy is prepared to dance for my guests tonight my daughter dance for your wine drench guests it is my order I command it Salameh stay in your quarters tonight do not leave them at the track or did you are my daughter not his do as I say his thought not mine he thought his guests would be flattered if a princess danced for them the whole country ready to rise because of one man he is too superstitious to execute no he thinks I'm still flattered his guests do you know why he fawns on the Emperor's minions because he counts our Roman legions and Roman interests to protect him he is of the Herodian line but we are not you and I but surely they would guard us guard us why I would be the first one blamed the woman that Baptist reviled is the symbol of wickedness I'd be a scapegoat thrown to the mercy of the mobs and you with me no mother go to him plead with her no no I voted him as far as idea but there might be one way if you did dance tonight you're dancing pleased him it would be sure to offer your reward gift as a token of his pleasure in the presence of such important guests he would be eager to appear more than generous he might even offer you your choice of gifts no mother you want you must many who followed you now follow him but none are certain once he draws his powers do you know master once before near the Jordan I was asked this question my answer is still the same no one receives anything except what is given him from heaven as for the people turning to him so beat so beat evil has the bride is the bridegroom a friend of the bridegroom rejoices in the bridegroom's voice and therefore this joy of mine is not for he must increase I must decrease but now it is long past time for you to go I have endangered to holding you this long other dangers we are not afraid must you have done well extremely well now I know a greater peace than I had ever known may the grace of the Lord be with you and with you master master [Music] [Laughter] [Music] princess rice would be rewarded for having given enjoyment to my honored guests you have pleased us now it is my pleasure to please you name your reward one worthy of a princess of the Rodian house Your Majesty has been so generous to me already come speak up your choice of the jewels in my copper a villa of your own beside the new palace ask me for whatever you wish and I will grant it I I know not what to say Majesty take time think what you most desire and on my oath is Tetrarch whatever you ask me for I will give it to you even to have my kingdom go back demand as gifts before he changes his mind but what shall I ask [Music] yes I'm very fond that you were my old child and indeed we are of the same blood my half-brother Philip d'azyr father and we are both direct descendants of my father errors the great so you made up your minds yes majesty then speak and on my oath your desire shall be yours what shall it be I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter I'm sir officer of the God [Music] but the president John to death for the sword bring his head to me [Music] [Music] or what woman having ten silver coins if she loses one corn does not lie to laugh and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds that when she has found it she calls together her friends and neighbors saying rejoice with me for I have found the coin I lost even so I tell you there is great joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents Master do you remember us the men sent to me by John the Baptist yes and welcome we have come to be your followers master we and these three who have journeyed with us they were his followers to where he he was / headed by order of Herod Antipas we carried the body to a tomb no no we would follow you it is as I said no greater man was ever born of woman their first missionary journeys completed the 12 returned to Capernaum where Jesus welcome now that we're all together again I have news that John the Baptist is dead truly I say to you among those born of women there has not risen the greater prophet than John the Baptist and he said to them come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while while many were coming and going and they had no leisure even to eat [Music] reports of Jesus Fame were spreading throughout the land even to the ears of Herod Antipas have you an appointment with the dawn I have no wish to sleep no I thought you'd be exhausted you've slept so many past weeks tossing turning muttering in your sleep I've had bad dreams it is screams was that the messenger from the coast what gossip Eddie from Caesarea none he came from the decouples he brought reports man Jesus of Nazareth things must be done in Galilee that's all the news he had to tell to say it he speaks with the voice of the Lord wipes away the plane with the touch of a finger as authority over demons are possessed the insane really my love and he says that all these tales are true well then he's either a fool or a liar he is no fool and he would not dare lie to me the people think the man Jesus is a prophet reborn Elijah walking the earth again poor Joe no Jeremiah Samaritan folklore old wives tales to frighten children perhaps perhaps yet he said another is coming he said who said the man I had killed John they called the Baptist another shall come after me he said far mightier than I with power and judgment of the Lord John claimed he was sent by God but his God could not save him from the executioner's sword surely that proves he was no holy messenger and that the God whom he called almighty had no power - enough enough it may have been God's will but John shall die why must you interpret everything is the will of John's God the God of a conquered people are God's only the Jews worship I amateur my father was ruler of all Israel I hid me in lie not Israelite based in Greece and Rome given a worldly knowledge told of other gods the Egyptians have a score that the Greeks hundreds the Romans power these if you must plead allegiance to a deity why not one of them all to another god I didn't want why not [Music] I am a royal blood excuse my own guard let's pledge it for the toast which shall appear the Romans Jupiter of the recent Zeus bale of the east or the Egyptians said I do not care you choose your choices not almighty beyond all might and if there is and if I put to death his chosen man John was not sent by God his headless body rots in an unmarked grave but his spirit still lives greater and stronger than before all that you sought to save us will not be still all the joggers prophesied is coming true Jesus born he is John the Baptist risen from the dead that is why these powers work in him [Music] [Music] during the days that Herod fearful and haunted trembled in his fortress Jesus continued his earthly mission [Music] he hasn't slept no he must have loved the Baptist deeply Andrew tells me that they were kinsmen but no man can go on day after day without his rest not carrying the Lord that he bears and the continual demands of the people and now his grief for John and the fact that Herod may strike at him next I doubt if he fears Herod he should he has a following and tyrants live in dread of men with followings but Judas the master is no threat to Herod any leader on the side of truth is a threat to tyranny a danger to Tiberius the puppets of Rome Herod his brothers to carapace the master doesn't preach revolt he talks of love and forgiveness yes I know but Israel will never be free to love and forgive until her people unite against Rome rise to a leader who will guide them order them command them to obey another tyrant no a king their own king a king of Israel one they will accept as a David a Moses a Hezekiah this is an old old dream for three centuries people have talked a bit but accomplished nothing but it will come not in a year a two or three perhaps but when enough men are willing to die for a kingdom of their own I was a zealot pledged to restore Israel to its place among the nations of the world for years like all the Brotherhood I preached hates and fight and destroy but now I have heard the master speak of love and forgiveness and I want more than than revenge or temporal power or the glories of this world sort of the rest of us and the hundreds that have heard him and the thousands that will well perhaps you're right through that night and the days that followed a great weight lay on the Heart of Jesus the death of John the Baptist's meant more than the loss of a beloved kinsman it marked the ending of the time of the messenger sent to prepare the way now the tatts the full task rested on the shoulders of only one to bring the word of the kingdom to all mankind to train the men who must carry on the work when he could no longer be with them [Music]