A Play --“What Was the Fuss”

Mark 11: 1-12, 15-19, 27-33; 12: 35-40 and 14:1-2 

The old cliché says that familiarity breeds contempt. But I think familiarity actually breeds lack of awareness and disinterest. Think of the Pledge of Allegiance or the Lord’s Prayer – how often do we really hear them anymore when we repeat them. That is the challenge for us on our high holy days like Christmas, Palm Sunday, and Easter. The biblical stories on those days become so familiar that we stop really hearing and absorbing them. To reinvigorate the story of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and his time in that city up to The Last Supper, I have taken the Palm Sunday scripture stories and with some liberties dramatized them.             

Hear first the words of Mark 11:1-4 

            When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. ³If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” 

At this point Jesus has for some time been journeying toward Jerusalem from Galilee -- preaching and healing along the way. He has been telling his disciples that he must travel to Jerusalem, that he will be arrested, tried, beaten and ultimately killed. They do not believe him. And now he has this strange exchange with Peter and John his two closest disciples. 

 The Play 

Act 1 Scene 1 -- Jesus, Peter and John in Bethany a town about 3 miles from Jerusalem:

Jesus:  Peter, John I need you to run an errand. In Bethphage the town on the other side of the Mount of Olives, you will find a colt  tied to a tree on the main street next to the bazaar there. Bring it to me.
Peter : But there are colts and donkeys here. I can go next door and get a good one right now.
Jesus: I need and want the one in Bethphage. It is important to me. If anyone challenges you when you take the colt, just tell them that the “Lord needs it and will bring it back as soon as possible”.

Scene 2  -- Peter and John are walking on the road to Bethphage:  

John : Give me a break – this is a total waste of time. We could have gotten a colt in Bethany.

Peter : You are right. And we could get arrested for stealing this colt. Why would the owner let us take the colt -- just because the Lord needs it?   And any way why a colt? Shouldn’t Jesus as important as he is use a warhorse or something important to arrive at Jerusalem on?

John: You don’t think Jesus has already arranged this with someone in Bethpage? Why would he do that?

Peter: Maybe he somehow knows what’s going to happen in ways we don’t? I sure hope we aren’t arrested. The Romans are very harsh in dealing with thieves. 

Scene 3  -- John and Peter on Main Street in Bethphage:

John: What do you know – there is a colt tied outside on that tree just as Jesus said. Let’s get it before anybody sees us.

(Some Bystanders notice)   

Bystander: Hey, what are you two doing?

Peter  (turning to the bystander): The Lord needs this Colt and will return it.

 (And with that they lead the colt away and no one stops them.)

Mark 11: 7-11

⁷Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. ⁸Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. ⁹Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
¹⁰Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹¹Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
 

Act 2  Scene 1 -- Jesus and the disciples on the road from Bethany to Jerusalem: 

Peter: I never expected so many people along the road. The crowds are huge.  I know it’s Passover and our Jewish brothers and sisters from all over Judea are coming to Jerusalem, but why so many now? And why are they lining the road?
John: I guess the word about Jesus has spread. It’s not just in Galilee but even here in Jerusalem that they have heard about his preaching and healing. It’s pretty amazing. It’s how I imagine it was for King Solomon and King David. Just right for the King of the Jews! 

Scene 2 -- Jesus and his disciples are entering Jerusalem at the gate for the Bethany Road. The road is lined with palm waving folks: 

A Woman Bystander (watching Jesus from the roadside palm in hand): Oh my -- isn’t this wonderful! Hosanna! The new David is coming. The one who comes in the name of the Lord is here. It’s all true – this Jesus is the One. The Messiah! Everything is going to be different.

A skeptical male bystander (standing next to the first): The New David – the Messiah  -- why do you say that? Maybe, this Jesus is just another of those kooky rebel prophets stirring up the Jews -- all talk and no action. You know how much trouble they have caused us. Their outbursts have always been followed by crackdowns by the Romans.

Woman Bystander: But it is just like the prophet Zechariah said -- the new King will come humbly and riding on a colt. He will be victorious.  All the stories of Jesus are that he eats with outcasts and the unclean. He lives simply relying on what his friends and followers provide. And he can do amazing things like turning water into wine. The Pharisees are always trying to trip him up and never do.

The skeptical male bystander: Why isn’t this king riding on a war horse? That’s what David and Solomon and the others did. Isn’t this Jesus, just another sorcerer or astrologer? Nothing good comes out of Galilee –isn’t that what the people say?

Woman Bystander: Mark my words –Jesus will bring us the Kingdom of God. Those Romans are on their way out. There will be a new golden age for God’s chosen people. We are going to take back what is ours, lead by this long-awaited Messiah. (Waving palms) Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!

Skeptical Male bystander (speaking to himself):  I have a really bad feeling about this. I am sending my family out of town with some of our most precious things.  

Scene 3 -- in the market area far from the Bethany road at the tent of the weavers where two of them are talking:

First weaver: Why aren’t you out at the Bethany gate? That prophet from Galilee -- I think his name is Jesus -- is arriving this morning. There is a lot of talk about him. My cousin in Nazareth said he has preached there to big and enthusiastic crowds. He has -- they say-- healed the sick that nobody else could help. And you know he is supposed to have fed 5000 with a couple fish and a few loaves of bread. Now, if he really did that -- that’s some kind of power. Maybe he’s the next King David?  

Second weaver: Come on – you don’t really believe all that stuff. That’s just talk. What has he done for working folk like us? Is he going to get the Romans to lower our taxes?  If he can galvanize us Jews into standing up to the Romans –  now that’s what we need. But it’s going take something more than a couple of alleged miracles to convince me that he is the new David. And don’t tell me you believe he’s the Son of God!! 

First weaver: But what if he is the Son of God? What do you think he will do? Boy, I wish I had gone to the Bethany gate to see him.  

Hear these words from Mark 11:15-19

¹⁵Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves; ¹⁶and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. ¹⁷He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”¹⁸And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. ¹⁹And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 

Act 3 Scene 1 -- Meeting of the Chief Priest and the Senior Pharisee in the Temple  

Chief Priest Caiaphas: We have got to do something about this Jesus of Nazareth. He went wild yesterday and damaged the moneychangers tables and released some of the doves and pigeons. What are all of the Passover pilgrims to do?  They need animals to sacrifice. They need Temple  money to pay the Temple fees. We can’t keep the place up without them. The audacity of this guy – he says he did it because this is his Father’s house   and he must restore it to a house of prayer. Who does he think he is – the Son of God? That’s blasphemy. We have only one God -- nothing could be more fundamental to our faith than this commandment.

 Pharisee: I know he is a kook… but the prophet Isaiah did predict that a new Messiah was to come. Zechariah said the new King would come riding on a colt. What if he is this Jesus guy? They say he has done some amazing things. And he is very smart and knows the Hebrew Scriptures. Nobody can catch him in a mistake. What if he is the new Messiah …?

Chief Priest: Don’t be ridiculous! He makes a mockery of all we hold important in our faith. He heals on the Sabbath and if you can believe it -- eats with the unclean - the prostitutes, the tax collectors and Samarians. No, we have to get rid of him. But the crowds he is drawing are very large. We must be careful in going after him. Let’s get the Romans to take care of this problem for us.   

Act 3 Scene 2 -- The Chief Priest and Pontus Pilate’s Security Chief at a meeting at the place of the Roman Governor:  

Chief Priest: We have a problem.
Roman Director of Security: What sort of problem?

Chief Priest: This man from Galilee – Jesus -- represents a great threat for all of us.

Roman Security Director: I understand why you might feel that way. He is very popular with the rank and file of the Jews. I heard about his antics at the Temple yesterday. That could not be good for operation of the Temple. But why is that any concern of us  Romans. We have plenty of legions in the region. I haven’t heard that Jesus has threatened us at all. In fact I heard one of my men say that Jesus told a Pharisee that they should render to Caesar what is due Caesar – hard for me to argue with that. No, this is your problem,

Chief Priest: Have you heard that some refer to him as the new King of the Jews -- a new David? I don’t think you can be so blasé about him. He is a real threat to the stability that we both want. Do you really want him speaking to thousands in the amphitheater or market at this Passover time? It could get out of hand pretty quickly. We need to eliminate this threat, now! 

Act 3 Scene 3 – A couple of days later at the editorial board meeting of the Jerusalem Post : 

Editor-in-Chief: Now to the last item on the agenda. Should we do a story on this guy from Galilee, Jesus, who came into Jerusalem a few days ago to such fanfare? The crowds were huge. I understand he threw out the merchants from the temple and the temple authorities are none to happy. Could be a good story…

Sarah a senior correspondent: Why write about him? We get pseudo prophets coming to Jerusalem and stirring up the Jewish population all the time. They come and go. If they have any following the Romans take care of them like they did that guy they call John the Baptist. There is no point in writing a story. He will be gone or taken care of before the weekend.

Another writer who covers the Temple: But the Jews see this Jesus differently. From what I have heard they think he is the One -- the Messiah -- that their prophets centuries ago predicted would come to lead them like David did. I heard that guy John the Baptist said that the one coming after him -- Jesus -- was the real deal. And when I stood by the Bethany gate it sure sounded like some really think Jesus is the one.

Junior writer: You know I think you are right about how the people think of Jesus. I have repeatedly heard him referred to as the new David. But you know there is something different about Jesus. If I were angling to be King of the Jews would I ride in on a colt? No, I would arrive on an impressive charger or even in a coach pulled by several powerful horses. Would I go to the temple and stir up the religious authorities against me? I don’t think so. Wouldn’t I have gone when I got here to the largest space available and held a huge assembly to fire up my supporters. No, there is something different here. It is almost like he expects to be killed by the authorities. Even desires it? It’s all so strange.

Editor in-chief: I don’t think we are ready to write a story about Jesus. But you know my instinct is that we might have a good story about him by the weekend -- maybe for the Sunday Edition.  

So ends our little drama -- my sincerest thanks and appreciation to all who took part.  

Let me leave you with a couple of thoughts. Who do think you most resemble of those we depicted – the woman waving the palms for the new David, the skeptic who wants the Messiah to lower taxes, those fearful because Jesus threatens the existing order or the unsure weaver?  Do you think any of them really understood who Jesus was, what was truly going to happen to him and why? Perhaps the lesson that we should take with us is that one can never fully understand Jesus if we stop with Palm Sunday. He is certainly worth celebrating, even worshiping, but for reasons that are only fully revealed at the end of Holy Week.  Isn’t it only after the events in the garden, at Calvary and at the tomb that we really see the full measure of this Son of Man and of God? So lets celebrate this day with our  Hosannas!! But as the editor-in-chief said we must stayed tuned for the story isn’t fully written yet. Amen