at the time the romans killed jesus, around 30 a.d., scholars say, the jews were desperate for a messiah to free them from roman oppression, to liberate them on their promised land. but even then, there was disagreement as to who that messiah might be. >> in the 1st century, there was no messianic checklist. some people would have followed jesus and considered him to be the messiah, god's anointed one. others followed john the baptist. others followed additional figures. >> in the cosmopolitan city of jerusalem, with its massive temple, the holiest site on earth for jews, and it's regal priestly caste, would many have even noticed jesus, a wandering rabbi from the galilee? >> it's a good question, whether jews in jerusalem at the time would have even known about this sect of jewish christians, people who believed that jesus