The Coming of the King

In Short

Bernie Babcock’s 1925 novel reimagines the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth through the eyes of Mary of Bethany and her household. Living under the heavy shadow of Roman occupation and religious intrigue, Mary falls in love with the bold young Rabbi whose radical teachings champion the poor and challenge the powerful. As political plots converge toward the cross, Mary witnesses the collision of worldly empires with a spiritual kingdom, ultimately discovering that true love survives the grave. The novel endures as an early twentieth-century attempt to humanize the gospel narrative through romantic drama and populist historical fiction.

The Story

Set against the backdrop of Roman-occupied Judea, the narrative opens in AD 32, a time fraught with imperial cruelty and economic desperation. In Jerusalem and Tiberias, Roman authorities under Pontius Pilate and puppet rulers like Herod Antipas keep a paranoid watch over the populace, terrified that secret labor unions, slave revolts, or religious uprisings might threaten their wealth and rule. Meanwhile, in the quiet village of Bethany, Mary lives with her practical sister Martha and their merry-hearted brother Lazarus. Their home, framed by date palms and colorful gardens, serves as a haven of warmth and discussion.

Mary’s world shifts when her family begins speaking of a remarkable young Rabbi from Nazareth. Unlike the distant Pharisees or wealthy Sadducees, this Jesus preaches compassion for the poor, preaches peace, and dares to defy the High Priest. Intrigued, Mary longs to meet him. When Jesus visits their home, a deep, tender bond forms between him and Mary. She sees in him not merely a holy teacher, but the true King of Israel—one whose weapon is love rather than the sword. As Jesus travels throughout Galilee and Judea, healing the sick like the broken outcast Sara and calling followers to a new brotherhood, Mary’s devotion turns into a profound romantic and spiritual love.

However, dark forces align against the prophet. Wealthy men like Zador Ben Amon and the priests of the Sanhedrin view Jesus’s condemnation of hypocritical greed as a direct threat to their riches. Pilate’s own wife, Claudia Procula, is drawn to the Galilean’s message, yet Pilate remains bound by Roman politics. Tragic signs multiply: Lazarus falls mysteriously ill and dies, only to be called back to life by the Master. Yet even as joy returns to Bethany, shadow gathers over Jerusalem. During a quiet evening in the moonlit garden, Jesus speaks gently to Mary of an impending journey through the Valley of the Shadow, assuring her that nothing in the universe can destroy true love.

At a feast shortly thereafter, Mary breaks her most cherished possession—an alabaster box of precious ointment reserved for her wedding veil—to anoint Jesus’s hair. When he declares she has anointed him for his burial, her heart breaks with foreboding. Soon, betrayed by Judas and arrested at midnight in Gethsemane, Jesus is dragged before Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod. Despite Claudia’s warning dreams, Pilate yields to the mob, and Jesus is executed on the cross. Grief-stricken, Mary walks through her dewy garden in the gray dawn after his death. There, beside the old olive tree, the risen Master appears to her. Proclaiming that he holds the keys of death and remains with her always, he leaves her filled with immortal joy.

How It Unfolds

A oppressive land Peasant rumors spread of Roman crucifixions along the Galilean hills as Herod Antipas and the wealthy Zador scheme to suppress worker uprisings and protect their fortunes.

A sister’s longing In their peaceful Bethany home, Martha and Lazarus host guests who speak constantly of a new prophet from Nazareth, prompting Mary to ask her brother to arrange a meeting with the unafraid teacher.

The Master arrives Jesus visits the house in Bethany, sharing hard sayings of wisdom, bringing orange blossoms from an Essene retreat, and forging a deep, luminous bond of love with Mary.

Miracles along the Jordan Throughout the countryside, Jesus heals the afflicted—including Sara, a diseased woman whose flesh is restored in the river—while gathering large crowds along the Sea of Galilee.

Shadows of mortality Lazarus falls into a deathlike sleep and passes away despite the efforts of local physicians, plunging the household into mourning until the Master restores him to life.

The precious offering Believing her beloved is stepping forward as King, Mary opens her carved chest and breaks her alabaster vase of rare ointment over Jesus, only to hear him speak of his coming burial.

Night of betrayal Following a quiet farewell between Mary and Jesus in the garden, temple guards and armed men arrest the prophet at an olive farm beyond Kedron, leading to swift trials before Caiaphas and Pilate.

The dawn vision After the horror of the crucifixion, a grief-stricken Mary walks her garden at daybreak, where the risen Jesus appears to her near the ancient stone bench, revealing the victory of deathless love.

The People

• Mary of Bethany, a gentle yet passionate young woman who tends wild green grasses and lilies on her garden wall. She longs for an unafraid leader, falls deeply in love with Jesus of Nazareth, and comes to understand that his kingdom is built on peace rather than violence.
• Jesus of Nazareth, a courageous and tender Galilean Rabbi whose teachings champion the poor, outrage the ruling elite, and reveal a divine love. He accepts Mary's devotion while preparing her for the sacrifice he must make.
• Martha, Mary’s practical, good-natured sister who manages the household, worries about signs and dark portents, and prepares for her own upcoming marriage to Joel the silk merchant.
• Lazarus, their warm, merry-hearted brother who takes immense joy in wisdom, delights in the Master’s sayings, and experiences both death and miraculous restoration.
• Herod Antipas, the paranoid Tetrarch of Galilee who drinks rich wine with wealthy allies while fearing that secret unions of stonecutters, herdsmen, and corn growers will rise up against his profits.
• Claudia Procula, the noble Roman wife of Pontius Pilate, who travels Jerusalem in silver-spangled gowns, listens to the Galilean's words with deep reverence, and tries in vain to save him from execution.

In Its Own Voice

"My heart is burdened with a desire to meet this unafraid yet tender and wise man thou dost talk of. I would see Jesus."

Mary speaks these words to her brother Lazarus on New Year's Eve, longing to encounter the Galilean teacher whose courage has captured her imagination.

"A sword hath been given me and he that hath been called to bring the Kingdom doth ever teach those are blessed who make not war, but who bring peace."

Mary protests when her sister and brother playfully deck her in jewels and hand her a weapon, rejecting Roman military might in favor of the Master's gospel of peace.

"Mary, if it be that for a little time I should go on ahead of thee, even to the battlements of the New Jerusalem... will I watch for thee, my beloved."

Jesus offers these quiet words of comfort to Mary during their final peaceful evening together in the garden at Bethany before his arrest.

What It's Really About

Beneath its narrative of biblical events, the novel explores the fundamental conflict between earthly tyranny and a kingdom of spiritual freedom. Babcock contrasts the brutal, profit-driven oppression of imperial Rome and hypocritical religious leaders with the radical economic and social brotherhood preached by Jesus. The book asks how human beings ought to respond to structural injustice—whether through the violent assertion of power symbolized by the sword, or through self-sacrificing love and communal care for the poor. Ultimately, the plot centers on the transformative nature of devotion, arguing that genuine love is an eternal, indestructible force capable of transcending human grief, political corruption, and even physical death itself.

Why Read It Today

Readers drawn to historical Christian fiction and early twentieth-century biblical retellings will find The Coming of the King a sentimental period piece. Bernie Babcock approaches the gospel story with an interesting blend of romance, social consciousness, and apocryphal detail, giving central focus to the perspectives of women like Mary of Bethany and Claudia Procula.

The novel's modern reader must navigate distinct period constraints. The prose frequently relies on archaic, pseudo-biblical phrasing ("thou hast," "doth make him to bubble over") that can feel stilted or overly theatrical to modern ears. Additionally, its melodramatic tone and romanticized depiction of Mary’s feelings toward Jesus may surprise those expecting a traditional, strictly theological treatment of the Gospels.

What remains memorable, however, is the book's sensory atmosphere—the fragrant date palm groves of Bethany, the gleaming marble pillars of Pilate's palace, and the quiet, dew-soaked gardens at dawn. It offers a warm portrait of a ancient world wrestling with oppression, anchored by a steadfast belief in a love that outlasts the grave.