2-3 (Spanish Boot)

Chapter 2 of this novel was a bit long and dull. Without the mysterious devil-like character or any supernatural occurrences, it was a bit hard to follow. The whole chapter is a replica of a scene from the Bible, where Pontius Pilate decides whether to execute Jesus. There are parallel connections between Yershalayim and Jerusalem, Yeshua and Jesus, Matthu Levi and Matthew the tax collector, Yehudah and Judas, parchment and the Bible. It is interesting how Yeshua is portrayed as a cowardly character who denies his actions in the beginning. "Terror flashed in his eyes" when he made a mistake in front of Pontius, and he says people "have no learning of any kind and have confused all that I said," trying to avoid any responsibility.


It is interesting how Pontius seems to oppose condemning Jesus, but is forced into doing so by the public opinion. As far as I know, he relinquished the decision to the citizens in the Bible, but I am not sure if he was actually opposed to it. In this novel, he seems to be convinced by Yeshua's appeals. He confesses the "vague feeling that he had left something unsaid in his talk with the condemned, or perhaps that he had not heard him to the end." He expresses strong opinions against the High Priest's wish to free Bar-Rabban instead and threatens him by saying, "know then, High Priest, that henceforth you shall have no peace! Neither you, nor your people."


Chapter 3 is much more interesting and dynamic. It becomes clearer that the stranger is a devil. He goes back and forth with the Russian accent, indicating everything about him is a sham. He claims that he "was personally present when all this took place. [He] was on Pontius Pilate's balcony, and in the garden." This perfectly matches the mysterious part in Chapter 2 where it says the "Procurator spoke to a certain man in a room shaded against the sun with dark hangings." The sun, which repetitively comes up in Chapter 2, probably indicates God, because the "certain man" was hiding from the sun, and the sun gives out fiery heat when people decide to condemn Jesus.


I am really interested to know what the 7th proof of the Devil's existence is, and I was surprised that the stranger's predictions came true so quickly.


Throughout the book, Bulgakov inserts profound messages directed towards the contemporary Russia: "Time will come when there shall be neither Caesars, nor any other rulers. Man will come into the kingdom of truth and justice, where there will be no need for authority.”; "It seems, no matter what you name here, it doesn't exist!”
-Spanish Boot