Detailed synopsis Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

1 detailed synopsis

1.1 part one
1.2 part two
1.3 part three
1.4 part four
1.5 part five
1.6 part six
1.7 part seven
1.8 part eight

detailed synopsis
part one

biblical references: matt. 2:1–12, luke 2:1–20

three magi have come east. balthasar, egyptian, sets tent in desert, joined melchior, hindu, , gaspar, greek. discover have been brought common goal. see bright star shining on region, , take sign leave, following through desert toward province of judaea.

at joppa gate in jerusalem, mary , joseph pass through on way nazareth bethlehem. stop @ inn @ entrance city, has no room. mary pregnant and, labor begins, head cave on nearby hillside, jesus born. in pastures outside city, group of 7 shepherds watches flocks. angels announce christ s birth. shepherds hurry towards city , enter cave on hillside worship christ. spread news of christ s birth , many come see him.

the magi arrive in jerusalem , inquire news of christ. herod great angry hear of king challenging rule , asks sanhedrin find information him. sanhedrin delivers prophecy written micah, telling of ruler come bethlehem ephrathah, interpret signify christ s birthplace.

part two

biblical references: luke 2:51–52

judah ben-hur, son of ithamar, prince descended royal family of judaea. messala, closest childhood friend , son of roman tax collector, leaves home 5 years of education in rome. returns proud roman. mocks judah , religion , 2 become enemies. result, judah decides go rome military training use acquired skills fight roman empire.

valerius gratus, fourth roman prefect of judaea, passes judah s house. judah watches procession rooftop, loose roof tile happens fall , hit governor. messala betrays judah, captured , accused of attempting murder gratus. no trial held; judah s entire family secretly imprisoned in antonia fortress , property seized. taken away, judah vows vengeance against romans. sent slave work aboard roman warship. on journey ship, meets young carpenter named jesus, offers him water, moves judah , strengthens resolve survive.

part three

in italy, greek pirate ships have been looting roman vessels in aegean sea. prefect sejanus orders roman quintus arrius take warships combat pirates. chained on 1 of warships, judah has survived 3 hard years roman slave, kept alive passion vengeance. arrius impressed judah , decides question him life , story. stunned learn of judah s former status son of hur. in battle, ship damaged , starts sink. arrius unlocks judah s chains has chance survive, , judah ends saving roman drowning. share plank makeshift raft until being rescued roman ship, whereupon learn romans victorious in battle; arrius lauded hero. return misenum, arrius adopts judah son, making him freedman , roman citizen.

part four

judah ben-hur trains in wrestling 5 years in palaestra in rome before becoming heir of arrius after death. while traveling antioch on state business, judah learns real father s chief servant, slave simonides, lives in house in city, , has trust of judah s father s possessions, has invested wealthy. judah visits simonides, listens story, demands more proof of identity. ben-hur says has no proof, asks if simonides knows of fate of judah s mother , sister. says knows nothing , judah leaves house. simonides sends servant malluch spy on judah see if story true , learn more him. shortly afterwards, malluch meets , befriends judah in grove of daphne, , go games stadium together. there, ben-hur finds old rival messala racing 1 of chariots, preparing tournament.

the sheik ilderim announces looking chariot driver race team in coming tournament. judah, wanting revenge, offers drive sheik s chariot, intends defeat messala. balthasar , daughter iras sitting @ fountain in stadium. messala s chariot hits them, judah intervenes. balthasar ben-hur , presents him gift. judah heads sheik ilderim s tent. servant malluch accompanies him, , talk christ; malluch relates balthasar s story of magi. realize judah saved man saw christ after birth.

simonides, daughter esther, , malluch talk together, , conclude judah claims be, , on side in fight against rome. messala realizes judah ben-hur has been adopted roman home , honor has been restored. threatens take revenge. meanwhile, balthasar , daughter iras arrive @ sheik s tent. judah discuss how christ, approaching age of 30, ready enter public leadership. judah takes increasing interest in beautiful iras.

part five

messala sends letter valerius gratus discovery of judah, sheik ilderim intercepts letter , shares judah. discovers mother , sister imprisoned in cell @ antonia fortress, , messala has been spying on him. meanwhile, ilderim impressed judah s skills racing horses, , accepts him charioteer.

simonides comes judah , offers him accumulated fortune of hur family business, of merchant has been steward. judah ben-hur accepts original amount of money, leaving property , rest loyal merchant. each agree part fight christ, whom believe political savior roman authority.

a day before race, ilderim prepares horses. judah appoints malluch organize support campaign him. meanwhile, messala organizes own huge campaign, revealing judah ben-hur s former identity community outcast , convict. malluch challenges messala , cronies large wager, which, if roman loses, bankrupt him.

the day of race comes. during race, messala , judah become clear leaders. judah deliberately scrapes chariot wheel against messala s , messala s chariot breaks apart, causing him trampled other racers horses. judah crowned winner , showered prizes, claiming first strike against rome. messala left broken body , loss of wealth.

after race, judah ben-hur receives letter iras asking him go roman palace of idernee. when arrives, sees has been tricked. thord, saxon hired messala, comes kill judah. duel, , ben-hur offers thord 4000 sestertii let him live. thord returns messala claiming have killed judah, collects money them both. supposedly dead, judah ben-hur goes desert ilderim plan secret campaign.

part six

for ben-hur, simonides bribes sejanus remove prefect valerius gratus post; valerius succeeded pontius pilate. ben-hur sets out jerusalem find mother , sister. pilate s review of prison records reveals great injustice, , notes gratus concealed walled-up cell. pilate s troops reopen cell find 2 women, judah s long-lost mother , sister, suffering leprosy. pilate releases them, , go old hur house, vacant. finding judah asleep on steps, give god alive, not wake him. lepers, considered less human. banished city, leave in morning.

amrah, egyptian maid once served hur house, discovers ben-hur , wakes him. reveals has stayed in hur house these years. keeping touch simonides, discouraged many potential buyers of house acting ghost. pledge find out more lost family. judah discovers official roman report release of 2 leprous women. amrah hears rumors of mother , sister s fate.

romans make plans use funds corban treasury, of temple in jerusalem, build new aqueduct. jewish people petition pilate veto plan. pilate sends soldiers in disguise mingle crowd, @ appointed time, begin massacre protesters. judah kills roman guard in duel, , becomes hero in eyes of group of galilean protesters.

part seven

biblical references: john 1:29–34

at meeting in bethany, ben-hur , galilean followers organize resistance force revolt against rome. gaining simonides , ilderim, sets training base in ilderim s territory in desert. after time, malluch writes announcing appearance of prophet believed herald christ. judah journeys jordan see prophet, meeting balthasar , iras traveling same purpose. reach bethabara, group has gathered hear john baptist preach. man walks john, , asks baptized. judah recognizes him man gave him water @ in nazareth many years before. balthasar worships him christ.

part eight

biblical references: matthew 27:48–51, mark 11:9–11, 14:51–52, luke 23:26–46, john 12:12–18, 18:2–19:30

during next 3 years, man, jesus, preaches gospel around galilee, , ben-hur becomes 1 of followers. notices jesus chooses fishermen, farmers, , similar people, considered lowly , apostles. judah has seen jesus perform miracles, , convinced christ had come.

during time, malluch has bought old hur house , renovated it. invites simonides , balthasar, daughters, live in house him. judah ben-hur seldom visits, day before jesus plans enter jerusalem , proclaim himself, judah returns. tells in house of has learned while following jesus. amrah realizes judah s mother , sister healed, , brings them cave living. next day, 3 await jesus side of road , seek healing. amid celebration of triumphal entry, jesus heals women. when cured, reunite judah.

several days later, iras talks judah, saying has trusted in false hope, jesus had not started expected revolution. says on between them, saying loves messala. ben-hur remembers invitation of iras led incident thord, , accuses iras of betraying him. night, resolves go esther.

while lost in thought, notices parade in street , falls in it. notices judas iscariot, 1 of jesus disciples, leading parade, , many of temple priests , roman soldiers marching together. go olive grove of gethsemane, , sees jesus walking out meet crowd. understanding betrayal, ben-hur spotted priest tries take him custody; breaks away , flees. when morning comes, ben-hur learns jewish priests have tried jesus before pilate. although acquitted, jesus has been sentenced crucifixion @ crowd s demand. ben-hur shocked @ how supporters have deserted christ in time of need. head calvary, , ben-hur resigns himself watch crucifixion of jesus. sky darkens. ben-hur offers jesus wine vinegar return jesus favor him, , after jesus utters last cry. judah , friends commit lives jesus, realizing not earthly king, heavenly king , savior of mankind.

five years after crucifixion, ben-hur , esther have married , had children. family lives in misenum. iras visits esther , tells has killed messala, discovering romans brutes. implies attempt suicide. after esther tells ben-hur of visit, tries unsuccessfully find iras. samaritan uprising in judaea harshly suppressed pontius pilate, , ordered rome decade after authorizing crucifixion of jesus.

in 10th year of emperor nero s reign, ben-hur staying simonides, business has been extremely successful. ben-hur, 2 men have given of fortunes church of antioch. now, old man, simonides has sold ships one, , 1 has returned final voyage. learning christians in rome suffering @ hands of emperor nero, ben-hur , friends decide help. ben-hur, esther, , malluch sail rome, decided build underground church. survive through ages , comes known catacomb of callixtus.