The work was written at the beginning of the 20th century. Christ appears in pre-revolutionary Russia preaching the Gospel. He heals the paralytic, raises the dead, and overturns tables in churches on which candles are sold. Part of the people accepts him, but the other part, led by priests and church elders, persecutes him. The matter comes to the Metropolitan of Moscow, he convenes an emergency meeting of the capital's clergy, Christ is called a Jew, a rebel and an anarchist. Not having the power to judge the preacher himself, the Metropolitan turns to the Governor General with a request to arrest and try the wandering prophet. They are about to sentence Christ to capital punishment, but an angry crowd bursts into the courtroom, grabs Jesus, drags Him out of the city and crucifies Him there. The work is imbued with a foreboding of the terrible coming revolution.