An old adage tells us that truth is stranger than fiction. It is also more compelling and in the case of this, the old, old story of the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan it is far more shocking and gruesome. An unforgettable cast ranges from Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod and Judas Iscariot to Mary, Peter, John and Mary Magdalene. Yet all remain in death's shadow until the principal player, Jesus Christ, the Master, teaches humanity its purest lesson about life, death and eternity.