JESUS THE CHRIST by Sanderson Beck

EXTERIOR – ANCIENT JUDEA – DAWN

The desert, valleys, and mountains are seen from a distance.

NARRATOR (Voice over)
In the beginning is the Word,
and the Word is with God,
and God is the Word.
This is in the beginning with God.
All things come to be through this,
and without this not one thing has come to be.
In this is life,
and the life is the light of human beings;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not comprehended it.
This is the true light coming into the world
which enlightens every person.
This is in the world,
and the world through this came to be,
but the world does not know it.
This comes to its own,
but its own do not accept it;
yet as many as do accept it,
it gives them authority to become children of God,
to those believing in its name,
who are born not from blood
nor from the will of flesh
nor from the human will, but from God.
The Word becomes flesh and resides among us,
and we see its glory,
glory as the one who comes from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
For from its fullness we all receive,
and grace upon grace;
for the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus the Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
the born God who is in the heart of the Father,
this one makes God known.

An assembly of people are praying outside the temple.

INT. ABIJAH TEMPLE – DAY

The Jewish priest ZACHARIAS is alone burning incense and praying before the altar. He hears a voice in his mind.

NARRATOR (v. o.)
Do not be afraid, Zacharias,
for your prayer has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall call his name John;
there will be joy and gladness for you,
and many will be great in the presence of the Lord.
He may not drink wine nor alcohol.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit
even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God;
he will go before in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the disobedient into the wisdom of the just
to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.

ZACHARIAS (v. o.)
How will I know this?
For I am old and my wife is advanced in her days.

NARRATOR (v. o.)
I am Gabriel,
standing in the presence of God.
I was sent to speak to you
to tell you these good messages.
Look, you shall be silent and unable to speak
until the day these things happen,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled in their time.

EXT. ABIJAH TEMPLE – DAY

The people are expecting Zacharias and looking at the door of the temple.

Zacharias comes out of the temple but does not say a word. He makes motions with his hands, moves through the crowd, and departs.

ABIJAH WORSHIPPER
Why did he not speak?
Has Zacharias seen a vision in the temple?

INT. HOME OF ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH – DAY

Pregnant ELIZABETH, who is middle-aged, is sitting at a table with Zacharias.

ELIZABETH
The Lord has done this for me as a favor
to take away my shame among the people.

NARRATOR (v. o. continued)
Do not be afraid, Mary;
for you have found grace with God.
Look, you will conceive in the womb
and bear a son, whom you shall call Jesus.
He will be great
and will be called the son of the highest,
and the Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
he will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
and his sovereignty will have no end.

MARY (v. o.)
How will this be, since I am not yet married?

NARRATOR (v. o.)
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the highest will overshadow you;
and so the holy one born
will be called a son of God.
Look, Elizabeth, your relative,
also conceived a son despite her age,
and this is her sixth month who was called barren;
for nothing is impossible with God.

MARY (v. o.)
Look, I am a servant of the Lord;
let it be for me according to your saying.

INT. NAZARETH HOME OF JOSEPH – DAY

Joseph is asleep and dreaming. He hears a voice in his mind.

NARRATOR (v. o.)
Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,
for she will conceive from the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son, whom you shall call Jesus;
for he will save his people from their sins.

INT. NAZARETH SYNAGOGUE – DAY

A NAZARETH RABBI is performing a wedding ceremony with Joseph and Mary.

INT. HOME OF ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH – DAY

Mary is welcomed by Zacharias, comes in, and greets Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH
Oh! Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Why has the mother of my Lord come to me?
For look, as the sound of your greeting
came into my ears,
the baby leaped in gladness in my womb.
Blessed is she who believed that
what was spoken to her from the Lord
will be completed.

MARY
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit is glad in God my savior;
for he looked upon the humble state of his servant.
For look, from now on
all generations will consider me blessed,
because the powerful one did great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy is on the generations revering him.
He did a mighty deed with his arm,
scattered the proud
in the understanding of their hearts,
brought down the powerful from thrones
and lifted up the humble;
he filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
He took the part of Israel his servant,
remembering mercy, as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his seed forever.

INT. HOME OF ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH – DAY

Elizabeth has given birth to a son, and neighbors are there to circumcise the child.

NEIGHBOR
Is he to be called Zacharias?

ELIZABETH
No, he shall be called John.

NEIGHBOR
But there is no one among your relatives
who is called by this name.

The neighbors appeal to Zacharias, who motions with his hands for a tablet. They bring him one, and he writes, “John is his name.” The neighbors are surprised, especially when Zacharias suddenly speaks.

ZACHARIAS
His name is John, and may God be praised.

NEIGHBOR
What then will this child be?

ZACHARIAS
Praised be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people,
and raised a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he has spoken through the mouth
of his holy prophets from the ages,
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
to perform mercy with our fathers
and remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
to deliver us fearlessly from the hand of enemies
to serve him in holiness and justice
in his presence all our days.
You also, child,
will be called a prophet of the highest;
for you will go ahead in the presence of the Lord
to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in forgiveness of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God,
in which sunrise from on high will visit us
to shine upon those sitting in darkness
and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Pregnant Mary is riding a donkey that is led by Joseph. They are stopped by Roman soldiers at the entrance to the city by soldiers who have written records at a table.

ROMAN REGISTRAR
What are your names and tribe?

JOSEPH
I am Joseph of Nazareth,
and this is my wife Mary.
We are from the house and family of David.

JOSEPH
The inns are full, and we need a place to stay.
My wife is about to deliver a child.
Would you please take us in?

BETHLEHEM MAN
I am sorry; we have no room in our house.

His WIFE comes to the door.

BETHLEHEM WIFE
Why not let them stay in the stable?
I am a midwife and will help you.

BETHLEHEM MAN
All right, you can stay over there.

JOSEPH
Praise God, and thank you.

EXT. A FIELD NEAR BETHLEHEM – NIGHT

SHEPHERDS are watching their flocks and hear a voice.

NARRATOR (v. o.)
Do not be afraid;
for look, I bring you a good message of great joy
which will be for all the people,
for today in the town of David
was born to you a savior,
who is Christ the Lord.
This is a sign for you:
you will find a baby
wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.
Glory in the highest to God
and on earth peace among people of goodwill.

FIRST SHEPHERD
Let us go then to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has happened
which the Lord made known to us.

INT. BARN IN BETHLEHEM – NIGHT

The shepherds worship Mary’s baby boy.

INT. TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM – DAY

Joseph and Mary are presenting the baby to a PRIEST for circumcision. SIMEON comes in and goes directly to the child.

SIMEON
Now you may release your servant, master,
according to your saying in peace;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the nations
and a glory of your people Israel.

SIMEON (Cont’d.)
Look, this one is appointed
for the fall and rising of many in Israel
and for a sign spoken against,
and also a sword will pierce your soul,
so that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.

ANNA
This child has come as a blessing to those
who are waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

INT. HEROD’S PALACE IN JERUSALEM – DAY

THREE MAGI stand before KING HEROD as many HIGH PRIESTS and SCHOLARS listen.

KING HEROD
Now tell me what you have told others.
Why have you come to Judea?

FIRST MAGI
We are priests of Zarathustra
and have studied astrological wisdom.
We believe that a child will be born about this time
who will bring great spiritual teachings
for the redemption of all humanity.

KING HEROD
Why do you believe this?

SECOND MAGI
The ancient records of Babylon
as well as those in the pyramids of Egypt
tell us that the position of the sun at the equinoxes
precedes slowly around the circle of the zodiac.
The cycle is 25,868 years,
and now it is moving from the first sign of Aries
to the last sign of Pisces, the sign of the fish.

THIRD MAGI
Recently the planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars
have congregated in the sign Pisces.

FIRST MAGI
We come from Persia to Judea.
Every night we have seen these planets
high in the sky move toward the west.
We have followed them west
looking for the one the Jews call the Messiah.

KING HEROD
And where will this child be born?

FIRST MAGI
According to the Hebrew tradition
he will be born in Bethlehem, the town of David.

INT. HEROD’S PRIVATE CHAMBER IN JERUSALEM – DAY

A GUARD brings in the three Magi alone to see Herod.

KING HEROD
Now tell me exactly when and where
you think this child will be born.
When you find the child,
report back to me where he is,
because I want to go worship him too.

INT. BARN IN BETHLEHEM – NIGHT

The three Magi present their gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh to Mary and Joseph for the child.

FIRST MAGI
King Herod wants to know where this child is.

SECOND MAGI
But we have been warned in a dream
not to return to Herod.

THIRD MAGI
So we will return directly to Persia
and spread the good news.

JOSEPH
I too have been warned by a dream
that King Herod wants to destroy this child.
In Egypt we will be safe.

INT. HEROD’S PALACE IN JERUSALEM – DAY

King Herod consults with his ADVISORS and his GENERAL.

KING HEROD
Why have those Magi not reported back to me?

HEROD’S GENERAL
They seem to have disappeared;
no one can find them.

KING HEROD
I order you to search in Bethlehem
and the surrounding region for baby boys
and kill any infant you find up to two years of age.

Joseph and Mary find the 12-YEAR-OLD JESUS in the middle of a discussion with RABBIS.

MARY
Jesus, for three days your father and I
have been anxiously searching for you.
Why did you leave us?

12-YEAR-OLD JESUS
Why were you looking for me?
Don’t you know that
I must be about my Father’s business?

Jesus stands up, hugs his mother, and goes with them.

EXT. JORDAN RIVER – DAY

JOHN THE BAPTIZER is dressed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist and is preaching to people who have gathered by the river.

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
Change your mind,
for near is the sovereignty of heaven.
The prophet Isaiah has written,
“Look, I send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
a voice crying in the desert:
Get ready the way of the Lord;
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough roads smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
Practice justice towards people and worship God.
All those who purify their lives I will baptize
so that you may enter the sovereignty of God.
To the Pharisees and Sadducees I say
that you have been produced by snakes.
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce then fruit worthy of repentance;
and do not presume to say among yourselves,
“A father we have in Abraham;”
for I tell you that God can
from these stones raise up children for Abraham.
Already the ax is laid to the root of the trees;
therefore every tree not producing beautiful fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire.

A MAN IN THE CROWD
What then should we do?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
Let whoever has two coats
share with the one having none,
and let whoever has food do likewise.

TAX COLLECTOR
Teacher, I am a tax collector; what should I do?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
Collect no more than is required of you.

ROMAN SOLDIER
And what should we do?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
Do not shake down anyone nor harass them,
and be satisfied with your pay.
There is one coming after me
who has become ahead of me,
because he was before me.

LEVITE
Who are you?
Are you the Messiah, the one called Christ?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
No, I am not.

LEVITE
Who then? Are you Elijah?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
I am not.

LEVITE
Are you the prophet?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
No.

PRIEST
Then tell us who you are
So that we may give an answer
to those who sent us;
what do you say about yourself?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
I am a voice crying in the desert:
“Make straight the way of the Lord.”

PRIEST
So then why do you baptize
if you are not the Christ
nor Elijah nor the prophet?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
I baptize you with water for repentance;
but the one coming after me is stronger than I,
whose sandals I am not worthy to carry;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire;
his winnowing fork is in his hand
to clean out his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his storehouse,
but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire.

JOHN THE BAPTIZER (Cont’d.)
Look, the lamb of God
who lifts away the sin of the world!
This is he of whom I said,
“After me comes a man
who has become ahead of me,
because he was before me.”
I did not know him,
I came baptizing with water
so that he might be revealed to Israel.
I need to be baptized by you,
and do you come to me?

JESUS
Let it be so now;
for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all correctness.

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
I have seen the Spirit
coming down like a dove from heaven,
and it will remain on him.
I have not known him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water,
that one said to me,
“On whomever you see the Spirit
coming down and remaining upon him,
this is the one baptizing with the Holy Spirit.”
I have seen, and I have testified
that this is a son of God.

EXT. DESERT IN JUDEA – DAY

A montage shows Jesus walking in the desert, fasting, and praying. He climbs a mountain and sits at the edge of a precipice. He hears tempting thoughts in his mind and answers them in his own voice.

NARRATOR (v. o.)
If you are the son of God,
tell this stone to become bread.

JESUS (v. o.)
It has been written:
“Not on bread alone shall the human live,
but on every saying
coming out of the mouth of God.“

NARRATOR (v. o.)
If you are the son of God,
throw yourself down from here;
for it has been written,
“He will command his angels
for you to protect you,
and on hands they will lift you up
lest you strike your foot against a stone.“

JESUS (v. o.)
Again it has been written:
“You shall not tempt the Lord your God.“

NARRATOR (v. o.)
I will give you all this authority and their glory,
for it has been given over to me
and to whomever I wish to give it;
therefore if falling down you will worship me,
it will all be yours.

JESUS (v. o.)
Go, Satan; for it has been written:
“You shall worship the Lord your God,
and this only shall you serve.“

EXT. JORDAN VALLEY – DAY

John the Baptizer is standing talking with some of his DISCIPLES.

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
Jesus will increase as I decrease.
I am giving the keys
to God’s sovereignty over to him.

DISCIPLE OF JOHN
Master, you are a great teacher
who is awakening Israel
to follow the way of justice.
Why are you giving your power over to Jesus?

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
I will not be in this world much longer.

JESUS
What are you looking for?

ANDREW
Teacher, where are you staying?

JESUS
Come, and you will see.

PHILIP
We have found him
about whom Moses and the prophets wrote,
Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.

NATHANAEL
Can anything good be from Nazareth?

PHILIP
Come and see.

JESUS
Look, a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.

NATHANAEL
From where do you know me?

JESUS
Before Philip called you,
while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.

NATHANAEL
Rabbi, you are the son of God;
you are king of Israel.

JESUS
Because I told you
that I saw you underneath the fig tree,
do you believe?
You shall see greater things than these.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
you shall see heaven opened
and the angels of God going up
and coming down upon the human son.

INT. LARGE HOUSE IN CANA – DAY

GUESTS are celebrating a wedding and are drinking much wine. Mary speaks to her son Jesus.

MARY
They have run out of wine.

JESUS
What is that to me and you, woman?
My hour has not yet come.

Mary speaks to the SERVANTS.

MARY
Do whatever he tells you.

JESUS
Fill the jars with water.

The servants fill six large jars with water.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
Draw now and carry it to the headwaiter.

They dip pitchers into the jars and carry them to the HEADWAITER. He pours some into a cup and tastes it. He is pleased and goes to the BRIDEGROOM.

HEADWAITER
Everyone first puts out the fine wine,
and when they are drunk the lesser;
but you have kept the fine wine until now.

NICODEMUS
Rabbi, we know that
you have come from God as a teacher;
for no one can do these miracles which you do,
unless God is with him.

JESUS
Amen, amen, I tell you,
unless one is born from above,
one cannot see the sovereignty of God.

NICODEMUS
How can a person who is old be born?
Can one enter into the womb of one’s mother
a second time and be born?

JESUS
Amen, amen, I tell you,
unless one is born of water and spirit,
one cannot enter into the sovereignty of God.
What has been born of flesh is flesh,
and what has been born of the spirit is spirit.
You should not wonder because I told you:
“You must be born from above.”
The spirit breathes where it wills,
and you hear its sound,
but you do not know
where it comes from and where it goes;
So it is with everyone
who has been born of the spirit.

NICODEMUS
How can these things happen?

JESUS
You are a teacher of Israel,
and you do not know these things?
Amen, amen, I tell you that
what we know we speak
and what we have seen we testify to,
and you do not accept our testimony.
If I told you earthly things, and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
No one has gone up into heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven,
the human son.
As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert,
so the human son must be lifted up,
so that everyone believing in him
may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his son,
that everyone believing in him should not perish
but have eternal life.
For God did not send the son into the world
in order to judge the world,
but so that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not judged;
whoever does not believe has already been judged,
because he has not believed
in the name of the son of God.
This is the judgment:
that the light has come into the world,
and people loved the darkness rather than the light;
for their actions were bad.
For everyone who does evil hates the light
and does not come to the light,
lest one’s actions be exposed;
but whoever does what is true comes to the light,
so that one’s actions may be manifested
that they are accomplished in God.

EXT. RIVER AT AENON – DAY

John has been baptizing people in the river. When he comes out, his disciples question him.

FIRST DISCIPLE
Rabbi, what about the one
who was with you beyond the Jordan,
about whom you have testified?
His disciples are baptizing too,
and everyone is going to him.

JOHN THE BAPTIZER
A person cannot receive anything
unless it has been given from heaven.
You yourselves witnessed me when I said,
“I am not the Christ,
but I am sent ahead of that one.”
The one having the bride is the bridegroom;
but the friend of the bridegroom,
standing by and hearing him, rejoices with joy
because of the voice of the bridegroom.
Therefore this joy of mine has been fulfilled.
That one must grow, but I must diminish.
The one coming from above is over all;
the one from the earth is of the earth
and speaks of the earth.
The one coming from heaven is over all;
what he has seen and heard, this he testifies,
and no one accepts his testimony.
The one accepting his testimony
certified that God is true.
For the one whom God sent
speaks the sayings of God;
for not out of a measure does one give the spirit.
The Father loves the son,
and has given everything into his hand.
Whoever believes in the son has eternal life;
and whoever disobeys the son will not see life,
but the wrath of God remains upon that one.

EXT. JACOB’S WELL IN SYCHAR – DAY

Jesus and his disciples are walking on a road and approach Jacob’s well.

The disciples head for the town, and Jesus stops at the well to rest. A SAMARITAN WOMAN with a jar comes to draw water.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
Give me a drink.

SAMARITAN WOMAN
How is it that you, a Jew,
ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?

JESUS
If you knew the gift of God,
and who it is saying to you, “Give me a drink,”
you would have asked him,
and he would have given you living water.

SAMARITAN WOMAN
Lord, you have no bucket, and the well is deep;
where then do you have living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us the well,
and drank from it himself
with his sons and his cattle?

JESUS
Everyone who drinks from this water
will thirst again,
but whoever drinks from the water
which I will give you, will never thirst,
but the water which I will give you
will become in you a fountain of water
springing up to eternal life.

SAMARITAN WOMAN
Lord, give me this water, so that I may not thirst
nor come through here to draw water.

JESUS
Go call your husband and come here.

SAMARITAN WOMAN
I have no husband.

JESUS
You say correctly, “I have no husband;”
for you have had five husbands,
and now the one you have is not your husband;
this you have said truly.

SAMARITAN WOMAN
Lord, I see that you are a prophet.
Our fathers worshipped on this mountain,
and you say that in Jerusalem
is the place where one must worship.

JESUS
Believe me, woman, that the hour is coming
when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem
will you worship the Father.
You worship what you do not know;
we worship what we know,
because salvation is from the Jews;
however, the hour is coming and now is,
when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in spirit and truth;
for the Father seeks such worshipers of him;
God is spirit, and those worshipping
must worship in spirit and truth.

SAMARITAN WOMAN
I know that Messiah is coming
(the one called Christ);
when that one comes,
he will announce everything to us.

JESUS
I am the one, who is speaking to you.

His disciples come back and are surprised that he is speaking with a woman. The woman leaves her water jar and goes away into the town.

EXT. TOWN OF SYCHAR – DAY

The Samaritan woman in her enthusiasm tells others.

SAMARITAN WOMAN
Come see a person who told me all I ever did;
is this not the Christ?
He told me everything I did.

Some people leave the town and go with her to see him.

EXT. JACOB’S WELL IN SYCHAR – DAY

The disciples offer Jesus food.

PETER
Rabbi, eat.

JESUS
I have food to eat
which you do not know about.

PETER
Has anyone brought him something to eat?

JESUS
My food is that I may do the will
of the one who sent me and complete this work.
Do you not say that
there are still four months, and the harvest comes?
Look, I tell you,
lift up your eyes and see the fields,
because they are white for the harvest.
Already the reaper receives pay
and gathers fruit for eternal life,
so that the sower and the reaper
may rejoice together.
For in this the word is true
that one is the sower and another the reaper.
I send you to reap
what you have not labored over;
others have labored,
and you have entered into their labor.

From the town many SAMARITANS come to hear Jesus.

INT. PALACE OF TETRARCH HEROD ANTIPAS – DAY

HEROD ANTIPAS gives an order to an officer.

HEROD ANTIPAS
That John the Baptizer has been criticizing me.
Now he is complaining about
my marriage to my brother’s wife Herodias.
That is too much to bear.
Arrest him and put him in prison.

EXT. JORDAN VALLEY – DAY

John the Baptizer does not resist the Roman soldiers and is taken into custody.

EXT. ROAD TO CANA – DAY

Jesus leads his disciples on the road.

JESUS
The time has been fulfilled,
and near is the sovereignty of God;
change your minds and believe
in the good message of God.

ROYAL OFFICIAL
My son is ill at Capernaum.
Will you please go there and cure him?
He is about to die.

JESUS
Unless you see miracles and omens,
you will not believe at all.

ROYAL OFFICIAL
Lord, come down before my child dies.

JESUS
Go, your son lives.

The official believes him and departs.

EXT. ROAD TO CAPERNAUM – DAY

On the road the royal official is met by his SERVANTS.

OFFICIAL’S SERVANT
Master, your son has recovered.

ROYAL OFFICIAL
About what time did he begin to get well?

OFFICIAL’S SERVANT
Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

ROYAL OFFICIAL
That is when Jesus said, “Your son lives.”

INT. NAZARETH SYNAGOGUE – DAY

Jesus has come to the synagogue, and he stands up to read from a scroll.

JESUS
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for which he anointed me
to bring the good message to the poor;
he has sent me to proclaim to the captives release,
and to the blind sight;
to send the oppressed release;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus rolls up the scroll and gives it back to the attendant. When he sits down,
everyone in the synagogue is looking at him.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
Today this scripture has been fulfilled
in your hearing.

SYNAGOGUE MEMBER
Isn’t this the son of Joseph?

JESUS
Surely you will quote me this proverb:
“Physician, heal yourself;
what we have heard of happening in Capernaum,
do here in your homeland.”
Amen, I tell you that
no prophet is accepted in his homeland.
But in truth I tell you,
many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah,
when the heavens were shut
for three years and six months,
when great famine came upon all the earth,
and to none of them was Elijah sent
except to the widow Zarephath of Sidon.
Also many lepers were in Israel
in the time of Elisha the prophet,
and none of them were cleansed
except Naaman the Syrian.

Many men in the synagogue become very angry. They get up and throw him out of the synagogue.

EXT. NAZARETH SYNAGOGUE – DAY

The angry men push Jesus away, and he departs.

EXT. BY THE LAKE GENNESARET – DAY

Jesus sees two fishing boats and gets in the one with Peter.

JESUS
Put out into the deep,
and let down your nets for a catch.

PETER
Master, laboring through the whole night
we took nothing,
but upon your saying I will let down the nets.

Having done this, they enclose a large quantity of fish, and their nets are being torn. They signal to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They come and fill both boats until they start to sink. Peter falls down at the knees of Jesus.

PETER
Go away from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.

JESUS
Do not be afraid, but come after me.
From now on you will take living people.

They bring in the boats to land, and leaving everything they follow him. Jesus sees JAMES and JOHN, the sons of Zebedee, who are Peter’s partners. Jesus speaks to them.

They leave their father ZEBEDEE in the boat with the HIRED MEN and go with him.

INT. CAPERNAUM SYNAGOGUE – DAY

Jesus and his disciples attend the synagogue, and Jesus is teaching. A POSSESSED MAN suddenly stands up and cries out.

POSSESSED MAN
Eah! Why are you among us, Jesus Nazarene?
Did you come to destroy us?
I know who you are, the holy one of God.

JESUS
Be quiet and come out of him.

The possessed man is thrown down, convulses, and cries in a loud voice. Then he becomes calm and sits down again. The CAPERNAUM RABBI draws the lesson.

CAPERNAUM RABBI
What is this word?
A new teaching with authority, that with power
he even commands the unclean spirits,
and they obey him.

INT. HOME OF PETER AND ANDREW - DAY

Jesus, James, John, Peter, and Andrew are staying in the home of Peter and Andrew. PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW is in bed with a fever. Jesus touches her hand, and she suddenly feels better. She gets up and begins to serve them.

EXT. NEAR PETER’S HOME – DAWN

Jesus has risen early to pray. Peter and the others find him.

PETER
Everyone is looking for you.

JESUS
Let us go elsewhere into the neighboring towns,
so that there also I may preach
the good message of the sovereignty of God,
because for this I was sent.

EXT. A TOWN BEYOND THE JORDAN – DAY

A LEPER approaches Jesus and kneels before him.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
See that you tell no one anything,
but go show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing
what Moses commanded, as testimony to them.

INT. PETER’S HOME IN CAPERNAUM – DAY

The house is crowded with the disciples, Pharisees, and law-teachers. The roof is opened as those outside remove tiles in order to lower a mattress with a PARALYZED MAN.

JESUS
Have courage, child; your sins are forgiven.
Why are you pondering in your hearts
that speaking like this is blasphemy, asking,
who can forgive sins except God alone?
I ask you, which is easier:
to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,”
or to say,
“Rise and pick up your mattress and walk”?
But so that you may know that the human son
has authority on earth to forgive sins,
(To the paralyzed man) I tell you, rise,
pick up your mattress and go into your home.

The paralyzed man stands up, picks up his mattress, and carries it out of the synagogue to the amazement of the others. Various people comment.

CAPERNAUM SCHOLARS
We never saw anything like this.
We saw wonderful things today.

EXT. TAX TABLE OUTSIDE A TAX OFFICE – DAY

As Jesus passes by, he speaks to the tax collector LEVI.

Levi stands up and follows him.

INT. LEVI’S HOUSE – DAY

Levi has provided a great banquet for Jesus in his home, and many tax collectors and sinners are dining with him and his disciples. The SCHOLARS and PHARISEES see that he is eating with sinners and tax collectors and complain to his disciples.

FIRST PHARISEE
Why does he eat and drink
with tax collectors and sinners?

JESUS
The healthy have no need of a physician,
but the ill do.
Go learn what it is:
“I wish mercy and not sacrifice;”
I did not come to call the just,
but sinners to repentance.

SECOND PHARISEE
Why do John’s disciples
and the Pharisees’ disciples fast,
but your disciples do not fast?

JESUS
What sin, then, have I committed,
or in what have I been overcome?
Can the wedding attendants fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come when the bridegroom
may be taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth
on an old garment;
if one does, the new takes fullness from the old,
and a worse tear occurs.
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins;
if one does, the new wine will burst the skins;
the wine would be spilled,
and the skins would be ruined;
and old wine is not put into a fresh skin,
lest it spoil it.
But new wine must be put into fresh skins,
and both are preserved.
No one having drunk the old wants the new,
for he says, “The old is good.“

EXT. BETHZATHA POOL IN JERUSALEM – DAY

Many AILING, BLIND, LAME, and WITHERED wait for the water to move so that they can be cured. Jesus speaks to an ailing OLD MAN.

JESUS
Are you willing to become healthy?

OLD MAN
Lord, I have no person,
so that when the water is stirred
I may be put into the pool;
but while I am going,
another goes down before me.

JESUS
Rise, pick up your mattress and walk.

Immediately the person becomes healthy, and he picks up his mattress and walks away. Jews see him carrying his mattress on the Sabbath and complain.

FIRST JEW
It is a Sabbath, and it is not permitted
for you to carry the mattress.

OLD MAN
The one who made me healthy,
that one told me,
“Pick up your mattress and walk.“

SECOND JEW
Who is the person who told you,
“Pick it up and walk”?

OLD MAN
I don’t know who he is.

JESUS
Look, you have become healthy;
sin no more, lest something worse happen to you.

OLD MAN
What is your name?

PETER
He is called Jesus.

EXT. NEAR THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM - DAY

The cured old man finds the complaining Jews.

SECOND JEW
Why did you cure this man on the Sabbath?

JESUS
My Father is working until now,
and I am working.

THIRD JEW
It is blasphemy to refer to God as your father.

JESUS
Amen, amen, I tell you,
the son cannot do anything by himself;
except what he sees the Father doing;
for whatever that one does,
this also the son does likewise.
For the Father loves the son
and shows him everything he does,
and greater works than these will he show him,
so that you may marvel.
For as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also the son gives life to whom he will.
For the Father does not judge anyone,
but has given all judgment to the son,
so that everyone may honor the son
as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the son
does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I tell you
that whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life
and does not come into judgment,
but has passed over from death into life.
Amen, amen, I tell you
that the hour is coming and now is
when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God
and the ones hearing will live.
For as the Father has life in himself,
so also he granted the son to have life in himself.
He gave him authority to make judgment,
because he is the human son.
Do not be surprised by this,
because the hour is coming
in which all those in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out—
those who have done good
into a resurrection of life,
those who have done bad
into a resurrection of judgment.
I can do nothing by myself;
as I hear I judge, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my will,
but the will of the one who sent me.
If I testify about myself,
my testimony is not true;
there is another who testifies about me,
and I know that his testimony about me is true.
You have sent to John,
and he has testified to the truth;
though I do not take testimony from a person,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
That one was a burning and shining lamp,
and you were willing to rejoice
for an hour in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John’s;
for the works which the Father
has given me to complete,
these works which I do, testify about me
that the Father has sent me.
The Father who sent me,
that one has testified about me.
You have neither heard his voice
nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word abiding in you,
because you do not believe this one
whom that one sent.
You study the scriptures,
because you think in them you have eternal life;
and those are the ones testifying about me;
but you are not willing to come to me
so that you may have life.
I do not accept praise from humans,
but I have known you,
that you do not have the love of God in you.
I have come in the name of my Father,
and you do not accept me;
if another comes in his own name,
that one you will accept.
How can you believe,
accepting praise from each other,
and not seek the praise from the only God?
Do not think that
I will accuse you before the Father;
there is accusing you Moses,
in whom you have put your hope.
For if you believed Moses,
you would believe me;
for he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my sayings?

EXT. GRAIN FIELDS – DAY

As they pass through the fields, Jesus and his disciples pick wheat, rub it in their hands, and eat it. Pharisees see this and complain.

THIRD PHARISEE
Look, your disciples are doing
what is not permitted on a Sabbath.

JESUS
Have you never read what David did,
when he was in need and hungry,
he and those with him?
how he entered into the house of God
in Abiathar’s high-priesthood
and taking the consecrated bread ate it
and gave it to those with him,
which only the priests are permitted to eat?
Or have you not read in the law
that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple
desecrate the Sabbath and are blameless?
I tell you that one greater
than the temple is here.
If you had known what is
“I wish mercy and not sacrifice,”
you would not have condemned the blameless.
The Sabbath was made because of the human,
and not the human because of the Sabbath;
so the human son is also Lord of the Sabbath.

INT. ANOTHER SYNAGOGUE – DAY

Jesus is teaching and speaks to the MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
I ask you if it is permitted on the Sabbath
to do good or to do harm,
to save life or to destroy?

JESUS (Cont’d.)
What person is there among you
who has one sheep,
if it falls into a ditch on the Sabbath,
will not seize it and lift it out?
By how much, then,
does a person differ from a sheep!
So it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.

The man holds out his hand, and it is restored as healthy as the other. The Pharisees are filled with fury and leave the synagogue.

EXT. BY THE SEA OF GALILEE - DAY

Jesus is healing many, and he gets into a small boat brought by his disciples.

EXT. ON A MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE – NIGHT

Jesus is praying alone.

EXT. ON THE MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE – MORNING

Jesus appoints his TWELVE DISCIPLES and embraces each of them.

JESUS
I appoint you twelve as my disciples.
Simon I call Peter.
James and John, sons of Zebedee,
are sons of thunder.
There is also Peter’s brother Andrew
and Philip and Nathanael.
Matthew was a tax collector.
There is also Thomas
and James, son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas Iscariot.

EXT. ON THE MOUNTAIN – DAY

A large crowd has gathered, and the disciples sit near Jesus.

JESUS
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for yours is the sovereignty of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for you shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle,
for you shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for justice,
for you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for you shall be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for you shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for you shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those persecuted on account of justice,
for yours is the sovereignty of heaven.
Blessed are you when people hate you
and insult you and persecute you,
and when they exclude you and reject your name
and say every bad thing against you falsely
on account of the human son.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward is large in heaven;
for thus their fathers persecuted
the prophets before you.
But woe to the rich,
for you have received your comfort.
Woe to those who are full now,
for you shall hunger.
Woe to those who laugh now,
for you shall mourn and weep.
Woe when all the people speak well of you,
for their fathers did the same to the false prophets.

You are the salt of the earth; salt is fine;
but if even the salt becomes tasteless,
with what will it be seasoned?
Neither for soil nor manure is it fit;
it is no longer good for anything
except to be thrown out
and trampled under by people.
You are the light of the world.
A city cannot be hidden set on a mountain;
no one lighting a lamp hides it
or puts it under a basket,
but one puts it on the lamp-stand
so that it shines for everyone in the house.
Let your light so shine before people,
that they may see your good works
and praise your Father in heaven.

Do not think that I came
to abolish the law or the prophets;
I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
For amen, I tell you,
until heaven and earth pass away,
not one “i” nor one dot
shall pass away from the law
until everything is accomplished.
Therefore whoever breaks one of the smallest
of these commandments and teaches people thus,
will be called smallest in the sovereignty of heaven.
But whoever performs and teaches
will be called great in the sovereignty of heaven.
For I tell you that unless your justice
surpasses that of the scholars and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the sovereignty of heaven.

You heard that it was said to the ancients,
“You shall not murder;
and whoever murders
will be liable to the judgment.”
But I tell you that everyone
who is angry with his brother
will be liable to the judgment;
and whoever says to his brother, “Numskull,”
will be liable to the council;
and whoever says, “Fool,”
will be liable to the hell of fire.
Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar
and there remember
that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar,
and go first be reconciled to your brother;
then come offer your gift.
Why do you not judge
even by yourselves what is right?
As you go with your opponent to a ruler
be agreeable quickly and work hard
to be released from him on the way,
lest the opponent drag you to the judge,
and the judge give you over to the officer,
and the officer throw you into prison;
amen, I tell you,
you will not come out from there
until you pay back the last penny.

You heard that it was said,
“You shall not commit adultery.”
But I tell you that
everyone looking at a woman with desire
already has committed adultery
with her in his heart.
If your right eye offends you,
take it out and throw it away from you;
for it is better for you to lose one of your parts
and not let your whole body be thrown into hell.
If your right hand offends you,
cut it off and throw it away from you;
for it is better for you to lose one of your parts
and not let your whole body go away into hell.
It was said, “Whoever separates from his wife
must give her a divorce.”
But I tell you that
everyone separating from his wife,
except for reason of fornication,
makes her commit adultery;
everyone leaving his wife and marrying another
commits adultery;
and whoever marries the one left by the husband
commits adultery.

Again you heard that it was said to the ancients,
“You shall not break your oath,
but keep your oaths to the Lord.”
But I tell you not to swear at all:
neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king;
nor swear by your head,
for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Let your word be “Yes,” or “No;”
but more than these is from evil.

You heard that it was said,
“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
But I tell you not to resist the evil;
but whoever strikes you on your right cheek,
turn to him the other also;
to the one wishing to judge you
and take your coat,
let him have your shirt also;
whoever forces you to go one mile,
go with him two.
Give to the one asking you;
do not turn away from the one
wishing to borrow from you;
and do not demand your things back
from the one taking them.
What you would like people to do to you,
do likewise to them.

You heard that it was said,
“You shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.”
But I tell you: love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those cursing you,
pray for those abusing you,
so that you may become
sons of your Father in heaven;
for his sun rises on the bad and good,
and it rains on the just and unjust.
If you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even tax collectors and sinners
love those who love them.
For even if you do good
to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even the sinners do the same.
If you greet only your brothers,
are you doing anything extra?
Do not even other nations do the same?
If you lend to those
from whom you hope to receive,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners
so that they may receive back an equal amount.
But love your enemies and do good
and lend expecting nothing;
and your reward will be large,
and you will be sons of the highest,
for he is kind to the ungrateful and bad.
Therefore become compassionate and perfect,
as your heavenly Father
is compassionate and perfect.

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites;
for they love to pray in the synagogues
and standing on the street corners,
so that they may be visible to people;
amen, I tell you, they received their reward.
But when you pray,
go into your room and having closed your door
pray to your Father in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret
will give back to you.
And in praying do not babble like the nationalities;
for they think that
in their many words they will be heard.
Therefore do not be like them;
for your Father knows what needs you have
before you ask him.
Therefore pray you thus:
Our Father in heaven;
holy be your name;
may your sovereignty come;
may your will be done,
as in heaven also on earth.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgave also our debtors;
and do not bring us into temptation,
but rescue us from the evil.
For if you forgive people their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
but if you do not forgive people,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.
When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites;
for they disfigure their faces
so they may show to people they are fasting;
amen, I tell you, they received their reward.
But when you are fasting,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so you may not show to people you are fasting
but to your Father in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret
will give back to you.
“Be careful not to do your rightness before people
to be seen by them;
otherwise you have no reward
from your Father in heaven.
Therefore when you perform charity,
do not trumpet it before you,
as the hypocrites do
in the synagogues and in the streets,
so that they may be praised by people;
amen, I tell you, they received their reward.
But performing your charity
let not your left know what your right does,
so that your charity may be in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret
will give back to you.

Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on the earth,
where moth and eating destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal;
but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor eating destroy,
and where thieves do not break in nor steal;
for where your treasure is,
there also will be your heart.
The eye is the lamp of the body.
Therefore if your eye is clear,
your whole body is also illuminated;
but if your eye is bad,
your whole body is also dark.
Therefore if the light in you is dark,
how great the darkness!
But if your whole body is illuminated,
not having any part dark,
it will be completely illuminated
as when the lamp by gleaming lights you.
No one can serve two lords;
for either one will hate the one
and love the other,
or one will hold to one and disregard the other.
You cannot serve God and money.

For this reason I tell you:
do not worry about your life—
what you should eat or what you should drink,
nor about your body—what you should wear.
Is not life more than food
and the body more than clothes?
Look at the birds of heaven,
for they do not sow nor reap
nor gather into barns,
and your heavenly Father feeds them;
are you not worth more than they?
Who among you by worrying
can add one hour to his life?
If then you cannot do the smallest thing,
why worry about the rest?
And why worry about clothing?
Observe the lilies of the field, how they grow:
they do not labor nor spin;
yet I tell you,
not even Solomon in all his splendor
was dressed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field
which exists today
and tomorrow is thrown into an oven,
will he not much more clothe you,
you of little faith?
Therefore do not be anxious saying,
“What should we eat?”
or “What should we drink?”
or “What should we wear?”
For the nations of the world
strive for all these things;
and your heavenly Father knows
that you need all of them.
But seek first the sovereignty and his justice,
and all these things will be provided for you.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will be anxious for itself;
each day has enough trouble of its own.

Do not judge, and you may not be judged;
for by what condemnation you judge,
you will be judged.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven;
give, and it will be given to you;
a good measure, pressed down,
shaken, and running over,
they will put in your lap;
for by what measure you measure
it will be measured back to you.
Can the blind guide the blind?
Will not both fall into a ditch?
Why do you look at
the speck in your brother’s eye,
but the plank in your own eye
you do not consider?
How can you say to your brother:
“Let me take the speck out of your eye,”
while not seeing yourself the plank in your eye?
Hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye,
and then you will see clearly
to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Do not give what is holy to the dogs,
lest they throw it on the dung-heap.
Do not throw your pearls to the pigs,
lest they trample them under their feet
and turning tear you apart.
Let one who searches,
not cease searching until one finds;
and when one finds, one will be troubled;
and when one has been troubled,
one will marvel,
and one will reign over all.
Ask, and it will be given to you;
search, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone asking receives,
and whoever searches finds,
and to the one knocking it will be opened.
What father is there among you,
if his son asks him for bread,
would give him a stone?
or if he asks for a fish,
would give him a snake?
If, then, you who are bad
know to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.
Thus everything which you wish
that people should do to you,
you should do so to them also;
for this is the law and the prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate;
for wide is the gate and broad the road
that leads away into destruction,
and there are many entering through it;
but narrow is the gate and hard the road
that leads into life,
and there are few finding it.
Watch out for false prophets,
who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inside are ravenous wolves.
By their fruit you will recognize them.
Does anyone pick grapes from thorns
or figs from thistles?
Thus every good tree produces beautiful fruit,
but the rotten tree produces bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear beautiful fruit;
for each tree is known by its own fruit.
Every tree not producing beautiful fruit
is cut down and thrown into fire.
So by their fruit you will recognize them.
Not everyone saying to me, “Lord, Lord,”
will enter into the sovereignty of heaven,
but the one doing the will
of my Father in heaven.
Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,”
and not do what I say?
Many will say to me on that day: “Lord, Lord,
did we not prophesy in your name,
and in your name expel demons,
and in your name perform many powerful things?”
Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you;
depart from me workers of lawlessness.”
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine
and practices them,
will be like a sensible man building a house,
who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock.
The rain came down, and the winds blew,
and a flood occurring
the river crashed against that house;
and it was not able to shake it
because it was well built;
it did not fall,
for it had been established on the rock.
But everyone hearing these words of mine
and not practicing them
will be like a foolish man,
who built his house on the sand.
When the rain came down and the winds blew
and the river pounded against that house,
it collapsed and fell;
and the ruin of that house was great.

FIRST ELDER
A centurion’s servant is ill and about to die,
and he wants you to heal him.

SECOND ELDER
He is worthy for whom you should grant this;
for he loves our nation,
and he built the synagogue for us.

CENTURION
Lord, my boy has been laid up
in the house paralyzed, suffering terribly.

JESUS
I will go heal him.

CENTURION
Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof;
but only say the word,
and my boy will be cured.
For I am a person appointed under authority,
having soldiers under me,
and I say to this one, “Go,” and he goes,
and to another, “Come,” and he comes,
and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.

JESUS
I tell you, from no one in Israel
have I found such faith.
Amen, I tell you that
many will come from east and west,
and will recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob
in the sovereignty of heaven;
but the sons of the sovereignty
will be thrown out into the outer darkness;
there will be the weeping
and the gnashing of teeth.
(To the centurion)
Go, as you believed, let it be for you.

Jesus and his disciples are about to enter the town when they see the dead son of a WIDOW being carried out. Jesus speaks to her.

PEOPLE OF NAIN
Praise God.
A great prophet has arisen among us.
God has visited his people.

FIRST DISCIPLE OF JOHN
John the Baptist is in prison and sent us to you.
Are you the coming one,
or should we expect another?

JESUS
Go report to John what you hear and see:
the blind regain sight, and the crippled walk;
lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear;
the dead are raised,
and the poor receive the good message;
and blessed is the one
who is not offended by me.
What did you come out into the desert to see?
A reed shaken by the wind?
But what did you come out to look at?
A person clothed in soft garments?
Look, the ones used to soft garments and luxury
are in the palaces.
But why did you come out?
To look at a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it has been written:
“Look, I send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.”
Amen, I tell you,
there has not risen among those born of women
anyone greater than John the Baptizer;
but the smallest in the sovereignty of heaven
is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptizer until now
the sovereignty of heaven is forced,
and the forceful seize it.
For all the prophets and the law
prophesied until John;
and if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah who intended to come.
Let whoever has ears hear.

SECOND DISCIPLE OF JOHN
Many people were baptized by John’s baptism;
but the Pharisees and the lawyers
rejected the purpose of God for themselves,
and were not baptized by him.

JESUS
To what, then, should I compare
the people of this generation?
They are like children sitting in the marketplaces
who call to others,
“We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang dirges, and you did not mourn.”
For John the Baptist came
neither eating bread nor drinking wine,
and you say, “He has a demon.”
The human son came eating and drinking,
and you say, “Look,
a gluttonous and wine-drinking person,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”
Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.

Woe to you, Chorazin!
Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the powerful deeds
which occurred among you
had occurred in Tyre and Sidon,
long ago they would have repented
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you,
it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon
on the day of judgment than for you.
And you, Capernaum,
will you be lifted up as high as heaven?
You shall go down as low as Hades;
for if the powerful deeds
which occurred among you
had occurred in Sodom,
it would have remained until today.
But I tell you that it will be more bearable
for the land of Sodom
on the day of judgment than for you.
I acknowledge you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
that you hid these things
from the wise and intelligent,
and revealed them to infants;
yes, Father, that this was pleasing before you.
Everything was given over to me by my Father;
no one recognizes the son except the Father,
nor does anyone recognize the Father except the son
and to whomever the son chooses to reveal him.
Come to me all who labor and are burdened,
and I will refresh you.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for your souls,
for my yoke is kind and my burden is light.

Jesus has been invited to dine with SIMON THE PHARISEE. A PROSTITUTE comes into Simon’s home with an alabaster jar of perfume. Kneeling at the feet of Jesus and weeping, she wets his feet with her tears. Then she wipes them off with the hair of her head, kisses his feet, and anoints them with the perfume. Simon speaks quietly to the man next to him.

SIMON THE PHARISEE
If this one were a prophet,
he would have recognized who
and what kind of woman is touching him,
for she is a sinner.

JESUS
Simon, I have something to tell you.

SIMON THE PHARISEE
Teacher, say it.

JESUS
There were two debtors to a certain creditor;
the one owed five hundred days’ wages, the other fifty.
Neither of them having it to pay back
he pardoned both.
Therefore which of them will love him more?

SIMON THE PHARISEE
I suppose the one for whom he pardoned more.

JESUS
You judge correctly.
Do you see this woman?
I entered into your home;
and you did not give me water for my feet;
but she wet my feet with her tears
and wiped them off with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss;
but from the time I entered
she has not left off kissing my feet.
You did not anoint my head with olive oil;
but she anointed my feet with perfume.
Because of this I tell you,
her many sins have been forgiven,
for she loved much;
but whoever is forgiven little, loves little.
(To the prostitute)
Your sins have been forgiven.
Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

The house is so crowded that it is hard to eat bread. A BLIND DEMONIAC is brought to Jesus, and he heals him so that he can see and speak. The crowd is amazed, but a RESENTFUL PHARISEE offers another explanation.

RESENTFUL PHARISEE
He expels the demons by Beelzebub,
the ruler of the demons.

JESUS
How can Satan expel Satan?
If a sovereignty is divided against itself,
that sovereignty cannot stand;
and if a house is divided against itself,
that house cannot stand.
Also if Satan stood up against himself
and was divided,
how then would his kingdom stand?
If I expel demons by Beelzebub,
by whom do your sons expel them?
Because of this they will be your judges.
But if I expel demons by the Spirit of God,
then the sovereignty of God has come upon you.
How can someone enter the house of the strong
and rob his property,
unless one first binds the strong?
Then one will rob his house.
When the armed strong man guards his courtyard,
his belongings are in order;
but when a stronger one than he
attacking overcomes him,
one takes his armor, upon which he had relied,
and distributes his spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever is not gathering with me scatters.
Because of this I tell you,
every sin and slander will be forgiven people,
but the slander of the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Whoever says a word against the human son,
it will be forgiven one;
but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit,
it will not be forgiven one
neither in this age nor in the coming one.
Either make the tree beautiful
and its fruit beautiful,
or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten;
for by the fruit the tree is known.
Products of vipers,
how can you speak good things being bad?
For from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
The good person from the good treasure
puts out good things,
and the bad person from the bad treasure
puts out bad things.
But I tell you that
every idle saying which people speak,
they will pay for concerning its meaning
on the day of judgment;
for by your words you will be justified,
and by your words you will be condemned.

SCHOLAR
Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.

JESUS
A bad and adulterous generation demands a sign,
and a sign will not be given to it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
For as Jonah was in the belly of a sea monster
three days and three nights,
so will the human son be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment
with this generation and condemn it;
for they changed their minds
at the preaching of Jonah,
and look, one greater than Jonah is here.
The queen of the south will arise at the judgment
with this generation and condemn it;
for she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and look, one greater than Solomon is here.
When an unclean spirit comes out of a person,
it goes through waterless places searching for rest,
and does not find it.
Then it says,
“I will return to my house where I came from;”
and going it finds it empty,
swept, and put in order.
Then it goes and brings along with it
seven spirits worse than itself,
and entering it lives there;
and the last state of that person
becomes worse than the first.
Thus will it be also for this bad generation.

Jesus sees that a large crowd is gathering, and he gets into a boat to preach to those on the shore.

JESUS
Listen. The sower went out to sow his seed.
In his sowing some fell along the way
and were trampled under,
and the birds of heaven came and ate them up.
Others fell on rocky ground
where they did not have much earth,
and immediately they sprang up
because of not having depth of earth;
when the sun rose, they were scorched;
and because of not having roots they dried up.
Others fell in the middle of the thorns,
and the thorns came up and choked them;
and they gave no fruit.
Others fell into the good earth and gave fruit;
coming up and growing
they produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred.
Let the one who has ears to hear hear.

JESUS
To you it has been given
to know the mysteries of the sovereignty of God,
but to those outside all things are in parables,
because looking they do not see
and listening they do not hear nor understand.
Fulfilled in them is the prophetic saying of Isaiah:
“In listening you will hear and not understand,
and watching you will look and not see.
For fattened is the heart of this people,
and they hardly heard with their ears,
and they closed their eyes;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with the heart and turn around,
and I would cure them.”
But blessed are your eyes because they see,
and your ears because they hear.
For amen, I tell you that
many prophets and just people
wished to see what you see and did not see it,
and to hear what you hear and did not hear it.
Therefore you shall hear the parable of the sower.

The sower sows the word of God.
The ones along the way,
when they hear the word and do not understand,
the devil comes and snatches away
what was sown in their hearts,
lest believing they may be saved.
What was sown on the rocky ground,
when they hear the word,
they immediately accept it with joy;
yet they have no root in themselves
but are temporary;
when oppression or persecution occurs
because of the word
they immediately are offended.
What was sown into the thorns,
these are the ones hearing the word,
and worries of the age
and the deception of wealth
and desires for the pleasures of life
come in and choke the word,
and it becomes unfruitful and does not mature.
What was sown on the beautiful earth,
these are the ones hearing the word
in a beautiful and good heart,
and understanding they hold on to it
and bear fruit with patience,
some thirty, others sixty, and others a hundred.

No one having lit a lamp hides it with furniture
or puts it under a couch,
but one puts it on a lamp-stand,
so that those coming in may see the light.
Know what is in front of you,
and what is hidden from you
will be revealed to you.
For there is nothing hidden
that will not become manifest,
nor concealed that will not be known
and come out into the open.
Therefore watch how you listen
and look at what you hear,
for whoever has,
it will be given to one,
and one will have abundance;
but whoever has not,
even what one seems to have
will be taken from one.

Thus is the sovereignty of God:
as a person might throw seed on the earth,
and might sleep and rise night and day,
and the seed sprouts and lengthens,
though one does not know how.
By itself the earth bears fruit,
first grass, then an ear, then full grain in the ear.
When the fruit is ripe,
immediately one sends the sickle,
for the harvest has arrived.

The sovereignty of heaven is like
a person sowing beautiful seed in his field.
At night while the people were sleeping,
his enemy came and sowed weeds
in between the wheat and went away.
When the grass sprouted and produced fruit,
then the weeds appeared also.
The servants approaching the master of the house
said to him, “Lord,
did you not sow beautiful seed in your field?
Where then have the weeds come from?”
He said to them, “An enemy did this.”
The servants asked him,
“Then do you want us to go gather them?”
But he said, “No, lest pulling up the weeds
you should uproot with them the wheat.
Let both grow together until the harvest;
and in the season of the harvest
I will say to the reapers:
‘First gather the weeds
and tie them into bundles to burn them,
but gather the wheat into my barn.’“

How shall we describe the sovereignty of God,
or by what parable may we compare it?
It is like a mustard seed,
which when it is sown on the earth,
is smaller than all the seeds of the earth,
but when it comes up and grows,
it is greater than the vegetables
and becomes a tree,
so that the birds of heaven
come and dwell in its branches.
The sovereignty of God is like yeast,
which a woman took
and hid in three measures of flour,
until the whole of it was lightened.

PETER
Explain to us the parable
of the weeds of the field.

JESUS
The sower of the beautiful seed is the human son;
the field is the world;
the beautiful seed are the sons of the sovereignty;
the weeds are the sons of the evil one,
and the enemy sowing them is the devil;
the harvest is the completion of the age,
and the reapers are angels.
Therefore as the weeds are gathered
and burned with fire,
so will it be at the completion of the age:
the human son will send his angels,
and they will gather out of his sovereignty
all the offenses and ones doing wrong,
and will throw them into the oven of fire;
there will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the just will shine out as the sun
in the sovereignty of their Father.
Let the one having ears hear.

The sovereignty of heaven is like
a treasure hidden in a field,
which finding a person hid,
and from his joy he goes
and sells whatever he has and buys that field.
Again the sovereignty of heaven is like
a merchant seeking beautiful pearls;
and finding one very precious pearl,
he went and sold everything he had
and bought it.
You too search for imperishable
and enduring treasure,
where no moth comes near to devour,
and no worm destroys.
Again the sovereignty of heaven is like
a net cast into the sea
gathering from every kind,
which when filled was brought up on the shore,
and sitting they gathered the good into baskets,
and threw out the bad.
So will it be at the completion of the age;
the angels will go out
and separate the bad from among the just,
and will throw them into the oven of fire;
there will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Have you understood all these things?

DISCIPLES
Yes.

JESUS
For this reason every scholar who has become
a disciple of the sovereignty of heaven
is like a master of a house
who brings out of his treasure the new and old.

Leaving the crowd, they get in the boat and put out. As they sail, Jesus falls asleep in the stern with his head on a pillow. A whirlwind comes down onto the lake, and the waves break into the boat so that now the boat is being filled up, and they are in danger. Peter wakes up Jesus.

Jesus and the disciples get out of the boat and are met by a MAN FROM THE TOMBS who is crying out and cutting himself with stones. He sees Jesus, runs to him, and falls in front of him.

Suddenly a herd of pigs rushes down the steep slope into the sea, and they are drowned. The man from the tombs becomes very calm, but the people there become afraid and motion Jesus to get away. Jesus and his disciples embark in the boat, and the man from the tombs wants to come along.

JESUS
Return to your home to your people,
and report to them
what the Lord has done for you
and the mercy shown you.

Jesus and his disciples have crossed back and are welcomed by a large crowd. The synagogue ruler JAIRUS approaches Jesus.

JAIRUS
My little daughter is dying;
come lay your hands on her,
so that she may be saved and live.

Jesus goes with him, and the crowd follows. A WOMAN who has suffered from bleeding for twelve years struggles to get near Jesus and touches his robe. As she does so, Jesus senses a change and turns.

Jesus looks around to see who touched him, and the trembling woman comes and falls before him.

Jesus, Peter, James, and his brother John have entered the home of Jairus and see flute players and weeping and wailing.

Some laugh because she had died. Jesus has everyone removed except the father and mother and his disciples. He goes to the dead girl and takes her hand.

The DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS comes alive, stands up, and walks to her parents, who are amazed.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
Please do not tell anyone about this.
Now give her something to eat.

Jesus is walking along a street with his disciples. TWO BLIND PEOPLE hear that he is there and shout to him.

Jesus and his disciples walk on, and many people praise God and are amazed at these and other healings. An ESSENE comments.

Jesus and his disciples have left Nazareth. They stop in a meadow, and Jesus instructs them.

JESUS
The harvest is large, but the workers are few;
therefore ask the Lord of the harvest
so he may send out workers for his harvest.
I send you twelve out two by two,
and I give you authority over unclean spirits
in order to expel them
and power to heal every disease and illness.
Do not go off into the way of the nations,
and do not enter into a town of the Samaritans;
but go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Preach “The sovereignty of heaven is near.”
Heal the ailing; raise the dead;
cleanse lepers; expel demons.
Freely you received; freely give.
Do not take gold nor silver
nor copper in your belts,
nor a bag for the road
nor two shirts nor extra sandals nor a staff.
In whatever town or village you enter,
inquire who in it is worthy.
Entering a house greet it,
“Peace to this house.”
If there is a son of peace there,
let your peace rest upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Stay in the same house,
eating and drinking with them;
for the worker is worthy of one’s pay.
Do not move from house to house.
In whatever town you enter
where they welcome you,
eat what they put before you,
and heal the sick in it.

Whoever does not welcome you
or listen to your words,
going out of the house into their streets
or outside that town
say, “Even the dust clinging to our feet
from your town we shake off to you;
yet know this:
that the sovereignty of God has come near.”
Amen, I tell you, it will be more bearable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah
on judgment day than for that town.
Look, I send you out
as lambs in the midst of wolves;
so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Watch out for people;
for they will give you over to councils,
and in their synagogues they will punish you;
on account of me
you will be led before governors and also kings,
for testimony to them and to the nations.
When they bring you in
before synagogues and rulers and authorities,
do not worry about
how you should defend yourself
or what you should say;
for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour
what you should say;
for you are not the ones speaking,
but the Spirit of your Father
is the one speaking in you.
Brother will give over brother into death
and the father the child,
and children will rebel against parents
and will put them to death.
You will be hated by everyone
because of my name;
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town,
flee to another;
for amen, I tell you,
you will not complete the towns of Israel
before the human son comes.
A disciple is not above the teacher
nor a servant above his lord.
But every disciple who has been prepared
will become like his teacher,
and the servant like his lord.
If they called the master of the house Beelzebub,
how much more the members of his house.

So do not be afraid of them;
for nothing has been veiled
which will not be unveiled,
and hidden which will not be known.
What I tell you in the dark, say in the light;
and what you hear in your ear,
proclaim on the housetops.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body
and after that do not have
anything more they can do,
not being able to kill the soul;
but rather be afraid of the one able to ruin
both soul and body in hell.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them will fall upon the earth
without your Father.
Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
So do not be afraid;
you are worth more than many sparrows.
Therefore everyone who
acknowledges me before people,
I will also acknowledge him
before my Father in heaven;
but whoever denies me before people,
will also be denied before my Father in heaven.

Do not think that I came
to bring peace upon the earth;
I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I came to turn a person against his father
and a daughter against her mother
and a bride against her mother-in-law,
and a person’s enemies will be
the members of his house.
The one loving father or mother above me
is not worthy of me;
and the one loving son or daughter above me
is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take one’s cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
The one finding one’s life will lose it,
and the one losing one’s life
for my sake will find it.
The one welcoming you welcomes me,
and the one welcoming me
welcomes the one who sent me.
The one welcoming a prophet
in the name of a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and the one welcoming a just person
in the name of justice
will receive a just person’s reward.
Also whoever gives one of these little ones
a cup of cool water to drink
only in the name of a disciple,
amen, I tell you, will not lose one’s reward.

HEROD ANTIPAS is celebrating his birthday with his wife HERODIAS and courtiers. The DAUGHTER OF HERODIAS enters and performs a seductive dance.

HEROD ANTIPAS
Ask me for whatever you wish,
and I will give it to you;
Whatever you request I will give you,
up to half my kingdom.

Herod Antipas is sad, but because of his oaths and the dinner guests he dare not refuse her.

HEROD ANTIPAS
I have enjoyed talking with John the Baptizer,
and he has put many doubts into my mind.
Yet I will keep my promise to you, my dear.
Send the executioner to his cell
and bring to us now the head of the Baptizer.

The officers return with the head of John on a platter and present it to the daughter of Herodias.

They walk up the mountain, but many people follow them. Jesus teaches a multitude of people, and time passes. Peter and the other disciples approach Jesus.

The disciples have them all sit down on the grass in groups. Jesus takes the five loaves and the two fish, looks up into heaven, and blesses them. He breaks the loaves and gives them to the disciples to set before them, and he distributes the two fish. They all eat and are satisfied.

Each of the twelve disciples carries a basket and picks up left-over bread and fish. Jesus speaks to his disciples.

JESUS (Cont''d.)
They want to come and make me their king.
I want you to embark in the boat
and go ahead of me to the other side to Bethsaida.

While the crowd starts down, Jesus goes up on the mountain privately to pray alone.

The disciples are in the boat in the middle of the sea which is roused by a great wind blowing against them. They are straining in the rowing, harassed by the waves. Jesus comes toward them walking on the sea and is going to pass by them, but the disciples see him walking on the sea and are disturbed.

Going down from the boat Peter walks on the water and comes toward Jesus.
When Peter looks at the waves, he becomes afraid and begins to sink.

As they go up into the boat, the wind ceases. The disciples are extremely astounded.

The congregation is surprised to find Jesus there, and the SYNAGOGUE LEADER questions Jesus.

SYNAGOGUE LEADER
Rabbi, when did you come here?

JESUS
Amen, amen, I tell you,
you seek me not because you saw miracles,
but because you ate from the loaves
and were satisfied.
Do not work for the food which spoils,
but for the food which continues into eternal life,
which the human son will give you;
for God the Father certified this one.

SYNAGOGUE LEADER
What should we do
that we may do the works of God?

JESUS
This is the work of God,
that you believe in that one whom he sent.

SYNAGOGUE LEADER
Then what sign do you perform,
that we may see and believe you?
What work do you do?
Our fathers ate manna in the desert,
as it is written:
“He gave them bread from heaven to eat.“

JESUS
Amen, amen, I tell you,
Moses has not given you the bread from heaven,
but my Father gives you
the true bread from heaven;
for the bread of God is
the one coming down from heaven
and giving life to the world.

SYNAGOGUE LEADER
Lord, always give us this bread.

JESUS
I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me does not hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
However, I told you that
you have even seen me and do not believe.
Everyone whom the Father gives me
will come to me,
and whoever comes to me
I will not throw out outside,
because I have come down from heaven
not that I may do my will,
but the will of the one who sent me.
This is the will of the one who sent me,
that everyone whom he has given me
I shall not lose any of them,
but I shall raise them up on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone seeing the son
and believing in him may have eternal life,
and I shall raise the same up on the last day.

GRUMBLING JEW
Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph,
whose father and mother we know?
How does he now say,
“I have come down from heaven”?

JESUS
Do not grumble with each other.
No one can come to me
unless the Father who sent me draws one,
and I shall raise the same up on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
“They shall all be taught by God;”
everyone having heard from the Father
and learning comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father,
except the one from the Father;
this one has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate the manna
in the desert and died;
this is the bread coming down from heaven,
so that anyone may eat of it and not die.
I am the living bread
which came down from heaven;
if anyone eats of this bread,
one will live into eternity.
This is the bread which came down from heaven,
not like the fathers ate and died;
whoever eats this bread will live into eternity.

JUDAS ISCARIOT
Hard is this word; who can listen to it?

JESUS
Does this offend you?
So what if you see the human son
going up where he was before?
The Spirit is life-giving;
the flesh benefits nothing;
the sayings which I have spoken to you
are Spirit and are life.
Yet there are some of you who do not believe.
Because of this I have told you
that no one can come to me
unless it is given to one from the Father.

JESUS
Do you also wish to leave?

PETER
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the sayings of eternal life,
and we have believed and known
that you are the holy one of God.

JESUS
Did I not select you twelve?
and one of you is a devil.

GRUMBLING JEW
Why do your disciples break
the tradition of the elders?
For they do not wash their hands
whenever they eat bread.

JESUS
And why do you break the commandment of God
because of your tradition?
For Moses said, “Honor your father and mother,”
and “Let whoever speaks evil
of his father or mother be put to death.”
But you say,
“A person may say to his father or mother:
‘Whatever you might have been benefited
from me is a gift,’”
and you no longer let one
do anything for one’s father or mother,
nullifying the word of God
by your tradition which you have received;
and you do many such similar things.
Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied well about you,
as it has been written:
“This people honors me with the lips,
but their heart is far away from me;
and in vain they worship me,
teaching as teachings the commands of people.”
Letting go of the commandment of God
you hold to the tradition of people.
Everyone listen to me and understand.
There is nothing outside of a person
which entering into one’s mouth can defile one;
but what comes out from the mouth,
this defiles a person.

Jesus is with his disciples, but a CANAANITE WOMAN manages to get in and shouts.

Jesus is speaking to a crowd. A DEAF PERSON is brought to him, and Jesus takes him aside. Jesus puts his fingers in the person’s ears and spitting touches his tongue. Then Jesus looks up to heaven.

Jesus takes the hand of the blind man and leads him outside the village. Spitting in his eyes, Jesus puts his hands on him.

JESUS
Who do people say I am?

PETER
Some say John the Baptist.

JAMES
Others say Elijah.

JOHN
Yet others think you may be Jeremiah
or one of the ancient prophets reincarnated.

JESUS
But who do you say I am?

PETER
You are the Christ,
the son of the living God.

JESUS
Blessed are you, Simon Barjonah,
because flesh and blood
did not reveal this to you
but my Father in heaven.
I also tell you that you are Peter,
and on this rock I shall build my church,
and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
I shall give you the keys
of the sovereignty of heaven,
and whatever you bind on the earth
will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you release on the earth
will be released in heaven.
Tell no one that I am the Christ.
I must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders,
high priests and scholars.
I will be killed and on the third day be raised.

PETER
God help you, Lord! This shall not be.

JESUS
Get behind me, Satan;
you are a temptation to me,
for you do not think of God but of humans.
If anyone wishes to come after me,
deny yourself and take up your cross,
and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save one’s life,
will lose it;
and whoever loses one’s life on account of me,
will save it.
For what does it benefit a person
to gain the whole world and damage one’s soul?
For what could a person give
in exchange for one’s soul?
For whoever is ashamed of me and my words
in this adulterous and sinful generation,
the human son will also be ashamed of the same
when he comes in the glory of his Father
with the holy angels;
then he will give back to each
according to their actions.
Amen, I tell you that some
who are standing here may not taste death
until they see the sovereignty of God
has come with power.

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain to pray. As they pray, the face of Jesus becomes bright like the sun, and his clothes shimmer with white light. MOSES and ELIJAH appear and converse with Jesus.

Peter, James, and John are heavy with sleep, but they wake up and see the two with Jesus.

PETER
Rabbi, it is good we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

NARRATOR (v. o.)
This is my beloved son,
in whom I am well pleased; listen to him.

The disciples hearing this are afraid and fall on their faces. Jesus touches them.

The disciples look around and see only Jesus. They start walking down the mountain.

As they come down, they see scholars debating with the crowd.
The people seeing him are amazed and run up to greet him.

So they bring the LUNATIC to him. Seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately
throws him down and convulses, and he rolls on the ground foaming at the mouth. Jesus questions his father.

Having cried out and convulsed much, it came out, and the lunatic became as though dead. Jesus takes his hand and helps him stand up. Then he gives him back to his father. All are amazed. As they walk way, Peter speaks privately to Jesus.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
If anyone wants to be first,
he will be last of all and servant of all.

JESUS (Cont’d.)
Amen, I tell you,
unless you change and become like children,
you may not enter into the sovereignty of heaven.
Therefore whoever humbles oneself like this child
is greater in the sovereignty of heaven.
Whoever welcomes one such child
in my name, welcomes me;
and whoever welcomes me,
welcomes the one who sent me.

JOHN
Teacher, we saw someone
expelling demons in your name,
and we forbade him,
because he does not follow with us.

JESUS
Do not forbid him;
for no one will do a powerful deed in my name
and quickly be able to speak evil of me;
for whoever is not against us, is for us.
For whoever gives you a cup of water
because you are Christ’s,
amen, I tell you, they will not lose their reward.
But whoever offends any
of these small ones believing in me,
it would be better for that one
if a millstone were laid around his neck
and he was thrown into the sea and drowned.
Woe to the world from the offenses,
for offenses must come;
but woe to the person
through whom the offense comes.
If your hand or your foot offends you,
cut if off and throw it away from you;
it is better for you
to enter into life deformed or lame,
than having two hands or two feet
to be thrown into hell.
If your eye offends you,
take it out and throw it away from you;
for it is better for you
to enter one-eyed into life,
than having two eyes
to be thrown into the fire’s hell,
where their worm does not die
and the fire is not extinguished.
For everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is fine; but if the salt becomes saltless,
with what will you season it?
Have salt in yourselves
and be at peace with each other.
See that you do not look down
on one of these small ones;
for I tell you that their angels in heaven
see through everything
the face of my Father in heaven.

Watch yourselves; and if your brother sins,
go correct him between you and him alone.
If he repents, forgive him.
If he sins against you seven times a day
and seven times turns to you
saying, “I repent,” forgive him.
If he listens to you, you gained your brother;
but if he does not listen,
take along with you one or two more,
so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses
every saying may be established;
but if he ignores them, tell the congregation;
and if he ignores also the congregation,
let him be as a national and tax collector.
Amen, I tell you that
if two of you agree on the earth
about any action which you may request,
it will come to be for you
from my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered
in my name, I am there with them.

PETER
Lord, how many times
will my brother sin against me
and shall I forgive him?
Up to seven times?

JESUS
I do not tell you up to seven times,
but up to seventy times seven.
Thus the sovereignty of heaven is like a king,
who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
As he began the accounting,
a debtor of ten thousand talents
was brought to him.
As he did not have it to pay back,
the lord commanded him and his wife
and children and everything he had to be sold,
and it be paid back.
So the servant fell on his knees to him
saying, “Be patient with me,
and I will pay back everything to you.”
Empathizing with that servant
the lord released him and forgave the loan.
But going out that servant
found one of his fellow servants,
who owed him a hundred days’ wages
and grabbing him he choked him
saying, “Pay back if you owe anything.”
So falling down his fellow servant begged him
saying, “Be patient with me,
and I will pay you back.”
He did not want to,
but going away he threw him into prison
until he should pay back the debt.
So seeing what happened
his fellow servants were deeply grieved,
and coming they explained to the lord
everything that happened.
Then his lord called him and said to him,
“Bad servant, I forgave you all that debt
because you begged me to;
must not you also have mercy
on your fellow servant,
as I had mercy on you?”
Being angry his lord gave him over to the jailers
until he should pay back all the debt to him.
Thus also my heavenly Father will do to you,
unless you each forgive
your brother from your hearts.

Jesus and his disciples have left a Samaritan town. John and his brother James are particularly upset that they were not welcomed there.

QUESTIONING SCHOLAR
How does he know literature not having studied?

JESUS
My teaching is not mine,
but from the one who sent me;
if anyone is willing to do his will,
one will know about the teaching,
whether it is from God
or whether I speak from myself.
The one speaking from himself
seeks his own glory;
but the one seeking the glory
of the one who sent him,
this one is true, and injustice is not in him.
Did not Moses give you the law?
Yet none of you practice the law.
Why are you trying to kill me?

QUESTIONING SCHOLAR
You have a demon; who is trying to kill you?

JESUS
I did one work, and you are all surprised.
For this reason Moses has given you circumcision,
not that it is from Moses but from the fathers,
and on a Sabbath you circumcise a person.
If a person receives circumcision on a Sabbath
so that the law of Moses may not be broken,
are you angry with me,
since I made a whole person healthy on a Sabbath?
Do not judge according to appearance,
but judge a just judgment.

JERUSALEMITE
Isn’t this the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he speaks openly,
and they say nothing to him.
Have the authorities really concluded
that this is the Christ?
But we know where this one is from;
and when the Christ comes,
no one will know where he is from.

JESUS
You know me, and you know where I am from;
yet I have not come from myself,
but he is true who sent me,
whom you do not know;
I know him, because I am from him
and that one sent me.

TEMPLE ATTENDANTS try to arrest him; but they are afraid of the crowd and change their minds.

The HIGH PRIESTS and ELDER PHARISEES are discussing Jesus as the temple attendants come in.

Jesus is sitting down and teaching. Scholars and Pharisees bring in an ADULTERESS they caught and put her in the middle.

PUNISHING SCHOLAR
Teacher, this woman has been caught
in the act of adultery;
and in the law Moses ordered us
to stone such a woman;
therefore what do you say?

Again he bends down and writes on the ground. One by one
beginning with the elders, they walk away. Jesus is left alone with the woman in the middle. Jesus straightens up and speaks to her,

JESUS
I am the light of the world;
those following me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.
I am the light that is over all.
I am the all;
the all came out of me,
and the all returned to me.
Split wood: I am there;
lift the stone, and you will find me there.

COMPLAINING PHARISEE
You testify about yourself;
your testimony is not true.

JESUS
Even if I testify about myself,
my testimony is true,
because I know
where I came from and where I go;
but you do not know
where I come from or where I go.
You judge according to the flesh;
I do not judge anyone.
But even if I judge, my judgment is true,
because I am not alone,
but it is I and the one who sent me.
It has even been written in your law
that the testimony of two people is true.
I am testifying about myself,
and my Father who sent me testifies about me.

QUESTIONING PHARISEE
Where is your father?

JESUS
You know neither me nor my Father;
if you knew me,
you would also know my Father.
I am going,
and you will look for me,
and you will die in your sin;
where I am going you cannot come.

QUESTIONING JEW
Will he kill himself,
for he says,
“Where I am going you cannot come”?

JESUS
You are from below; I am from above.
You are of this world; I am not of this world.
So I told you that you will die in your sins;
for if you do not believe what I am,
you will die in your sins.

QUESTIONING JEW
Who are you?

JESUS
The beginning.
Why do I even speak to you?
I have many things to speak and judge about you;
but the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him,
these things I speak to the world.
When you lift up the human son,
then you will know what I am;
from myself I am nothing,
but as the Father taught me,
these things I speak.
The one who sent me is with me;
he did not leave me alone,
because I always do what pleases him.
If you continue in my word,
you are truly my disciples,
and you will know the truth,
and the truth will free you.

COMPLAINING PHARISEE
We are Abraham’s seed,
and we have never been enslaved to anyone;
how can you say that we will become free?

JESUS
Amen, amen, I tell you
that everyone performing sin is a slave of sin.
But the slave does not stay in the house forever;
the son stays forever.
If then the son frees you, you will be really free.
I know that you are Abraham’s seed;
but you are trying to kill me
because my word finds no room in you.
What I have seen with the Father I speak;
and you, therefore, do
what you heard from the Father.

ASSERTIVE JEW
Our father is Abraham.

JESUS
If you are children of Abraham,
do the works of Abraham;
but now you are trying to kill me,
a person who has spoken the truth to you,
which I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father.

ASSERTIVE PHARISEE
We were not born of fornication;
we have one Father, God.

JESUS
If God were your Father,
you would have loved me;
for I came out of God and am present;
for I have not come from myself,
but that one sent me.
Why do you not know my speech?
Because you cannot hear my word.
You are of the devil father,
and you want to perform your father’s desires.
That one was a murderer from the beginning,
and he did not stand in the truth
because truth is not in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own,
because he is a liar and the father of lying.
But because I say the truth,
you do not believe me.
Which of you convicts me of a sin?
If I am telling the truth,
why do you not believe me?
The one who is of God
listens to the sayings of God;
for this reason you do not listen,
because you are not of God.

COMPLAINING PHARISEE
Do we not say well
that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?

JESUS
I do not have a demon,
but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
I do not seek my glory;
there is one seeking and judging.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
if anyone keeps my words,
he will not see death at all ever.

COMPLAINING PHARISEE
Now we know that you have a demon.
Abraham died and the prophets,
and you say, “If anyone keeps my word,
he will not taste death at all ever.”
Are you greater than our father Abraham,
who died? and the prophets who died?
Whom are you making yourself?

JESUS
If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing;
my Father is the one glorifying me,
of whom you say, “He is our God,”
and you have not known him, but I know him.
If I say that I do not know him,
I shall be a liar like you;
however I do know him, and I keep his word.
Your Father Abraham was glad to see my day,
and he saw and rejoiced.

QUESTIONING JEW
You are not yet fifty years old
and have you seen Abraham?

JESUS
Amen, amen, I tell you,
before Abraham was born, I am.

Some of the Jews pick up stones to throw at Jesus, but he disappears into the crowd and leaves the temple.

Jesus spits on the ground, makes mud out of the saliva, and puts it on the blind one’s eyes.

PHARISEE LEADER
How did you gain your sight?

ONE BORN BLIND
He put mud on my eyes,
and I washed, and I see.

PHARISEE LEADER
This person is not from God,
for he does not keep the Sabbath.

BELIEVING PHARISEE
How can a sinful person do such miracles?
What do you say about him,
since he opened your eyes?

ONE BORN BLIND
He is a prophet.

PHARISEE LEADER
Call his parents.
Is this your son,
whom you say was born blind?
How then does he see now?

BLIND MAN’S FATHER
We know that this is our son
and that he was born blind;
but how he now sees we do not know,
or who opened his eyes we do not know.
Ask him; he is of age;
he will speak about himself.

PHARISEE LEADER
Give praise to God;
we know that this person is sinful.

ONE BORN BLIND
I don’t know if he is sinful;
one thing I know,
that having been blind now I see.

PHARISEE LEADER
What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?

ONE BORN BLIND
I told you already, and you didn’t listen;
why do you want to hear it again?
Do you want to become his disciples too?

PHARISEE LEADER
You are a disciple of that one,
but we are disciples of Moses;
we know that God has spoken to Moses,
but we don’t know where this one is from.

ONE BORN BLIND
Then in this is the marvelous thing,
that you don’t know where he is from,
and he opened my eyes.
We know that God does not listen to the sinful;
however if someone is godly and does his will,
he listens to him.
From eternity it has not been heard of
that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind;
if this one were not from God,
he could not do anything.

PHARISEE LEADER
You were born completely in sin,
and do you teach us?
Throw him out.

JESUS
Do you believe in the human son?

ONE BORN BLIND
Who is he, lord,
that I may believe in him?

JESUS
You have both seen him,
and the one speaking with you is that one.

ONE BORN BLIND
I believe, Lord.

JESUS
For judgment I came into this world,
so that the ones not seeing may see
and the ones seeing may become blind.

LISTENING PHARISEE
Are we blind too?

JESUS
If you were blind, you would not have sin;
but now that you say, “We see,” your sin remains.
Amen, amen, I tell you, the one not entering
through the door into the sheepfold
but going up another way, is a thief and a robber;
but the one entering through the door
is the shepherd of the sheep.
The doorkeeper opens to him,
and the sheep listen to his voice;
and he calls his own sheep by name
and leads them out.
When he has put out all of his own,
he goes in front of them,
and the sheep follow him
because they know his voice;
and they will not follow a stranger
but will flee from him,
because they do not know
the voice of strangers.
Amen, amen, I tell you
that I am the door for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers;
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the door;
whoever enters through me will be saved,
and they will come in and out and find pasture.
The thief does not come
except to steal and kill and destroy;
I came so that they may have life
and have abundance.

I am the noble shepherd.
The noble shepherd lays down his life for the sheep;
the hired hand not being a shepherd,
the sheep are not his own;
he sees the wolf coming
and leaves the sheep and flees,
and the wolf seizes them and scatters them;
for he is a hired hand
and does not care about the sheep.
I am the noble shepherd;
and I know mine, and mine know me,
as the Father knows me, and I know the Father;
and I lay down my life for the sheep.
I also have other sheep
which are not from this fold;
and I must bring those,
and they will listen to my voice
and will become one flock, one shepherd.
For this reason the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life,
that I may receive it again.
No one took it from me,
but I lay it down by myself.
I have authority to lay it down,
and I have authority to receive it again;
this commandment I received from my Father.

DOUBTING JEW
He has a demon and is crazy;
why listen to him?

RECEPTIVE JEW
These sayings are not a demoniac’s;
can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

JESUS
I sent you out two by two ahead of me
into every city and place where I go.
Whoever listens to you listens to me,
and whoever rejects you rejects me;
and whoever rejects me
rejects the one who sent me.

FIRST APOSTLE
Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.

JESUS
I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Look, I have given you the authority
to tread on serpents and scorpions,
and on all the power of the enemy,
and nothing will harm you at all.
Yet do not rejoice in this
that the spirits submit to you,
but rejoice that your names
have been recorded in heaven.

LAWYER
Teacher, by doing what may I obtain eternal life?

JESUS
What has been written in the law?
How do you read it?

LAWYER
Love the Lord your God
from your whole heart
and with your whole soul
and with your whole strength
and with your whole mind,
and love your neighbor as yourself.

JESUS
You answer correctly;
do this and you will live.

LAWYER
And who is my neighbor?

JESUS
A certain person was going down
from Jerusalem to Jericho,
and he fell in among robbers,
who both beating him and stripping him
went away leaving him half dead.
By coincidence a certain priest
was going down on that road,
and seeing him he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise also a Levite coming upon the place
and seeing passed by on the opposite side.
A certain Samaritan traveling came upon him
and seeing was compassionate;
approaching he bound up his wounds
pouring on oil and wine,
and putting him on his own pack-animal
he brought him to an inn and took care of him.
On the next day taking out two days’ wages
he gave it to the innkeeper
and said, “Take care of him,
and whatever you spend in addition
I on my return will pay back to you.”
Which of these three seems to you
to have been a neighbor
to the one falling in among the robbers?

LAWYER
The one who demonstrated mercy with him.

JESUS
Go, and you do likewise.

—end of part one—

BECK index

JESUS THE CHRIST

Based closely on the Gospels
Translated, Edited and Written
by Sanderson Beck

Part 1

Copyright © 2008 by Sanderson Beck

JESUS the CHRIST Part 2

Contents
Introduction
Harmony 1
Synthesis 1
Interpretation 1
Index to Gospel Passages

BECK index

BECK index

JESUS THE CHRIST

Based closely on the GospelsTranslated, Edited and Written by Sanderson Beck Part 1

Copyright © 2008 by Sanderson Beck

JESUS the CHRIST Part 2

Contents Introduction Harmony 1 Synthesis 1 Interpretation 1 Index to Gospel Passages

BECK index

Based closely on the Gospels
Translated, Edited and Written
by Sanderson Beck

Part 1

Contents
Introduction
Harmony 1
Synthesis 1
Interpretation 1
Index to Gospel Passages