ACT I
GETHSEMANE TO TRIALS
Act One, Scene One
Arrest in the Garden
of Gethsemane
The scene opens with twelve men standing in the Garden
of Gethsemane late at night. Jesus had just rebuked his disciples for
sleeping while he was praying. And he had just told them that he was about to be betrayed.
The sound of marching is in the air. Many Roman soldiers and
a large group of other people are approaching carrying torches and lanterns. The Roman soldiers arrive first. They are accompanied
by the chief priests, Pharisees, scribes, elders and many others who are carrying swords and clubs. Jesus’ disciple
Judas Iscariot is with them.
Jesus: “Whom are you seeking?”
Centurion: “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus: “I am he.”
As soon as he answers ‘I am he,’ the crowd falls
to the ground. The Bible does not say why this happened. Perhaps the Roman centurion was honoring Jesus because he recognized him and had
seen some of his miracles. As he bows his men bow and others bow as a reflex action. God Himself had ordained it to be so.
Jesus: “Whom are you seeking?”
Centurion: “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus: “I told you that I am he. If you are seeking me, let these others
go their way.”
Judas: [steps forward and kisses Jesus on both cheeks] “Hail, rabbi.”
Jesus: "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" "Friend, do what you have come for."
Several in the crowd grab Jesus.
Peter: "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"
Peter suddenly lunges forward with a short sword and cuts off
the right ear of Malchus the high priest’s servant. Jesus is released.
Jesus: "Stop! No more of this." [Jesus touches his ear and heals him.] [Looking at Peter] "Put your sword back into its place. All those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me? Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve thousand angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must happen this way?"
The Roman cohort with its commander and the officers of the Jews
take Jesus and bind him.
Jesus: "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as you would
a common criminal? Every day I have sat in the temple teaching and you have not seized me. [pause] This has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures. This hour and the power of darkness are yours.”
All of the disciples flee and leave the scene. The soldiers and crowd leave. John decides to follow the crowd and is seen following. He is only wearing a sheet for clothing
and when some in the crowd grab him he runs away naked.
Act One, Scene Two
Annas
Jesus is led first to Annas the father in law of Caiaphas the
high priest. Simon Peter and John are cautiously following. John is known by the high priest and is allowed inside his courtyard. John then returns to the entrance of the courtyard, speaks to the servant girl watching the doorway and persuades her to
allow Peter inside.
Girl door-keeper to Peter: “Aren’t you one of this man’s
disciples?”
Peter: “I am not.”
It is cold and the servants and officials have made a fire. Peter
is standing with them while the older high priest Annas is questioning Jesus about his teachings.
Jesus: “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues
and in the temple where all the Jews gather. I have said nothing in secret. Therefore why are you asking me what I teach? Ask those who heard me. They know.”
Official: [slapping Jesus with the palm of his hand] “Is that the way
you answer the high priest?”
Jesus: “If I have spoken wrongly, tell me what I have said wrong, but
why do you hit me if I have spoken the truth?”
Act One, Scene Three
Caiaphas
It is still night. Jesus has been sent by Annas to Caiaphas,
the current high priest. The chief priests, scribes and elders are assembled. Peter has followed at a distance.Once again he has entered a courtyard and is sitting with others at a fire.
The chief priests and Sanhedrin spend several hours trying to
find witnesses who will lie in order to accuse Jesus of crimes worthy of death. Those who come forward contradict themselves
and are not acceptable.
First accuser: “This man stated ‘I am able to destroy the temple
of God and to rebuild it in three days.’”
Second accuser: “We heard him say ‘I will destroy this temple
made with hands and build another one made with out hands.’”
And even these two accusers cannot agree. The high priest stands
and approaches Jesus.
Caiaphas: “Are you not going to answer? What is it that these men are
saying against you?”
Jesus says nothing.
Caiaphas: “I exhort you by the living God that you tell us if you are
the Christ, the Son of God, the Son of the Blessed One.”
Jesus: “It is as you have spoken. I am. And I say to you that in the future you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds
of heaven.”
Caiaphas: [ripping his outer garment] "He has spoken blasphemy! Behold, you
have now heard his blasphemy. Why do we need any more witnesses? What do you think?”
All in unison: “He deserves death.”
Men come from the crowd around Jesus. They spit in his face,
blind-folded him, beat him with their fists and yell “Prophesy to us, you Christ. Who hit you?” Even the high
officials slap him in the face. As they accuse Jesus of blasphemy they themselves blaspheme against God.
Act One, Scene Four
Peter’s Denials
Peter is sitting at a fire in the high priest’s courtyard
with servants and officials.
Servant Girl #1: “You were also with Jesus the Nazarene from Galilee. [turning to the others] This man was with him too.”
Peter: “Woman, I do not know him. [looks towards the others] I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.”
Official: “You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
Peter: “I am not.”
Peter stands up and walks out to the gateway of the porch.
Servant Girl #2: “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.
This is one of them.”
Man: “You are one of them too.”
Peter: “Mister, I am not.”
About an hour passes.
Servant Girl #1: “Did I not see you in the garden with him? You were
the one who cut off my relative’s ear.”
Un-named: “Surely you too are one of them. Even your accent gives you
away. You are also a Galilean.”
Peter: [curses and swears] “Damn all of you. Mister, I do not know the
man you are talking about!”
[A rooster crows, pauses, and crows again.] A cock crows
a second time. From a short distance Jesus turns and looks at Peter.” And Peter remembers how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." And Peter went out and began to weep bitterly.
Act One, Scene Five
Caiaphas Again
It is early morning in Judea.
Night-time trials are illegal and it is necessary to re-convene the Sanhedrin for an official day-time trial. The chief priests,
scribes, Sanhedrin and other leaders of the people are assembled once more.
Caiaphas: “Tell us if you are the Christ.”
Jesus: “Even if I tell you, you will not believe me. And if I ask you
a question you will not answer me. From now on the Son of man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
Caiaphas: “Are you the Son of God, then?”
Jesus: “It is as you say. I am.”
Caiaphas: “We need no further witnesses. We have heard it ourselves
from his own mouth.”
As the scene ends Jesus is tied up and all leave the room.
Act One, Scene Six
Judas
The scene opens with Judas standing with some of the chief priests
inside the Temple. Jesus has just been condemned by the
Sanhedrin and is being moved to be tried by Pilate.
Judas: [vainly attempting to hand back the thirty pieces of silver] “I
have sinned and betrayed an innocent man.”
Chief priest: “What is that to us? That is your problem.”
Judas throws the pieces of silver deeper into the Temple
and leaves the scene to hang himself.
Chief priest: [walks a distance, picks up the bag of silver and walks back
to the other chief priests] “It is not legal to put this money into the temple treasury since it is the price of blood.”
They discuss the matter and use the money to buy the Potter's
Field as a burial place for strangers. For this reason the field was called the Field of Blood. Therefore the prophecy was
fulfilled which said: “They weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the
potter: a goodly price that I was valued at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in
the house of the LORD.”
Act One, Scene Seven
Pilate
The scene opens with an open outdoor court at the governor’s
mansion, the Praetorium. All of Jesus’ accusers are present and all are being questioned by Pilate.
Pilate: [to the chief priests] “What accusation do you bring against
this man?”
Caiaphas: “If this man were not a criminal we would not have delivered
him to you. We found this man misleading our nation, forbidding men to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a King.”
Pilate: “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.”
Caiaphas: “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.”
Pilate walks off of the outside pavement, enters into the building
and calls for Jesus to be brought inside before him. Jesus is brought inside and stands while Pilate is seated. There are Roman body-guards present.
Pilate: “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus: “Why do you ask? Are you saying this from your own curiosity
or did others tell you about me?”
Pilate: “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and chief priests have delivered
you to me. What have you done?”
Jesus: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this
world, then my servants would fight so that I would not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from this realm.”
Pilate (laughter) : “So you are a king!”
Jesus: “It is as you say. I am a king. I was born to be a king and I came into this world to be a king to testify of the truth. All who are of the
truth hear my voice.”
Pilate: [sitting back unimpressed that Jesus was a threat to himself] “What
is truth?”
Pilate motions and Jesus is escorted back outside. Then Pilate
goes out to address the crowd again.
Pilate: “I find no legitimate cause to condemn this man.”
Upon hearing this the chief priests begin accusing Jesus even
more than they had before but Jesus does not answer.
Pilate: [to Jesus] "Do you not hear how many accusations they are bringing
against you? Aren’t you going to answer them?”
Jesus does not answer a single accusation against him. Pilate
is amazed.
Caiaphas: “He stirs up the people. He has been teaching all over Judea
beginning from Galilee and reaching even here.”
Pilate: [to Caiaphas] “Is this man a Galilean?”
Caiaphas: “Yes, he is.”
When Pilate hears that Jesus is a Galilean and belonged to Herod’s
jurisdiction he sends Jesus to be judged by him. Herod was in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration.
The scene ends with soldiers escorting Jesus away.
Act One, Scene Eight
Herod
The scene opens with Herod, like Pilate, sitting outside in a
high chair of honor and flanked by Roman body-guards. The crowd has followed Jesus. Herod is very pleased when he sees Jesus.
He has wanted to see Him for a long time because he has heard about him and hopes to see Jesus perform a miracle.”
However after being asked many questions Jesus again remains
silent. The chief priests and scribes continue to vehemently accuse him.
Herod and his soldiers also ridicule and mock Jesus. Next Herod
clothes Jesus in a gorgeous robe and sends him back to Pilate. Because of this incident Herod and Pilate reconcile their differences
and become friends.
Act One, Scene Nine
Pilate Again
The scene opens back at Pilate’s open court as before with
Pilate seated while Jesus and body-guards stand before the crowd.
The Romans are holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas who
had been imprisoned for murder during a revolt. Prior to this time the crowd had been asking Pilate to continue his custom
and release a prisoner.
Pilate: [to the chief priests] “You brought this man to me as one who
was inciting the people to rebellion. Having examined him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges
which you make against Him. No! And neither has Herod, for he sent him back to me. He has done nothing deserving death.”
“You have a custom that one prisoner should be released at the Passover
feast. Whom do you want me to release for you --Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ, the king of the Jews?”
The crowd is quiet for a moment. Pilate thinks that they would
not want to release the murderer Barabbas because he knows that they had only handed Jesus over because of envy.
Pilate: “Therefore I will punish Jesus and release Him.”
Pilate’s wife is seen walking up to his side and whispering
in his ear.
Pilate’s wife: “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. Last
night I had a horrible nightmare because of Him.”
Pilate’s wife leaves and the crowd is manipulated to ask
for Barabbas to be released.
Pilate: “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
Crowd: “Barabbas. Not this man, but Barabbas. Away with this man and release for us Barabbas!”
Pilate signals to the soldiers and Jesus is taken away and scourged.
After the scourging is over the soldiers twist together a crown
of thorns, put it on Jesus’ head and put a purple robe on him. They shout “Hail, king of the Jews” and hit
him with their hands.
Pilate: “Look, I am bringing him forth to you in order that you may
know that I find no fault in him.”
Jesus is brought out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple
robe.
Pilate: “Behold the man. What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ, the king of the Jews?”
Crowd: [chanting over and over] “Crucify him, crucify him. Let him be
crucified!”
Pilate: “Why? What wrong has he done? You take him and crucify him. I find no guilt demanding death in him. I will punish him again and release him.”
Caiaphas: “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die because he
made himself the Son of God.”
Pilate: [upon hearing this Pilate is more afraid and motions
for Jesus to be brought back inside the judgment hall. The scene follows the movement of Pilate, Jesus and two of his guards back into a room.
Pilate: “Where are you from? [silence] Are you not going to speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to crucify you and authority to release
you?”
Jesus: “You have no authority over me except that
which has already been given to you from above. Because of this the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
Pilate now wants to release Jesus even more than before. He leaves Jesus inside and goes back outside to speak to the crowd.
Caiaphas: “If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Any
person who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”
Pilate summons for Jesus. He is brought out and stands in front
of Pilate who is sitting on the Judgment seat in the place called the Pavement or Gabbattha. It is the day before the Passover after 6 A. M. Pilate has overcome his fear and now wants to aggravate the Jews.
Pilate: [boisterously] “Behold your King!”
Crowd: [canting louder and louder] “Away with him. Away with him.. Crucify
him. Crucify him.”
Pilate: [in a sarcastic tone] “Shall I crucify your king?”
Chief Priests [in unison]: “We have no king but Caesar.”
Pilate: [takes a basin of water and washes his hands in front of the crowd]
“I am innocent of this man’s blood. He is your responsibility.”
Crowd: [in unison] “May his blood be upon us and upon our children!”
Pilate: “I sentence this man, Jesus of Nazareth
to be put to death by crucifixion immediately.”
Pilate motions behind him. Soldiers bring out and release Barabbas
who triumphantly waves and joins the crowd.
The soldiers lead Jesus away.
Act One, Scene Ten
Second Scourging
Several soldiers take Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s
palace where the entire cohort of 600 Roman soldiers is assembled.
Jesus is scourged a second time.
Again they strip him of his own clothes and place the scarlet
robe upon him, a crown of thorns on his head and a reed in his hand.
Solders: [kneeling and bowing before him] “Hail, king of the Jews.”
The soldiers come up in large numbers and spit on Jesus. Some
take the reed out of his hand and hit him continuously with it. Isaiah even wrote that they pulled out his beard.
After the mockery ends the soldiers remove the scarlet robe,
put Jesus’ own garments back on and lead him away to crucify him.
Mt 26:47; Mk 14:43; Lk 22:47; Jn 18:3.
Mt 26:51; Mark 14:47; Lk 22:50; Jn 18:10. Cuts off ear
