Passion Narrative, Dramatic Form, Gospel of Matthew

I wrote this in 2008. It is designed for fourteen actors and one congregation, though some roles can be played by the same person. And with some creative re-writing, one could even get rid of a few more actors.

It is divided in parts, and we placed a verse or two of a good Good Friday hymn in between each section, or a prayer or other liturgical element. But, there is no reason that it could be played all the way through without a break.

This is the only version of Matthew's narrative that I have done. The last time Matthew came up in the Lectionary, I did John instead, and this year (which would be Matthew again) we are not doing a Passion narrative. But I might rewrite this anyway. It is six years old, and is rather too-wedded to a literal adherence to the text.

Feel free to use, just credit me with it and let me know that you are using it.

This is how the original was done:

People playing one role:
Narrator
Jesus
Caiaphas
Judas
Peter
Pilate

Girl 1
Girl 2
Pilate’s Wife
Priest

People playing more than one role:
False Witness 1 AND Centurion

False Witness 2 AND Bystander

The People (played by congregation)


1. Matthew 26:1-25 – Anointing and conspiracy
Narrator, Jesus, Caiaphas, Judas, Peter

Narrator: Gathered on the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave his final teachings to his disciples. When finished, Jesus then said to them:

Jesus: You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.

Narrator: Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Caiaphas: But we dare not kill him during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people!

Narrator: Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they said,

Judas and Peter: Why this waste? This ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.

Jesus: Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.

Narrator: Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests.

Judas: What will you give me if I betray him to you?

Caiaphas: Here are thirty pieces of silver – deliver him to us.

Judas: I will let you know when and where you may have him.

Narrator: On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus.

Peter and Judas: Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?

Jesus: Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’

Narrator: So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve and they ate the Passover meal.

Jesus: Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.

Peter: Surely not I, Lord?

Jesus: The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.

Judas: Surely not I, Rabbi?

Jesus: You have said so. [END Part 1]

2. Matthew 26:26-30 – the new covenant

Narrator, Jesus

Narrator: While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, and gave it to the disciples.

Jesus: Take, eat; this is my body.

Narrator: Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them.

Jesus: Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

Narrator: When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

[End Part 2]

3. Matthew 26:31-46 – Jesus prays
Jesus, Peter, Narrator

Jesus: You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.

Peter: Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.

Jesus: Truly I tell you, Peter, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.

Peter: Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.

Jesus: Let us go to Gethsemane. Come Peter and you two sons of Zebedee. Sit here while I go over there and pray. I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.

(PAUSE)

Narrator: And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed,

Jesus: My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.

Narrator: Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.


Jesus: Peter! Could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Narrator: Again he went away for the second time and prayed,

Jesus: My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.

Narrator: Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples a third time.

Jesus: Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.

[END Part 3]

4. Matthew 26:47-56 – betrayal and arrest
Narrator, Judas

Narrator: While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” At once he came up to Jesus and said,

Judas: Greetings, Rabbi!

Narrator: And Judas kissed Jesus.

Jesus: Friend, do what you are here to do.

Narrator: Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

Jesus: Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way? (CHANGE IN TONE) Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.

Narrator: Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

[END Part 4]

5. Matthew 26:57-68 – on trial before Caiaphas

Narrator, Caiaphas, False Witnesses 1 and 2, Jesus, Priest

Narrator: Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end.

Caiaphas: We must put him to death, but we have no one who will make testimony against him.

Narrator: Finally, two who were willing to make false testimony came forward.

False Witness 1: This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God’.

False Witness 2: And then he said he could rebuild it in three days!

Caiaphas: Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?

Narrator: But Jesus was silent.

Caiaphas: I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.

Jesus: You have said so. But I tell you, From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Caiaphas: Such blasphemy! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?

Priest: He deserves death.

Narrator: Then they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, taunting him to prophesy and tell them who it was who struck him.

[END Part 5]

6. Matthew 26:69-75 – Peter’s Denial
Narrator, Peter, Girl 1, Girl 2, Bystander

Narrator: Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him.

Girl 1: You also were with Jesus the Galilean.

Peter: I do not know what you are talking about.

Narrator: When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him.

Girl 2: This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.

Peter: I do not know the man.

Narrator: Then a bystander came.

Bystander: Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.

Peter: I do not know the man!

Narrator: And at that moment the cock crowed, and Peter remembered.

Peter: Before the cock crows, he said, I would deny him three times.

Narrator: And he went out and wept bitterly.

[END Part 6]

7. Matthew 27:1-14 – Jesus on trial before Pilate

Narrator, Judas, Caiaphas, Pilate

Narrator: When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor. When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.

Judas: I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.

Caiaphas: What is that to us? See to it yourself.

Narrator: Judas threw down the pieces of silver in the temple, and went and hanged himself.

Caiaphas: It is not lawful to put this money into the treasury, since it is blood money.

Narrator: So the priests used it to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”

Narrator: Now Jesus stood before the governor.

Pilate: Are you the King of the Jews?

Jesus: You say so.

Narrator: But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer.

Pilate: Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?

Narrator: But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

[END Part 7]

8. Matthew 27:15-26 – The people demand crucifixion

Narrator, Pilate’s Wife, Pilate, People, Jesus

Narrator: Pilate realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed over Jesus. While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him,

Pilate’s Wife: Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.

Narrator: Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas.

Pilate: Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?

Narrator: The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.

Pilate: Which of the two do you want me to release for you?

People: Barabbas.

Pilate: Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?

People: Let him be crucified!

Pilate: Why, what evil has he done?

People: Let him be crucified! Let him be crucified!

Narrator: So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd.

Pilate: I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.

Narrator: Then the people as a whole answered,

People: His blood be on us and on our children!

Narrator: So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

[END Part 8]

9. Matthew 27:27-51 – Jesus is crucified

Narrator, Jesus, Caiaphas

Narrator: Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Narrator: Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him.

Caiaphas: He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’

Narrator: The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.

Narrator: From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice,

Jesus: Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?

Narrator: which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split.

[END Part 9]

10. Matthew 27:54-66 – Jesus is placed in the tomb
Narrator, Centurion, Caiaphas, Pilate

Narrator: The centurion and those keeping watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, and were terrified and said,

Centurion: Truly this man was God’s Son!

Narrator: Many women were there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. In the evening, a rich man came from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He rolled a great stone to close the tomb. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

Narrator: The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate.

Caiaphas: Sir, we remember that while he was still alive that imposter said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead, and the last deception would be worse than the first.

Pilate: You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.

Narrator: So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone. [END]