Performance: Warburton Seventh-day Adventist Church - July 23, 2011
The brief given to Scott: A short play about Jesus death through the eyes of the soldiers.
The brief given to Scott: A short play about Jesus death through the eyes of the soldiers.
Act 1: At the cross
Two soldiers are sitting back to back resting, both physically and emotionally tired - about an hour after Jesus was taken down from the cross.
S1 - Was it just me, or did you get an eerie feeling when that Jesus bloke died?
S2 - Yeah! The way that massive earthquake hit right as he died. Spooky...
S1 - [Pauses to think] Do you think he really was the son of God, as he said?
S2 - Nah, I don’t reckon. Don't you think God would have saved his own son? That earthquake and the strange weather . . . probably all just a coincidence.
S1 - Well, I dunno. There was something different about this guy. You saw how he behaved at the trials, and even on his journey to the hill top. He had a certain composure about him - as if he was accepting it all.
S2 - Yeah true, but maybe he was so deluded that he thought he really was the son of God and that he would be saved. But that didn’t turn out so well, hey. You saw him calling out on the cross, just before he died. I think that’s when he figured out he wasn’t the son of God.
S1 - Maybe. [Pauses to think] What about the curtain ripping then? That’s strange!
S2 - Augh, it was probably just those priests swinging around on them, celebrating.
S1 - But apparently it ripped from top to bottom.
S2 - Yeah? Maybe one of them climbed up the curtain and it ripped.
S1 - Mmm, [now a little convinced] maybe. Talk about highs and lows. Did you see him parading in the other day on a donkey? The crowd was going crazy over him.
S2 - I know, I was sure we were going to see a showdown between Jesus and Pilate for the leadership or something. But that didn’t eventuate, and now he’s dead.
S1 - [Pauses to contemplate it all] Well, this has definitely been a strange few days. Glad it’s all over.
S2 - Yeah. Hey, let's go get a drink, we’ve got tomorrow off before our night shift duty.
S1 - Nah, think I’ll go to bed, thanks anyway.
S2 - No worries. Catch ya tomorrow night.
S1 - Seeya.
Act 2: At the Tomb site
Two soldiers are lying face down on the ground (it’s about 5 minutes after Jesus was risen) and slowly get up and sit, staring into nowhere, a little scared to go anywhere yet.
S1 - Are you alright?
S2 - Errr, I think so.
S1 - Did you see that!
S2 - Yeah! Do you think that was an angel?
S1 - I think so, I couldn't bear to look at it though, It was SO bright!
S2 - Me either! I thought I was going to die!
S1 - Me too. I just lay there hoping it wouldn’t notice me. And another earthquake! Surely you believe Jesus is the son of God now!
S2 - I think you might be right! I snuck a look and definitely saw one person entering, and two people leaving the tomb. Not to mention how easily that massive stone was rolled away. That took six soldiers an hour to put in place!
S1 - Man, we're in so much trouble!
S2 - I know! What’s the boss going to do to us?
S1 - No, I mean, we killed the son of God! That can’t be good.
S2 - Oh, yeah.
S1 - I hope He can forgive us, cause we didn’t know what we were doing.
S2 - Well, I guess we’d better go report what happened. Maybe the boss will believe he is the son of God now too.
S1 - Surely no one in the world will ever dispute Jesus being the son of God now.
S2 - Yeah. Maybe the boss will give us some time off and we can go find Jesus disciples and learn what he was teaching about.
S1 - Maybe. But as long as we don’t get fired, I’ll be happy. I can’t afford to get fired.
S2 - Me neither. I’m sure we’ll be fine. Let’s go.