The Story

  1. Jesus enters Jerusalem

The story begins a week before Passover as people are beginning to gather in Jerusalem to celebrate this Jewish festival. Jesus enters the city riding on a donkey. The crowds welcome him, waving palm branches, laying their cloaks on the ground before him and shouting ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Jesus goes to the temple and overthrows the tables of the moneychangers, then teaches the people more about the Kingdom of God. The religious leaders are concerned at the power Jesus has over the people and begin to plot against him.

2. Garden of Gethsemane

The action skips to the Thursday evening, to an olive grove where, after their last supper together, Jesus goes with his disciples to pray. Jesus, in an agony of mind, pleads with his Father God to be spared the coming suffering. As he prays, his closest friends fall asleep. Then Judas, one of his disciples, arrives with a company of guards. He has struck a deal with the Jewish authorities who are looking for a way to stop Jesus. For thirty pieces of silver Judas has agreed to betray his master. The guards arrest Jesus and take him to the High Priest’s house for a trial. The disciples scatter, though Peter follows at a distance to see where they take Jesus.

3. Court of the High Priest, Caiaphas

At the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest, Jesus undergoes a mockery of a trial with several unreliable witnesses. He remains silent before his accusers until finally Caiaphas challenges him, asking if he is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus responds that it is so and the religious leaders declare that such blasphemy is deserving of death. Meanwhile, Peter is in the courtyard awaiting the outcome. He is confronted by passers by, accusing him of being one of Jesus’ followers. Peter denies it vehemently three times…just as Jesus had predicted he would.

4. Trial before Pilate

The Jewish authorities operate under Roman law, as an occupying force and cannot put anyone to death, so they appeal to Pilate, the Roman Governor. After a trial, in which Jesus puts up no defence, Pilate can find no reason to have him punished but decides to have him flogged to appease his accusers and then released. However, the priests stir up the crowd, claiming Jesus is setting himself up as King of the Jews in opposition to Caesar, and they call for him to be crucified. To avoid a riot, Pilate decides to declare the death sentence, and washes his hands of the affair.

5. Crucifixion

Jesus is forced to carry his cross to Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion, but his body is so weakened that he falls. The soldiers have to press a passer by, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross for him. Jesus is crucified between two criminals, one of whom calls on Jesus to save him. Jesus promises to receive him into his Kingdom when he dies. Jesus’ mother, Mary, and some other women are at the foot of the cross watching and weeping. At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the sky goes dark and the earth shakes as Jesus breathes his last. A Roman Centurion standing by witnesses the death and declares “Surely, this is the Son of God!”

6. Buried in a borrowed tomb

Jesus’ body is removed from the cross and taken by Joseph and Nicodemus, two Jewish priests who had been followers of Jesus. His body is laid in a tomb, cut into the rock and a large stone is rolled across the entrance to seal it. The Jewish authorities ask Pilate to post guards beside the tomb to make sure the disciples cannot come and steal the body. The women watch to see where Jesus’ body is laid and then return to their homes to prepare spices to anoint his body after they have rested on the Sabbath.