
The Last Temptation of Christ Page #11
Jesus enters the temple grounds with his central core of
disciples. They have come to worship.
But they are stopped cold by the sight that greets them.
Arranged all around the stairs that lead to the temple are
money-changers, merchants, beggars and whores. A tall, shiny
bronze statue of Tiberius towers over the plaza floor, which
is stained with the blood of sacrificial animals. Jesus turns
to Peter.
JESUS:
We came here to pray. What is this?
PETER:
The money-changers? Its' for the
temple tax... for the feast.
Jesus calmly addresses a money-changer.
JESUS:
How's the exchange today? Making a
good profit?
MONEY-CHANGER
Fair. Can I help you?
Jesus stares for a moment and then with one violent blow
sends the counter filled with coins sailing into the money-
changer's face.
Jesus, now enraged, strides past the booths, overturning the
tables. Scales, weights and coins from all over the world
scatter in every direction. The vendors rush to retrieve
their money.
Other vendors and customers turn on Jesus. Judas, Peter and
the others forcibly fight them off. Jesus calls out:
JESUS:
This is my Father's house. It's a
place for worship, not a bank, or a
market.
The disciples circle Jesus for his protection. The RABBI,
surrounded by SADDUCESS, steps out of the temple.
RABBI:
Nazarene, what are you doing?
JESUS:
God doesn't need a grand house. He
doesn't need cyprus and bloody
animals. He doesn't need shekels.
RABBI:
You expect people to pay the tax in
Roman coins? They have images of
false gods on them. You want pagan
gods in the temple? All foreign coins
have to be changed to shekels. That
the law.
JESUS:
I abolish the law. I give a new law
and a new hope!
RABBI:
What, did God change his mind about
the old law?
JESUS:
(exasperated)
No, no. He just thinks our hearts
are ready now to hold more.
RABBI:
(not listening)
This chaos is your new law? How can
you presume...
JESUS:
How can I presume? Because I am the
fulfillment of the old law and the
beginning of the new.
SADDUCEE:
(shocked)
Watch what you're saying.
Peter, becoming concerned with the drift of this argument,
whispers to Jesus.
PETER:
Maybe we should go...
Jesus pushes him away.
JESUS:
When I say, 'I,' Rabbi, I am saying
'God.'
RABBI:
That's blasphemy!
JESUS:
Didn't you hear? I'm the Saint of
Blasphemy. Don't make any mistakes.
I haven't come to bring peace, I've
come to bring a sword.
SADDUCEE:
Talking like that will get you killed.
JESUS:
I'm sick of all of you. This temple
will be destroyed in three days. One
stone won't be left standing on
another. You think God belongs only
to you?! He doesn't! God's an immortal
spirit and belongs to everybody --
to the whole world. You're not
special! God is not an Israelite!
Even the disciples are shocked by this heresy. They escort
Jesus out of the temple grounds for his own safety.
As they reach the bottom of the temple steps they are mobbed.
The beggars press on Jesus, pulling at his arms and legs.
MOB MEMBER #1
Magician! Heal me.
MOB MEMBER #2
Cure us. Make us rich.
MOB MEMBER #3
Heal me. Do a miracle. You want me
to enter the Kingdom of Heaven
crippled like this?
JESUS:
(pushes them away)
Get away. You sicken me. You're
selfish! You're full of hate! God
won't help you.
MOB MEMBER #1
Cure us or you won't leave this city
alive!
JESUS:
You don't demand from God!
The disciples intervene and pull Jesus away. The mob follows.
Suddenly, four Roman Calvary men stampede into the mob
whipping beggars and everyone else. Jesus and the disciples
break loose from the fray.
ROMAN OFFICER:
You, all of you stop. Which one of
you is Jesus of Nazareth?
The disciples groan.
JESUS:
I am.
ROMAN OFFICER:
Come with us. The Procurator wants
to see you.
The calvarymen lead Jesus away, leaving the disciples behind.
As they watch him go, SAUL, a Zealot, comes up behind Judas
and draws him aside.
SAUL:
We need you. What are you doing with
this magician? First you were supposed
to kill him. Now he acts like a
prophet and you follow him.
JUDAS:
What are you saying? Didn't you just
hear him?
SAUL:
I heard him. He talks about a new
law, he talks about using a sword.
But we took an oath to use the sword
against Rome. I don't see anything
against Rome here. All I see here is
Jew against Jew.
Judas walks away from him.
CUT TO:
INT. ROMAN THEATRE - DAY
The Roman soldiers escort Jesus into the open theatre.
Pilate confers with two soldiers at a table near the stage.
He watches a play in rehearsal. (See Director, Production
Designer, and Costumer for details of play.)
Pilate is informed of Jesus' presence and turns to him.
PILATE:
Are you Jesus of Nazareth, King of
the Jews?
JESUS:
I'm no king.
PILATE:
You aren't the Messiah? They say you
are. You say you are.
JESUS:
My kingdom's not on this earth.
PILATE:
Oh? Where is it then? In the air,
maybe?
JESUS:
In heaven.
PILATE:
Good. Keep it there. They tell me
you do miracles. Is this good magic
or bad magic? Can you do a trick for
us?
JESUS:
I'm not a pet. I don't do tricks.
PILATE:
That's disappointing. I was hoping
to see something.
JESUS:
The prophet Daniel had a vision. A
huge statue had a gold head, and
silver shoulders...
PILATE:
(interrupts)
Don't tell me stories. I'm not a
dumb Jew.
JESUS:
Listen. Learn.
PILATE:
(daring him)
Go ahead. Teach me something.
JESUS:
The stomach was bronze, the legs
were iron, the feet were clay. A
stone was thrown. The clay feet broke
and the statue collapsed.
PILATE:
Is that it?
JESUS:
God is the thrower. I'm the stone.
Rome is the statue.
PILATE:
Clearly. But that's how you're going
to bring down the Roman Empire? One
stone? Only you?
Jesus starts to speak, then stops.
JESUS (V.O.)
God, give me the answer. I don't
know what to say.
PILATE:
No answer?
JESUS (V.O.)
Please speak to me. I need words.
A pain suddenly surges through the back of Jesus' neck. His
knees buckle. For a moment he seems crippled.
PILATE:
You're not a stone. You're excrement.
Get him out of here.
Jesus is confused, humiliated, and in pain. Soldiers start
to lead him out.
PILATE:
And my wife dreams about you. She
should see you now.
Pilate turns back to the play.
CUT TO:
EXT. MARY AND MARTHA'S HOUSE - DAY
Lazarus, his back to us, is resting and looking out over the
valley. His hand reaches for a cup of water. The fingers are
more whole. He seems to be healing.
It is midday, Lazarus thinks he is by himself.
VOICE:
Lazarus. Lazarus.
He turns in the direction of the voice. We see Saul, the
Zealot who spoke to Judas in the temple at Jerusalem.
SAUL:
Feeling better?
LAZARUS:
I like the light.
SAUL:
What was it like? Which is better,
life or death?
LAZARUS:
Well, I was a little surprised. There
wasn't that much difference...
SAUL:
Well, let me help you make up your
mind.
Another arm comes in from behind and grabs Lazarus around
the neck. Saul pulls a sword and very professionally plunges
it into Lazarus' chest, ripping upwards towards his heart.
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"The Last Temptation of Christ" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 5 Mar. 2025. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_last_temptation_of_christ_893>.
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