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Home , Feeding the multitude, Jesus Walks, John the Apostle, Malchus

The Eyes of the

1.

(A crowd is gathered. The Apostle , a very old man, walks on stage. Whenever the Old John appears, he walks with the aid of a long stick)

DEB; John, John, the Apostle whom loved! Do you have a message for us today?

OLD JOHN; My little Children, one another. My little Children, love one another. As has loved you, so love one another.

CERINTHUS; There is that simpletonian. He is a leader of that sect. What is that sect called?

ENOS: “Christians.”

CERINTHUS; “Chr-e-stians”? That is just what I said, “Simpletonians”. I heard them say that Jesus is the Son of God. Do they mean that God has a son? Does God have a wife also? Did God pace the clouds while His wife was in labor?

(A huge laughter comes from the crowd)

CERINTHUS: I have also heard them say that Jesus is God. They firmly maintain that there is only one God. Are there two Gods now? I even heard that they have added a third one, the . Now they even have three Gods. Does one plus one plus one equal one? (Laughter from the crowd)

(Deb comes to Old John and grabs his arm)

DEB: John, who is this man?

OLD JOHN: His name is “Cerinthus”. I have encountered him before.

DEB: I wish that somebody would put a muzzle on him. He disturbs my faith. Dying will be hard enough for me. If I would die without hope, that would be harder.

OLD JOHN: Cerinthus might disturb many, but he does not disturb me. My eyes have seen Jesus. My ears have heard Jesus. My hands have handled Jesus.

DEB: John, why don’t you write a book? By means of a book, you might cause others to see Jesus as you have seen Him.

OLD JOHN: Jesus pre-existed. He was with the Father at the creation. When God created, He did not start with raw materials as we do. God created through His Word. God simply spoke and it was done. Jesus was that Word. That Word became flesh. My eyes have seen Him. I shall write about Him.

DEB: Will you call your book, “The Eyes of the Apostle?”

CURTAIN

2.

(John the Baptist enters. He has long hair. He has a coat of camel’s hair and he has a leather belt around his waist. A crowd is gathered)

JOHN THE BAPTIST: Repent! Repent!

MAHAL: Here comes the ! JOHN THE BAPTIST: Repent! Repent!

CAINAN: No. He is . He is dressed like Elijah. Can’t you see?

JOHN THE BAPTIST: Repent! Repent!

ENOS: No. He is one of the Prophets who has returned.

JOHN THE BAPTIST: not the Messiah. I am not Elijah. I am not one of the Prophets.

MAHAL: Who are you then?

JOHN THE BAPTIST: I am a voice. I am only a voice. There is one coming after me who was before me. He is greater than I. I am not worthy to carry His sandals. I am not worthy to tie His shoes.

ENOS: Why do you baptize then?

JOHN THE BAPTIST: I baptize with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Prepare the way of the Lord!

Every valley shall be exalted. Every mountain and hill shall be made low. The crooked shall be made straight. The rough places shall be made plain. All flesh shall see it together. They shall see God’s kingdom which was prophesied of old. That kingdom is here right now.

CURTAIN

3. The Wedding of

(Deb and Old John are on stage in front of the curtain)

DEB: John, you lived with the mother of Jesus, didn’t you?

OLD JOHN: Yes.

DEB: Certainly, you had long evenings when you were talking to Mary. Did Mary talk much about Jesus while He was growing up? What about the chastening rod which the parents had hanging on the wall?

OLD JOHN: The chastening rod was a part of the parents’ equipment, but Mary never had to use it on Jesus. Jesus was sinless.

DEB: It is hard for me to imagine a sinless child in the home, a child that never needs to be corrected. I know of one naughty boy who took the rod off of the wall and broke it pieces. The mother was frustrated when she needed it badly. That broken rod would not serve the purpose.

OLD JOHN: Because Jesus had no sin, He could take our sins upon Himself and atone for our sins.

DEB: Tell me more. Did Mary sense that she failed while bringing up Jesus?

OLD JOHN: Yes, as Jesus was growing older, she became anxious about His revealing Himself to be the Messiah. She remembered pushing Him unduly to reveal Himself as the Messiah. One example was at a wedding which took place in Cana.

(The curtain opens to a wedding scene. There is a crowd. Jesus and Mary are standing next to each other)

(All on stage sing these words)

With good wine, Lord, at Cana. The wedding feast You blessed. Grant also these Your presence. And be their dearest guest. Their store of earthly gladness Transforms to heavenly wine. And teach them in the testing. To know the gift divine. LSB 858

MARY: Son, You are now thirty years old. You do so many nice things for me. You carry the water that I need from the well, but, so far, You have not stepped forward to show the world that You are the Promised Messiah. How long do I have to wait for You to show yourself to be the Promised Messiah?

JESUS: Dear Woman. Why do you let this matter trouble you? My hour has not yet come.

(Mary steps away from Jesus and turns to the audience)

MARY: This waiting is hard for me. It is now thirty years since my Son was born. The told me that He would be the Promised Messiah. There was a special sign. I conceived Him as a . I did not know a man. I know that He is the Messiah, but why doesn’t He reveal Himself?

RUTH: (Says to Mary) We have run out of wine.

MARY: (Says to the audience) Now I shall see Him revealing Himself. Surely, when Jesus sees such an emergency, He will come to the rescue.

MARY: (To Jesus again) They have no wine.

JESUS: Dear Woman. Why do you let this trouble you? My hour is not yet come.

MARY: Again, I get this reaction. I have to wait and wait.

MARY: (To one of the servants) Whatever He says to you, do it.

JESUS: (Speaking to the same servant) Fill the waterpots with water.

(They fill the waterpots)

JESUS: Draw some of it out now and take it to the governor of the feast.

(Enos is seen carrying the sample of water to the governor of the feast and the governor tastes it)

GOVERNOR: Nathan! Come here! I want to talk to you.

GOVERNOR: Aren’t you the groom in this wedding? Don’t you know the customs for a wedding? The good wine is to be served first. After the guests have had a little to drink of the good wine, they cannot taste the difference between the good wine and wine of inferior quality. Why is it that you have kept the good wine until last?

(Mary turns to the audience. She is elated)

MARY: Now He has revealed Himself! He did a . He changed water into wine.

CURTAIN

4. Jesus Chooses His Disciples

ANDREW: What a privilege it is to be Your ! I have brought Simon, my , to You.

JESUS: You are Simon, the son of Jona. I am giving you a new name. Whenever we talk our native language, , your name will be “Cephas”. When we talk Greek, your name will be “Peter”. Both names mean “Rock”. You will be my rock.

So far, my disciples are Andrew, Peter, and Philip. PHILIP: Andrew brought his brother. Let me get my brother.

(Philip leaves and comes back with Nathaniel)

PHILIP: Lord, here is Nathaniel, my brother.

JESUS: Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile.

NATHANIEL: How do you know me?

JESUS: When you were under the fig tree I saw you.

NATHANIEL: You were miles away. How did You know that I was under the fig tree? You even say that You “saw” me under the fig tree. This is a sign that You are the Messiah. When Philip said that You were the Messiah, I was skeptical. Now I know that You are the Messiah.

JESUS: Because I said that I saw you under the fig tree, you believe. (Turning to the disciples) You will all see greater things that this. You will see heaven open and the of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.

CURTAIN

5. The Cleansing of the Temple

DEB: (To Old John in front of curtain) Tell me, John, since You were “The disciple whom Jesus loved,” did Jesus ever rebuke You?

OLD JOHN: I remember one time when He rebuked me.

DEB: Only one time?

OLD JOHN: Well, specifically, I remember one time, when Jesus wanted to enter and the would not accept Him. That made my brother, James, and me angry. We asked Jesus, “Shall we ask fire to come from heaven to consume them?” Jesus indicated that such a thing was not His style. He nick-named us, “sons of thunder”, after that.

DEB: So Jesus never acted forcefully.

OLD JOHN: As a rule, He did not. I only remember when He cleansed the temple.

DEB: You mean He took a scrub brush and cleansed the temple?

OLD JOHN: No. No. He went into the temple with a scourge.

DEB: Oh my! That was forceful. Did He have bits of metal, bone, or stone on the thongs of His scourge?

OLD JOHN: No, the scourge was made of rope. His scourge would hardly hurt a fly. Now you will see the cleansing of the temple.

(The curtain opens and there are two tables with a man sitting behind each of them. Jared walks in and goes to one table where Shulken is sitting)

JARED: It want to buy a lamb for a sacrifice.

SHULKEN: That will be fifty danarii.

JARED: Fifty danarii? I sold a lamb at home for thirty danarii hoping to buy one for the same price here. SHULKEN: The price is fifty danarii.

JARED: I can’t afford that much. Unless I buy a lamb for thirty danarii, I can’t sacrifice. I came all the way on foot and now I cannot worship God.

SHULKEN: That is your problem. The price is still fifty danarii.

MEBAK: (Who is standing by) I can help you. I’ll give you the difference of twenty danarii so that you can worship.

(Mebak gives the twenty danarii to Shulken)

SHULKEN: Wait a minute, Where are you from?

MEBAK: I am from Cyrene.

SHULKEN: I can’t take your Cyrenian money. Go to the next table and get your money changed.

(Mebak goes to the next table where Karob is sitting.

KAROB: Here is fifteen danarii for your twenty.

MEBAK: What? Do I get only fifteen danarii for my twenty?

(Jesus walks in with the scourge. Peter and John follow Him)

JESUS: Get these things out of here! It is written, “My house shall called of all nations, “A house of prayer”, and you have made it a house of merchandise. Who can come to this house to pray with all this haggling going on?

(Jesus tips the tables, swinging His scourge. The men flee in fear. After the men are out, some authorities come in)

ROSH: What authority do You have to drive men out of the temple? Show us a sign that You have such authority.

JESUS: Destroy this temple and in three days I will build it up.

ROSH: Forty and six years this temple was in building and You will tear it down and build it up in three days?

(Peter and Young John have been watching all this)

PETER: (Says to Young John) Do you suppose that He will actually tear down this temple and build it up in three days?

YOUNG JOHN: Peter, don’t you think that He could do this if He wanted to? PETER: Maybe this will be the time when He steps forth and makes even the Romans to be His subjects.

YOUNG JOHN: Let’s wait and see. Did you notice that He was pointing to His body when He said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it up?” Maybe He has something bigger in mind than destroying this temple and building it in three days or proclaiming His victory over the Romans. Let’s wait and see.

OLD JOHN: (Only his voice is heard) John….John.

YOUNG JOHN: Who is talking? OLD JOHN: I am your old self talking to you as a younger man. I want to say, at this point, that whenever I think of that scene, I wish somebody could have told me that, right at the time when Jesus cleansed the temple, He was talking about His own death and resurrection. That was the greater thing that He had in mind. His death and resurrection was a greater miracle than either tearing down the temple and rebuilding it in three days or proclaiming victory over the Romans.

CURTAIN

6.

OLD JOHN: Every year we attended the as prescribed by Jewish law. On the Passover, which was one year prior to Jesus’ , Jesus did many while we were at .

DEB: I suppose that impressed people and gained many followers.

OLD JOHN: The miracles impressed people but gained only a few followers.

DEB: How disappointing!

OLD JOHN: Jesus told us why this was. When we were in our private quarters, Jesus said, “I don’t need for anyone to tell me about man, because I know what is in man.”

DEB: I know. There is some good in every man.

OLD JOHN: In our worldly eyes, that might be so, but not in the eyes of God. says, “We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Notice the pronoun “we”. That means that all prophets, even like Isaiah, all like me, and all people have nothing but sin in them. We can do nothing to atone for our sins, but Jesus atoned for us when He died on the cross. We can’t even believe by ourselves. The Holy Spirit has to create faith in us.

Jesus explained this to a man named “Nicodemus” who came to Jesus by night. Nicodemus was one who saw Jesus’ miracles that day. By seeing these miracles, a spark of faith was beginning to grow in Nicodemus. He had to learn more.

DEB: By night? Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus by night?

OLD JOHN: Nicodemus belonged to a sect called, “The ”. Generally, the Pharisees were enemies of Jesus. Nicodemus did not want his fellow Pharisees to know that he was consulting Jesus.

DEB: I would like to see Nicodemus. Show him to me.

OLD JOHN: Here is Nicodemus.

(The curtain opens and Jesus is standing with Nicodemus.

NICODEMUS: Rabbi. We know that Thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest except God be with Him.

JESUS: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see of God.”

NICODEMUS: How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born?

JESUS: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

DEB: (Interrupts and says to John) What was that? I was born in a natural way, but that isn’t good enough. I have to be born in spiritual way to be accepted by God. Is that right? OLD JOHN: That is right. Now let us listen again to the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.

JESUS: Marvel not that I say unto thee, “Ye must be born again.” The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit.

OLD JOHN: You see, Deb, Jesus said, “Marvel not.” Don’t let it worry you. Being born again is not your doing. “You have no control over the wind,” said Jesus. Think of the idea of being born. When you were born physically, what control did you have over it?

DEB: I didn’t have any control over my physical birth. I know that I am here and that is all.

OLD JOHN: That is the way with your spiritual birth. You had no control.

DEB: If I didn’t do something to cause myself to be spiritually born, God must have done something to cause me to be spiritually born. What did He do?

OLLD JOHN: Let’s listen to Jesus speaking to Nicodemus again.

JESUS: As lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal lift. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

DEB: Yes, I know the account of the serpent in the wilderness. The people were bitten by poisonous snakes. Moses lifted up a brazen serpent on a pole. All a bitten person would have to do was to look upon that serpent and he was healed.

OLD JOHN: This is the way it is with us. Jesus was lifted up on the cross. Through our looking at Him, the Holy Spirit puts faith into our hearts and we are born again.

CURTAIN

7. The Woman of Samaria

(Deb and Old John are in front of the curtain as usual)

DEB: I heard about our Lord’s encounter with the woman of Samaria. Do you remember it?

OLD JOHN: Who could forget any journey through Samaria? A journey through Samaria was always frightening, but Samaria was the shortest route. You heard of the “Good Samaritan”. There were also many bad Samaritans. It was good to have the Lord with us when we went through Samaria.

DEB: The Samaritans hated the Jews, didn’t they.

OLD JOHN: And the Jews hated the Samaritans. I don’t think that there was ever a rift between two peoples than the rift between the Jews and the Samaritans. If Jesus’ Jewish lips would have touched this woman’s pitcher to get a drink, that pitcher would have to be destroyed. So great was the rift between the Jews and the Samaritans.

DEB: What? Were they of a different race?

OLD JOHN: No. We were of the same skin color. In fact, we are related. After the Babylonian Captivity, some of our people inter-married with some heathen people near Jerusalem. The children of these marriages followed the religious ways of the heathen. The descendants of these marriages became known as “The Samaritans”. One thing which the Jews and Samaritans had in was the expectation of the Messiah. Jesus, who was the Messiah, healed the breach between the Jews and the Samaritans. Jesus also brought salvation to the Samaritans’ souls.

Now I shall show you Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman.

(The curtain opens with Jesus and His disciples by ’s well)

JESUS: It is now noon. Why don’t you go into the village which is near to us to buy some food. I am tired. I’ll just sit down on this well which is Jacob’s well.

(The disciples leave and along comes this woman to draw water)

JESUS: Give me a drink.

(The woman is annoyed. She clutches her pitcher and turns to the side)

WOMAN: How is it that you, being a Jew, askest drink of me a woman of Samaria? The Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

JESUS: If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee, “Give me to drink”, thou wouldest have asked of Him and He would have given thee living water.

WOMAN: Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep from whence hast Thou this living water? Art Thou greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

JESUS: Whosoever drinketh of this water will thirst again, but whoso drinketh the water that I shall give him will never thirst, but the water that I shall give him will be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

WOMAN: Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

JESUS: Go tell thy husband to come hither.

WOMAN: I have no husband.

JESUS: Thou hast well said, “I have no husband,” for thou hast had five husbands and the man whom thou now hast, is not thy husband. In that saidst thou truly.

WOMAN: Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain and ye say that Jerusalem is the place to worship.

JESUS: Believe me the time will come when neither this mountain nor Jerusalem will be the designated place of worship.

WOMAN: I know that the Messiah cometh, which is called “Christ”. When He comes, He will tell us all things.

JESUS: I that speak unto thee am He.

(Hearing this, the woman forgot her water pot and ran home)

OLD JOHN: This woman ran home and told her kin that she had met the Promised Messiah. Her people invited us to stay. We stayed there two days. The Samaritans have only the five books of Moses as their Holy Scripture, but Jesus, on the basis of these five books was able to show all this woman’s kin that He is the Messiah. They said that they partly believed at first because what this woman had said, but, when they met Jesus personally and heard Him explain the Scriptures to them, they believed sincerely that He is the Promised Messiah.

CURTAIN

8. The Pool at Bethesda

OLD JOHN: I remember one time when we went to Jerusalem for a feast, we went to a sheep market where sheep were sold for sacrifice. There was a pool. The pool was called “Bethesda”. That means, “House of Mercy”. At this pool, many sick, lame, and blind were brought for healing. When the water showed a ripple, the first one into the pool would be healed.

(The curtain opens to the “Pool of Bethesda”. Loud groans can be heard. One or two wear blindfolds. Many are lying around the pool)

JESUS: (To Shem lying by the pool) I know that you have been by this pool a long time. I know that you have been by this pool thirty-eight years. That means that you were placed here even before I was born. Why haven’t you been healed until now?

SHEM: Here is the thing. When the water in the pool makes an unusual ripple, the first one who goes into the pool gets healed. In my condition, I cannot jump into the pool and there is nobody to let me down into the pool. When the ripple comes, somebody always gets into the pool ahead of me.

JESUS: I say to you, right now, “Get up. Pick up your bed-roll and walk away from here.”

(The man does exactly that, but the Jews see it and accuse him of breaking the sabbath rule by carrying his bed-roll)

ROSH: What are you doing? Don’t you know the sabbath law? You are not supposed to work on the sabbath day. You are carrying your bed. Don’t you know any better?

SHEM: The man who healed me told me to do this.

HIRAH: What man told you to do this? Doesn’t he know that you should not work on the sabbath day?

(Jesus returns to Shem)

JESUS: You are healed. Sin no more. If you sin knowingly, a worse thing will come upon you.

SHEM: (Turning to the Jews) Jesus is the one who healed me.

(The Jews, in anger, turn to Jesus)

HIRAH: What is this that You have done? Do You not know better than to break the sabbath law? You claim to be a prophet and you break the sabbath law by healing on the sabbath day. You ought to be killed for this offense.

JESUS: I am like a \son doing what his father does.

My Father raises the dead. In the same way I have given life to this man. I too have raised dead people and I shall raise others.

The Father has committed all authority of judgment to me. Some day, all who were dead will stand before me. All who hear my Word and believe on Him who sent me will have eternal life. The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live.

Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming when all that are in the graves shall hear my voice and shall come forth, some to eternal life and others to eternal damnation. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think that ye have eternal life and they are they that testify of me.

CURTAIN

9.

(A multitude is on stage. Many will have to be on stage to portray a multitude)

PHLIP: Andrew, look at all those people! How many do you suppose they are? 4000? 5000? Our Lord is surely popular that so many have come, here in the wilderness, to hear Him and see Him. There is another important thing about this multitude. They have nothing to eat.

ANDREW: They are on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Didn’t they make provisions for the journey?

PHILIP: Those provisions are exhausted. That is another remarkable thing. They were so eager to see and hear Jesus that they didn’t think of food.

JESUS: Philip, how are we going to feed all these people?

PHILIP: I don’t know. A day’s wages for a whole year would not be enough to buy food for all these people.

ANDREW: There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. Do you know what? He wants to donate this luch of his to feed all these people.

(Both shake their heads and snicker)

PHILIP: Even if we would give each person a crumb of this boy’s lunch, that would not be enough to feed them.

JESUS: Make them all sit down.

PHILIP AND ANDREW: What???

JESUS: Make them sit down.

(As many on stage who are able may sit down. The boy gives up his basket. The disciples keep feeding the multitude)

JESUS: Now gather up what is left. We don’t want to waste food.

(The actors take back what they distributed)

ANDREW: How much do we have?

PHILIP: We have twelve baskets. We have more than we had at the beginning.

BASH: Would He be a wonderful king?

RURAL: He would certainly be a wonderful king. He could supply all our needs.

THE WHOLE MULTITUDE: Be our king! Be our king! Be our king!

JESUS: Verily, verily, I say to you. Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye ate of the loaves and are filled. Labor not for which perishes but for the food that endures to everlasting life which the Son shall give you. RURAL: What shall we do that we might work the works of God?

JESUS: This is the work of God, that you might believe on Him Whom He hath sent.

CURTAIN

10. The Great I Am

OLD JOHN: (standing in front of the curtain) The greatest emphasis of my book is showing the deity of Christ. Jesus, who is the Son of God, often used the words, “I am”. “I am the bread of life.” “I am the door.” “I am the .” Now we see how Jesus, at one time, was almost stoned for calling Himself, “I am”. “I am” is the name of God. “I am” is the name for Himself that God gave to Moses at the burning bush.

(The curtain opens with Jesus addressing a crowd)

JESUS: Verily, verily, I say unto you, “If a man keep my sayings, he shall not see death.”

HIRAH: is dead and the prophets are dead. What are you making of Yourself. Are You greater than our father, Abraham?

JESUS: If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father that honoreth me. Ye say that He is your God. Yet ye do not know Him, and if I should say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar just as ye are liars. Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and was glad.

BASH: You are not yet fifty years old and You have seen Abraham?

JESUS: Verily, verily, I say unto you, “Before Abraham was, I am.”

(Big uproar in the crowd)

ER: What is He saying?

KORAH: Did He just say that He pre-existed? He said, “Before Abraham was, I was.” OMAR: You didn’t hear that right. He didn’t say, “Before Abraham was, I was.” He said, “Before Abraham was, I am.” “I am”. Do you get that? What did God say to Moses at the burning bush? God said, “I am that I am”. This Nazarene is making Himself to be God.

KORAH: Truly, He is making Himself out to be God. The words, “I am”, are the source of that name of God which we do not dare to pronounce.

OMAR: He deserves to die. Let’s stone Him to death.

(They pick up stones. While they are holding stones high in the air, Jesus walks out through their midst)

KORAH: Where di He go? He was here. Where did He go? He walked right out through the midst of us.

CURTAIN

11. The Blind Man

OLD JOHN: (In front of curtain) Jesus healed a blind man. There are some lessons in this for us. The blind man was there and was blind for a purpose as our afflictions are for a purpose. Jesus’ use of the clay proclaims Him as the Creator. God made from clay. We take note of the blind man’s testimony. We also learn the difference between spiritual light and spiritual darkness. (The curtain opens to a blind man and some people. Jesus is there. Maybe the blind man is wearing a blindfold, not that blind people wear blindfolds, but for stage purposes)

PHILIP: Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?

JESUS: Neither did this man sin nor his parents. This man was born blind on that the works of God should be shown through him. I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the .

(Jesus picks up clay and spits on it. He rubs the clay in the blind man’s eyes. The actor may figure out a way to appear to be doing this)

JESUS: Go wash in the pool of Siloam.

(The man goes and returns)

EEWER: I can see! I can see!

BASH: Is this the man who was blind and was begging?

ER: It is he.

KORAH: No. This isn’t the man. It is a man who looks like him.

EEWER: I am the man who was blind but now I see.

SHULKEN: How did you get your sight?

EEWER: A man called “Jesus” made clay and put it on my eyes. He told me to wash in the pool of Siloam. When I washed, I received my sight.

KARAB: Where is He?

EEWER: I don’t know where He is. ROSH: This the sabbath day. What is this man doing, healing on the sabbath day?

(The Pharisees go to a couple)

HIRAH: Are you his parents? Is this your son? Was he really born blind? How did he come to see?

PARENTS: We know that he is our son and that he was born blind, but we do not know how he now sees. He is an adult. Ask him.

(The Pharisees turn to the formerly blind person)

KORAH: Give God praise that you can see. This man, however, who healed you, is a sinner because He healed on the sabbath day.

EEWER: I do not know how he healed me. He told me that He is a prophet. This I know, that He opened my eyes. Why do you keep asking me these questions? Do you want to become His disciples?

KORAH: You might be His disciple. We are not. We are Moses’ disciples. As for this man, we do not know who He is.

EEWER: Now isn’t this amazing? You do not know who He is and He opened my eyes. Since the world began, nobody has opened the eyes of one born blind. If this man were not of God, He could do nothing. SHULKEN: You were born blind. That means you were born in sin. Now you are trying to teach us? Don’t ever come to the synagog again. We don’t want anybody like you polluting our synagog.

(The Pharisees leave him. Jesus comes to him)

JESUS: Do you believe on the Son of God?

EEWER: Who is He, Lord?

JESUS: You have just seen Him. I am the Son of God.

EEWER: Lord, I believe.

(He goes down on his knees. He puts his face on the floor in front of Jesus)

JESUS: I have come that they, who do not see, may see, and that they who see might not see.

KAROB: Are you saying that we are blind?

JESUS: Yes, spiritually, ye are blind. If ye would confess that ye are spiritually blind, ye would truly see. Ye say, “We see”. Because ye say, “We see”, ye are spiritually blind and your sins remain with you.

CURTAIN

12. Jesus the True Shepherd and a Part of the Trinity

OLD JOHN: Who is not familiar with “Twenty-third Psalm”? In the next scene, Jesus identifies Himself as the Shepherd of whom speaks in that psalm. It happens sometimes that a shepherd dies fighting preditors to the sheep, such as wolves, bears, even lions. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, laid down His life for us and took our sins away. In this scene, you will also see that Jesus’ ransom is sufficient for all people because He is God. He says, “I and the Father are one.”

(Jesus is speaking to a crow) JESUS: I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives His life for His sheep. A hired man does not own the sheep. A wolf comes and he runs away. He will not stand and fight the wolf. The good shepherd cares for the sheep. A good shepherd knows his sheep by name. The sheep are like his children. The sheep look to him for protection. They know “his” voice and “his” voice only. They will not listen to a stranger’s voice. The good shepherd, with his staff, will fight the wolf. He might get killed, but he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. I am the Good Shepherd. I lay down my life for my sheep.

I lay down my life and will take it up again. No man takes my life from me. I lay it down of myself. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up again.

(A big argument breaks into Jesus’ speech)

ROSH: He has a devil. He is insane, Why listen to Him?

HIRAH: These are not the words of a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

JESUS: My sheep hear my voice and I know them. I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.

(The anger of the Jews increases)

KORAH: Excuse me, what did You just say? You said, “I and the Father are one.” You are saying that You and Your Father are equal. You are saying that You are God. That is blasphemy. Let’s stone Him, right now! (They pick up stones)

JESUS: Many good works I have done of my Father. For which of these works do you stone me?

OMAR: We are not stoning You for any good work. We are stoning You because You are a man and You make Yourself to be God.

(While the people stand frozen in place, Jesus walks out through the midst of them)

CURTAIN

13. The Resurrection of Lazarus

OLD JOHN: The resurrection of Lazarus is a dear memory to us all. We disciples all knew Lazarus. We stayed at the home of Lazarus and of his two sisters often. We also conversed with him after his resurrection. What a miracle that was! This miracle also took place soon before Jesus’ own death and resurrection.

(The curtain opens with Jesus and His disciples)

THOMAS: Lord, two days ago You said that Lazarus is sick.

JESUS: Lazarus’ sickness is for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified. I waited two days on purpose. Now, let’s go to Judaea.

PETER: Master, the Jews just tried to stone You there.

JESUS: Our friend Lazarus is sleeping. I am going to wake him out of his sleep.

JAMES: If he is sleeping he is alright. JESUS: Lazarus is dead. I am glad that we were not there before he died in order that you may believe. Let’s go to him.

THOMAS: Even if He gets killed in Judaea, let’s go with Him. Let’s stand by His side and die with Him.

(Arrival at Judaea is portrayed by many entering the stage. comes to Him)

MARTHA: Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever You ask of God, God will give it to You.

JESUS: Your brother will rise again.

MARTHA: I know that he will rise again, in the resurrection, on the last day.

JESUS: I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, even though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

MARTHA: Yes, I believe that You are the Christ which shall come into the world.

(Mary comes from behind off stage. She falls at Jesus’ feet)

MARY: Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

(Mary, Martha, and Jesus all weep)

JESUS: Where have they laid him?

(They walk toward the tomb) JESUS: Take away the stone.

MARTHA: Lord, Lord, maybe You have not been told that he has been dead four days. Let nobody take away the stone. By this time, there will be a great odor.

(They take away the stone. Jesus prays)

JESUS: Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. I know that Thou hearest me always, but because of the people, I have said it, that they might believe that Thou hast sent me.

JESUS: (In a loud voice) Lazarus, come forth.

(Lazarus comes out bound in grave cloths)

JESUS: Loose him and let him go.

CURTAIN

14. The Council of High Priests and Elders

OLD JOHN: (In front of curtain) The resurrection of Lazarus really stirred things up. This was such a great miracle and it was before so many people. Jesus was getting a big following. The high priests and elders said, “We can’t allow this to go any farther.”

(The curtain opens with the high priest holding a meeting with several men)

HIGH PRIEST: I called this meeting knowing that we have to do something about this man from . People are flocking to Him. Now He has raised a man from the dead. At least, many say that He raised a man from the dead. If this goes any farther, the Romans will take us over.

SHULKEN: What do you mean, “The Romans will take us over?” Aren’t we already under ?

HIGH PRIEST: Not exactly. We are still the only nation which Rome has not completely taken over. There is no nation, under Rome, which has the strong religious convictions that we have. If Rome does something against our religion, we object and they back down. Think of the time when the Romans tried to put their image of the eagle into our temple. To us that eagle was an idol, so they backed down. Think of the time when Pilate killed some people while they were worshipping. News of this got to the Emperor. The Emperor told Pilate, “You pull another stunt like that and you are through.”

If the followers of this Nazarene take over, the Romans will find no obstacle. They will take us over altogether. We have to get rid of this Nazarene.

KAROB: Can’t we expose this so called “resurrection” as a hoax?

HIGH PRIEST: That would be difficult. This man was dead four days. The rule among us is to bury a dead person on the day of death. Maybe a body can be kept two days. Bodies have been kept three days, but never four days.

Many know that his body was prepared. Myrrh and spices were rubbed into his body.

ROSH: Wow! That would wake anybody up if he were not already dead.

HIGH PRIEST: He was bound. Many people saw the miracle. The Nazarene told them to take the stone from the door. He prayed that His so-called “Heavenly Father” would help Him. He didn’t get struck down for making a blasphemous prayer. The people saw Lazarus come out. Also many went to , after Lazarus arose, and were convinced that it was the same man who had died. The followers of the Nazarene view Lazarus’ resurrection as living proof of the Nazarene’s power. Somehow, we have to get rid of Lazarus too. The bottom line is, “This Nazarene has to go.” It is expedient that one man die for the people.

KORAH: Your words, “It is expedient that one man die for the people,” sound prophetic. Remember that you are the High Priest. With you in such a position, your words might turn out to be prophecy. People have actually prophesied unwillingly in the past. Also remember how the Nazarene Himself said, “I lay down my life that I might take it again.”

HIGH PRIEST: Anyway, He has to go. Maybe we can set up a trial, at least something that looks like a trial. We can hire witnesses. We can pay some witnesses huge sums of money. That way we can have Him convicted. The people will think that He is guilty and deserves death.

CURTAIN AND INTERMISSION

15. The Home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

OLD JOHN: Now your eyes have seen some of the things that my eyes have seen. You are seeing Jesus through my eyes. To show you everything that I have seen would take many books, therefore there is much more to be seen.

Now, I will take you into the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, the home which we often visited. After the resurrection of Lazarus, this was different.

(Curtain opens to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus) MARTHA: I am making a supper tonight. This is a happy occasion. We have Jesus with us. This always makes us happy. Also, this is a happy occasion because we have our brother, Lazarus, with us who was dead and is alive again.

(Deborah enters)

DEB: I came to see Lazarus. Lazarus, is that you? Let me look at you. Let me touch you.

(Deborah leaves and Enos enters)

ENOS: I came to see Lazarus. There he is. Not only is he alive but he looks better than he ever did.

(Enos leaves and Ruth enters)

RUTH: Lazarus! Tell me. What was heaven like?

LAZARUS: I saw wonders. I cannot describe it. I am looking forward to being heaven again.

JARAD: Are you disappointed that you were called back to this earthly life?

LAZARUS: You see that we are with the Lord tonight. Whether we live or die we are with the Lord. Some day soon, He will go to heaven. Later, I’ll go to heaven again. Whether we are here or there, we are with the Lord. No. I am not disappointed.

CURTAIN

16. Palm

OLD JOHN: How well we remember that first day of the week which later became known as “Palm Sunday”. This event was prophesied.

Every year, the people of old, made pilgrimages to Jerusalem. As soon as they caught sight of Jerusalem, they would sing the psalm, “Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory?” Naturally, the Messiah was the “King of Glory”. The psalmist prophesied that someday the Messiah would enter Jerusalem.

The Prophet Zechariah became more specific, saying that, when the Messiah would enter Jerusalem, He would ride upon a donkey. The type of animal was significant. If a king would ride on a horse, that meant war. If he would ride on a donkey, that meant peace. Jesus would bring peace.

His ride was miraculous. He didn’t ride the mother donkey which had been ridden before. Rather, He rode on the young donkey which had not been trained for riding. We all know what happens when a man tries to ride any animal that is not trained for riding. The man and the animal are soon be parted; the man on the ground and the animal in space. Jesus’ ride on the untrained donkey was uneventful and peaceful.

Now, you will view with me the event of the first Palm Sunday.

(The curtain opens with some Jewish leaders, including the High Priest and Nicodemus, sitting in a conference)

OMAR: How are we going to get rid of this Nazarene?

(While they are speaking, loud chants can be heard from off stage, “Hosanna, Hosanna!”

SHULKEN: What is all that commotion out there?

(They hasten to the windows and doors to look outside)

(Still from outside) “Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

(Here many children enter the stage carrying palm branches. They walk around the stage singing the following verse two times)

Hosanna, loud Hosanna, the little children sing, Thro’ pillared court and temple, the lovely anthems ring, To Jesus who has blessed them, Close folded to His breast, The children sing their praises, the simplest and the best. LSB 443

(Note that this verse is in the present tense although, in the hymnal, the past tense is used)

KAROB: Here we are, talking about how we might get rid of Him, and a multitude is giving Him a royal welcome.

Do you hear what they are chanting? “Hoshea-na.” That means, “Save Lord.” They are proclaiming Him as both Lord and Savior. That is blasphemy.

They are calling Him, “The Son of David.” We all know that the term “Son of David” is the term for the Messiah. They are saying that this Nazarene is the Messiah.

Oh, how I cringe to hear them say, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the LORD.” They are saying that He comes in the name of “Jahweh”. We don’t even dare to say that name out loud and they have the audacity to apply this name to this Nazarene. (“Jahweh” is pronounced “Yah weh”)

NICODEMUS: Right now, some words of a prophet come to my mind.

ROSH: Words of a prophet? What words of which prophet?

(Nicodemus unrolls a scroll to the right place and reads) NICODEMUS: “ Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion, behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.” Zech.9:9. Don’t you see that He is riding on a donkey?

HIRAH: O hush, Nicodemus. Nicodemus, I sometimes wonder if you are of the Nazarene sect.

KORAH: Can’t you see that we are getting nowhere? The world is going after Him.

OMAR: Yes, yesterday there were some Greeks in town saying, “Sirs, we want to see Jesus.” Even some Greeks heard about Him and want to meet Him.

Where does this leave us? We have to get rid of this Nazarene. It is getting harder and harder to get rid of Him, but we have to do get rid of Him.

CURTAIN

17. Jesus at the Passover

(Old John and Deborah are in front of the curtain)

DEB: John, why won’t you be recording , “The institution of the Lord’s Supper?”

OLD JOHN: Let me make this point perfectly clear. You have seen how important the Lord’s Supper is to me. Ever since Jesus’ ascension, I continued steadfastly in “The breaking of bread,” “The Lord’s Supper.” Matthew, Mark, and Luke, as historians, recorded “Christ’s institution of the Lord’s Supper. My object in writing my book was different than that of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. As a rule, I don’t repeat what Matthew, Mark, and Luke have already written.

This also applies to Jesus’ words spoken from the cross. Make no mistake about it. All Jesus’ words, spoken from the cross, are precious to me, but you won’t find all of them in my book. There are some words that Matthew, Mark, and Luke did not include in their books, the words to me and to Jesus’ mother, “Woman, behold thy son….. “Behold thy mother.”

(The curtain opens with Jesus and His disciples sitting at the table)

JESUS: Verily, verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me.

PETER: Who would do such a thing? Is it I?

JOHN: Is it I?

JAMES: Is it I?

PHILIP: Is it I?

JUDAS: Is it I? (Judas is clearly holding the bag)

PETER: John, ask Him who it is.

JESUS: See this hard piece of bread? I shall dip it into some vinegar and pass it to the one with will betray me.

(Jesus hands the piece of bread to Judas)

JESUS: That which thou doest, do quickly.

(Judas leaves) NATHANIEL to PHILIP: Where did he go?

PHILIP: He is the treasurer, you know. Maybe he went out to give something to the poor. Maybe he went to buy something for the feast.

JESUS: Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him.

My little children, I’ll be with you only a little while now. Ye shall seek me, but where I go, ye cannot come. A I give unto you that ye love one another. As I have loved you, so love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.

PETER: Where art Thou going that we cannot follow Thee?

JESUS: Where I am going, thou canst not come. Thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me hereafter.

PETER: Why can’t I follow Thee now? I am willing to lay down my life for Thee.

JESUS: Thou sayest that thou wilt lay down thy life for me? I tell thee the truth, Peter, “The cock will not crow until thou hast denied me three times.”

JESUS: Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, ye may be also. And whither I go, ye know and the way ye know.

THOMAS: Lord, we know not whither Thou goest and how can we know the way?

JESUS: I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.

If ye had known me, ye would have known the Father also and, from henceforth, ye know Him, and have seen Him.

PHILIP: Lord, show us the Father and it sufficeth us.

JESUS: Have I been so long with you, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father, and how sayest thou, “Show us the Father?” Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. If ye love me keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide in you forever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.

Yet a little while and the world sees me no more, but ye see me. Because I live, ye shall live also. The Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance.

CURTAIN

19. Jesus’ Highpriestly Prayer

OLD JOHN: All of us are familiar with “The Lord’s Prayer” but not so familiar with the “Lord’s Highpriestly Prayer.” It is called His “Highpriestly Prayer” because it was similar to the prayer which the high priest prayed every year in the most solitary place in the temple known as “The Holy of Holies.” That was a prayer of intercession for the people. Jesus is the Mediator between us and God. Don’t you wonder what Jesus says when He prays to His Heavenly Father on your behalf? In the “Highpriestly Prayer”, we get an idea of what Jesus says when He prays for us. (The curtain opens. Jesus is kneeling with something in front of Him. Whatever this is in front of Him, the actor might use as a hiding place for a script so that he doesn’t have to memorize the entire “Highpriestly Prayer)

JESUS: Father, the hour is come, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son may glorify Thee. As Thou hast given power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on earth. I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father glorify me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world: Thine they were and Thou gavest them me and they have kept Thy Word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given me are of Thee. For I have given unto them the words, which Thou gavest me, and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from Thee and they have believed that Thou hast sent me. I pray for them. I pray not for the world but for them which Thou hast given me, for they are Thine and all mine are Thine and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee, Holy Father, keep them through Thine own name those that Thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. :1-11

(Old John interrupts with a comment) OLD JOHN: Notice how Jesus prays for unity of His followers, “That they may be one even as He and His Father are one.” Even the Twelve Disciples had their problem with unity. They argued about which one of them should be the greatest. As difficult as unity might be among Christ’s followers, Christ’s followers should look to unity as an ideal. The Psalmist says, “Behold how good and how blessed it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”

JESUS: While I was with in the world, I kept them in Thy name. Those that Thou gavest me I have kept, and none are lost, but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to Thee and these things I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Thy Word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but Thou shouldest keep them from evil. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy Word is truth. John 17:12-17

OLD JOHN: “Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy Word is truth.” If there ever is to be unity for all Christians, it has to be based ’s Word. Jesus did not only say that God’s Word is true. He said, “Thy Word is truth.” God’s Word is truth itself. We cannot have Christians picking and choosing what parts of God’s Word to believe and what parts not to believe. God’s Word is absolute truth, the only absolute truth in the world.

JESUS: As Thou hast sent me into the world, even so also I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. John 17:18-20

OLD JOHN: Don’t you all feel Jesus praying for you at this point? All Christians on earth believe in Jesus because of the preaching of . Christ, your mediator, is praying for all of you who hear the Word every sabbath day. He is praying that the preaching of the Word may make your faith a little stronger each time you hear the Word.

JESUS: That they may be one as Thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as we are one, I in them and Thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me and hast loved them as Thou hast loved me. John 17:21-23

OLD JOHN: We see here that Jesus did not ascend into heaven to get away from us. He ascended into heaven to be closer to us. Our brother, Paul, said, “He ascended into heaven that He might fill all things.” In this earthly life, He is in us and we are in Him. We shall see, as Jesus’ prayer continues, that, in the heavenly life, we shall see Him as He is and be glorified as He is glorified. JESUS: Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given me, be with me where I am that they may behold my glory, which Thou hast given me, for Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee, but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them Thy name and will declare it. That the love wherewith Thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them. John 17:24-26

CURTAIN

20.

(Curtain opens and a group sings this verse)

Go to dark Gethsemane, All that feel the tempter’s power, Your Redeemer’s conflict see, Watch with Him one bitter hour, Turn not from His griefs away, Learn of Jesus Christ to pray. LSB 436

(Curtain closes with Old John standing in front)

OLD JOHN: Gethsemane! Dark Gethsemane! It was in Gethsemane where Jesus first had the world’s sin poured upon Him. He prayed that the hour might pass from Him. He sweat drops of blood. He was taken captive in the Garden of Gethsemane. His band of captors was led by one of His disciples who betrayed Him. The disciple’s name was “Judas”. Judas kissed Him. This kiss was a signal to Jesus’ captors that Jesus was the one to be taken.

(The curtain opens with Jesus and his disciples, and His captors, in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas kisses Jesus)

JESUS: Whom seek ye?

BAND OF MEN: Jesus of Nazareth.

JESUS: I am He.

(All the captors fall on the ground)

JESUS: Whom seek ye?

BAND OF MEN: Jesus of Nazareth.

JESUS: I have told you that I am He. If ye seek me, let my disciples go free.

(Peter draws his sword intending to strike a man down but gets only his ear)

MALCHUS: Oh my ear! My ear!

JESUS to PETER: Put thy sword back into the sheath. The cup, which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

(The band of men bind Jesus and they go to the palace of , the high priest)

CURTAIN

21. Jesus’ Trials

OLD JOHN: How well I remember that night! All Jesus’ disciples fled as the band of men were taking Jesus to the palace of Caiaphas. Peter and I ran a short distance, but we both felt ashamed of ourselves for deserting Jesus. We followed afar off. I knew the high priest personally. My father, Zebedy, was a fisherman. He often sent me to the high priest’s palace to deliver fish. I was recognized by the young lady keeping the door and was allowed in. Peter was not recognized, so I vouched for him. I told the young lady that Peter was my friend, so she let him in also. The young lady asked Peter an innocent question.

(Curtain opens. A crowd is assembled before the high priest. Peter and young John are standing with the young lady at the door)

YOUNG LADY: (To Peter) Are you one of this man’s disciples?

PETER: I am not.

(Peter goes to the edge of the stage where there is a fire. The trial is in session)

HIGH PRIEST: Who are Your disciples and what are Your teachings?

JESUS: I have spoken openly everywhere. I taught many times in the synagog and in the temple. I taught in places where the Jews often resort. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said. (Karob slaps Jesus. While Karob puts his hand lightly on Jesus’ cheek, another actor, with his hands invisible to the audience, might clap his hands to make it sound as though Jesus got a hard slap)

KAROB: Is this the way you answer the high priest?

JESUS: If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why smitest thou me?

(Peter is in the limelight again. A man, by the fire, confronts him)

MEBEK: Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples?

PETER: I am not.

ER: Didn’t I see you in the garden? Yes, I recognize you. You are the man who cut my cousin’s ear off.

PETER: No. I am not that man. I don’t know the man on trial.

(The cock crows)

(Perhaps, the left stage can be used for the trial before Caiaphas and the center stage for the trial before Pilate. They move to center stage to take Jesus before )

PILATE: What accusation do you bring against this man?

ROSH: Do you think that we would bring this man to you if He were not a criminal?

PILATE: Why don’t you judge Him according to your law?

KORAH: It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.

PILATE: (To Jesus) Art Thou the king of the Jews?

JESUS: Sayest thou this of thyself or did others tell thee of me?

PILATE: Am I a Jew? Thine own people have brought Thee unto me. What hast Thou done?

JESUS: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight that I might not be delivered to the Jews.

PILATE: Art Thou a king then? JESUS: Thou sayest it. I am a king. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into this world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.

PILATE: What is truth?

(Pilate walks back to the accusers)

PILATE: I find no fault in this man, but you have a custom that I release unto you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Will ye that I release unto you the king of the Jews?

CROWD: (In unison) Not this man but .

CURTAIN 22. Jesus is Scourged

(The sound of whipping can be heard from off stage. The curtain opens with Jesus coming in wearing the crown of thorns and bleeding. As Jesus is standing there, a group sings this hymn verse)

O sacred head now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down. Now scornfully surrounded, With thorns Thine only crown. O sacred Head, what glory, What bliss till now was Thine! Yet though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine. LSB 449

SOLDIERS: Hail, King of the Jews! Hail, King of the Jews!

(They slap Him with the palms of their hands. Proper sound effects, actors clapping their hands)

PILATE: Behold the man! (Long pause) I bring Him before you so that ye may know that I find no fault in Him.

CHIEF PRIESTS AND OFFICERS: Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

PILATE: Take Him yourselves and crucify Him. I find no fault in Him.

OMAR: We have a law and, by our law, He must die because He made Himself to be the Son of God.

(Pilate takes Jesus aside)

PILATE: Where do you come from?

(Jesus does not answer)

PILATE: Don’t You talk to me? Don’t You know that I have the power to crucify You or to release You?

JESUS: Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above, therefore he who delivered me to thee hath the greater sin.

(Pilate returns to the accusers)

PILATE: I find no fault in Him, therefore I am releasing Him.

SHULKEN: If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes Himself a king speaks against Caesar.

(Pilate leads Jesus before the multitude. He sits on the judgment seat)

PILATE: Behold , your King! KAROB: Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!

PILATE: Shall I crucify you king?

CHIEF PRIESTS: We have no king but Caesar.

CURTAIN

23. Jesus Dragging His Cross

(While the curtain is open, Jesus comes from behind the audience dragging the cross. When He comes to the steps of the stage, He falls and picks up the cross and carries it to the top of the stage. The soldiers nail Him to the cross. While they are lifting Jesus up, Pilate nails the title to the top of the cross.The title is in Hebrew, Greek, and , “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”)

KORAH TO PILATE: “King of the Jews? Don’t write that. Write that He said, “I am King of the Jews.”

PILATE: What I have written, I have written.

(The cross is secured. Soldiers gamble for Jesus’ clothing. Mary and young John are under the cross)

JESUS TO MARY: Woman, behold thy son.

JESUS TO YOUNG JOHN: Behold thy mother.

JESUS: I thirst.

(Soldiers put a sponge on the end of a long stick and lift it to Jesus’ lips)

JESUS: It is finished.

(Jesus bows His head and dies)

(Curtain closes with Mary and Young John outside of the curtain)

MARY TO JOHN: He is dead, isn’t He.

JOHN: Let’s go home. You will be in my house from now on.

(They leave the stage. On the stage, from one end comes of Aramathaea, From the other end comes Pontius Pilate)

JOSEPH: May I have His body?

PILATE: Yes, you may.

(Pilate leaves and Nicodemus comes the Joseph)

NICODEMUS: I am surprised that you want to bury the body of Jesus in a new tomb which you intended for yourself. I didn’t know that you believed in Jesus. You surely kept it a secret. I am also a believer, but I kept it a secret until now.

JOSEPH: From now on, let us both be bold and confess Him openly.

NICODEMUS: Come, let us prepare the body of Jesus for burial.

(Joseph and Nicodemus leave the stage. The curtain has been closed all this time) 24. The Resurrection

(Curtain now opens and a group sings this hymn verse)

He’s risen, He’s risen, Christ Jesus the Lord; He opened death’s prison, the incarnate Word. Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant . And earth, sea, and mountain, their praises prolong. LSB 480 : Look! The stone is rolled away from the tomb!

MARY THE WIFE OF CLEIPAS: The Lord’s body has been stolen.

MARY THE MOTHER OF JAMES: Who would do a thing like that?

(The women turn and run off stage)

MARY MAGDALENE: Peter! Peter! Somebody stole the body of Jesus from the tomb.

(Peter and John come running across the stage. John outruns Peter. Both run off the stage and come back with Jesus’ burial cloths)

PETER: Look at this! Would somebody stealing the body of Jesus stay in the tomb long enough to take these clothes off of Him? Where are the Roman soldiers who were guarding the tomb? I know that Roman soldiers were guarding the tomb.

JOHN: I believe that He arose. Peter, surely you remember how he said that He would rise from the dead, even many times.

PETER: I never thought that He was speaking of an actual resurrection. I am still skeptical,but these cloths are a good indication that He arose.

(Peter and John leave the stage and Mary Magdalene walks in to the end of the stage and sees angels)

MARY: Look! There are two men in dazzling white sitting in the tomb!

(Perhaps, at this point, somebody can speak over the P,A. sounding like an angel)

ANGEL: Woman, why are you weeping?

MARY: Because they have taken away my Lord and do not know where they have laid Him.

(In the mean time, Jesus walks behind Mary)

JESUS: Woman, why weepest thou?

MARY: (Not recognizing Him) If you have taken Him away, tell me where you have laid Him.

JESUS: Mary.

MARY: Rabboni!!! (She embraces Him)

JESUS: You don’t have to hang on to me. I haven’t gone away yet. I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go and tell my brethren that I shall ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

CURTAIN

25. The Cookout for the Dropouts

OLD JOHN IN FRONT OF CURTAIN: Now we come to the “Cookout for the Dropouts.” Jesus was our cook. He had live coals prepared. We were the dropouts. We disciples didn’t know what to make of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus told us to meet Him in . We went to Galilee. Jesus tested our faith by not appearing.

He appeared before this. On the night of His resurrection, we were in the upper room. Suddenly, He appeared before us. “A ghost!” we cried. Jesus assured us that He was not a ghost. He invited us to handle Him. We could feel that He had a solid body. He showed us His wounds. He demonstrated that He could consume food. He ate a honey comb and some fish. After He had spoken to us a while, He vanished.

He didn’t appear to us in Galilee when we arrived. We were hungry. We went fishing. We labored all night catching nothing. In the morning, we saw Jesus on the seashore. He told us to cast our net to the side of the boat. We did that and caught so many fish that we could hardly drag the net ashore. Then we enjoyed our cookout.

Next, you will us after we had our cookout.

(Curtain opens and Jesus goes to Peter)

JESUS: Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

PETER: Lord, You named me “Peter”. Now You call me by my original name, “Simon”. I know that I am no longer worthy to be called “Peter”. I denied You, but You know that I love You.

JESUS: Feed my lambs.

JESUS: Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

PETER: Lord, You know that I love you.

JESUS: Feed my sheep.

JESUS: Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

PETER: This is the third time You asked me. I get the message. I denied You three times. Lord, You know all things. You know that I love You. I shall feed Your sheep and Your lambs. You restored me to being a disciple. I don’t deserve it, but You restored me.

JESUS: Verily, verily, I say unto thee. When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself and walked whither thou wouldest, but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

PETER: I get the message. I am going to die by martyrdom, but (pointing to John) what about this man?

JESUS: If I would that he tarry until I come, what is that to thee? Follow me.

26. Old John’s Closing Message

OLD JOHN: Many have said, because Jesus said, “If he tarry until I come, what is that to thee,” I would not die by martyrdom like the other Apostles. Jesus did not say that I would die by martyrdom. He simply said, “If he tarry until I come, what is that to thee.”

Many other signs Jesus did which are not written in this book, but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that, in believing, ye might have life through His name.

I hope that, through my eyes, you have seen Jesus.

CURTAIN CALL