"Sights of the Resurrection"

as performed by BLAST, Spring 1993

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

MALES:
CENTURION, PILATE, GUARD, JOSEPH of Aramathea, NICODEMUS (silent), PRIEST, GUARD #2, ANGEL, THOMAS, ANDREW, JOHN, JAMES, PETER, ANGEL #2 (silent), JESUS, CLEOPAS

FEMALES:
MARY mother of Jesus, MARY Magdalene, SALOME

EITHER:
Jewish LEADER, OTHER student

TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTS: 21 (2 silent, 4 very short)

STAGING NEEDED:

Large "boulder" to roll away
Some stones to make scratching noise
A few pouches or sacks
Costumes if desired
Netting
Some cooked fish for JESUS to eat
Rope and harness (?) for ascension

Scene i --(Right Stage] PILATE and CENTURION are at a desk, with PILATE seated. They are talking silently as the play begins. CENTURION is very animated and distraught. He has just witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. GUARD is standing at the door.

CENTURION: I'm telling you! Crucifying this man was a mistake! I saw it all with my own eyes.

PILATE: Do you think this Jesus is the King of the Jews?

CENTURION: I think he was the son of a GOD! [Sound effect: knocking]

((GUARD brings in JOSEPH of Aramathea.))

GUARD: Sir, this man seeks a favor from you.

PILATE: You may speak.

JOSEPH: Sir, I've come to request the body of Jesus of Nazareth: the one called the King of the Jews.

PILATE: (to CENTURION) Are you certain that Jesus of Nazareth is already dead?

CENTURION: Yes, sir, he is. As you recall, the Jews asked that the criminals have their legs broken to speed up the crucifixion. He was dead at that time. One of my men pierced his side to make sure.

PILATE whispers something to CENTURION.

PILATE: Very well. Centurion, have the Nazarene's body taken down and turn it over into this man's custody. Then the matter will be done with.

Scene ii --[Center Stage] JOSEPH and NICODEMUS carry JESUS' body into the tomb. They have already prepared the body for burial, and have wrapped it in linens. After they have laid Him, they exit, and several GUARDS roll a heavy boulder across the entrance to the tomb. JOSEPH & NICODEMUS leave, with all of the GUARDS. [Sound effect: scratching stones]

Scene iii -- Pilate's office. PILATE is seated. GUARD stands at door. PRIEST & LEADER enter. It is the following day.

PILATE: Come forward.

LEADER: Governor Pilate, we seek a boon?

PILATE: And that is?

PRIEST: Sir, we remember that the blasphemer, Jesus, said, 'After three days, I will arise.' Therefore, give an order for the tomb to be secured until the third day. Otherwise, his students might go and steal his body and tell the people that he has risen from the dead.

PILATE: Very well. You people have your own Guard, which I authorize you to use. Go. Make the tomb as secure as you know how.

LEADER and PRIEST leave.

Scene iv --[Center Stage] Low light on two GUARDS.

[Sound effect: a rumble, increasingly loud.] ((Light brightens))

GUARDS: What's that? (etc. startled and weak)
((They fall down. ANGEL enters and rolls away stone with ease.)) ANGEL leaves.

ENTER MARY, MARY M., & SALOME

MARY: Who’s going to roll away the stone for us, so we can anoint the Lord's body?

SALOME: I don't know. I hoped we could persuade the guards to...

MARY M.: Look! The tomb is open, and the guards are just lying there! [They start to enter the tomb.]

SALOME: Who could have rolled away that heavy boulder?

MARY M.: The Lord's body is MISSING!

[They all wonder about this as they leave. ANGEL is present. When they see him, a man in white, they cower.]

ANGEL: Do not be afraid. Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen. Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinners, be crucified, and rise up on the third day." Go and tell his students, especially Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he said.

[ANGEL disappears. Women move to stage left where PETER, JOHN, & ANDREW are.]

THOMAS: Well, what should we do now? The Sanhedrin killed the Lord. They'll surely kill us next!

ANDREW: I don't know, Thomas I suppose some of us could always return to our fishing, but as for the rest ....

JOHN: I'll have to speak to my father, but perhaps they could ((join us))- [Women burst in, interrupting JOHN.]

MARY M.: Brothers!The Lord has risen! He's alive!
[The men are confused and excited.]

PETER: Quiet, everyone!What happened, Mary?

MARY M.: When we went to anoint his body, the stone had been rolled aside, and the tomb was empty.

SALOME: Then an angel appeared to us and told us that Jesus had risen!

MARY: And he'll meet us in Galilee!

MARY M.: Right!

ANDREW: Are you absolutely positive about this? John, you said you were sure he was dead. You saw him die with your own eyes. Mary, I think you all need to calm down. There must be an explanation for this.

PETER: Well, if he's alive, I want to see it. John, come with me.

JOHN: Let's go!

((PETER and JOHN and MARY M. run to center stage. JOHN arrives first and looks in. PETER runs past him into the tomb. MARY M. cries.)) ((The others EXIT.))

PETER: Well, he's gone. That's for sure.

((PETER and JOHN wander off, confused. MARY M. remains. She looks into the tomb. ANGEL and ANGEL #2 are there.))

ANGEL: Why are you crying, woman?

MARY M.: Because they took away my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him.
((JESUS walks up behind MARY without her knowing it.))

JESUS: Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?

MARY M.: Sir, if you have taken away Jesus' body, tell me where you put him, and I will take him away myself.

JESUS: Mary!

((MARY M. does a double take as she recognizes JESUS.))
MARY M.: Rabboni!

((She falls at his feet and holds his ankles.))

JESUS: Don't cling to me any longer, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father -- my God and your God.

((EXEUNT.))

Scene v --[Right stage] GUARD and GUARD #2 enter a room where PRIEST and LEADER are sitting. They are flustered.

GUARD: Sirs! The man named Jesus is gone!

LEADER: What happened?Did his students come and steal the body?

GUARD #2: No sir. There was an earthquake, and we fell to the ground. Didn't you feel it?

LEADER: No. (turns to PRIEST) But even if they didn't take his body, we can make sure that the people think they did.

PRIEST: I agree. ((He grabs some pouches of silver coins and gives them to the guards.)) Here. You are being paid to say that his students came at night while you were asleep and stole the body of Jesus. If anyone reports you for falling asleep, we will talk to the Governor on your behalf.

GUARDS: Thank you sir. Yes, sir!

((EXIT GUARDS. LEADER and PRIEST exit during next scene.))

Scene vi --[in center aisle] On the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. CLEOPAS and OTHER are walking along. ((JESUS is concealed in the audience.))

CLEOPAS: I've been told that the dead walked out from their tombs and into Jerusalem when he was killed.

OTHER: I saw one of them! Surely this Jesus was a powerful man. If only he had lived!

JESUS: ((joining them)) What are you two discussing?And why are you so upset?

CLEOPAS: Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem? You must be the only one who doesn't know the things that have happened there these past few days!

JESUS: What things?

OTHER: The news about Jesus the Nazarene, a man who was a prophet, powerful in word and in deed before God and all the people.

CLEOPAS: The high priests and rulers delivered him up to a death sentence and had him crucified. But we were hoping that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.

OTHER: And today is the third day since these things happened. Early today, some of our women who went to his tomb came back telling us that they couldn't find his body and that they had seen a vision of angels who told them that he was alive.

CLEOPAS: Some of our men went to the tomb. It was like they said, but they didn't see him.

JESUS: How foolish you are, and your hearts are so slow to believe what the prophets have spoken! wasn't it necessary for the messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?

CLEOPAS and OTHER: Yeah, well ....

JESUS: Let me explain it to you. ((ALL begin to leave room as JESUS starts to explain.)) Don't you remember what Moses himself said ... that God would send a prophet like him ....

((EXEUNT.))

Scene vii --[Stage left] 10 students are talking excitedly. CLEOPAS and OTHER enter from outside and approach stage in a hurry. They act as though the Jewish leaders might be watching them.

OTHER: Open up!

CLEOPAS: It's me, Cleopas!

((They open the door.))

ANDREW: What are you doing here? Didn't you go to Emmaus?

CLEOPAS: The Lord has come back from the dead!

ANDREW: We know! It's true!The Lord appeared to Simon earlier!
JAMES: Did he appeared to you, too? What happened?
OTHER: We were walking along, and he came up and started talking to us. We had no idea who he was until much later. We invited him to eat dinner with us, and when he broke bread in front of us, all of a sudden we recognized him.
CLEOPAS: It was definitely Jesus!
((JESUS suddenly appears!))
JESUS: Peace to you.
JAMES: A ghost!
((They are all afraid of him!))

JESUS: Why are you troubled? Why are doubts arising in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I. Touch me and see. No ghost has flesh and bones as you can plainly see I have.
((He shows them his hands, feet, and side. They recognize him and rejoice.))
JESUS: Do you have any food here?

((One of them gives him some fish. He eats it. They become more at ease.))
JESUS: These are the words that I said while I was still with you--that everything written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the psalms about me must be fulfilled. Now you can understand these things. Peace to you.

((He breathes on them.))

JESUS: Receive the holy Spirit. If you forgive someone's sins, they are forgiven. If you don't forgive them, they are not forgiven.

((EXIT JESUS, CLEOPAS, and OTHER))

((ENTER THOMAS))

PETER: Thomas, we've seen the Lord, Thomas! He was here!

JOHN: He ate fish in our presence.

THOMAS: Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the marks, and put my hand into his side, in no way will I believe it!

((The lights go down. Everyone walks to Stage Right))

Scene viii --[Stage right] The Eleven are talking to one another. JESUS appears.

JESUS: Peace to you. Thomas ....

((THOMAS approaches JESUS, afraid.))

JESUS: Put your finger here; see my hands. Put your hand here into my side. Be no longer faithless, but be trusting.

THOMAS: My Lord and my God!!

JESUS: Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who don't see me and still believe.

Scene ix --[Back of audience] PETER, JOHN, THOMAS, NATHANIEL, JAMES, and 2 others of Jesus' students are fishing. ((It's not necessary to have all of these parts represented.))

PETER: John, let's call it a night. We've been at this for eight hours and haven’t caught anything to speak of.

JOHN: Well, let's drag the net one more time, just to see if we find anything.

JESUS: (Calling to them from across the stage)Children, do you have any food?

PETER, JOHN: No!

JESUS: Throw the net to the right side of the boat and you will find some!

((They do this, and struggle to bring in 153 fish.))

JOHN: (Looks up to the shore in wonder) IT'S THE LORD!! (PETER "swims" immediately to where JESUS is. The others bring the boat in slowly.)

JESUS: Bring some of the fish that you just caught.
((PETER gets some.))
JESUS: Come and have breakfast.

((They all eat.))

JESUS: Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?

PETER: Yes, Lord, you know that I'm your true friend.

JESUS: Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, do you love me?

PETER: Yes, Lord, you know that I'm your friend.

JESUS: Then take care of my sheep. Simon, son of John, are you my true friend?

PETER: Why'd you ask it THAT way?! Lord, you know all things. You know I'm your friend!

JESUS: Then feed my sheep. Indeed, I assure you: When you were younger, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted to, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will lead you where you don't want to go.

((Lights out.))

Scene x --[Center stage] The Eleven and JESUS walk to center stage, where JESUS stands and addresses them.

JESUS: It was written that the Messiah would suffer and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe every instruction I gave you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

((JESUS raises his hands and is carried into the sky!!))

CENTURION:	I'm telling you! Crucifying this man was a mistake! I saw it all with my own eyes.
PILATE:	Do you think this Jesus is the King of the Jews?
CENTURION:	I think he was the son of a GOD! [Sound effect: knocking]
((GUARD brings in JOSEPH of Aramathea.))
GUARD:	Sir, this man seeks a favor from you.
PILATE:	You may speak.
JOSEPH:	Sir, I've come to request the body of Jesus of Nazareth: the one called the King of the Jews.
PILATE:	(to CENTURION) Are you certain that Jesus of Nazareth is already dead?
CENTURION:	Yes, sir, he is. As you recall, the Jews asked that the criminals have their legs broken to speed up the crucifixion. He was dead at that time. One of my men pierced his side to make sure.
PILATE whispers something to CENTURION.
PILATE:	Very well. Centurion, have the Nazarene's body taken down and turn it over into this man's custody. Then the matter will be done with.

PILATE:	Come forward.
LEADER:	Governor Pilate, we seek a boon?
PILATE:	And that is?
PRIEST:	Sir, we remember that the blasphemer, Jesus, said, 'After three days, I will arise.' Therefore, give an order for the tomb to be secured until the third day. Otherwise, his students might go and steal his body and tell the people that he has risen from the dead.
PILATE:	Very well. You people have your own Guard, which I authorize you to use. Go. Make the tomb as secure as you know how.

GUARDS:	What's that? (etc. startled and weak)
((They fall down. ANGEL enters and rolls away stone with ease.)) ANGEL leaves.
ENTER MARY, MARY M., & SALOME
MARY:	Who’s going to roll away the stone for us, so we can anoint the Lord's body?
SALOME:	I don't know. I hoped we could persuade the guards to...
MARY M.:	Look! The tomb is open, and the guards are just lying there! [They start to enter the tomb.]
SALOME:	Who could have rolled away that heavy boulder?
MARY M.:	The Lord's body is MISSING!
[They all wonder about this as they leave. ANGEL is present. When they see him, a man in white, they cower.]
ANGEL:	Do not be afraid. Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen. Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinners, be crucified, and rise up on the third day." Go and tell his students, especially Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he said.
[ANGEL disappears. Women move to stage left where PETER, JOHN, & ANDREW are.]
THOMAS:	Well, what should we do now? The Sanhedrin killed the Lord. They'll surely kill us next!
ANDREW:	I don't know, Thomas I suppose some of us could always return to our fishing, but as for the rest ....
JOHN:	I'll have to speak to my father, but perhaps they could ((join us))- [Women burst in, interrupting JOHN.]
MARY M.:	Brothers!The Lord has risen! He's alive!
[The men are confused and excited.]
PETER:	Quiet, everyone!What happened, Mary?
MARY M.:	When we went to anoint his body, the stone had been rolled aside, and the tomb was empty.
SALOME:	Then an angel appeared to us and told us that Jesus had risen!
MARY:	And he'll meet us in Galilee!
MARY M.:	Right!
ANDREW:	Are you absolutely positive about this? John, you said you were sure he was dead. You saw him die with your own eyes. Mary, I think you all need to calm down. There must be an explanation for this.
PETER:	Well, if he's alive, I want to see it. John, come with me.
JOHN:	Let's go!
((PETER and JOHN and MARY M. run to center stage. JOHN arrives first and looks in. PETER runs past him into the tomb. MARY M. cries.)) ((The others EXIT.))
PETER:	Well, he's gone. That's for sure.
((PETER and JOHN wander off, confused. MARY M. remains. She looks into the tomb. ANGEL and ANGEL #2 are there.))
ANGEL:	Why are you crying, woman?
MARY M.:	Because they took away my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him.
((JESUS walks up behind MARY without her knowing it.))
JESUS:	Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?
MARY M.:	Sir, if you have taken away Jesus' body, tell me where you put him, and I will take him away myself.
JESUS:	Mary!
((MARY M. does a double take as she recognizes JESUS.))
MARY M.:	Rabboni!
((She falls at his feet and holds his ankles.))
JESUS:	Don't cling to me any longer, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father -- my God and your God.

GUARD:	Sirs! The man named Jesus is gone!
LEADER:	What happened?Did his students come and steal the body?
GUARD #2:	No sir. There was an earthquake, and we fell to the ground. Didn't you feel it?
LEADER:	No. (turns to PRIEST) But even if they didn't take his body, we can make sure that the people think they did.
PRIEST:	I agree. ((He grabs some pouches of silver coins and gives them to the guards.)) Here. You are being paid to say that his students came at night while you were asleep and stole the body of Jesus. If anyone reports you for falling asleep, we will talk to the Governor on your behalf.
GUARDS:	Thank you sir. Yes, sir!

CLEOPAS:	I've been told that the dead walked out from their tombs and into Jerusalem when he was killed.
OTHER:	I saw one of them! Surely this Jesus was a powerful man. If only he had lived!
JESUS:	((joining them)) What are you two discussing?And why are you so upset?
CLEOPAS:	Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem? You must be the only one who doesn't know the things that have happened there these past few days!
JESUS:	What things?
OTHER:	The news about Jesus the Nazarene, a man who was a prophet, powerful in word and in deed before God and all the people.
CLEOPAS:	The high priests and rulers delivered him up to a death sentence and had him crucified. But we were hoping that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.
OTHER:	And today is the third day since these things happened. Early today, some of our women who went to his tomb came back telling us that they couldn't find his body and that they had seen a vision of angels who told them that he was alive.
CLEOPAS:	Some of our men went to the tomb. It was like they said, but they didn't see him.
JESUS:	How foolish you are, and your hearts are so slow to believe what the prophets have spoken! wasn't it necessary for the messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?
CLEOPAS and OTHER:	Yeah, well ....
JESUS:	Let me explain it to you. ((ALL begin to leave room as JESUS starts to explain.)) Don't you remember what Moses himself said ... that God would send a prophet like him ....

OTHER:	Open up!
CLEOPAS:	It's me, Cleopas!
((They open the door.))
ANDREW:	What are you doing here? Didn't you go to Emmaus?
CLEOPAS:	The Lord has come back from the dead!
ANDREW:	We know! It's true!The Lord appeared to Simon earlier!
JAMES:	Did he appeared to you, too? What happened?
OTHER:	We were walking along, and he came up and started talking to us. We had no idea who he was until much later. We invited him to eat dinner with us, and when he broke bread in front of us, all of a sudden we recognized him.
CLEOPAS:	It was definitely Jesus!
((JESUS suddenly appears!))
JESUS:	Peace to you.
JAMES:	A ghost!
((They are all afraid of him!))
JESUS:	Why are you troubled? Why are doubts arising in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I. Touch me and see. No ghost has flesh and bones as you can plainly see I have.
((He shows them his hands, feet, and side. They recognize him and rejoice.))
JESUS:	Do you have any food here?
((One of them gives him some fish. He eats it. They become more at ease.))
JESUS:	These are the words that I said while I was still with you--that everything written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the psalms about me must be fulfilled. Now you can understand these things. Peace to you.
((He breathes on them.))
JESUS:	Receive the holy Spirit. If you forgive someone's sins, they are forgiven. If you don't forgive them, they are not forgiven.
((EXIT JESUS, CLEOPAS, and OTHER))
((ENTER THOMAS))
PETER:	Thomas, we've seen the Lord, Thomas! He was here!
JOHN:	He ate fish in our presence.
THOMAS:	Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the marks, and put my hand into his side, in no way will I believe it!

JESUS:	Peace to you. Thomas ....
((THOMAS approaches JESUS, afraid.))
JESUS:	Put your finger here; see my hands. Put your hand here into my side. Be no longer faithless, but be trusting.
THOMAS:	My Lord and my God!!
JESUS:	Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who don't see me and still believe.

PETER:	John, let's call it a night. We've been at this for eight hours and haven’t caught anything to speak of.
JOHN:	Well, let's drag the net one more time, just to see if we find anything.
JESUS:	(Calling to them from across the stage)Children, do you have any food?
PETER, JOHN:	No!
JESUS:	Throw the net to the right side of the boat and you will find some!
((They do this, and struggle to bring in 153 fish.))
JOHN:	(Looks up to the shore in wonder) IT'S THE LORD!! (PETER "swims" immediately to where JESUS is. The others bring the boat in slowly.)
JESUS:	Bring some of the fish that you just caught.
((PETER gets some.))
JESUS:	Come and have breakfast.
((They all eat.))
JESUS:	Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?
PETER:	Yes, Lord, you know that I'm your true friend.
JESUS:	Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, do you love me?
PETER:	Yes, Lord, you know that I'm your friend.
JESUS:	Then take care of my sheep. Simon, son of John, are you my true friend?
PETER:	Why'd you ask it THAT way?! Lord, you know all things. You know I'm your friend!
JESUS:	Then feed my sheep. Indeed, I assure you: When you were younger, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted to, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will lead you where you don't want to go.