“No.”
“Why, then, are you armed?”
“It may be necessary to defend the Nazarene.”
Thus Ben-Hur evaded the whole truth.
“Has he enemies? Who are they?”
“Alas, mother, they are not all Romans!”
“Is he not of Israel, and a man of peace?”
“There was never one more so; but in the opinion of the rabbis and teachers he is guilty of a great crime.”
“What crime?”
“In his eyes the uncircumcised Gentile is as worthy favor as a Jew of the strictest habit. He preaches a new dispensation.”