King of Kings

And it is written that in the year 63 B. C...

...the Roman legions, like a scourge of locusts...

...poured through the east...

...laying waste the land of Canaan and the kingdom of Judea.

Rome's imperial armies, a tumult in the hills...

...struck Jerusalem 's walls in a three-month siege.

Breaching the gates, these legions laid the dust of battle with a shower of blood.

Under the eye of General Pompey, the Holy City fell...

...her people strewn like wheat in the harvest time of Rome.

While Pompey, triumphant...

...dared take the last high place...

...the still-living heart of the city...

...the Temple.

Here, on this most sacred ground in all Jerusalem...

...now Pompey's horse took its way.

Where no pagan had ever set foot, in the court of the priests...

...most irreverent Pompey stood himself down.

At last, here was the fruit of the harvest.

Here, it was said, lay the treasure house of Jehovah...

great statues of gold, as bright as the sun in this ancient land.

So Pompey, burning for the touch of precious metals...

...entered the sanctuary.

But entering, Pompey found only a scroll of parchment...

...a covenant with the one God, handed down by Moses...

...and venerated through the years.

Thus, for more than 50 years after Pompey's invasion...

...the history of Judea could be read by the light of burning towns.

If gold was not the harvest...

...there was a richness of people to be gathered.

The battalions of Caesar Augustus brought in the crop.

Like sheep from their own green fields...

...the Jews went to the slaughter.

They went from the stone quarries to build Rome's triumphal arches.

But Caesar could find no Jew to press Rome's laws...

...on this fallen land.

So Caesar named one Herod the Great, an Arab of the Bedouin tribe...

...as the new, false, and maleficent king of the Jews.

But from the dust at Herod's feet, rebellions of Jews rose up.

And Herod, in reply, planted evil seeds...

...from which forests of Roman crosses grew high on Jerusalem's hills.

And Herod the Great, passing pleased...

...bade the forest multiply.

Yet, trapped in this darkness, the Jews survived...

...by one promise.'

God would send the Messiah to deliver them forth.

And it came to pass in those days...

...that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus...

...that all the world should be taxed.

And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.

So it was that Joseph, a carpenter...

...went up from Galilee, unto Bethlehem...

...to be taxed with his espoused wife, Mary...

...who was with holy child.

He found his own city much corrupted by Rome.

Are you the innkeeper?

There is no room. No room, not even for a fly to squeeze in.

Please, it's not for me. it's for my wife. She's expecting a child.

You can find a place in the street.

She's expecting her child tonight.

Uh, maybe I can give you a stall in the stable.

We will have to spend the night in the stable.

Now, when this holy child was born in Bethlehem of Judea...

...three wise men came from the east.

These were Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar...

...of Mesopotamia, Persia and Ethiopia.

A king of Judea, born in a stable?

What kind of mockery is this?

Herod is the only king in Judea. Who is this pretender?

Is there something in your scriptures...

...about a new messiah being born at this time?

False messiahs are born under every cloud, Your Majesty.

What shall we do, my son?

You are my king, Father. It is for you to command.

Lucius...

...order all newborn male children in that town put to the sword.

That is my command, Lucius.

I am a Roman soldier.

I do not murder children.

You are in my service by command of Caesar.

Dare you disobey Caesar?

Mary, Mary...

...while I slept, I heard a voice saying:

"Take the child and his mother, flee into Egypt...

...and stay there until you are told to return."

Then we will go.

And so, when Joseph and Mary fled into Egypt...

...Herod's men, seeking all newborn sons...

...did slaughter the innocents of Bethlehem.

Not my son!

Help me!

I cannot breathe.

Help me to my throne.

A king who cannot walk to his own throne is no longer a king, Father.

Put me on my throne.

I will not die on my knees.

So Herod the Great, crushed by his many murders...

...self-crucified, fell dead.

And Herod Antipas took murder for his crown.

And so it was that with Herod's death...

...Joseph brought his family out of Egypt, and betook them to Nazareth...

...where the years passed, numbering 12.

-You are Joseph, the carpenter? -Yes.

My camel litter needs repair.

I'll look at it.

-Peace be to you. -And to you.

-Refresh yourself. -Thank you.

-Your son? -Yes.

And does he like being a carpenter?

Yes, he does.

There's a big world outside this garden, do you want him to see it?

He will see it soon enough.

Let me take him with me. I'll pay you well.

I could use a lad like that to help me with my caravan.

No. Someday he will leave me...

...but someone else will call him.

And who will that be?

My son will know him when he comes.

-I can mend it by tomorrow. -Good.

Have no fear.

We're simply checking the census against the tax rolls.

Now, you are...

...Joseph.

-And you live here with your wife, Mary. -That is so.

Who's this boy?

My son, Jesus.

I have no record of his birth. When was he born?

Twelve years ago.

-Where? -In Bethlehem.

Bethlehem.

Count those in the next house.

See that the boy is registered before the year is out.

Thus, Joseph's family were once more forgotten.

Twenty years passed.

And Pontius Pilate, new governor of Judea...

...brought fresh armies south and east.

But in the hills, 10,000 rebel Jews la y hidden.

Their leader, Barabbas, wanted as criminal and killer...

...now baited his traps for the Roman wolves.

There's too many of them, Barabbas.

We will divide them.

There's a water sign on the hill. Make sure it's safe.

There's fresh water ahead, sir.

-Shall I give the men a rest? -Not too long.

Take one column to the waterhole.

Column 1, follow me.

Columns, rest!

Give me some wine.

How much farther is Jerusalem?

Another day's journey.

You should drink water, my husband. Wine only increases the thirst.

I enjoy it.

Judea. A fine wedding present your father gave me.

My dear Pontius...

...it is said whoever can govern Jerusalem can govern anywhere, even Rome.

Do you think Tiberius really has me in mind as his successor in Rome?

I wish I knew my father's mind...

...as well as I know my husband's ambition.

And Herod Antipas rode out to meet Pontius Pilate...

...and show him the way to Jerusalem.

Another troublemaker. Who is this one?

This one is called John the Baptist.

He preaches to the people to repent before the coming of the Messiah.

I baptize you with water.

But one mightier than I shall come after me.

And he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

One more messiah on the way.

Will these Jews never tire of inventing deliverers?

I have heard that name, John the Baptist.

I hear he speaks evil things of me wherever he goes.

His heart should be ripped from his body.

Your daughter, Herodias, grows more like her mother day by day.

Do I not please you?

My stepdaughter pleases me very much, Salome.

Lucius, keep your eye on this man.

One day you'll have to arrest him.

-On what grounds? -On my orders.

I'm bound only to take orders from the Roman governor when he arrives.

Tell me, Lucius, what manner of man is Pontius Pilate?

How should I treat him?

What is his weakness?

The same as any man: vanity.

Call the others to return!

Legions, all stand!

Barabbas! Barabbas!

Barabbas!

Who are these men? Bandits? They call themselves patriots.

A man named Barabbas leads them.

Have you captured him?

This land is filled with caves and hidden valleys.

It'd take half the legions of Rome to ferret them out.

I want him in chains before the end of the year.

Putting him in chains would be easy...

...but putting our hands on him...

...that's what's difficult.

I baptize you with water.

But one mightier than I shall come.

And he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.