Wednesdays with Words (Ben Hur-Part 2)

 

Recently we finished reading aloud our literature selection, Ben-Hur; a tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace, This book took us a little over two school terms to complete. I first read Ben-Hur as a senior in high school and found that it was a story that stayed with me. I really enjoyed being able to share it with my 12 & 15 year old who really enjoyed it.

I originally had a different quote picked out for this week and I just had to share since it was so appropriate for the season.

Up on the summit meantime the work went on. The guard took the Nazarene's clothes from him; so that he stood before the millions naked. The stripes of the scourging he had received in the early morning were still bloody upon his back; yet he was laid pitilessly down, and stretched upon the cross--first, the arms upon the transverse beam; the spikes were sharp--a few blows, and they were driven through the tender palms; next, they drew his knees up until the soles of the feet rested flat upon the tree; then they placed one foot upon the other, and one spike fixed both of them fast. The dulled sound of the hammering was heard outside the guarded space; and such as could not hear, yet saw the hammer as it fell, shivered with fear. And withal not a groan, or cry, or word of remonstrance from the sufferer: nothing at which an enemy could laugh; nothing a lover could regret.

"Which way wilt though have him faced?" asked a soldier, bluntly. 

"Towards the Temple," the pontiff replied. "In dying I would have him see the holy house hath not suffered by him." 

The workmen put their hand to the cross, and carried it, burden and all, to the place of planting. At a word, they dropped the tree into the hole; and the body of the Nazarene also dropped heavily, and hung by the bleeding hands. Still no cry of pain--only the exclamation divinest of all recorded exclamations, 

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (p.545)

Ben-Hur Part 1