The Last Temptation of Christ Page #4

VOICE:

This way.

Jesus turns. And aged MASTER is revealed standing by the

huts.

Jesus joins him. The Master looks into his careworn face and

smiles serenely, then leads him inside.

CUT TO:

INT. MONASTERY - HUT - NIGHT

Jesus and the Master enter. Above the wind outside, Jesus

can hear the sounds of prayer and singing.

JESUS:

Do you pray this late at night?

MASTER:

It's a funeral. The Master of the

monastery died.

JESUS:

I'll pray with you.

MASTER:

(smiling)

No. Sleep well. You must be tired.

'First came the wings and then the

angel.' God be praised.

He leaves.

CUT TO:

INT. MONASTERY HUT - MORNING

A monk, JEROBOAM, is shaking Jesus awake.

JEROBOAM:

Who are you? What are you doing here?

JESUS:

I was brought here.

JEROBOAM:

By who?

JESUS:

An old man.

JEROBOAM:

There are a lot of old men here.

What was his name? Did he say

anything?

JESUS:

He didn't say his name. He just said

'First came the wings and then the

angel.' That was all he said.

Jeroboam is startled.

CUT TO:

INT. MONASTERY HUT - DAY

Another hut. A simple room with a menorah. The Master who

showed Jesus to the room lies on an open shroud on the floor,

hands folded over his chest. His naked body is partially

obscured by by mourners. One MONK kisses his closed eyes.

ANOTHER his upturned palms, OTHERS his beard and his feet.

Jesus and Jeroboam watch.

JESUS:

This was the man who let me in last

night. Did he just die?

JEROBOAM:

This was the Master of the monastery.

He's been dead since yesterday

morning. And you've come in his place.

CUT TO:

EXT. MONASTERY - DAY

Carrying the Master's remains, the monks move through blowing

sand. The dunes seem almost to sway like the rise and fall

of the sea.

The procession, with Jesus at the end, stops at a pit. The

monks, buffeted by the wind, roll the Master's remains into

the pit.

Jeroboam shouts a prayer over the howling wind, but we cannot

hear it.

JEROBOAM'S PRAYER:

JEROBOAM:

The Master's soul has gone to heaven,

his body's work is completed. It

walked under the sun and moon, over

stone and sand, sinned, felt pain,

yearned for heaven. We commend his

remains to the earth and his soul to

our God. Flesh, the Master no longer

needs you. Melt away.

Even as he speaks, the wind leaves a fine layer of sand on

the Master's body; the face, beard, and hands sink away.

CUT TO:

EXT. MONASTERY - DAY

Later. The sandstorm is over, the air is still. Jesus and

Jeroboam walk close together. They are in the midst of

conversation.

JEROBOAM:

In our period of mourning for the

Master we believe we'll feel his

presence here for forty days, advising

us, scolding us. It actually appeared

to you. And showed you the way to

his room. His own room. He treated

you like a royal visitor. He

recognized you.

JESUS:

He couldn't have recognized me for

anything. I only came here to serve

God and nothing else. That's all he

wants from me, I'm sure of it.

JEROBOAM:

God brought you here, didn't he?

JESUS:

All he brought here is my shame.

JEROBOAM:

Shame is also a temptation.

JESUS:

God hunts me. He drives his nails

into my heart. He wants to push me

over.

Jesus' hand sweeps out. We follow. He is gesturing toward

the steep precipice only a few yards away.

JESUS:

He wants me to speak. But he didn't

touch my lips with burning coals.

How can I speak? I sinned.

JEROBOAM:

We all sin.

JESUS:

Not my sins. What does He want from

me? Can't he see what's inside me?

All my sins. I'm Lucifer.

JEROBOAM:

Be quiet!

JESUS:

No! I'm a liar. A hypocrite. I'm

afraid of everything. I never tell

the truth. I don't have the courage.

When I see a woman, I blush and look

away. But inside I have lust. For

God, I smother the lust, and that

satisfies my pride. But my pride

destroys Magdalene. I never steal or

fight, or kill... not because I don't

want to but because I'm afraid. I

want to rebel against everything,

everybody... against God!... but I'm

afraid. If you look inside me you

see fear, that's all. Fear is my

mother, my father, my God.

JEROBOAM:

The more devils we have inside of

us, the more chance we have to make

angels. 'Angel' is the name for the

devils who repent... so, you have to

have faith. Have you ever slept with

a woman?

JESUS:

No...

JEROBOAM:

And you don't want to?

JESUS:

I do... No, I don't.

JEROBOAM:

Why not?

JESUS:

It's not enough for me.

JEROBOAM:

Well, then what do you want?

(pause)

...Why don't you answer me?

JESUS:

(smiling)

I am Saint Blasphemer, Father. So

you'd better not ask me anything

else, or I'll start my blasphemies.

JEROBOAM:

Start your blasphemies. You'll be

relieved. Start.

JESUS:

There's Lucifer inside of me saying,

You're not the son of the Carpenter,

you're the son of King David. You're

not a man, you're the son of man.

And further:
the son of God. And

further than that: God.

Jeroboam is speechless.

JESUS:

Do you want to ask me anything else?

JEROBOAM:

No.

CUT TO:

INT. JESUS' HUT - NIGHT

Jesus sleeps on a woven mat.

He hears a HISSING SOUND. His eyes open, he sits up.

A snake emerges from a hole in the wall and slithers across

the earthen floor. Another snake follows it. The snakes coil

around each other and copulate.

Jesus watches, his back to the wall.

JESUS (V.O.)

Why now after all this time? Coupling.

This is why we were thrown out of

Paradise.

He looks at one of the snakes. It speaks to him in Mary

Magdalene's voice.

MAGDALENE:

Jesus, I forgive you.

(fast dolly in as) Jesus grabs his chest; the snakes hiss

inside his breast.

JESUS:

Leave me. Leave me alone.

Jesus breathes a sigh of relief. The snakes are gone. Jesus

looks up. Jeroboam stands in the door. Jeroboam enters and

puts his fingers to Jesus' lips.

(follow hand around and to lips 36 fps)

JESUS:

They're gone.

Jeroboam nods. He has seen the snakes too.

JEROBOAM:

God has just blessed you. The snakes

left. They came from you. Everything

has two meanings, one obvious, the

other hidden. Now maybe you have to

leave.

JESUS:

I have to stay. That's what God wants

me to do.

JEROBOAM:

I don't think you're supposed to

stay. God is already talking to you.

He must want something else.

JESUS:

What else could he want from me?

JEROBOAM:

He's purified you for a reason. To

be his instrument. He must want to

speak through you. Outside.

JESUS:

To who?

JEROBOAM:

To anyone who will listen.

JESUS:

And say what?

JEROBOAM:

Just open your mouth. You love

mankind?

JESUS:

I see men and I feel sorry for them,

that's all.

JEROBOAM:

That's enough. Go and speak to them.

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT MONASTERY - NIGHT

(SPECIAL EFFECT) A huge full moon illuminates the group of

huts.

CUT TO:

INT. JESUS' HUT - NIGHT

Dark at first. Then, a HISSING NOISE. Jesus lights a palm-

sized lamp, listens.

Then, he cautiously peers out the opening of the hut. Then

he is pulled through.

CUT TO:

EXT. MONASTERY - HUT - NIGHT

An arm grabs Jesus from behind and throws him against the

wall.

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