A.D. The Bible Continues Episode 1.06 The Persecution

After Stephen's death by stoning, the apostles gather solemnly at the safe house to pray over his body and put his soul to rest. Many, including Stephen's mother, wonder why the Lord doesn't resurrect him, but Mary Magdalene knows this is a test. Back at the camp, Barnabas tells Phillip that he dreamt Stephen wouldn't be the last of them to die. The two men notice a stranger entering the camp, who introduces himself as Saul - scholar, Jew, Roman, Pharisee and defender of the Temple of Jerusalem. "I've come to teach you about the wrath you'll bring down on yourselves if you don't end your blasphemy," he says, claiming Jesus was nothing more than a false prophet. One thing is clear to Barnabas: Saul's presence in the camp is a threatening one.

While walking through the market, Annas questions his son Jonathan: can he not see that Caiaphas must be replaced, because of his involvement with Pilate? When Jonathan points out that Annas is plotting against his own son-in-law, Annas waves him off. The Sanhedrin is looking for Caiaphas' successor and now the family needs Jonathan to step up. Caiaphas is none too happy to play host to Leah's family, and less happy still to discover that Antipas and Herodias have invited themselves to stay for the Purim festival. On their way, the royal couple stops off to survey the Nazarene's camp. Who knew it was so close to Jerusalem - and so densely populated? Over dinner, they admit that Purim was a useful excuse for them to check to see if the city still stands after Pilate's recent wave of crucifixions. Annas and Jonathan steer the conversation towards the Nazarene's encampment, sowing seeds of doubt against Caiaphas. It's all good sport for Herodias and Antipas, who would prefer not to choose between Caiaphas and Jonathan. Nevertheless, Antipas knows he'll have to throw his support behind one of them, leaving the ultimate responsibility for the fallout to Pilate.

By the time Peter, John and Mary Magdalene return to camp, Saul has drawn a crowd of about 60 or so, by announcing his intention to prove Jesus a false Messiah. When Peter demands he use more than words, Saul insists the simple truth is that those who set themselves against the Temple will be destroyed. Pretty soon, the two men are arguing the veracity of Jesus and his beliefs for the crowd. Finally, Saul says of Peter, "He won't be happy until you're all dead - like Stephen!" Furious, James promises to tear Saul's head off if he doesn't leave right now. Promising they'll see him again, Saul takes his leave... for now.

Inside the Temple chamber, Joseph of Arimathea confronts Annas - how can he plot against his own son-in-law Caiaphas? Annas makes an urgent case for Jonathan as High Priest, knowing his future success relies on this moment. With Joseph's support they can unite the Sanhedrin. After pointing out they'll need Antipas' full backing before making a case to Pilate, Joseph gives a grudging nod of support. Saul meets with Gamaliel outside the Temple to express his concern with the blasphemers in the desert. The apostles want to destroy everything the Sanhedrin have built and replace it with something new - someone has to stop them! They spy a long column of people heading toward the camp, which Peter sees as a sign of triumph over Saul and his efforts. But John knows better, telling Mary Magdalene the Temple won't stand for the status quo too much longer. Caiaphas and his family see the line of torches too; he knows Pilate will expect him to solve this problem. When Joseph asks Caiaphas to step down from his position for the good of the family, Caiaphas explodes. He inherited all this from the mess Annas made when he left office. Caiaphas kicks Annas out, threatening to put a blade through his ribs.

The next morning, Pilate bristles when Claudia advises him to favor Caiaphas over his brother-in-law. Is it Caiaphas she approves of, or his wife Leah? Knowing it's time to make his choice, Pilate meets with Annas, Jonathan and Caiaphas. Likening the men to squabbling children, Pilate insists Tiberius will choose between them, then flips a coin bearing the emperor's face. After condemning Jonathan, Pilate turns to Caiaphas, asking for assurances that the encampment is being dealt with, firmly and finally. Claiming the High Priest's job is one even a donkey could do, Pilate flips his coin again, ordering Caiaphas to retrieve it from the floor. If it comes up tails, Caiaphas will be replaced by a donkey... but it comes up heads. Only after Annas and Jonathan are sent packing, Caiaphas notices Pilate's coin has two heads. Later that day, Leah tells Joseph of Arimathea that her husband has removed him from the Sanhedrin and ordered him to leave Jerusalem. Claiming her father and brother hatched the plot against Caiaphas, Joseph promises Leah that her family's wickedness will return to them. Late that night, Caiaphas hands Saul a written order: he is to extinguish the camp, by whatever means necessary.

The next day, Saul preaches to a crowd of 60 men, claiming Jesus' followers flout the rules of the Sanhedrin with the goal of destroying the Temple. Now it's time to break heads, using swords, clubs and bare fists to drive them from the land. Both Cornelius and Phillip watch as a riot starts, and after several beatings and arrests, Saul and his men march in a long, snaking line towards the camp. Mary Magdalene and several others flee, but Peter, Phillip and Barnabas stay to face the music, spreading a mysterious mixture of pitch in hastily dug trenches. Peter hides until Saul's men have ignited half the camp, then he leaps out, shouting, "Let's see whose fire burns brightest!" He sets fire to the pitch mixture, and within minutes, Saul and his men are boxed in by flames. Saul yells, "I will crush you!" as an undaunted Peter and his friends head to the hills, yelling back, "You will try!"