Wednesday in Holy Week
He felt hot and cold at the same time. He wanted to get it over with but he could feel himself holding back. They were keeping him waiting on purpose, to test his metal but every moment they kept him he came closer to bolting. He couldn't stand delay. They would have to get on with it.
That was the trouble with Jesus. That was why he was here now. Delay was dangerous. Either Jesus should put up or shut up instead of which he dithered. One day he was riding triumphantly into Jerusalem frightening the authorities and the next day he was using clever-clever devices to fend them off. Somebody had said that Caiaphas was prepared to sacrifice Jesus for a period of peace and quiet, to get the Romans off his back, and that was what had finally prompted Judas to request a meeting.
Right from the beginning Jesus had all the attributes of a Messiah priest-King but when push came to shove he'd bottled it. Either he should have gone in for the holy man bit or he should have made his move, but instead he went one way and then the other and he didn't seem to recognise the instability he was creating.
A flunkey ushered him in to the High Priest's office. There were three of them, Caiaphas, the Treasurer and a security guard. The first two ignored him and the third got between him and the archway. "So you've come to shop Jesus?" What a stupid opening. It was as if they resented his coming, as if they were doing him a favour rather than the other way round. These people were so habitually, professionally rude that they didn't notice it. Jesus had been right about that, as he had been about so many things; but being right wasn't enough to save him; and their rudeness wasn't enough to stop him. "I have come to assist you in securing the safety of our people and your authority," he said, stiffly. "I love Jesus and in safer times he would be a luxury that we could afford but these aren't safe times. Pilate is sailing too close to the wind and it's only a matter of time before Tiberias dumps him." "Thank you. I didn't ask you here so that you could lecture me on politics. What do you want?" "I want what you want," he said, as unsure inside as his speech was sure.
"How much?" asked the Treasurer. "Nothing," he said. "I don't need any money." "Lucky you!" said the Treasurer, looking relieved. "Never mind all that," said Caiaphas. "We are not going to issue a contract so we must give him something or he will go back on his word later and deny it all. They're like that."
Still the same superciliousness. He almost didn't take the money but thought he would find a good use for it. The poor were always with us. They would arrest Jesus and he would have to testify to support a minor charge of sedition. They could safely let him out after Pentecost. It was an unpleasant business. The better of two evils.