At His Feet by Jenifer Jennings

Author:Jenifer Jennings [Jennings, Jenifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jenifer Jennings

At The Scouring

“Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.”

-JOHN 19:1

* * *

Friday Morning

* * *

“Mary?” a soft voice called.

She looked up to see Mary of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene coming toward her. She wiped her face with her sleeve and stood. “Greetings,” she whimpered.

“A messenger brought word to your house,” Mary Magdalene said. “Calling for Jesus’ mother.”

“Joseph,” Mary whispered. “He must have been trying to reach you and Lazarus with the news. He would have known you were staying with us.”

“He spoke of Jesus being imprisoned,” Mary of Nazareth said, with concern shaking her voice.

Mary nodded. “He has been convicted of blasphemy.”

“Ungrounded charges,” Mary Magdalene said.

“The council has convicted him and sent him to Pilate, who sent him to Herod, who sent him back again.”

“Where is he now?” Mary of Nazareth asked.

“Being held for…” Mary’s eyes stung.

Mary Magdalene put her arm around Mary’s trembling body.

“Pilate ordered him to be scourged,” her voice broke on the last word and she leaned on her friend.

“Many survive scourging,” Mary Magdalene attempted to comfort her.

“And many don’t,” Mary bit back.

“When he does,” Mary of Nazareth said. “We will take him home and put this whole ordeal behind us.”

“That’s just it, Mother,” Mary said through sobs. “He will not be a free man today. The council put crucifixion in the minds of the crowd and, in turn, Pilate’s. I fear that even if Jesus does have the strength to live through the torment of the cat of nine tails, the High Priest’s bloodlust will not be satisfied.”

“How did you come by all this information?” Mary of Nazareth asked.

“Joseph of Arimathea. He’s on the council. He’s been updating me as much as he can.”

“And you trust this man?’ Mary Magdalene asked.

“With my life. He was a friend of my father and he is one of the most honest men I’ve ever known.”

“So, what happens now?” Mary Magdalene asked.

“The scourging will take place in the courtyard inside the Palace.” Mary pointed.

“Then we will go there.” Mary Magdalene took Mary of Nazareth’s hand and began walking.

Mary followed.

When they reached the gate, a guard stopped them. “The courtyard is full.”

“This is the man’s mother,” Mary Magdalene said, pointing to the older woman beside her. “She wishes to see her son.”

The man eyed the three women. “And who are you two?”

“We are…”

“His sisters,” Mary interrupted.

“Sisters?” the man in the red cloak said with doubt clear in his inquiry.

“Yes,” Mary stated sharply.

He eyed them once more before he stepped aside. “Pass.”

The women pushed their way through the crowd in an attempt to get closer to the front.

“Sisters?” Mary Magdalene said with a raised eyebrow.

“Officially, I didn’t lie. Jesus calls his male followers brothers, so why not call us sisters?”

“Sisters,” Mary Magdalene rolled the word in her mouth. “I like it.”

“I think of you and the others like sisters anyway,” Mary said.

“As do I.”

“Look,” Mary of Nazareth whispered.

Mary followed her gaze toward the center of the courtyard where a short pillar stood. It and the stones around it were much darker than the surrounding pillars that held up the roof.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.