Jerusalem, AD 31: The arrest of the preacher John has caused a storm of protest both in Jerusalem and throughout the province of Galilee particularly. Known as "the Baptist" because of his practice of pouring water over people to symbolise they have been born again, his arrest took place last night.
It is understood that King Herod had given the order and that John is now being detained at the king's palace where it is reported the preacher has been tied up and is imprisoned. It is not known if John is to be tried or what he is to be charged with.
The consensus among the authorities in Jerusalem is that John had it coming to him. A source close to the High Priest said: "What did he expect? For months and months he has been holding the king and his wife up to public condemnation at worst, ridicule at the very least. It is remarkable he wasn't arrested ages ago."
The source agreed that the marital arrangement between the king and his companion Herodias was not "strictly valid" in the eyes of the religious authorities, "but how do we know what goes on between them? How can we condemn without direct evidence of the nature of their relationship?"
He angrily denied suggestions that were an ordinary couple involved, the religious authorities would be down on them like a ton of bricks.
He also disagreed with the view that, whatever the reality, by living with his brother's wife the king was giving scandal and that it would encourage other couples to do likewise.
He ended the interview abruptly when it was suggested that John had simply been true to the law of God in condemning the relationship while the religious authorities had remained silent out of cowardice. "That," he said, was "the suggestion of a guttersnipe".
A spokesman for the governor, Mr Pontius Pilate, said the matter was an internal one for the Palestinian authorities in which they had no interest. A source at the governor's residence, however, commented that the arrest was another example of "the primitive level at which these people operate".
He also suggested John's condemnation of the relationship of the king and Herodias was just another indication of "the superstitious nature and general lack of sophistication of these people". He felt the royal relationship itself was no more than "the vulgar get-together of two crass people".
Throughout Galilee, there has been outrage at the arrest, not least among the followers of Jesus, though he himself has said nothing publicly on the matter. Many believe he feels compromised as John is his cousin. His mother, Mary, and John's mother, Elizabeth, are said to be close.
John is an only child and arrived late in the married life of Elizabeth and her husband the priest, Zachariah. Neither expected to have children but, the story goes, while burning incense in the temple Zachariah saw a figure to the right of the altar which said to him he would have a son and his name would be John. "He will be a great man, who will being you much pride and joy. He won't drink but will bring many people back to God," Zachariah would recall later.
But he doubted this and he found he was unable to speak from that day until John was born. People said it was a miracle. Zachariah had a reputation for talking too much and his sudden silence brought peace to the many. It ended when the baby boy was born and all the neighbours had gathered around to choose a name. They decided on Zachariah, which surprised no one. But Elizabeth wanted "John" and they were perplexed as there was no John anywhere in that family.
And they made signs to Zachariah to see what he thought. He struggled for speech so he could say the boy must be called John, and eventually scrawled the word "John" on the table top. "John" he said then, and they all looked at him in astonishment. "He's talking," remarked one of the neighbours, without joy.
But Zachariah could not stop praising God and his lovely son and he told them about the man in the temple and what he had said to him nine months before and how he didn't believe him and that he couldn't speak since and how awful it was not to be able to speak . . .