NOTE: My three-week series of short stories surrounding the ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus continues this week. These stories are fictional first-person accounts of three different men who encountered and responded to Jesus in very different ways. My prayer is that, through the stories, you will see Jesus and be reminded of the Good News of Easter.

The Rich Young Ruler (Reuben’s Story) – March 17

The Servant (Malchus’s Story) – This week – March 24

The Brother (Jude’s Story) – March 31

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My name is Malchus. My father is a servant to the High Priest Ananus ben Seth, whom you know as Annas. He served Rabbi Annas from the days before he became high priest, and from the days before I was born. I was six years old when our family moved with Rabbi Annas and his family into the palace of the high priest. Of course, we lived in the servants’ quarters while they lived in the palace.

Though there was never any question that I was the child of a servant – which also made me a servant – children in a palace tend to find one another. The high priest’s oldest daughter, Leah, was a year younger than I was. Though she and I were not the only two children in the palace, we were close in age so it was inevitable that we would play together….