Episode 246
Long ago, when some Jews called for the crucifixion of Jesus, not every Jew agreed, of course. Yet, as is often the case, the voices of the extremists were the loudest and most influential.
As a result, Christians gained an unassailable scapegoat they could blame whenever they pleased: “The ones who killed the Messiah.” This single phrase could incite maximum outrage against Jews, and their persecution was often seen as their just deserts.
Even in the Islamic world, while slightly more tolerant than Christianity, Jews were not always viewed favorably. Jews who treated Muslims well were generally treated well in return, but such Jews were few and far between.
Muhammad was a fraud, Islam a cult. Many openly voiced such opinions, and naturally, most Muslims did not look kindly upon these Jews.
Even under the banner of a united world religion, these sentiments persisted, if not intensified.
“Edward Marshall is a fraud!”
“Down with the false prophet Marshall!”
Rumor had it that people were being dragged off and beaten for saying such things, so one could only imagine the atmosphere.
Near Jerusalem, anti-Jewish sentiment was at an all-time high, far surpassing the days when Christianity and Islam were divided.
And then, an assassination attempt occurred.
The Jews infiltrated the wedding to assassinate the Apostle!
But they were struck down by divine retribution and all perished.
So, isn’t it divine justice for us to punish them?
This twisted logic led to widespread violence, just as I had feared.
Fortunately, I had anticipated such an event. Without Nasr’s operatives scattered throughout the city, every Jew in Jerusalem might have been beaten to death.
“I was at the wedding. The Apostle said no innocent Jewish blood should be spilled!”
“Many Jews follow the Apostle!”
“Those who defile the holy city of Jerusalem with blood and violence will be judged first!”
These voices of reason prevented the violence from engulfing the entire city as quickly as it might have.
Of course, there were still those who refused to acknowledge Marshall, but they were dealt with swiftly.
As the details of the wedding incident became known, even some of the staunchest Jews began to change their stance.
“If he were a fraud, he wouldn’t have escaped divine punishment. They smuggled in weapons, but the Apostle, God’s emissary, knew everything.”
“Even the guards and security were unaware, but the Apostle must have foreseen it. Why? Because he showed no sign of surprise when the assassins drew their weapons!”
“Just accept it already! How much more proof do you need before you believe? If you keep this up, there will be irreversible consequences!”
Though the fact that Fatima had slaughtered the assassins wasn’t widely known, the details of their demise became clearer by the day.
The radicals’ plan to prove Marshall a fraud by killing him failed spectacularly.
They had boasted about their plan, but when it came to execution, they fell short.
The acceptance of me by the Jews in and around Jerusalem was now just a few steps away.
“Phew… That’s enough. Let’s just stop this.”
“Stop? Are you denying the Tanakh?”
“Deny? You’re the ones denying it. Where in the Tanakh does it say to kill or assassinate?”
“Ugh… This is frustrating.”
Even the few remaining extremist groups in Jerusalem were experiencing internal strife, with some openly declaring their intention to switch sides.
“I’ve followed your lead until now, but I can’t continue. It’s clear that the problem isn’t with them, but with us.”
“What? Are you saying you’re betraying us?”
“Let’s be objective. I didn’t believe the claims of Marshall’s foresight at the Jerusalem Council. I thought it was a setup. But the results speak for themselves. Not believing at this point seems like a mental deficiency.”
“Don’t you realize that’s the devil’s whisper? Even if he saw the future, it’s just a vision from the devil, not the true will of God!”
The room was filled with angry shouts, but many were tired of such extreme rhetoric.
“All this talk of the devil… Let me ask you one thing. If the devil had such power, why did someone like Marshall only appear now? Shouldn’t history be full of such people?”
“Well, I mean…”
“Enough. This was the perfect opportunity. A wedding where most attendees were unarmed, and you sent agents who had never been active outside. What was the result? Was that also the devil’s doing?”
“The power of evil is too strong…”
The arguments against Marshall from the Jewish opposition were flimsy at best.
Marshall’s miracles defied logical explanation, leaving them with no choice but to deny them.
How could one logically refute miracles beyond human comprehension?
This was the sole argument of the anti-Marshall Jews since the Jerusalem Council.
But such claims inevitably led to this question:
‘How do you distinguish between powers from God and those from the devil?’
Many Jewish believers asked this not out of sarcasm, but genuine curiosity.
They, too, wanted to believe.
Marshall, not even a Jew, couldn’t possibly be the true Messiah!
There must be some trick, but they couldn’t figure it out.
If Marshall’s powers came from the devil, then finding proof would mean they didn’t have to accept him.
Many joined the anti-Marshall movement with this hope.
But instead of a compelling argument, they received only one answer:
Like parrots, they repeated this without providing any reason, leaving many disillusioned.
The assassination attempt at the wedding was a desperate move born of this frustration.
Lacking logical grounds, they resorted to illogical means.
Assassinate him, and if he dies, it’s proof he’s a fraud.
If he’s genuine, he won’t die.
It’s a ridiculous claim, but in a way, it made sense.
If he were truly God’s Apostle, no assassination, no matter how well-planned, could succeed.
But there was a flaw in this logic.
What if they failed?
The radicals were certain of success, but they failed spectacularly.
Not only did they fail, but they were utterly humiliated, yet they continued to parrot the same lines.
“Let me ask again. Are you saying we can’t be sure if Marshall’s powers come from God or the devil?”
“Needing certainty is already a sign of being ensnared by the devil!”
“Sigh… It’s pointless talking to you. I’m ashamed to have been associated with people like you.”
“Traitors! What can you achieve with such a mindset, betraying us when things get tough?”
“We can’t let these traitors go! They must die here or…”
As tensions rose, suddenly—
“There they are! The group that tried to assassinate the Apostle!”
“Don’t move! We’ve orders to execute anyone who resists!”
A group of armed soldiers burst into the room, shouting.
“What? How did the soldiers find us?”
“Officers, we were the ones who reported them! Those are the ones who planned the crime, take them away!”
“What? You traitors! Not only are you leaving the organization, but you’re selling out your comrades! Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?”
“We believe the divine wrath is more likely to fall on you than us, which is why we made this decision! We don’t want to be punished alongside you!”
If there had been a mass purge under the slogan “The only good Jew is a dead Jew,” things might have been different.
But with a path to forgiveness and integration into the existing order for those who cooperated, the already fragile Jewish secret societies were doomed to collapse.
If death was certain either way, they might have stood united to the end, but the situation had changed.
The Jewish resistance, which had persisted like a network of cells, was mostly exposed and dismantled due to internal betrayals.
Thus, it took only two months after the wedding assassination attempt for the secret organizations claiming the Apostle was a fraud to be completely eradicated from Jerusalem.
In just two months, a problem that had persisted for years was resolved almost overnight.
After a year filled with various incidents, spring had returned once more.
“It seems a new order has almost taken root in this region.”
“With Judaism nearly absorbed, Europe and Asia are now perfectly united under a single order. All titles falsely claiming to represent God have been abolished.”
Saladin’s eldest son, Al-Afdal, whom he had sent to gain experience as a successor, turned out to be surprisingly competent.
In the original history, he was thought to be rather ineffectual, having been easily ousted by his uncle, Al-Adil. Perhaps Saladin’s longer life had made a difference.
While he didn’t strike me as an extraordinary talent, he certainly gave the impression of someone who diligently got things done.
“This is all thanks to your efforts. Even though you’re young, traveling across such vast lands couldn’t have been easy. You’ve worked hard.”
“No, no! The hard work was yours, Apostle. We did nothing.”
“We moved together, so I can’t claim all the credit. Still, this experience will be invaluable for you. Securing the local people’s trust will greatly aid you when you eventually succeed Saladin.”
Every time I spoke, Al-Afdal, Saladin’s son, would bow his head in gratitude, his face filled with emotion.
Moreover, he would jot down notes with a gleam in his eye, as if he had realized something profound. It made me suspect he might be a member of the “Edward Marshall Appreciation Society.”
“So, Apostle, where do you plan to go next? Back to Byzantium?”
“Yes, it’s about time I returned to Constantinople. There are people waiting for me, after all.”
With nothing left to do here, it seemed right to return to where my family awaited and finally relax.
But whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, on the very evening I was to part ways with Al-Afdal, news arrived that changed my course.
My work was not yet done.