Chapter 27

Now it was Passover Week in Jerusalem. Jesus had rebuked the Temple as a place of merchandise. He had been arrested, tried for blasphemy and treason, convicted, whipped, reviled, crucified. And then he had come to life again.

‘And you say you saw all this?’ demanded Cornelius, sharply.

‘I saw it all, sir. Yes, sir, all but—’ Peter’s voice broke. He bowed his head and covered his distorted face with his huge, trembling hands. Cornelius waited silently. Recovering his voice with an effort, Peter went on. ‘I saw him after he had returned to life, sir; but I must confess, in shame, that I was not present at his trials, nor was I at his side when he went to his death. At the last, when everything seemed lost, I denied, in the presence of strangers, that I had ever known him—and I ran away!’

There was a long silence. At length the old Roman huskily cleared his throat and said gently, ‘You are a brave man, my friend! And your testimony is believable. Your confession proves your integrity. You would not have told me this if you were not speaking the truth. I believe you, Peter. I believe everything you have told me.’

Servants came in to serve supper, but Cornelius shook his head and motioned them to leave.

‘Do you want to tell me now about this Kingdom?’ he asked softly. ‘Or would you prefer to wait until tomorrow?’

‘Tomorrow,’ murmured Peter.

‘Come,’ said Cornelius, rising, and laying a hand on Peter’s bowed shoulder. ‘You shall go to your room; and when you are ready for your supper they will bring it to you…I know you are weary. It was a heavy task. Only a very strong man could do that!’

Taking his arm Cornelius accompanied him back to his room and quietly closed the door. Utterly spent, Peter flung himself at full length upon his bed. It seemed very strange that his shameful confession of cowardice and disloyalty should have made him an accredited ambassador of the Master’s Kingdom!

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