Soldier

From We Were There

By Sarah A. O'Malley and Robert D. Elmer

SOLDIER:I was there when the rabbi was handed over to us, to have our fun with him. I'm just an ordinary soldier, not one to get involved in politics. I know how to handle this whip and I do my duty. I'm not bragging when I say I can turn a person's back into ribbons red ribbons.

When we heard the rumors that Jesus was pretending to be a king--- well, we've got some clowns in our outfit who love a little horseplay. We found some branches with thorns and wove a crown and threw an old purple cloak over his bleeding shoulders. Then we had our sport with him, kneeling before him like he was a king and hitting him on the head with a stick. Everybody got into the spirit of the thing, whistling and hooting, shouting, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

It was nothing personal, you understand. It's what we get paid for; making people miserable. Jesus wasn't a bad fellow really; in fact, he was braver than most; standing there and taking our best shots. He didn't beg for mercy, not once.

Well, they took him, you know, and made him king of the hill, they did. The hill of Golgotha, that is. You get my drift.