A sinful man was on the verge of execution. He said to the mayor of the city, “Fulfill my last request. Give me time to bid farewell to my mother who lives in a distant town. I promise to return.”
The mayor and the people looked at him with surprise and mockery. Nevertheless, the mayor said to the spectators, “Who will guarantee this man?”
But no one volunteered as a guarantor. The sinful man said with humility and pleading, “O people, you know I am a stranger in this city and have no acquaintances here. Let someone be a guarantor for the sake of God, so I can bid farewell to my mother and return.”
Suddenly, one of the people said, “I will guarantee him. If he doesn’t return, you can kill me in his place.”
The mayor, amidst disbelief from everyone, accepted. They imprisoned the guarantor, and the condemned man escaped from the jaws of death. The appointed day arrived, and the condemned man didn’t return.
They tied the guarantor to the execution post, ready to strike him, when he requested, “Take me from this post and tie me to that one.”
They asked, “Why?”
He replied, “From this post to that post lies salvation.” They agreed and took him to the other post and tied him there.
In the meantime, the condemned man returned, shouting. They released the guarantor, and he placed the noose of death around his own neck.
The mayor, witnessing this fidelity to the pledge, pardoned the condemned sinner and the guarantor, finding salvation by going from one post to another. Henceforth, when someone encounters great distress and becomes hopeless, they say, “From this post to that post lies salvation.” Meaning, do what you can, even if it seems futile, for it might be the path to freedom and victory.
