WATER WIND AND FIRE

PROLOGUE

In this scene the writers are each carrying a manuscript.
Enter Mark and Matthew

MARK
It was my uncle Barnabas who first put me onto it. He’s an apostle and I travelled with him a couple of times, but I’m not really cut out for pioneer trekking through bandit country. It was quite a relief when he said I could be more useful putting it all down on papyrus.

‘Look Mark,’ he said, ‘what we apostles need is a racy, action-packed story of the life of Jesus; something we can carry around and have copied and use to tell people what He was really like.

‘You can write good Greek’ he said, ‘and you are good friends with Peter. Go and get the story from him and write it up.’

So that is what I did.

MATTHEW
And a very good job you made of it. (to audience) Mark’s account is often the first one people read, and the first to be translated into any new language. It is the great starter kit for new Christians - but there was much more to be written.

My name is Matthew and I was there when Jesus told us to pass on His teaching to others. I was part of that first church in Jerusalem. We kept the records, the first library of His teachings, written while memories were still fresh. I could get at those records; so when Mark had finished his Gospel, I sat down to write a longer, more detailed one. I gave less space to the incidents; more to the parables and other teaching.

Peter helped Mark. I had the help of James and Jude the brothers of Jesus who were leading the church in Jerusalem at that time when I was writing.

Enter Luke and John.

LUKE. Hi there, you don’t mind if I come in on this do you?

MARK Of course not, why should we?

LUKE. Well you are all good Jews and I am a Greek.

MATTHEW That distinction has gone now. There is neither Jew not Greek, bond nor free, male nor female: we are all one in Christ Jesus.


LUKE.
Glad to hear it. My name is Luke, Doctor Luke. I was in Paul’s travelling team and I travelled with him to Jerusalem. He was arrested there and had to wait two years on remand until he appealed to Caesar. What do you think I was doing in Jerusalem all that time?

MATTHEW
Go on, tell us, what were you doing?

LUKE.
I was interviewing people who had known Jesus, so that I could write a report on His life for my friend Theophilus. John here remembers, I am sure.

JOHN.
Yes, Jesus had made me responsible for His Mother Mary; so she was staying with me when Doctor Luke questioned her.

LUKE.
Here is my manuscript, all guaranteed from my own research, mostly personal interviews with people who knew Jesus.

JOHN.
But still there are plenty of incidents none of you have covered. I picked out a few more and told them at length; events I remember well because I was there. My account here fills some of the gaps you three have left.

MARK.
So you see, between the four of us we have produced a record from which people can find out about the Messiah - but the question is, will it reach them?

enter copyist (with quill pen in hand)

COPYIST This is where we came in.

MARK Oh yes, who are you?

COPYIST
I am one of thousands of volunteers who copied out your manuscripts by hand. You four wrote the Gospels, but we the unknown copyists gave them to the world with our seal of approval on them. We who bore the drudgery are the people who really selected which books would be included in the scriptures. No church authorities or councils could have chosen any of them if we had not already voted with our pens.

LUKE.
Glad to know you voted for us, but let us see what happened to all those copies?

(music - they take off cloaks revealing modern clothes)

We took a trip down time until we arrived in the twenty-first century where we found - -

MATTHEW.
Thousands and thousands of early hand-written copies are still around, mostly in museums now.

JOHN.
A fragment from one copy of my account dates back to about 130 AD and is now in a place called - er - Manchester.

MARK. A scrap from mine was buried by the Romans in 66 AD.

LUKE
By AD 140 our four accounts had been put together, called “The Gospels” and accepted by Christians as the true account of Christ. In AD 180 Irenaeus said they were like the four points of the compass.

JOHN.
When printing was invented, we were first off the presses. Printed copies went round the world. John Tyndale was burnt at the stake because his English translations were being smuggled into Britain.

MARK.
We have been banned by Nazi’s; banned by Communists; sometimes banned by the Church. We have been smuggled into countries where our message is hated.

LUKE.
We have been translated into more languages than any other documents ever written, and we are still the world’s greatest best-sellers. They just can’t get rid of us can they.

MATTHEW.
And now, somebody has put our four stories together like pieces of a jig saw puzzle, to make one drama. If we had not written the truth, the pieces would not fit.

JOHN.
Let the people decide for themselves. Ladies and gentlemen, we now present the drama, Water Wind and Fire. This play is part of the evidence.

(exit all) (music)

PART ONE. FRESH SPRING WATER.

enter narrator and prophet (who may stand beside narrator or at back).

NARRATOR
Tiberius was Emperor of Rome, Pilate governor of Judea, Herod in charge of Galilee and Caiaphas was High Priest. The prophet had said

PROPHET
A voice in the wilderness crying today
Prepare for the Lord who is coming this way.
Remove every obstacle, make His path clear
And give Him free access. The Lord, coming here.

NARRATOR
And sure enough, John the Baptist came to the wilderness of Judea, (enter Baptist)
where he lived on locusts and wild honey. Dressed in a camel-hair coat with a leather belt, he preached to the people who had walked miles to hear him.

BAPTIST (stands centre)
Turn your lives round, the Kingdom of Heaven is here.

NARRATOR
When they confessed their sins, he plunged them into the Jordan as a sign that their old life was dead and new life had begun. Then some Pharisees and Sadducees came, highly respected and very religious people.

BAPTIST
You vipers! Who warned you to run away from God’s approaching anger. Let’s see a real change in your lives. Don’t think you are privileged because you descended from Abraham. God could make Abraham a new lot of descendants out of these stones if He wanted. Now listen everyone. Someone is coming. Just wait. Someone greater than me. I don’t even deserve to clean His shoes.

I baptise you in water. He will plunge you into Wind and Fire - into the Holy Spirit of God!

(enter Jesus)

NARRATOR
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised.

BAPTIST
You can’t mean it - surely you should be baptising me, not I you.

JESUS
Please do it. We have to go through with all that is right.

NARRATOR
So John baptised Jesus (mimed) and as He came up out of the water, Heaven opened and they saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove upon Jesus and a voice from Heaven said, “This is my Son. I love Him and He thrills me.”

( exit Baptist)
(music)

Then the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. For forty days and forty nights He had no food. He was hungry.

(enter Devil behind Jesus)
(Alternatively this dialogue can be played with the Devil’s voice only and Jesus miming)

DEVIL (creeping up behind Him)
If you are really the Son of God, why not turn these stones into bread.

JESUS (not turning round)
It is written, “People need more than bread. Every word God speaks is vital for life.”

DEVIL (creeping nearer)
If you really are the Son of God, why not jump down from the top of the temple in front of all the people. That will make them believe in you. After all, it is written, “Angels will take care of you, in case you hurt your foot on a stone.”

JESUS (still not turning round)
It is written, “Don’t try out experiments with the Lord your God.”

NARRATOR
The devil gave Him a glimpse of all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

DEVIL (close behind, pointing forward over His shoulder)
Look. They all belong to me you know, but I will give them to you, if you just bow down and worship me.

JESUS (turns round sharply. Devil cringes back)
Get away from me Satan. It is written, “Worship the Lord your God and Him only.”

(exit Devil)

NARRATOR
The devil did get away from Him, and angels came to help Him.

(enter Baptist)

NARRATOR
Meanwhile back at the Jordan, John was still baptising when he saw Jesus returning.

(Jesus approaches him)

BAPTIST
Look. There He is. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Remember I said there’s a man coming after me who takes precedence over me because He existed before me. Well, here He is.

I came to make Him known but I didn’t realise who He was at first. God who sent me told me that when I saw the Spirit descend on a man, He would be the one - the Baptiser in the Holy Spirit. Well I saw and I’m telling you, this is the Son of God.

(enter Andrew and John)

NARRATOR
Next day John pointed Jesus out to his own disciples who promptly went and followed Jesus.

(exit Baptist)

JESUS (to Andrew)
Hello, what are you looking for?

ANDREW Where are you staying, Rabbi?

JESUS Come with me and see.

ANDREW
Just a minute, I’ll fetch my brother. (fetches Peter from out of the audience) Simon, come quickly, we have found the Messiah.

NARRATOR
Two days later there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee.

(wedding music plays. enter Mary)

His Mother was a guest and when Jesus turned up with His new followers they were all invited.

MARY (to Jesus)
They have run out of wine.

JESUS Please Mother, don’t bring me in to this, my time has not come yet.

MARY (to servant off stage))
Just do what He tells you.

NARRATOR
They had six of the usual giant stone jars holding gallons of water for washing.

JESUS Fill the jars with water and take some to the Master of Ceremonies.

NARRATOR
When the Master of Ceremonies tasted the water that had been turned into wine he called the bridegroom.

Voice of M.C.
Here, this is best vintage. You should have brought it out at the beginning when everyone was in a fit state to appreciate it.

NARRATOR
So there in Cana of Galilee, Jesus did His first miracle.

(all exit)

Soon after this, He, His Mother, brothers and disciples moved to Capernaum by the sea of Galilee. Then at Passover time they went to Jerusalem.

In the outer courtyard of the temple (the part where gentiles were allowed) there were money-changers and dealers in animals. Worshippers from all nations coming to make offerings had to change their currency or buy animals which were approved as clean for sacrifice. It was a highly profitable business, both for the traders and the officials who issued their licences.

(enter Jesus and disciples)

JESUS
Get this stuff out of here at once. Stop trading in my Father’s house.

(mime Jesus throwing over money-table. The crowd cheers)

NARRATOR
And He drove them out, man and beast. The disciples remembered that the prophet had said

PROPHET
I am on fire with zeal for your house.

This poem can be read by almost anyone but preferably a young person not in the main cast.

In the court of the temple the merchants are trading
God is for sale here, come worship and pay.
Stalls are set out for the currency dealers
Truth-seeking customers come every day.

From lands near and far they are hoping to meet Him
In this House of Prayer they will make sacrifice
But before they can reach Him they come to a barrier.
God is commercial. They must pay the price.

Bring God your offerings, come here to buy them
Traders are licensed to sell you your beasts.
If you want to know God, bring your cash to the market
(The licence fees naturally go to the priests).

Onto the scene came the Nazarene carpenter.
When He arrived He caused chaos all round.
Daring to challenge commercialisation
He tipped up the tables, rolled coins on the ground.

Bankers were scrabbling. Bankers were desperate.
Whose cash was whose they could never find out.
Now He was loosing the birds and the animals
Into the crowd where they wandered about.

Forces of order were suddenly helpless
People were cheering and waving Him on.
Out of obscurity; now a celebrity;
Peaceful existence was over and gone.

The pattern was set, He had made bitter enemies
From whose opposition He’d never be free.
Hated by commerce but loved by humanity
This was the way it for ever would be.

NARRATOR.
This event made Him a public figure. The people were on His side, but He had also made enemies, rich and powerful enemies.

(If table has been left overturned a crowd member steps up and rights it now)

During that Passover time in Jerusalem, many people saw His miracles and believed on His Name; but He did not trust Himself to them, He knew human nature too well and needed no one to tell Him what people are really like.

(exit disciples. enter Nicodemus)

There was one exception. A Pharisee named Nicodemus, a member of the Supreme Court, came to see Him at night.

(Nicodemus walks or sits with Jesus.)

NICODEMUS.
Rabbi, we know you are a teacher from God or you could not do these miracles.

JESUS
If you want to see God’s kingdom, you will have to be born into it.

NICODEMUS.
Born - but I am old. If it means starting from the beginning, I would need to be really born again for that.

JESUS
Born of the water - born of the wind - to enter God’s kingdom you need birth from outside your experience. Flesh gives birth to flesh, spirit to spirit. Don’t look so surprised. You really do need this new birth. Listen to the wind blowing. You don’t know where from or where to. Birth from the spirit comes from a power outside yourself, just like the wind.

NICODEMUS.
This is beyond me. How can such things happen?

JESUS
And you are a teacher of Israel - don’t you understand.
Remember when Moses put the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness and those who looked at it were healed. Well something like that will be done to the Son of Man.
God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever trusts Him will not be destroyed but have eternal life.

(They walk out together.)

God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it but to rescue it.

(music)

NARRATOR
Jesus and His disciples then moved out of Jerusalem into the surrounding countryside of Judea where they baptised people.

(enter Baptist)

John was baptising farther north. Some Jewish leaders were discussing a problem with him when one of them said

Voice of PHARISEE
Rabbi, you remember that man you told us about, well He is baptising too and everyone is going to Him.

BAPTIST
Good. You didn’t think I’d be jealous did you. We can each receive only what is given us from Heaven. Remember I told you I am not the Messiah but came to make people ready for Him. I am like the best man at a wedding, full of joy for my friend the bridegroom - but He is the one with the bride. He must increase. I must decrease.

(exit Pharisee )

I come from Earth and can only speak from Earth. He comes from Heaven, speaks from Heaven, and yet people don’t receive what He tells them. Those who do, are lining themselves up with God.

NARRATOR
John’s work was nearly over. He had made an enemy of Herod by speaking against his adultery with his sister-in-law, among other evils. Soon Herod would add to those evils by having John arrested and put in prison.

(exit Baptist)

The Pharisees heard that Jesus was baptising more people than John. But while the Baptist was still free, Jesus did not want to overshadow him. So He left Judea and the group set off to walk the sixty mile journey back to Galilee. The route took them through Samaria and they came to Sychar.

(music)
(enter Jesus & sits)

The disciples went to buy food, leaving Jesus near Jacob’s well. Tired from His journey He sat by the well in the midday sun and a Samaritan woman came to draw water.

(enter Woman)

JESUS May I have a drink, please.

WOMAN
Fancy asking me. You Jews are not supposed to speak to us Samaritans.

JESUS
If you knew God’s gift and who is asking you for a drink, you would be asking me for a drink of fresh spring water.

WOMAN
Fresh spring water Sir, and where will you get that from? It’s a deep well and you haven’t got a bucket. Or are you somebody special, greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well. He used to drink here himself you know, and his sons and herds.

JESUS
And yet when you drink this water, you will be thirsty again. Now the water I give is different. You never thirst again because it turns into a spring inside you and goes on bubbling up for ever.

WOMAN (puts down pot)
It would be nice not to have to come here every day for water. Sir, I’m not sure what you are getting at, but I would like to have it.

JESUS Right, go and fetch your husband and we can talk.

WOMAN I haven’t got a husband.

JESUS
That’s right; so you haven’t. You have had five husbands and the man you have now is not your husband. You told the truth.

WOMAN
Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Tell me, our fathers worshipped on this mountain but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place to worship.

JESUS
Believe me the time is coming when worship will be neither here nor in Jerusalem. True worshippers will worship the Father honestly from their hearts, those are the kind of worshippers the Father is looking for. God is spirit himself and must be worshipped in spirit and truth.

WOMAN
Ah well, we shall know all about these things when the Messiah comes. He will tell us everything won’t He.

JESUS You are talking to Him now.

NARRATOR
The woman rushed back to the village, forgetting even her water pot.

WOMAN (leaves pot. rushes into audience.) Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did. This must be the Messiah. (brings back 2 people)

NARRATOR
She fetched the villagers who invited Him back. Jesus was so excited He did not want to eat the food His disciples had brought. He stayed in that village two days and many Samaritans trusted Him. (exit all)

Back in Galilee His fame spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and was highly acclaimed.

(music)

PART TWO. FIRE ON THE EARTH.

(enter Jesus - note that disciples are not here for this scene)

Jesus came to Nazareth where He had been brought up and on the sabbath day went to the synagogue as usual. They asked Him to preach. He stood up to read the scripture and they brought Him the parchment scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He selected Chapter 61 and started to read.

JESUS (reads)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to tell good news to those in desperate need. He has sent me to heal broken hearts, to set prisoners free, give sight to the blind, bring freedom to those who have been shattered, to declare that this is the time when God will accept people -

NARRATOR
And at that point, right in the middle of a sentence, He stopped and rolled up the scroll. The congregation knew that He had deliberately missed out Isaiah’s next words -

PROPHET And declare our God’s day of vengeance.

NARRATOR
He had handed the scroll back to the verger who was replacing it in its safe. Jesus then took His place on the speakers’ seat and every eye was fixed on Him.

JESUS Today this prophecy is fulfilled, You are hearing it now.

NARRATOR
As He went on speaking they were amazed and, for a while, thought it was wonderful.

JESUS
I know what you are thinking. “Physician heal yourself,” as the saying goes. Do some of your miracles here in your home town. But it doesn’t always work like that. Prophets are not honoured in their own country. In Elijah’s time, during the famine, there were many widows in Israel, but he went to a foreigner, a widow in Sidonia.

(angry murmur at word “foreigner”)

In Elisha’s time there were many leprosy sufferers here in Israel, but he healed Naaman the Syrian - another foreigner you see - you can’t keep God’s love to yourselves.

_{(all in front row stand & point)}

NARRATOR
At this they were so angry they rushed forward and dragged Him outside. Some wanted to push Him over the cliff side, but He calmly walked through the middle of the mob and they found that they could not do it.

He went back to Capernaum and made it His base, continuing His preaching all over Galilee

JESUS (walking forward through audience - speaking forcefully)
This is the moment you have been waiting for, the time for which all time was made. God’s kingdom has arrived and is right here beside you. Turn your lives round and believe the good news. (exit)

NARRATOR
Back in Galilee He used to teach by the lakeside where the people would sit on the side of the hill sloping down to the water. Jesus would push out a short distance from the shore in the disciples’ fishing-boat. From there His voice carried right up the hillside

(Enter Peter)

PETER (May read from lectern)
“Follow me,” said the leader, and all we had lived for was suddenly cast into shade.
A new sun was rising, new day broke upon us, new light and our world was remade.
We trekked across hillsides to cities and villages, slept under starry night skies.
We shared in His dangers, we shared in His laughter, we shared in His joys and His sighs.
The people flocked round Him, they pressed to be near Him and ever they hoped to hear more
So our fishing boat served as a travelling platform to speak to the crowds on the shore.
Then when He had finished we’d all step on board, and quickly cross over the lake.
There was no other way to escape from the crowds and relax for a very short break.
Then once He was sure we had mastered His message, He sent us all out two by two.
We tramped through the villages, preaching and healing, exactly as He used to do.
We promised to live for Him, vowed we would die for Him, all let Him down at the end.
But in spite of our weakness one thing remains certain., we loved Him and He was our friend.

(Enter Jesus and disciples)

JESUS
Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.

ANDREW
We took Him into the boat and a few other boats set sail with us. A terrific wind hit us, waves washed over us and were filling the boat. He was asleep in the stern with His head on a pillow. That I suppose was a subtle compliment to the four of us who were experienced boatmen, but even we were frightened this time. I woke Him.

Master don’t you care? We could all be drowned.

JESUS
What are you frightened of, Mini-faiths. Wind, be quiet. Sea, calm down.

ANDREW
Everything became calm. Even the wind and sea obeyed Him.

We did not realise it at the time, but this was vital preparation for the days to come when we would travel the world, taking whatever ships were available and risking all weathers.


NARRATOR
They reached the Gadarene country on the far side of the lake, where they were met by a man with an unclean spirit who lived among the tombs. People had tried to chain him but he had broken free. Day by day on the hillside or among the tombs he used to cry out and cut himself with stones. He saw Jesus in the distance, ran to Him and worshipped Him.

(Enter Legion)

LEGION (pitifully)
I can’t have anything to do with you can I, Jesus, Son of God most high.

JESUS Get out of him you dirty spirit.

LEGION Help. For God’s sake don’t torture me.

JESUS What is your name?

LEGION My name is Legion, there’s a lot of us in here.

JESUS Get out of him.

LEGION
Don’t torture us. Don’t send us away. Let us go into those pigs - - into the pigs - - the pigs - the pigs
JESUS Go.

NARRATOR
The spirits went out of the man and a great herd of pigs that were nearby suddenly rushed down the hillside into the sea and were drowned.

The swineherds went to tell people in the town and they came to see what had happened. There they found Jesus and the man they had known as a maniac sitting, fully dressed and perfectly sane.

Those who had seen what happened described it to the townspeople who were frightened and asked Jesus to leave the district; so He re-embarked.

LEGION
Please! Let me come with you.

JESUS
No, go back home and tell your people what the Lord has done for you.

exit all but Legion.

NARRATOR
He went and declared throughout the Decapolis area what Jesus had done for him, and the people were amazed.

LEGION
The pigs went on galloping, galloping, galloping
The pigs went on galloping down to the sea.

A rush without reason, a fear supernatural
Only destruction could take it away.
But the spirits who haunted and drove them to drowning
Themselves fled in terror, more frightened than they.

And the pigs went on galloping down to the sea
But I was myself again, healthy and free.

The pigs they had wallowed in - what pigs do wallow in;
Fed upon garbage too filthy to say,
But the spirits who seized them were squalid, polluted,
More beastly than beasts and more dirty than they.

And the pigs went on galloping down to the sea
But I stood up clean as a true man can be.

They had captured and sullied me, turned me sub-human,
Driven to tombs where I dwelt with the dead
Until I encountered the Master of manhood
Before whom in terror the spirits had fled

To the pigs who went galloping, galloping, galloping
The pigs who went galloping down to the sea.
But I’m going back to my friends and my family
Telling how Jesus the Lord set me free.

(Exit)

NARRATOR
When Jesus came back to Decapolis later, four thousand people followed Him out onto the hills and listened to Him for three days.

They travelled on foot round the country towns and villages, but at Feasts such as Passover He would go to Jerusalem where, as usual, He was the centre of attention. He used to sit in the open courtyard of the Temple and crowds came to hear Him.

(enter Jesus with disciples sits)

Voice of MAN
Isn’t this the man they want to kill? He is speaking openly and no one is touching Him. Have our rulers realised that He really is the Messiah?

Voice of WOMAN
When Messiah comes He will not do more miracles than this man.

(Enter Caiaphas opposite side from where Jesus is sitting)

NARRATOR
The chief priests sent officers to arrest Him, but they returned without Him.

(enter Guard)

CAIAPHAS (to Guard) And why have you not brought him?

GUARD No one ever spoke like this man.

CAIAPHAS
Has He deceived you too? You won’t find any of us rulers trusting Him, only this cursed ignorant mob. (Nicodemus stands up)

NICODEMUS
Wait a minute, our law does not condemn anyone without a fair hearing first.

CAIAPHAS
Are you from Galilee too then? You will never find a true prophet from there.

(exit Guard, Nicodemus sits. Caiaphas stands watching)

NARRATOR
As he sat talking to the people, some Pharisees and theologians brought a woman into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

(enter Pharisee dragging Rahab from audience)

PHARISEE
Look Rabbi, we caught this woman committing adultery. We found her in the very act. Moses decreed the death penalty for adultery. What do you say? Should we stone her to death?


NARRATOR
They were trying to trick Him into saying something against the law. But He looked down at the ground and wrote with His finger.

(pause)

PHARISEE
Rabbi, this woman here was actually committing adultery when we caught her. What do you day we should do?

(pause)

Rabbi, can we have an answer please.

(pause disciples watch expectantly)

Rabbi - -

JESUS
(angrily) The one among you who is without sin, let him throw the first stone.

(exit Caiaphas first, then Pharisee. disciples stand back)

NARRATOR
Again He looked down and doodled in the dust.

JESUS (looking up)
Oh, have they all gone? Where are your accusers, has no one condemned you?

RAHAB No one Lord.

JESUS Neither do I condemn you. Go home now and remember - never again. (exit Rahab radiant - disciples move across with Jesus)

(music)

NARRATOR
John the Baptist was still in prison. Herodias hated him and wanted him dead, but Herod was afraid to kill him. He kept him safe and often listened to him. On Herod’s birthday, Herodias got her chance.

(party music. possibly mimed dance scene)

At a grand party, her daughter Salome danced and pleased Herod and his guests. He offered her any reward she chose.

Voice of SALOME
Mother, what shall I ask for.

Voice of HERODIAS (spitefully)
John the Baptist’s head.

Voice of SALOME
I’ll have John the Baptist’s head. Bring it in on a dish.

NARRATOR
Herod was sorry but dared not go back on his promise in front of the guests. So he sent his guards to kill John and bring his head on a dish. Some disciples obtained John’s body for burial. Others hurried to Galilee to tell Jesus what had happened.

Jesus planned to respond by going deliberately into danger close to Herod’s home, but first He had to clear up His work in Galilee and prepare His disciples for the new direction. He took them for a short break in the villages of Caesarea Philippi. There Jesus asked them.

JESUS Who do people say that I am?

PETER
Some say John the Baptist risen from the dead. Some say Elijah or one of the Prophets.

JESUS And what about you. Who do you say that I am?

PETER You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

JESUS
Good for you Simon, you didn’t work that out for yourself. My Heavenly Father revealed it to you. Now listen, I shall soon be going to Jerusalem again. There the chief priests, leaders and theologians will reject me and have me put to death. Then on the third day - - -

PETER Oh no! Not You!

JESUS Yes, it is necessary for the Son of Man to suffer.

PETER But that isn’t what the prophet said about the Son of Man.

PROPHET
I saw in the night vision and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of Days and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations and languages should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

JESUS
Yes that’s right. But before I come to receive my kingdom I must suffer and die. Then on the third day -

PETER No way! Look Master this must not happen to You - - -

JESUS
Get behind me Satan. You are not speaking from God this time, just your human point of view.

NARRATOR
He called the crowd to Him and spoke to them all.

JESUS
Listen, anyone who follows me sets out on a last journey which can only end in death, like a condemned criminal picking up his cross. If you follow me your life is finished. But then it is those who love their lives who will lose them. The way to find life is to give it up for my sake and the Gospel’s. What profit is it to gain the whole world and lose your own soul?

Yes, the Son of Man will come in the glory of the Father and the holy angels, but those who are ashamed of me here will find that I am ashamed of them on that day.

(Peter stands, head down.
Jesus puts hand on Peter’s shoulder, reassuring)

PETER (looking up)
Who will be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?

JESUS (calling or pointing to a child)
This child here is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven - you only get into it by coming to God like a child does - and once in it the way to greatness is humble service. How can anyone be greatest in the kingdom of lowliness?

(to everyone, becoming more serious)

And talking about children, the world has trouble coming to it for what it does to them. Anyone who corrupts a child would be better off in the deepest sea with a millstone tied round his neck. We know corruptions exist, but those responsible will suffer for them.

If your hand or foot corrupts you, cut it off. Throw it away. It’s better to go into life without it than be thrown, with it, into the eternal fire.

So make sure that you respect children and value them.

Voice of MAN (whining)
Master, tell my brother he should share the inheritance with me.

JESUS
Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you. Beware of money-mindedness. Your life is not made up of things that you own. One rich man had a bumper crop, filled his barns to overflowing, sat down and said to himself, I have all I need now, take it easy for years to come. And God said to him, “Stupid idiot. Tonight your soul is due to be taken back from you, and what price all that wealth then.” That’s what it's like being rich in goods but bankrupt before God.

(Jesus speaks loud to whole audience)

Life, real life! This is what I have come for - so that people may have it - full and rich and overflowing.

I have come to throw into the Earth a fire that will set it ablaze - Oh how I long to see it already burning.

But before that can happen there is an experience for me; one I must carry through to the end. I feel hemmed in on all sides until that moment comes when I can say, “Mission Accomplished.”

(As Jesus says “Mission Accomplished” He spreads out his arms and stands
in the position He will be in when He says the same words from the cross.
long pause, then exit with disciples)
(music)

PART THREE. GATHERING STORM.

NARRATOR
At last the team was ready for the daring venture Jesus had been planning - their response to Herod’s execution of John the Baptist. He led them south and east, across the Jordan and into Herod’s home territory. There were some Pharisees who thought they ought to warn Him of danger

(enter Pharisee)

PHARISEE
You had better get out of here. Herod plans to kill you.

JESUS
Does he? Well take a message from me to that fox. Tell him I am here today, healing and casting out demons. I shall be here tomorrow. I shall still be here the next day. I shall stay until I have finished what I came to do and nothing Herod can do will stop me. Besides, it would never do for a prophet to perish anywhere but in Jerusalem.

(exit Pharisee)

NARRATOR
Only when His mission was complete did He at last make the final move into Judea and Jerusalem. He went through Jericho and on the way out passed Bartimaeus, who sat by the roadside begging. He was blind.

(enter Jesus & disciples)
(crowd and Bartimaeus stand in front row)

BARTIMAEUS
Jesus, Son of David, Help!

(Crowd hush him up but he continues)

Jesus, Son of David, Help me!

Voice in CROWD Shut up beggar.

BARTIMAEUS Jesus, Son of David, Help!

JESUS Bring that man to me.

Voice in CROWD OK He’s calling you.

(Crowd let him through.)

JESUS What do you want me to do for you?

BARTIMAEUS My eyesight Master, I want to see. (Takes off dark glasses)

JESUS Go, your faith has healed you.

BARTIMAEUS (Looks around. crowd gasp and sit down)
I’m coming with you.

(exit Jesus & disciples & Bartimaeus.
music)

Enter Pharisee & Caiaphas)

PHARISEE
What can we do? If we leave this man alone everyone will believe Him and the consequences of that could be very serious. Think of the Romans’ reaction. Our position here would be in danger and the whole nation threatened.

CAIAPHAS
This discussion is getting nowhere. Can’t anyone see what’s obvious. It is expedient that one man die for the sake of the people rather than have the whole nation destroyed.

NARRATOR
That was Caiaphas the High Priest speaking and he didn’t know how right he was. Unwittingly he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation - and the world.

(exit Pharisee & Caiaphas)

From that day it became official policy to kill Jesus. He could no longer walk publicly in Judea; so he settled briefly in a town called Ephraim on the border of the desert with His disciples

(murmur of voices and movements from front row)

Passover was approaching and over a million people were converging on Jerusalem from all over the country. Every house in the city was filled with guests sleeping on their own mats unrolled on the floor. For three years Jesus had been the centre of attention at nearly all the feasts. Now the chief priests had issued a warrant for His arrest and the main talking-point was the possibility that He might stay away.

Voices of CROWD Will He come? Will He come?

(music)

NARRATOR
Two miles from Jerusalem, across the Mount of Olives in Bethany, was the home of Martha, her younger sister Mary and brother Lazarus

(enter Jesus, disciples including Judas, Mary of Bethany )

On Friday afternoon Jesus arrived there. Sabbath rest lasted from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset; so on Saturday evening Martha made Him a welcome supper, served in Simon’s house.

(they recline at table. Mary enacts as narrator speaks)

Mary brought a jar of highly expensive perfumed ointment, broke it open and anointed Jesus, both His head and His feet. The fragrance filled the house.

JUDAS
That stuff was worth a fortune. We could have sold it and given the money to a worthy cause.

JESUS
Leave her alone, it was lovely. You can give to charity any time you like. She has taken her chance to give this now - better than waiting till I’m buried. I’ll tell you something else. What this young lady has just done will be talked about all over the world, wherever this Gospel is proclaimed.

NARRATOR
They had all reacted to the money-value of the ointment in the same way, but the one who had spoken their thoughts aloud was the team treasurer, Judas Iscariot.

(Jesus & disciples move to side, or into audience)

Next day, Sunday morning, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Once the news that He was coming spread, great crowds came out to meet Him.

(enter Jesus & disciples)

They laid their coats on the ground for the donkey to walk on, waved palm branches and shouted

(front row stand - music)

CROWD
Hosanna in the Highest
Hail to David’s Son.
King of Israel
Coming in the Name of the Lord
Hurrah

NARRATOR Had not the prophet said

PROPHET
Daughter of Zion, have nothing to fear.
Shout out for joy to your King coming near.
He brings justice and rescue. He comes not with pride
But sits on a donkey, as poor people ride.

CROWD Glory in the Highest.



NARRATOR
Surrounded by such a crowd the authorities could not touch Him, but one Pharisee watching complained,

VOICE OF PHARISEE Really sir, you should tell your fans they are going too far.

JESUS If they kept quiet, the stones would be shouting.

CROWD Glory in the Highest. (disciples stand. crowd sits.)

NARRATOR
When He reached the city and the crowd had dispersed, He looked around quietly, saw what was happening and then returned to Bethany for the night. On Tuesday He went again to the Temple courtyard for what proved to be His last public appearance and final speech.

JESUS (centre stage addressing audience)
Your religious leaders are the ruling authorities; so you have to obey them, but don’t be like them. Their religion is all show and sham and loving to be given titles of honour. Forget about titles of honour, you are all brothers. If you want to be great, serve others and be great servants.


There's trouble coming to you - leaders of phoney religion who make great long prayers and then make money out of exploiting poor widows. You keep others out of God’s kingdom but will not go in yourselves. You cross land and sea to make one convert and make him twice as fit for the scrap heap as you are.

You pick a sprig of mint from your garden and dutifully snip off one tenth of it to give to God as your tithe, but little matters like justice, mercy and faithfulness have no place in your lifestyle. You carefully remove a gnat from your drink, without noticing a camel swimming around in the cup. You swallow it whole.

Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone God’s messengers. How often have I longed to gather your children like a hen gathering her chicks, but you would have none of it. Now your house is desolate. You will never see me again. Not until the great day arrives when you will say, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.”

(moves to side and sits. enter disciples & sit round Him)

NARRATOR
Late into the night He sat with His disciples on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, a favourite spot. There they talked and talked and talked. He warned them of many coming false Messiahs, deception, disruption, persecution and great suffering.


JESUS
This Gospel, this good news of God’s kingdom, will be declared through all the habitable world. After that the end will come. People will say, the Messiah is here, or he is there - don’t believe them. When I do come back there will be nothing secret about it. I shall be seen like the lightening right across the sky. Stars will fall and all the powers of the Heavens be shaken. Then the prophecy will be fulfilled, the Son of Man will come with the clouds in power and great glory and send out His angels with a trumpet sound to collect His people.

NARRATOR
Very late that night he finished talking about all these things, and then He said

JESUS (standing)
Two days to go and it will be Passover and the Son of Man will be crucified.

(they prepare to go out, Judas lagging behind them - enter Caiaphas behind Judas)

NARRATOR
About the same time the chief priests were meeting to plan His capture and death - but they were saying, “Not until after the feast or there could be a riot.”

(very slowly Judas drops behind. exit Jesus & others
Judas turns and walks over to Caiaphas)

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to them and agreed to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver.

(Judas & Caiaphas confer. shake hands. exit)

(INTERVAL HERE)

PART FOUR. ON TRIAL.

(enter Jesus & Peter from Audience)

PETER
Master, where are we going to eat the Passover? We should be getting it ready.

NARRATOR
Their meeting place had to be kept secret. The warrant was still out for His arrest. In public places no one dared touch Him, but away from the crowds the city was full of danger for them.

JESUS
Go into the city and meet a man carrying a water pot. Follow Him home and ask the householder, “Have you a guest room for us to eat the Passover, please?” He will show you to a large upper room all furnished and prepared. Make the meal ready for us there.

(Jesus moves to one side, Peter is joined
by other disciples in preparing table opposite)

NARRATOR
The furnishing was a low table, raised just above the floor, with mats for lying on around it. Each guest would recline on the left elbow and eat with the right hand.

(Jesus rejoins disciples, recline round table)

JESUS
I’ve really been looking forward to this Passover together before I suffer. There will not be another one like it. Next time in Heaven.

NARRATOR
Then He rose, took water and a towel and started to wash their feet, a servant’s job for which none of them had volunteered. He came to Peter first. (Jesus mimes actions)

PETER Lord what are you doing!

JESUS You’ll see, and later you will understand.

PETER No! Stop it. It’s not your place to serve me.

JESUS I wash all my followers. Those I don’t make clean can not belong to me.

PETER If it’s like that, go ahead and wash me all over.

JESUS
No need for that. You had a shower before you came, I just need to wash off the dust of the road. That’s how it always is - people come to me dirty and I make them clean all over once and for ever - but they still need daily washing like this.

NARRATOR He went right round the table doing the same for them all.

(Jesus puts away towel etc)

JESUS
Now listen. You call me Master and Lord and rightly, so I am. Now serve each other as I your Lord and Master have served you. Among the nations, rulers have status, authority carries honour, but it must not be like that among you. The only way to greatness here is to serve.
(Returns to table, begins serving food.)
One of you is going to betray me.

NARRATOR
This had them worried. Several asked, “Am I the one?” (Peter signs to John)

JOHN
Peter signed to me to ask Him who it would be. I was reclining on His right so I could lean back and whisper discreetly, “Lord, who is it?”

JESUS Watch who I pass this to.

JUDAS Is it I?

JESUS
As you say. (passes Judas the bread) What you have to do, do it quickly.

NARRATOR
To the others this might have meant no more than a simple errand, Judas was team treasurer. (Judas gets up) He went out into the night.

(Judas crosses to far side where Caiaphas meets him)

So Jesus Himself set in motion the train of events that followed. Caiaphas and his colleagues were taken by surprise when Judas reached them, breathless, to say.

JUDAS (to Caiaphas)
It’s now or never, I can lead you to Him tonight but I can’t go back to Him - He knows.

(Caiaphas beckons Pharisee and they mime
a brief consultation while Narrator is speaking)

NARRATOR
They were unprepared. No emergency court had been called, false witnesses had not been primed, the security guards were not ready to make the arrest; and it was Passover time.

They must have considered aborting the plot. But they really needed Judas - not only to help them find Jesus away from the crowd, but also because without someone to lead them the security guards were afraid to touch Him. They were the same guards who had often been on duty while he preached and did miracles in the temple courtyard.

So Caiaphas went ahead, rushed through the preparations, called the guards, summoned some of the judges for an emergency night court which was technically illegal, and made a quick last minute appointment with the Roman Governor to ratify it’s decision early next morning.

(Jesus & disciples get up and move
into position for arrest scene)

It was several hours before the band of guards, armed and carrying lanterns, made its way out of the city across the Kidron valley and up the dark hillside to the olive grove which was a favourite spot for Jesus.

(enter Guard led by Judas)

Judas had told them he would identify Jesus by greeting Him with a kiss.

(Judas mimes words to guard then kisses Jesus)

JESUS
My friend, did you really have to use a kiss to betray me.

(steps forward towards the guard. Judas moves back).

Who are you looking for?

GUARD Jesus of Nazareth.

JESUS Here I am. (Guard falls back nervously.) Who are you looking for?

GUARD Jesus of Nazareth.

JESUS I said, here I am. If you are looking for me, let the rest go.

(exit disciples except Peter & John who stand back)
(Guard ties Jesus’ hands)

Swords, truncheons, what have you brought those for, am I a bandit? You all saw me teaching in the temple and never touched me then. But this is your hour, night, when you can draw your authority from the darkness.

(exit Judas)

NARRATOR
They bound Him and led Him away to the High Priest’s house.

(guard leads Jesus behind screen)

Peter and John followed at a distance, the rest had slipped off into the night and made their way back to Bethany.

John had friends in the High Priest’s household; so could go in and see what was happening with a good excuse to be there. It was harder for Peter. He had to wait in the courtyard outside. The night dragged on and it grew colder and colder.

(John moves behind screen leaving Peter alone)

Voice of WOMAN Hello, are you one of this man’s followers.

PETER No not me.

( Peter moves to side. Guard brings Jesus out from behind screen on other side.
enter Caiaphas and Pharisee)

NARRATOR
Inside the house the High Priest was interrogating Jesus about His followers and His teaching.

JESUS
I always spoke openly, in synagogues or the temple. If you want evidence of my teaching, ask those who heard me.

PHARISEE How dare you answer the Priest like that. (hits Him)


JESUS If I spoke wrongly, bring a charge. If not, why hit me?

(Guard leads Jesus back behind screen Caiaphas & Pharisee follow)

NARRATOR
Meanwhile Peter was waiting outside, getting colder and colder. He went to warm himself at the brazier.

Voice of WOMAN
I think this chap’s one of those disciples. You can tell from his accent he comes from Galilee.

PETER
I come from Galilee but I’m not one of them.

Voice of MAN
No? I thought I saw you up there in the olive grove where they arrested Him.

PETER
Man I swear I’ve never met Him.

(Jesus is led by guard across stage.
He turns and looks at Peter in passing. Peter goes out in tear.
Caiaphas & Pharisee take up position for trial)

NARRATOR
Jesus was taken before a hastily-convened illegal meeting of judges which purported to be the supreme court. The law required that before a prisoner could be charged, two witnesses, separately questioned, had to give evidence that agreed. The court heard a number of perjurers accusing Jesus, but their evidence did not agree closely enough to make a case.

CAIAPHAS
Have you nothing to say about these accusations? (pause)
By virtue of the authority vested in me as High Priest I am putting you on oath. I command you by the living God that you tell us, are you the Messiah the Son of God?

JESUS
I am, (stir) and the day will come when you see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of Heaven. (stir)

CAIAPHAS
No more evidence necessary, we have all heard His blasphemy.

(enter Pilate. in far corner)

NARRATOR
They agreed and sentenced Him to death. Early in the morning they took Him to have the sentence confirmed by the Roman Governor.

(Guard leads Jesus, with Caiaphas to front of Pilate’s house.
If there are separate actors for Guard and Centurion,the Centurion comes on here
and the Guard hands Jesus over to him. Otherwise the Guard continues as the Centurion
Pharisee moves into audience to lead shouts by crowd.)

It was still Passover time and the priests were anxious not to become ceremonially unclean by entering a gentile house. Governor Pilate therefore came out to meet them on the balcony outside.

(Front stage is balcony, backs stage is inside.)

PILATE What charge do you bring against this man?

CAIAPHAS Your Excellency, He is already convicted or we would not have troubled you.

PILATE Right. Deal with Him under your law.

CAIAPHAS We need your sanction for the death penalty.

PILATE Then you must tell me the charges.

CAIAPHAS Well, er, we have convicted Him of, er, corrupting the people.

PILATE A bit vague.

CAIAPHAS Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar.

PILATE
Are you asking me to believe that your Supreme Court took the trouble to try one of your own citizens on a charge of forbidding Caesar’s tribute?

CAIAPHAS It was incidental to the other charges Your Excellency.

PILATE (sarcastically) Indeed.

CAIAPHAS And claiming to be Messiah, a king.

(Pilate takes Jesus to inside his house behind balcony)

PILATE Well, are you the king of the Jews?

JESUS Do you really want to know, or is this what others have said?

PILATE Am I a Jew? Your own rulers have charged you. What have you done?

JESUS
My kingdom is not one of this world’s kingdoms. If it were, my servants would be fighting now. But it’s not that kind of kingdom.

PILATE So you are a king then?

JESUS
Yes I am a king. I was born into the world for this purpose - to show the Truth. People who belong to Truth will hear me.

PILATE
What is Truth? (pause) All right you have answered the charge. Kings from a spiritual realm are no rivals to Caesar.

(Pilate returns to balcony, leaving Jesus with Centurion.)

I find nothing wrong with this man.

CAIAPHAS
He has been a trouble maker Sir, stirring up the people all over Judea, and before that in Galilee.

PILATE (eagerly) Galilee - He is a Galilean then?.

CAIAPHAS Yes Your Excellency.


PILATE (relieved)
Then the case is under Herod’s jurisdiction and Herod is here today in Jerusalem. Take Him to Herod. (sits)

(Centurion takes Jesus behind screen. Caiaphas follows.)

NARRATOR
Herod was pleased. He had wanted to see Jesus for a long time and hoped to see a miracle. But to all his questioning Jesus gave no answer at all. The chief priests brought their charges. Herod and his guards mocked Jesus and dressed Him up in a purple robe, symbol of royalty.

(re-enter Caiaphas, Jesus & Centurion)

Then Herod sent Him back to Pilate, with no decision made.

PILATE (standing front)
Look you brought this man to me as a trouble maker, but I found nothing wrong with Him. Now Herod has heard your charges and not convicted Him either. I’ll have Him whipped if you like, but that is all.

CAIAPHAS No! Crucify Him

CROWD
Crucify Him! Crucify Him. You can’t let Him go. He’s an enemy. He’s a blasphemer. Away with Him.

PILATE Silence!

(Caiaphas remains outside looking triumphant.
Pilate takes Jesus aside while narrator is speaking.)

NARRATOR
Caiaphas and his colleagues had taken the precaution of gathering a crowd of their own supporters, mixed perhaps with the rabble who had come to watch the executions. This mob was not the voice of the Jewish people and did not represent them. The common people supported Jesus, but it was early in the day and they were still at home.

(Pilate leaves Jesus with Centurion, returns to balcony)

PILATE
Listen I always release one prisoner at Passover time. Suppose I release Jesus. Or would you rather have Barabbas who’s in for murder.

CAIAPHAS Barabbas.

CROWD Barabbas. Give us Barabbas.

NARRATOR
Pilate kept trying to persuade them. He had realised by now that this case had been brought out of personal jealousy. Also his wife had sent him a message.

Voice of PILATE’S WIFE
Don’t get involved with this innocent man. I’ve suffered a terrible nightmare about Him.

NARRATOR
But the chief priests and their party kept on stirring up the mob to shout for Barabbas.

PILATE What shall I do with Jesus who is called Messiah?

CAIAPHAS Crucify Him

CROWD Crucify Him! Crucify Him. Away with Him.

PILATE Why what crime has He committed?

CROWD Crucify Him! Crucify Him. Away with Him.

PILATE (washes his hands)
I am innocent of the blood of this man. It’s your affair.

NARRATOR
Then he released Barabbas and sent Jesus to be whipped.

(Centurion takes Jesus behind screen , Pilate sits. Caiaphas remains standing)

The soldiers took Him to the barracks for whipping. The whole platoon gathered round and made fun of Him, dressed Him in the purple robe, platted a crown of thorns and put it on His head. Some of them knelt to Him in mock obeisance, others beat Him with a reed, others spat in His face. Then Pilate called for Him to be sent back again.

(enter Centurion bringing Jesus)

He brought Him out onto the balcony in front of the people.

PILATE Look at the man.

CAIAPHAS Crucify Him

CROWD Crucify Him

PILATE Why don’t you do it yourselves, I find no fault in Him.

NARRATOR
He knew they could not take him up on this and still face their public, or function as priests.

CAIAPHAS By our law He must die because He claimed to be the Son of God.

NARRATOR
Suddenly Pilate was really frightened. (Pilate takes Jesus into house)

PILATE (agitated)
You heard that latest charge, calling yourself the Son of God, what is it all about? Who are you? Where did you come from? (pause) you are not answering (pause) Don’t you realise I have authority to crucify or release you?

JESUS
You have no authority over me. Only what is given you from above. The one who brought me to you has the greater sin.

PILATE (pacing up and down)
He’s trying to spare me guilt. Son of God. Son of the gods - no they only have one god, Son of Jehovah. Could it be true. He’s right not to tell me, I couldn’t bear it. But He must be released. Where’s that Caiaphas.

(Pilate returns to balcony)

Look I know you want this innocent man out of the way but I’m not going to do it for you.

CAIAPHAS If you release Him you are not Caesar’s friend.

PILATE What!

CAIAPHAS
Any one who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar. If you release Him you could be in very serious trouble.

PILATE Bring Him out onto the balcony again. (Centurion brings Jesus)
Look people, here is your King.

CAIAPHAS
Crucify Him.

PILATE (to Caiaphas) I’m not asking you.

(stepping forward, hands out towards audience)

I am asking YOU. What will you do with Jesus, Messiah, King?

(Caiaphas signs to crowd, mouths “Crucify Him”)

CROWD Crucify Him.
PILATE Shall I crucify your king?
CAIAPHAS We have no king but Caesar.
CROWD (echo) We have no king but Caesar.
PILATE
No king but Caesar - ye gods. All right then, crucify Him.

(exit Caiaphas , triumphant. Pilate sits down defeated. Centurion leads Jesus behind screen)

PART FIVE. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

(Jesus & Centurion are behind screen)
(Enter Caiaphas & Treasurer from opposite sides)

TREASURER My Lord Caiaphas.

CAIAPHAS Yes what is it?

TREASURER We have a problem.

CAIAPHAS Can it not wait, I have had an extremely harassing day.

TREASURER
We only want to be sure you approve our proposed course of action.

CAIAPHAS Very well, what has happened?

TREASURER
Early this morning a man came to the temple in a distressed condition. He kept saying, “I have betrayed innocent blood” and wanted to give us some money. The priest in charge told him to see his own Rabbi about it and said we could not accept the proceeds of a crime into the temple funds.

CAIAPHAS That was quite correct.

TREASURER
Well he flung it down on the ground and ran off. I have it here, thirty pieces of silver.

CAIAPHAS (suddenly shocked)
Thirty pieces of silver! Did you discover his name?

TREASURER We did actually, Judas Bar-Simon Iscariot.

CAIAPHAS You had better find him and return it.

TREASURER We tried my lord, he is dead.

CAIAPHAS Dead!

TREASURER
Apparently he went straight out from the temple and hanged himself on a tree outside the city. The owner of the land is very upset about it. He says the body fell out of the tree and it was all very unpleasant. The poor fellow had a pottery business there and believes his land is defiled, his business ruined.

CAIAPHAS Convey to him my sympathy.


TREASURER
Well my lord it occurred to us that we could solve both problems at once. Use this money to buy the potter’s field in the name of the deceased. Then it can be donated to the municipal cemeteries department. They are always needing extra space for burying poor strangers.

CAIAPHAS
An excellent suggestion, I entirely approve. The potter will be compensated, and the donation treated as a last charitable action by this, er, Judas did you say his name was?

TREASURER Yes, God rest His soul.

CAIAPHAS Er, precisely.

(exit both on opposite sides slight pause)

NARRATOR (forcefully recovering dramatic intensity)
Had not the prophet said

PROPHET
They valued me at thirty pieces of silver and paid the price to the potter.

(enter Centurion leading Jesus from behind screen to cross)

NARRATOR
They were leading Jesus out to execution with two other condemned men.

PROPHET He was counted with criminals.

NARRATOR
The soldiers stripped Him and shared out His clothes, throwing a dice for who took the coat. (Centurion mimes)

PROPHET They shared out my garments and gambled for my clothes.

NARRATOR
When they reached skull-hill they nailed Him to the cross and hung Him up between the two robbers. (Centurion mimes)

JESUS
Father forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.

Voice of ROBBER 1
If you are the Messiah, why don’t you save yourself and us?

Voice of ROBBER 2
Aren’t you afraid of God, we are in this together with Him - only we deserve it and He doesn’t. (calls out) Lord, remember me when you come in your kingdom.

JESUS You will certainly be with me today in Paradise.

(enter John, Mary mother, Mary Magdalene behind.
Centurion stands on guard by cross.)

NARRATOR John brought the mother of Jesus to Him.


JESUS Mother, see there is your son. Son, see there is your Mother.


NARRATOR (slowly start dimming the lights)
It grew dark. (continue dimming the lights)
an hour passed
and another
and another.
PROPHET
He was despised and rejected,
A man who knew suffering well.
We looked away, disowned Him as he bore our griefs.
He was carrying our sorrows
Yet we treated Him as an outcast
Unwanted, even by God.
For our offences he was wounded,
For our crookedness, crushed.
To bring us peace, He was whipped.
For our healing He was beaten.
We all strayed like sheep
And God loaded our faults onto Him.
Silently He bore injustice
Like a lamb led to slaughter
Dumb as a sheep being shorn
Stripped of all rights
Cut off without posterity
Struck down for the wrongs of my people.

JESUS
(hoarsely) My God, my God, why did you leave me?

(pause) I’m thirsty.

NARRATOR
The guards had a jug of sour wine and Roman soldiers carry sponges in their wash bags. One of them soaked his in the sour wine and held it up on a stick. Jesus moistened His mouth, cleared His voice and called out

(Centurion acts this)

JESUS
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Father into your hands I trust my spirit.


NARRATOR
He bowed His head and stopped breathing.

CENTURION (hushed & awed)
He was a good man after all.

(long silent pause while John leads Mother of Jesus away slowly
Magdalene stands unobtrusively by the cross
Joseph of Arimathea enters, crosses slowly to look at Jesus
then crosses back. enter Pilate.)

JOSEPH (to Pilate) Your Excellency.

PILATE Yes what is it.

JOSEPH
I wish to request permission to give a private burial to a prisoner who has just been executed.

PILATE
I have no objection but they are probably not dead yet. Which prisoner is it?

JOSEPH Jesus of Nazareth.

PILATE And your name?

JOSEPH Joseph of Arimathea.

PILATE (calls) Centurion, is the prisoner Jesus of Nazareth dead yet?

CENTURION
Yes Sir, they all are, we had to hurry the others along to give time for burial before sunset. It’s one of their Holy Days. But Jesus of Nazareth was dead already.

PILATE Are you sure. It is rather early.

CENTURION
One of my men made sure with a javelin thrust Sir, but it was not necessary, I had checked He was dead.

PILATE
Very good. This man has my permission to give Him a private burial. See to it. (exit Pilate. enter Nicodemus)

NARRATOR
Nicodemus who had first come to Jesus at night, now came forward and joined Joseph bringing a large quantity of myrrh and aloes. Together they took down the body, wrapped it in linen with the spices and placed it in a rock-hewn tomb near to the place where He was crucified.

(Joseph, Nicodemus & Centurion move screen in front of
cross then back again with Jesus behind it.
Mary Magdalene stands watching)

They all went back and rested for the Sabbath, Peter and John and the women in Jerusalem, the other disciples remained at Bethany.

(exit all. bring up lights.)
(music)

NARRATOR
On Sunday morning at daybreak the women went to the tomb taking sweet spices to anoint the body. When they arrived they saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance to the cave.

(enter Magdalene with two or three other women
they look behind screen

MAGDALENE
Oh! They have taken Him away. (all cry out in shock)
I will fetch Peter and John.

(exit Magdalene, running, by the way she came in.
others stand staring)

VOICE OF ANGEL.
Why seek the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen. Go and tell the others.

(exit by side opposite where they came in. Magdalene brings in Peter and John)

MAGDALENE
Peter, John, come quickly, they’ve taken away the Lord out of the tomb. We don’t know where they have put Him.

(Peter & John run to see. John looks behind screen. Peter arrives & goes behind.
John goes behind then comes out & speaks)

JOHN (or this speech can be adapted & spoken by Narrator)
I ran faster than Peter and arrived first, looked inside and saw the linen cloth lying there. When Peter arrived we both went into the cave and saw the main cloth and the separate head-wrap neatly folded and lying by itself.

(Peter comes out & they exit together.
Magdalene reaches screen & stays sobbing)
(enter Jesus from behind screen)

JESUS Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?

MAGDALENE Did you take Him away Sir? Please, please tell me where He is.

JESUS Mary.

MAGDALENE (kneels & grasps His hand in both of hers) Master.

JESUS
Don’t try to hold on to me; I am not staying. I shall soon be going back to my Father; but there is something I want you to do for me. Go and tell my brothers. Explain to them that I shall soon be going back into Heaven.

(exit Jesus)

MAGDALENE (runs back into the audience, shouting)

I’ve seen the Lord. He’s alive. He’s spoken to me. (exit)

NARRATOR
During the day He had a private meeting with Peter who was still feeling desperately miserable after disowning Him in the courtyard at night.

(enter disciples. they sit at table)

JOHN
That evening we came together again in the upper room, still being very careful for fear of the authorities.

(enter Jesus)

JESUS Greetings, Shalom, Peace to you.

ALL Oh!

JESUS
Don’t look so frightened, I’m not a ghost. Feel me and see, a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones. Have you anything to eat?

(sits down at table)
NARRATOR They gave Him some fish and He ate with them. (exit all but John)

JOHN
He showed us the marks of the wounds in His hands and side. Thomas was not with us at the time; so we told Him afterwards that we had seen the Lord.

(enter Thomas)

THOMAS (to John)
I’ll believe it when I have seen it. I would need to put my finger into those nail prints before I could believe it. (enter disciples)

JOHN A week later we were together again and Thomas was with us.

(enter Jesus)

JESUS
Peace be with you. (all gasp)
Hello Thomas. Come and put your finger in my hands.

THOMAS My Lord and my God.

JESUS

You have seen and believed. Happy are those who believe without seeing. (exit Jesus)

(music)

JOHN
After that we made our way back to Galilee as He told us. One night we went fishing again on the lake. (disciples mime rowing. enter Jesus)
We fished all night, caught nothing, and then saw Him waiting for us on the shore at dawn.

JESUS Caught anything lads?

PETER Not a thing.

JESUS Throw out the net to starboard.

(disciples mime throwing out net & making catch)

JOHN We did, and the catch was massive.

PETER It’s the Lord.

(Peter wades towards Jesus who moves to meet him They sit together)

JOHN
Peter couldn’t wait to get to Him. He waded ashore and left us to bring in the boat. When we arrived we found that Jesus had cooked us breakfast on a charcoal fire.

JESUS Peter, do you love me?

PETER Lord you know I am your friend.

JESUS Then feed my lambs, but Peter, do you love me?

PETER Yes Lord, you know I am your friend.

JESUS Then take care of my sheep, but Peter, are you really my friend?


PETER (stands)
Look Lord, I know I let you down badly, but you know everything, you know me right through. You know I am really your friend.

JESUS (also stands)
Then feed my sheep. When you were young you could put on your cloak and go anywhere you liked. When you are old you will stretch out your hands, someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.

PROPHET This was a prophesy of how Peter would be martyred.

PETER (pointing to John) What will happen to him?

JESUS
It makes no difference to you if he is to stay alive till I come back. You follow me.

JOHN
The rumour has gone round that I will not die but live until He comes back. But that is not what He said.

(others begin to move up onto stage)

NARRATOR
They stayed several weeks in Galilee and for a while it was like old times. Jesus even preached again, on one occasion to over five hundred people - all of whom had been His followers. Mainly He was preparing the apostles for what would follow. He showed them where it had been prophesied in scripture;

(Whole cast has now come onto stage )

PROPHET
Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead, and the message will be taken to every nation that in His Name, people can turn their lives round and have their sins forgiven.

JESUS (While Jesus is speaking all crowd round Him.

Tall ones block audience’s view of Him)

Go into all the world and tell the good news to all creation. Make disciples in every nation, and tribe. Teach them all I have taught you. Baptise them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. See, I am with you until the age is complete. Now go back to Jerusalem and wait. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses, spreading out from Jerusalem through Judea, Samaria and on to Earth’s remotest place.

(Jesus goes & sits behind screen)

NARRATOR
Then, before their eyes, He was taken up into a cloud and disappeared out of their sight.

(all move away from screen & gaze upwards.)

Voice of ANGEL
What are you doing gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus whom you have watched going into Heaven will come back in exactly the same way that you have seen Him go.

PROPHET He is coming with the clouds and every eye shall see Him.

NARRATOR The purpose of all that exists is that He shall stand supreme.

ANDREW So we went out and told people.

THOMAS I went to India.

PETER I went to Rome

JOHN I went to Ephesus

MAGDALENE
We came to Carlisle. The good news is still going round the world - forgiveness and new life in Christ - this is why we are here telling you now.

All move forward into the audience with leaflets and invitations. Greet and invite people.