Later in the movie, circumstances has prompted Marcellus to take action against Judah Ben Hur and explained to the (yet to leave) older centurian ..
"You once asked How do you fight an idea? ... I will show you ... with another idea"
Hawaii has no recourse but to introduce another idea into the foray.
It will ultimately be knocked down, but until then it's,
"Long form?, We don't have any steenking long form"
Yet ? in all his troubles, God was still with Judah Ben Hur