"NARRATOR:" "And it is written that in the year 63 B.C the Roman legions, like a scourge of locusts poured through the east laying waste the land of Canaan and the kingdom of Judea." "Rome's imperial armies, a tumult in the hills struck Jerusalem 's walls in a three-month siege." "Breaching the gates, these legions laid the dust of battle with a shower of blood." "Under the eye of General Pompey, the Holy City fell her people strewn like wheat in the harvest time of Rome." "While Pompey, triumphant dared take the last high place the still-living heart of the city the Temple." "Here, on this most sacred ground in all Jerusalem now Pompey's horse took its way." "Where no pagan had ever set foot, in the court of the priests most irreverent Pompey stood himself down." "[YELLING AND GROANING]" "At last, here was the fruit of the harvest." "Here, it was said, lay the treasure house of Jehovah... great statues of gold, as bright as the sun in this ancient land." "So Pompey, burning for the touch of precious metals entered the sanctuary." "But entering, Pompey found only a scroll of parchment a covenant with the one God, handed down by Moses and venerated through the years." "[MURMURING AND SHOUTING]" "Thus, for more than 50 years after Pompey's invasion the history of Judea could be read by the light of burning towns." "If gold was not the harvest there was a richness of people to be gathered." "[SCREAMING]" "The battalions of Caesar Augustus brought in the crop." "Like sheep from their own green fields the Jews went to the slaughter." "They went from the stone quarries to build Rome's triumphal arches." "But Caesar could find no Jew to press Rome's laws on this fallen land." "So Caesar named one Herod the Great, an Arab of the Bedouin tribe as the new, false, and maleficent king of the Jews." "But from the dust at Herod's feet, rebellions of Jews rose up." "And Herod, in reply, planted evil seeds from which forests of Roman crosses grew high on Jerusalem's hills." "And Herod the Great, passing pleased bade the forest multiply." "Yet, trapped in this darkness, the Jews survived by one promise.'" "God would send the Messiah to deliver them forth." "And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." "And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city." "So it was that Joseph, a carpenter went up from Galilee, unto Bethlehem to be taxed with his espoused wife, Mary who was with holy child." "He found his own city much corrupted by Rome." "[SPLASHING]" "Are you the innkeeper?" "There is no room." "No room, not even for a fly to squeeze in." "Please, it's not for me. it's for my wife." "She's expecting a child." "You can find a place in the street." "She's expecting her child tonight." "Uh, maybe I can give you a stall in the stable." "JOSEPH:" "We will have to spend the night in the stable." "NARRATOR:" "Now, when this holy child was born in Bethlehem of Judea three wise men came from the east." "These were Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar of Mesopotamia, Persia and Ethiopia." "[BABY CRYING NEARBY]" "[WISE MAN CLAPS]" "A king of Judea, born in a stable?" "What kind of mockery is this?" "Herod is the only king in Judea." "Who is this pretender?" "Is there something in your scriptures about a new messiah being born at this time?" "False messiahs are born under every cloud, Your Majesty." "What shall we do, my son?" "You are my king, Father." "It is for you to command." "HEROD:" "Lucius order all newborn male children in that town put to the sword." "That is my command, Lucius." "I am a Roman soldier." "I do not murder children." "You are in my service by command of Caesar." "Dare you disobey Caesar?" "JOSEPH:" "Mary, Mary while I slept, I heard a voice saying:" ""Take the child and his mother, flee into Egypt and stay there until you are told to return."" "[JESUS COOING]" "Then we will go." "NARRATOR:" "And so, when Joseph and Mary fled into Egypt Herod's men, seeking all newborn sons did slaughter the innocents of Bethlehem." "[WOMEN SCREAMING]" "WOMAN:" "Not my son!" "[SCREAMS]" "[GASPING]" "Help me! I cannot breathe." "Help me to my throne." "A king who cannot walk to his own throne is no longer a king, Father." "Put me on my throne." "I will not die on my knees." "NARRATOR:" "So Herod the Great, crushed by his many murders self-crucified, fell dead." "And Herod Antipas took murder for his crown." "And so it was that with Herod's death Joseph brought his family out of Egypt, and betook them to Nazareth where the years passed, numbering 12." "You are Joseph, the carpenter?" "Yes." "My camel litter needs repair." "I'll look at it." "Peace be to you." "And to you." "Refresh yourself." "Thank you." "Your son?" "Yes." "And does he like being a carpenter?" "Yes, he does." "There's a big world outside this garden, do you want him to see it?" "He will see it soon enough." "Let me take him with me." "I'll pay you well." "I could use a lad like that to help me with my caravan." "No." "Someday he will leave me but someone else will call him." "And who will that be?" "My son will know him when he comes." "I can mend it by tomorrow." "Good." "[HORSE NEIGHS]" "Have no fear." "We're simply checking the census against the tax rolls." "Now, you are Joseph." "And you live here with your wife, Mary." "That is so." "Who's this boy?" "MARY:" "My son, Jesus." "I have no record of his birth." "When was he born?" "Twelve years ago." "Where?" "In Bethlehem." "Bethlehem." "Count those in the next house." "See that the boy is registered before the year is out." "NARRATOR:" "Thus, Joseph's family were once more forgotten." "Twenty years passed." "And Pontius Pilate, new governor of Judea brought fresh armies south and east." "But in the hills, 10,000 rebel Jews la y hidden." "Their leader, Barabbas, wanted as criminal and killer now baited his traps for the Roman wolves." "There's too many of them, Barabbas." "We will divide them." "SOLDIER 1:" "There's a water sign on the hill." "SOLDIER 2:" "Make sure it's safe." "SOLDIER 1:" "There's fresh water ahead, sir." "Shall I give the men a rest?" "Not too long." "Take one column to the waterhole." "SOLDIER 2:" "Column 1, follow me." "Columns, rest!" "Give me some wine." "How much farther is Jerusalem?" "Another day's journey." "You should drink water, my husband." "Wine only increases the thirst." "I enjoy it." "Judea." "A fine wedding present your father gave me." "My dear Pontius it is said whoever can govern Jerusalem can govern anywhere, even Rome." "Do you think Tiberius really has me in mind as his successor in Rome?" "I wish I knew my father's mind as well as I know my husband's ambition." "NARRATOR:" "And Herod Antipas rode out to meet Pontius Pilate and show him the way to Jerusalem." "Another troublemaker." "Who is this one?" "This one is called John the Baptist." "He preaches to the people to repent before the coming of the Messiah." "I baptize you with water." "But one mightier than I shall come after me." "And he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." "One more messiah on the way." "Will these Jews never tire of inventing deliverers?" "I have heard that name, John the Baptist." "I hear he speaks evil things of me wherever he goes." "His heart should be ripped from his body." "Your daughter, Herodias, grows more like her mother day by day." "Do I not please you?" "My stepdaughter pleases me very much, Salome." "Lucius, keep your eye on this man." "One day you'll have to arrest him." "On what grounds?" "On my orders." "I'm bound only to take orders from the Roman governor when he arrives." "Tell me, Lucius, what manner of man is Pontius Pilate?" "How should I treat him?" "What is his weakness?" "The same as any man: vanity." "[HORN TRUMPETING]" "[REBELS YELLING]" "Call the others to return!" "[HORN TRUMPETING]" "SOLDIER:" "Legions, all stand!" "[REBEL SCREAMS]" "[HORSE NEIGHS]" "Barabbas!" "Barabbas!" "Barabbas!" "[TRUMPETS]" "[YELLS]" "PONTIUS:" "Who are these men?" "Bandits?" "LUCIUS:" "They call themselves patriots." "ANTIPAS:" "A man named Barabbas leads them." "Have you captured him?" "This land is filled with caves and hidden valleys." "It'd take half the legions of Rome to ferret them out." "I want him in chains before the end of the year." "Putting him in chains would be easy but putting our hands on him that's what's difficult." "JOHN:" "I baptize you with water." "But one mightier than I shall come." "And he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." "Are you Elijah?" "No, I am not." "Are you the Messiah?" "No, I am not." "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." "The Messiah is one who will come after me." "You are welcome." "Peace be on this house." "What would you have of me?" "I seek your son." "My son has gone into the desert." "Why did he come to the river?" "For you to baptize him." "He is without sin." "How could I baptize him?" "I preach in the wilderness but the Word must be brought to Jerusalem." "Yet I know I am not the one to deliver it." "Only he can." "When his time comes he will be there." "You say that with sadness." "And joy." "[DOOR CLOSES]" "NARRATOR:" "And Jesus, baptized returned from Jordan, and went into the wilderness." "And with the baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon him and a voice said to Jesus:" ""Thou art my beloved son, in thee I am well pleased. "" "And Jesus knew the wilderness its day of heat its night of cold and solitude." "And stayed himself there to commune with God and strengthen himself for the times to come." "And ate nothing and hungered." "And brought his soul forth in the light to be seen of himself and known." "[WIND HOWLING]" "And was 40 days tempted of the devil." "MALE VOICE:" "Behold." "I am here." "Come." "I command you." "Come." "Be tried and found wanting." "If you are the Son of God, command these stones that they be turned to bread." "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word of God." "MALE VOICE:" "Behold." "I show you all the kingdoms of the world, in a moment of time." "All this will I give you, and the glory of them." "If you will worship me, all shall be yours." "Lo!" "Come to this high place." "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here." "For will not his angels save you from falling and prevent your death?" "Come to the high place." "Be gone!" "I worship the Lord my God and only to him do I do service." "Come!" "Come, if you will but I shall not call upon the Lord my God to stop you." "You shall not force me to put the Lord my God to the proof." "NARRATOR:" "And when the devil had ended all his temptations, he departed away." "And Jesus came out of the wilderness, and was seen by men." "There is your new rabbi." "He is the Lamb of God." "NARRATOR:" "And Jesus called those of his choice." "And two of the chosen were John and Andrew and they followed where he led." "And Jesus took himself down by the Sea of Galilee." "And there did name his third apostle, and summon him forth on land." "Simon!" "Simon, you have been chosen!" "JESUS:" "You are Simon." "You shall be called Peter, the rock upon which I will build." "What will you have me do, Rabbi?" "I am just a fisherman." "Come with me and I will make you a fisher of men." "[HORN TRUMPETING]" "SOLDIER:" "Attention." "I have just made a tour of the city." "I found no statues, no banners no emblems of Caesar anywhere." "Where are they?" "The Jews have only one god." "Their law forbids the presence of any image." "Where are the chests I brought from Rome?" "Open them." "A good likeness of Tiberius, is it not?" "Surely they dare not object to the emperor's image." "Hmm." "These people can." "Their law is their religion." "PONTIUS:" "Place them on the pillars of their Temple." "JOHN:" "Behold." "The sign of the pagan." "As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah so shall He send hosts to destroy the idol-worshipers." "The day is coming when the sword shall descend upon her legions." "Her mighty kings and princes shall grow feeble." "Her stolen treasures made worthless." "Her cities shall crumble into dust." "We shall raise our voice and be heard." "MAN:" "Take down the plaques!" "WOMAN:" "Take down the plaques!" "TOWNSPEOPLE:" "Take down the plaques!" "Take down the plaques!" "JOHN:" "When he comes, he will clear the threshing floor and gather the grain into his barn." "But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." "The shepherds who lead their flocks astray shall be cast out." "The high shall fall." "Make him stop." "JOHN:" "And the fallen shall rise." "Draw the curtains." "JOHN:" "The cry of the wicked shall fall upon ...." "It's a very strange voice." "Who is that man?" "Just another prophet." "An agitator." "Must he agitate beneath your palace window?" "Send him away." "CAIAPHAS:" "The harangue is directed against you for mounting graven images on our Temple walls." "The incidents in Caesarea were bad." "The plaques stay." "Do something about this man." "He is harmless." "He gives the people the type of entertainment they want." "It is not wise to molest him." "My husband is afraid of that madman." "He thinks he's a holy man." "[HERODIAS CHUCKLES]" "A holy man who speaks words of treason." "Caiaphas." "You are the high priest in that man's house of God." "Do you not punish such conduct?" "Punishment does not dampen their ardor, rather it increases their wrath." "We have found it wiser to ignore the ravings of these false prophets than to persecute them." "In my opinion, this man seeks martyrdom." "I will put a stop to his voice tomorrow." "Tomorrow." "Oh, you've been saying that ever since he came from Jerusalem." "I have given my word." "The word of a king or a puppet?" "JOHN:" "And strip the clothes of the slaves, and make them go naked." "Men groan..." "...and the souls of the oppressed-- SALOME:" "Go away, you vile man!" "Daughter of adultery there is but one that can save you." "Go seek him out." "Kneel at his feet and ask forgiveness for the sins of your mother." "That man is no prophet." "He wears the rags of a beggar." "It is best to ignore him." "Ignore him?" "There is only one way to deal with a beggar." "You!" "You, there!" "Speaker!" "Step forward!" "You have your alms." "Now, be gone!" "[CROWD CHEERING]" "Bring the beggar in." "When your legions under Pompey invaded our land they slew all the priests in the temples." "Since then, we have received our priesthood appointments from Rome." "The people have little love for any man appointed by your emperor." "JOHN:" "At night the thief goes out in darkness he digs under the house...." "Stop!" "Hold your peace." "Come with me." "Take me but you cannot stop him who comes after me." "We will worry about that when it happens." "Come, you foolish man." "Tell me, what is your occupation?" "I do the bidding of the Lord, my God." "Judging from your appearance your god seems to be a rather unprofitable master to serve." "I do not seek my reward in the world you live in." "Nevertheless, you will find one here." "Yes, we do live in a very wicked world." "You frighten me, you angry man." "Salome, come back!" "This beast amuses me." "Make him dance on a bed of hot coals." "It were better to cut his vicious tongue from its roots." "Woman is not your cup of abominations full enough?" "You dare to say that to my face?" "Get down on your knees and beg my forgiveness!" "You, woman?" "Who has given herself to the captains of Assyria?" "To the young men of Egypt?" "Who has deserted the bed of her first husband to live in incestuous lust with his brother?" "Is there blood in your veins or poison?" "Lucius, break his skin with your sword." "I want to see." "Our supper grows cold." "Do you intend to do nothing with this man?" "Herod, Pilate has asked you a question." "Lucius take this man to the dungeon." "SALOME:" "Would you like me to come and visit you in your new cave?" "You are the seed of evildoers the child of corruption." "Leave this house of darkness." "Find your way into the light while there is yet time." "NARRATOR:" "But if some were imprisoned in this day... yet many another was set free from the illness of their bodies." "It was the time of miracles, and Jesus put forth his hand and cleansed those who were vexed with unclean spirits." "For there went virtue out of him, and healed them all." "I thought you would leave me here to starve." "What took you so long?" "A new prophet has come to Jerusalem." "He has the same first name as yourself:" "Jesus." "We need more fighters and fewer prophets except for John the Baptist." "If I had that man on my side I could wake up the people, and we would rid ourselves of Antipas and the Romans." "This man is greater than John the Baptist." "In what way?" "JUDAS:" "I talked with one of his disciples." "This Jesus was proclaimed by John the Baptist as the man he was waiting for." "I need a prophet to help me win over the people." "Can we convince this man?" "His disciple says he speaks only of peace." "[HOOFBEATS APPROACHING]" "Peace?" "There will be no peace in Jerusalem, unless it is won by the sword." "It's not safe for you on the street." "I must speak with this man." "JESUS:" "What does a man profit, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" "Could you explain the parable of the tares of the fields?" "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man." "And the field is the world." "DISCIPLE:" "We are strangers in your city." "We seek one called John the Baptist." "Can you tell us where to find him?" "[SHOUTING AND CHATTERING NEARBY]" "WOMAN 1:" "She's evil." "Stone her!" "MAN 1:" "Stone her!" "WOMAN 2:" "She's a harlot." "She must die!" "WOMAN 1:" "She's evil." "Stone her!" "MAN 2:" "Let her be stoned." "She must die." "MAN 3:" "She's an adulteress." "JESUS:" "What has this woman done?" "She's been caught in adultery, and she must be stoned according to the law." "WOMAN 2:" "She's a harlot." "She must die!" "MAN 2:" "Let her be stoned!" "MAN 3:" "She must die!" "She's a harlot." "She must die!" "She must die!" "JESUS:" "Then let him who is without sin amongst you cast the first stone." "Woman, where are they now who condemned you?" "Then neither will I condemn you." "Go and sin no more." "If you would find John the Baptist, he lies in the palace dungeon." "JESUS:" "What was his crime?" "He told the truth." "He may be the one we have waited for." "I must speak with him." "NARRATOR:" "And, Barabbas, so near to Jesus now turned and fled from the Roman guards." "Leaving behind a man seeking answers from one stone whether to run with Barabbas, the messiah of war or walk with Jesus, the new messiah of peace." "What is it?" "Another one wants to see John the Baptist." "Send him away." "He will not go." "I mean, I do not know how to send this one away." "Show him in." "The prisoner, John, is not allowed visitors." "If you wish to send him a message, leave it with the guard." "I would see John." "Why?" "I come to free John." "And just how do you propose to break him free from his cell?" "I come to free him within his cell." "Freedom?" "Behind stone walls?" "You are free to come and go as you please and yet you are still a prisoner because you place no faith in anything but your sword." "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" "My name is Jesus." "I come from Nazareth." "Nazareth?" "I have not been there for many years yet your face is familiar." "You once came to our house and spoke to my mother." "The house of the carpenter?" "Hmm." "For some reason unknown to me, I have favored your mother once before." "I will give you a moment with the prisoner, John." "But remember this:" "As you have your duty to your god, so do I to my emperor." "Break Caesar's law and you shall find in me the most merciless of all men." "Ichebious." "Let him take a look at the baptizer." "John." "[GRUNTING]" "Give me your blessing." "NARRATOR:" "The name of Jesus moved through the land and yet others came to walk with him." "And they were Philip and Bartholomew." "And one more joined them near the city." "Take me with you, Rabbi." "Come." "What is your name?" "Judas." "And yours?" "John." "WOMAN:" "He's mad!" "MAN:" "He's a madman!" "Madman!" "[WOMAN SCREAMS]" "You are his mother?" "Yes." "Who has sent you?" "I have journeyed from Jerusalem to see where he lives." "Come, I will show you." "I am alone now." "Share my table." "I am a woman of sin." "You will share my table." "I have done much evil." "Child, God knows evil exists, as well as good." "Just as there is light and darkness." "Evil exists that we may be the better for it." "Will you speak to your son for me?" "Intercede." "Has not my son said:" ""What man having 100 sheep, if he lose one of them does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he find it?" "And when he has found it, he lays it upon his shoulders, rejoicing." "And when he comes home, he calls his friends and neighbors together and sayeth unto them:" "'Rejoice for I have found the sheep which I lost.'"" "You would not have sought out this house if God had not wanted you to." "Come." "Share my table." "LUCIUS: "Noble Pilate, the day before the ides of April the man Jesus left Jerusalem, accompanied by five of his disciples:" "Peter, Andrew, John, Philip and Nathaniel." "Outside the walls of the city they were joined by a sixth disciple a man called Judas Iscariot." "They traveled north." "The fourth day after the nones of May the man Jesus and his disciples entered the town of Capernaum." "There Jesus laid hands on a madman and cast out the demon in him." "The same evening, the man Jesus brought a dying child back to health." "Two miracles in one day."" "HERODIAS:" "But, Lucius ...." "These things ...." "Can they really be true?" "I do not know, my lady." "I, myself, have never seen a miracle." "There are no such things as miracles." "Only fools who believe in them." "Continue." "LUCIUS:" ""The day after the nones of June at the crossroads a Roman tax collector by name of Matthew saw Jesus pass and promptly left his tax-collecting duties and has joined up with the man Jesus and become the seventh disciple." "A harlot from Jerusalem by the name of Magdalene is also residing in the same house."" "Tax collectors and harlots." "LUCIUS:" ""The day before the nones of July the man Jesus spoke to a crowd of over 5000 people at the foot of Mount Tabor near Lake Galilee." "It has been reported that with a basket containing two fish and five loaves of bread the man Jesus fed the entire multitude."" "I never heard such absolute nonsense." ""The day after the ides of July, Jesus was seen to walk on the water of Lake Galilee."" "Ridiculous." ""That evening a storm ravaged the lake, threatening the lives of fishermen." "The man Jesus raised his arm..." "Does our Lucius mock me?" "...the wind died, the storm ceased."" "So it is reported." "NARRATOR:" "Then Lucius, thinking on Nazareth, the long years the mother, the child, and the miracles did go to see John the Baptist." "JOHN:" "You have treated me well." "I should like to ask just one more kindness." "Ask." "Before I leave this world I would send a message to Jesus." "What is the message?" "Ask of him, in these words:" ""Was it your coming that was foretold or are we to expect another?"" "You doubt him?" "I do not doubt him." "But I would like to hear it from his own lips." "[DOOR CLOSES]" "You are always looking at her." "You are sick with jealousy." "Dance for me, Salome!" "Salome." "Drink a little wine." "Taste this so that I may drain the cup." "I am not thirsty." "Come and sit next to me." "I will give you the throne of your mother." "You are not enough of a king." "You keep the man who reviled my mother in a dungeon when he should have died months ago." "Why do you let him live?" "I have had talks with him." "John is a very great prophet." "He's a madman, and you are afraid of him." "I am afraid of no man." "Salome, dance for me." "I command you to dance." "I will not dance." "You cannot refuse me." "Salome will now dance for us." "I do refuse." "Salome, I beg of you." "I will give you anything you want." "Anything?" "Even unto the half of my kingdom." "Do you swear?" "By my life, by my crown, and before the governor of Judea." "Whatever it is you want, I will give it to you even if it is the throne of your mother." "[ANTIPAS CHUCKLES]" "You have given your word." "I'm the slave of my word and my word is the word of a king." "Anything I want?" "Now, Salome, what would you have for your dance?" "I want on a silver platter...." "What on a silver platter?" "A ruby?" "A diamond?" "A pearl?" "I want the head of John the Baptist." "Have you gone mad?" "What can you want with the head of a man?" "I want to look at it." "Salome, listen to me." "I have jewels hidden in this palace jewels that thy mother even has never seen." "Jewels that are marvelous to look at." "Great topazes." "Opals that burn with a fire as cold as ice." "Give me the head of John the Baptist or let it be known to everyone here that the word of the king is worthless." "Give her what she asks." "JESUS:" "John the Baptist has sent a message to ask me:" ""Is it your coming that was foretold, or are we to expect another?"" "My answer to John is your testimony." "What you people here have witnessed.'" "How the blind see once more." "How the lame walk." "The lepers are made clean." "The deaf now hear." "I say to John, "What was it you expected to see when you went out into the desert?"" "Was it a reed trembling in the wind?" "No, that is not what you expected to see." "Was it a man, clad in fine garments?" "No." "You must look in king's palaces for proudly-dressed men who live in luxury." "Why, then, did he go out?" "To see a prophet?" "I say to John the Baptist:" ""Blessed is he who keeps his faith."" "And I further say to all of you:" ""God has raised up no greater son of woman than John the Baptist. "" "[CRYING]" "All over Galilee, the disciples of Jesus are calling for a gathering to hear him speak." "This new prophet, Jesus, he speaks like John the Baptist." "How do we know it's not the same man?" "Perhaps John has risen from the dead." "Why did I do it?" "I am not an evil man." "Why did I do it?" "You should've done it the day you imprisoned him." "It is John the Baptist." "He has come back in the form of Jesus." "Superstition." "Tell him it is not true." "I knew John the Baptist and I have met Jesus." "They are not the same man." "Stop him." "Call your soldiers." "Arrest him!" "And start a rebellion?" "All Rome wants is peace and taxes." "I don't intend to spend the rest of my life in this miserable country." "Where is this gathering taking place, Lucius?" "LUCIUS:" "A mount in the hills of Galilee." "Have you any suggestion?" "Not until I hear what the man speaks." "Go to this meeting, Lucius." "Let the man talk." "Listen to him." "If he utters a single word treasonable to Rome you'll have to act." "I tell you, it is John the Baptist rising again." "NARRATOR:" "And so much was the fame that went abroad of Jesus that there was a gathering of people, like flocks from the hills." "Great multitudes came out of all Judea and Jerusalem and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon which came to hear him, and to be healed." "My lady, it is not safe for Pilate's wife to be here." "I must hear this man." "Will you stay with me, Lucius?" "They have all gathered, and are awaiting your word." "JESUS:" "Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of heaven." "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." "Blessed are you who do hunger and thirst after righteousness for you shall be filled." "Blessed are those who are merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." "And blessed are those who are mourners, for they shall be comforted." "Blessed are those who are pure in heart for they shall see God." "And blessed are you who are the peacemakers for you shall be called the children of God." "And blessed are you who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for yours is the kingdom of heaven." "MAN 1:" "Give us a sign from heaven!" "MAN 2:" "Prove to us who you are!" "JESUS:" "Blessed are you when men shall curse you and separate you from their company, and reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Man's sake." "MAN 3:" "When?" "When is the kingdom of God coming?" "Watch as you may, you will not see it come." "No one will say, "Here it is," or, "There it is."" "For the kingdom of God is within you." "MAN 4:" "Rabbi!" "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the law:" "To love the Lord, your God, with all your heart with all your soul with all your power and all your mind." "And love your neighbor as you love yourself." "Do that and you shall live eternally." "[MAN SCOFFS]" "I'm a camel driver." "Who can I call neighbor?" "JESUS:" "He to whom you show mercy and compassion whether you know him or not." "Are you the Messiah?" "JESUS:" "I am the good shepherd." "The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." "Do you speak against the law of the prophets?" "I come not to destroy the law or the prophets but to fulfill them." "For I say unto you:" "Love your enemies, bless them who curse you and pray for those who despise and persecute you." "For if you love only those who love you what reward shall you have?" "If you are a holy man why do you eat and drink with sinners and tax collectors?" "The healthy have no need of a physician, but the sick do." "I come not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." "I am a tax collector." "I worship in the Temple every day, yet they hate and despise me." "What can I do?" "No man can serve two masters." "Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will cling to the one and despise the other." "You cannot serve God and Mammon." "And I say unto you:" "Be not anxious for your life for the food you eat or for your body or the clothes you wear for is not life greater than food?" "And your bodies more than the clothing?" "Behold the birds of the sky." "They neither sow nor reap, nor take their harvest to the barns." "And yet God feeds them." "And how much more are you than they?" "Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow." "They toil not, neither do they spin." "And can any one of you, by worrying add a moment to your years?" "My wife and I believe in you, but we are poor." "We have nothing to give." "How can we show you our faith?" "You have, by what you have said." "Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavy-laden and I will refresh you." "Rabbi." "Rabbi, I believe you're the Messiah." "How can I serve you?" "The Son of Man comes to serve, not to be served." "Whoever among you who would be great must be a servant." "And whoever will be first must be the slave of all." "We have heard the voices of false messiahs before." "How do we know you are not sent by Satan?" "If a kingdom is divided against itself, the kingdom cannot stand." "If Satan also be divided against himself, how then can his kingdom stand?" "How can Satan cast out Satan?" "I see before me flesh and blood." "You are only a man." "Why do you make yourself out to be the Son of God?" "If I am not doing the deeds of my father, do not believe me." "But if I am doing them and you will still not believe in me believe in the work I do." "If you can do miracles, call upon God to send hosts to destroy the Romans and free our people from bondage." "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God." "The Romans are conquerors." "To conquer them would make you no different than they." "Rabbi, what is faith?" "If you have faith that is no greater than this grain of mustard seed and you say to the mountain, "You shall move" the mountain will move." "Nothing is impossible." "How judge a transgressor?" "Judge not, lest you be judged." "For you will be judged by the standards you yourself shall apply." "Why do you note the speck in your brother's eye and take no notice of the beam in your own eye?" "You hypocrites, first remove the beam from your own eye and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother's." "Give not that which is holy to dogs." "Neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and then turn and tear you to pieces." "Ask, and you shall receive." "Seek, and you shall find." "Knock, and the door shall be opened unto you." "For everyone who asks, receives." "And every seeker finds." "And to all those who knock, the door is opened." "Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone if he asked for bread?" "Or a serpent if he asked for fish?" "If, then, you who are evil know how to give your children what is good think how much more your heavenly father will give good things to those who ask him?" "Therefore, treat your fellow man as you would have him treat you." "For this is the law of the prophets." "Teach us to pray." "Our father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name." "Thy kingdom come." "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread." "And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." "For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory for ever and ever." "Amen." "Words." "[GRUNTS]" "The Rabbi is calling you." "Your friend is one of those who did not understand." "What did the man say?" "He spoke of peace love and the brotherhood of man." "[SCOFFS]" "Is that all?" "That is all." "What is the matter?" "The look on Lucius' face." "He had a long journey." "He looked tired." "He looked more than tired to my eyes." "Good night, Caiaphas." "Do you believe in him?" "I do." "CAIAPHAS:" "Self-appointed saviors like your Jesus might stir the people up against the Romans." "NICODEMUS:" "But he is a good man." "You are a fool, Nicodemus." "Good or bad, he's a threat." "If Pilate could use Jesus and his followers as an excuse he would massacre our people." "What do you intend to do, Caiaphas?" "For the present, we will bide our time." "NARRATOR:" "And then Jesus called unto him his disciples, the chosen 12 whom he also named apostles and led them into the wilderness." "And these were Simon, called Peter, and Andrew James and John, the sons of Zebedee Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas." "And James, the son of Alphaeus." "Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite." "And among them, Judas Iscariot." "Now, none of these chosen were most learned." "None was a teacher of great truths." "None was rich and powerful." "They but knew the waters of Galilee, the shores and the fields beyond." "But knowing this, they were most rare, simple and precious." "For they were the pure in heart and but needed instruction." "For Jesus saw his own disciples doubt him." "Awed by his miracles, faithful to him." "Yet still they wondered why the Messiah could not raise up miraculous armies to strike Judea free." "Could simple love and brotherhood be weapons against Rome?" "For the disciples, like the multitudes were troubled by the Sermon on the Mount." "They had come seeking earthquakes and whirlwinds the word of Jesus to smite the heavens and drop fiery swords in their upraised hands drown Caesar's Chariots in the sea." "This, then, was Jesus' task:" "To keep his disciples from the doubting cities." "And to give them fresh wisdom wherewith to cleanse themselves, as with water." "To make them men of God." "Peace and love he taught them, in many tongues." "And the days passed, and the time of teaching was at an end." "And those we help, how shall they reward us?" "JESUS:" "You receive without payment, give without payment." "And take neither gold, nor silver, nor copper under your belts." "Nor staffs." "You send us out sheep among wolves." "JESUS:" "Then be as wise as the serpent and as harmless as the dove." "And at the appointed time, I will join you in Jerusalem." "NARRATOR:" "And he blessed them and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place to heal the sick, to preach the kingdom of God and to have authority over evil." "Yes, there is rust." "And the water is too warm." "It can only mean one thing:" "Someone is forging weapons." "Blacksmiths are only licensed to operate in the western end of the city." "These waters come from the underground cellar in the eastern end." "Can you locate this cellar?" "The eastern end is honeycombed with cellars." "Some we could never find." "You should not have killed this man." "You should have saved him for questioning." "Go on." "Make more weapons to kill more people." "That is what I intend." "But while the metal cools, think." "You saw Jesus, you heard him speak." "He speaks only of peace!" "I am fire." "He is water." "How can we ever meet?" "The day after the next Sabbath, Jesus comes here to join his disciples." "Here, in Jerusalem?" "In Jerusalem." "To preach at the greatest temple in all the land!" "Such crowds will gather that the Romans will not dare touch him." "Then, Barabbas, then is the time." "Move your men to stand by Jesus, but keep their swords sheathed." "Let your strength be known, but silent." "Let Jesus speak." "And when his message of peace sweeps the city let the people proclaim him king of Judea." "How can he refuse?" "If he can free the Jews without spilling blood he deserves the crown." "I'll shape the crown myself, and place it on his brow." "You will stand beside him in the temple, then?" "You will give him time to speak?" "Yes." "That will be a day to be remembered." "It will be remembered." "Barabbas!" "Shh." "Judas dreams." "And all dreamers are fools." "This is the hour that we have waited for." "MAN:" "Yes." "Jesus comes to the Temple." "Let him." "He brings us our audience." "We'll borrow them." "We'll run them through the streets to the fortress." "This way, and that." "Your people, Seth, will storm the gates." "Yes." "Yours, Enoch, will breach the north wall." "Right." "I, myself, will scale the wall to the south." "Quickly done and over, we will lend the crowd back to Jesus." "Is that fair or not?" "Yes, fair." "No one but Barabbas would attempt such a thing." "You speak of Barabbas with respect?" "I always respect the enemy." "Men like Lucius keep our empire together." "Your tour of duty in Jerusalem ended years ago, Lucius." "Why do you stay here?" "Where else would I go?" "Ah, but Rome is brilliant." "I seem to have a talent for surviving small wars." "Politics and brilliant society would destroy me." "Personally, I suspect you found our Roman gods too cruel." "Are you also awaiting the coming of the local Messiah?" "To believe in the Messiah, one must believe in God." "What I've witnessed in my years on earth is proof enough to me there can be no God." "How many followers has he?" "Who?" "God?" "Jesus?" "Or Barabbas?" "Barabbas." "How many dissatisfied Jews are there in Jerusalem?" "Have you considered the possibility of Jesus' and Barabbas' followers joining forces?" "I have." "Where would it happen?" "Since we are here, here." "NARRATOR:" "And for many months Jesus preached through Judea and angered the scribes and the Pharisees who thought how they might kill him, and numbered his days." "And knowing the sum thereof.." "...Jesus came to spend time with his mother." "[DOOR OPENS]" "Blessings on this house." "MARY:" "Welcome, Peter, John." "We have done all you asked." "It is time we leave for Jerusalem." "The chair will have to wait until I return." "The chair will never be mended." "I am going with you." "[MURMURING]" "NARRATOR:" "Now the Jewish Passover was near and many went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves and make holiday." "He's coming." "NARRATOR:" "And Jesus, come from Bethany and the Mount of Olives did enter Jerusalem on that day to preach in the Temple for the Temple was Judea." "His words, spoken here would echo in Tiberias, Samaria and Caesarea." "From here he might speak to the world, if the world might listen and the waves be still." "As the city prepared for the Passover killing of the lamb the men of Barabbas planned stranger celebrations made ready more terrible sacrifices." "And Jesus went into the Temple." "And the great doors shut up one multitude and within was peace while outside was the sea that would not be stilled." "The tongue which spoke not peace, but the sword." "Long live Judea!" "[YELLING]" "Judea!" "Come." "Get back!" "Now!" "[REBELS CHEERING]" "Come on!" "[YELLS]" "[HORN TRUMPETING]" "[SCREAMING]" "[YELLS]" "[YELLS]" "[CHATTERING]" "[MAN WAILS]" "MAN:" "Help me." "REBEL 1:" "We will never rise again." "The glory of Judea is dead." "REBEL 2:" "The Romans were waiting for us." "We had no chance." "REBEL 3:" "So many of us dead, for nothing." "We must escape into the desert and hide." "It was you who told Barabbas that the new Rabbi would show us the way." "He does nothing but pray in the Temple." "The Rabbi will help us." "Huh." "How will he help us?" "He has the power of miracles." "He will not use his power, except to heal the sick." "He can call down hosts to destroy the fortress of Pilate." "He preaches against violence." "He can, with a look, rock the foundations of Herod Antipas' palace and bring the Walls down on the tyrant's head." "He has never done these things before." "Why will he change now?" "I will force his hand." "REBEL 3:" "Not with us!" "I will force his hand." "Once he feels the Roman sword at his throat he will strike them down with the wave of one arm." "NARRATOR:" "Now came the days of unleavened bread." "And Jesus knowing these to be his final hours on earth did send to prepare a Passover feast." "And there, a last time, stood with and among his disciples." "And gathered them in, all 12." "Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, king of the universe who bids us eat bitter herbs." "Tonight, one among you will betray me." "What you must do, do quickly." "I will be with you for only a short time." "Where are you going?" "Where I go, you cannot go, but you will follow me afterwards." "We'll follow you to the ends of the earth." "Tonight you will all lose courage and desert me." "Impossible." "I would not desert you." "I would go to prison." "I would die for you first." "Believe me, Peter, this night, before the cock crows twice you will deny knowing me three times." "Never!" "No." "Impossible!" "We'd never desert you." "Never." "My last wish is that you love one another as I have loved you." "The greatest gift a man can give is to lay down his life for his friends." "And when I am gone, you will be grieved." "But your grief will turn into joy." "A woman in childbirth feels pain." "But when her child is born, she does not remember the pain." "For a child has been born into the world." "And one day I will see you again, and when I do your joy will be such that no one can take it from you." "For you have the faith." "And you believe in me and in him, from whom I was sent." "Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, king of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth." "Take." "Eat." "For this is my body." "Do this in remembrance of me." "Blessed are you, O Lord, our God king of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine." "Drink." "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins." "I wish to see the High Priest Caiaphas." "It is late." "He will see me." "NARRATOR:" "So Judas Iscariot went his way to betray Jesus to the chief priests and the captains to say how Jesus and Barabbas were the left and the right hands of the same body." "Thus Judas thought to test and prove forever the divine power of the Messiah." "Then Jesus went forth to the Mount of Olives and the garden called Gethsemane there to await the dark night ahead there to consider the dark days to follow there to prepare for his trial and his death." "Keep watch and pray." "Why must we wait?" "What can I say?" ""Father, save me from this hour?"" "It is for this very reason that I am coming to this hour." "My father." "My father." "All things are possible to you." "Take away this cup from me." "[GROANS]" "And yet not as I will but as you will." "[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]" "You were with the man Jesus." "You are wrong, woman." "I" " I do not know the man Jesus." "[ROOSTER CROWS]" "MAN:" "Are you one of the disciples?" "No, I am not." "How long will Jesus be in there?" "I don't know." "You're a disciple." "I saw you in the olive grove." "No, I am not." "I was not in the olive grove." "[DOOR OPENS]" "I could swear you were with this man." "I do not know what you are talking about." "I am not a follower of this man." "[ROOSTER CROWS]" "PONTIUS:" "You have just been interrogated by Caiaphas." "They've judged you guilty on two counts:" "blasphemy and Sedition." "This court takes no cognizance of your blasphemy." "But the charge of Sedition is a major offense." "The rules of Roman law will prevail." "I, Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea by grace of Emperor Tiberius of Rome, will judge your case." "No matter what you've done up to this moment no matter what others accuse you of, I, and I alone, have the authority to sentence you to be crucified or flogged or to set you free." "How you conduct yourself here and now will determine your fate." "Do you understand?" "I am offering you an opportunity to state your defense." "Silence can only serve to militate against you." "I'm now offering you a second opportunity." "In view of the continued and obstinate silence of the accused the court appoints Lucius Catanus advocate of the defense." "I wish it emphasized in the record that the accused is not without representation." "I cannot undertake your defense unless you are willing to confide in me." "Does the accused desire to confer with his advocate?" "The trial will proceed." "For the benefit of the accused so that he comprehends the gravity of his case I request the charge against him be repeated." "The defendant is accused of claiming to be the leader sent by their god to liberate the Hebrew nation." "The accused, by neither deed nor word has ever challenged the jurisdiction of Rome." "During the past three years the accused has by repeated acts and speeches disturbed the people condemned the payment of tribute, and claimed himself king." "And spread the word that his kingdom has precedence over and above Roman jurisdiction." "The defendant has only spoken of the kingdom of God." "He's never attempted to usurp Roman jurisdiction over Judea." "The implication is the same." "There can be no division of authority in Judea." "A nation can have only one master." "I repeat, my lord." "The defendant's claim to a divine mission on earth does not challenge the authority of Rome." "Also, the performance of miracles is beyond the jurisdiction of this court." "The accused does not stand trial for the performance of miracles but for setting up a kingdom." "Advocate for the defense will confine his argument to the issue." "The charge is a secular issue." "By treaty with Judea, Rome has obligated itself not to interfere in religious matters." "The court is fully aware of this evidence." "The court is also aware of the unlawful assembly the accused created with his Sermon on the Mount." "I was present at that sermon." "I've submitted to the court a report of his statements." "Not once did he speak a word that would incite violence." "On the contrary, he spoke only of peace." "PONTIUS:" "The court has also read the report of the sermon." "The accused advised people to dispose of their possessions and follow him." "How can Rome levy taxes on the people if they follow his teaching?" "Then the charge should be reduced to one of evading the tax." "The charge stands as read." "Are you a king?" "It is your own lips that have called me king." "My kingdom is the kingdom of God." "Then you are a king." "I was born and came into this world to give testimony to the truth." "Whoever believes in the truth will listen to me." "What is truth?" "Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice." "Different people have different feelings." "Can there not be more than one truth?" "There is only one truth, and it is written in the Commandments:" ""Be true to God."" "My lord, the court deviates from the issue." "Truth is not on trial here but a man named Jesus, from Nazareth." "Nazareth." "You are a Galilean, then?" "In that case, Herod Antipas has jurisdiction over you." "He just returned to Jerusalem." "Send this man to Herod Antipas for judgment." "If my lord please, Herod Antipas is prejudiced against this man." "He could not be tried fairly there." "It is so ordered by this court." "The trial has ended." "Caesar is satisfied." "Are you John the Baptist, come back to life?" "Can you not see he is not John the Baptist?" "Let him speak for himself." "I have heard you are a very great miracle-worker." "I would be very happy to witness a simple demonstration of your power." "Here is a vase of clay." "It is only a small vase." "Turn it into gold." "Surely that is not a great feat for a man of your powers." "[BREAKS]" "Still made of clay." "Perhaps that was too difficult for you." "Shall I ask of you something simpler?" "Make it thunder." "It should be very easy for a messiah." "Make it thunder." "I hear nothing." "Seems that the great miracle-worker has lost his touch." "Do not let it be said that Herod does not know how to receive royalty." "There." "Does he not look like a king?" "Take this faker back to Pilate." "Tell him Herod was not pleased with his performance." "Scourge him!" "Loosen his tongue." "Make him confess." "What would you want him to confess, Pilate?" "His conspiracy." "What conspiracy?" "Take the miracles." "And what is his crime there?" "He is different and refuses to behave like the others." "Pilate." "If he can influence even Caesar's daughter, he is dangerous." "[WHIP CRACKING]" "[GRUNTING]" "[YELLING]" "What do you want?" "A king should wear a crown." "[LAUGHS]" "If only the sun would set quickly." "What difference does it make?" "Passover begins at sunset." "They cannot crucify us during the holy days." "I would rather get it over with today." "[BARABBAS LAUGHING]" "How does it feel to be about to die, Barabbas?" "Huh?" "I only object to the company that I will have to keep." "We are only thieves." "You're a murderer." "It is we who should object to your company." "Let him be." "[MEN GRUNTING]" "So I have been given the honor of going last?" "You know the man named Jesus, from Nazareth?" "I know the man." "Does he deserve to die?" "No more than I!" "You compare yourself in the same breath?" "We both seek the same thing." "Freedom!" "Only our methods differ." "The freedom he spoke of is not the same you killed for." "When is the man Jesus to die?" "He carries his cross now." "Why do you tell me all this?" "Why don't you take me with him?" "Get it over with." "Go." "You're free." "The man Jesus is dying in your place." "One prisoner is freed each year at this time." "Pilate offered that mob a choice." "Me?" "They chose me?" "Your followers yelled the loudest." "Go." "Look at him who is dying for you." "You." "Cyrenaican." "Take the cross." "Do not weep for me." "That man is dying in my place." "Why should he do that?" "I never did anything for him." "JESUS:" "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." "If you are the Messiah then save yourself and us." "Have you no fear of God?" "We are guilty." "But this man has done no wrong." "Remember me, when we have come into the glory of your kingdom." "I promise you will be with me this day, in paradise." "Woman behold your son." "My God." "My God, why have you forsaken me?" "It is finished." "Father into your hands I commend my soul." "[WIND HOWLING]" "[THUNDER RUMBLING]" "He is truly the Christ." "NARRATOR:" "And the body of Jesus was begged from Pilate, and given over." "And in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden." "And in the garden a new sepulcher, hewn from stone." "And Jesus was placed there." "Sir." "Sir." "Sir, have you hidden him?" "Tell me where, and I will take him away." "MAN:" "Woman, why do you weep?" "Because you have taken away my Lord." "I know not where." "Magdalene." "Master." "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my father." "But go to my disciples." "Tell them I ascend to my father and your father." "To my god and your god." "But first, I go before them into Galilee." "There shall they see me." "He is arisen." "NARRATOR:" "And when the tomb was found empty, some days passed and Christ was seen at Emmaus and in Jerusalem." "And those who saw him knew he was the Lord God." "And then a final time he came among his disciples by the shore of Galilee." "JESUS:" "Do you know and love me?" "Feed my sheep, for my sheep are in all the nations." "Go you into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature who hungers." "I am with you always." "Even until the end of the world."