The Last Temptation of Christ Page #9

JESUS:

(not listening)

Jerusalem.

MARTHA:

Is that where you're going, to

Jerusalem?

MARY:

I envy you.

JESUS:

Not now. Eventually.

CUT TO:

INT. ROMAN CAVES - NIGHT

The disciples sit around a pool of water and two small fires.

Other fires and groups of people are scattered around and

behind them throughout the cave. One group plays music. The

cave walls are washed in blue-green light; a brilliant streak

of violent red cuts across the rock of the back wall.

JAMES:

Now they say they're going to kill

everyone who was baptized.

PHILIP:

Nobody told you to get baptized.

PETER:

You were baptized too. You begged

for it. So be quiet.

JAMES:

I can just imagine Galilee right

now. The sea... I hear the fishing

is so good that you just touch the

nets and the fish jump in.

NATHANIEL:

Don't talk about fish. It reminds me

of my sheep. I don't know what's

happened to them.

PETER:

Maybe we should wait for him in

Galilee.

JAMES:

We promised the Master we'd wait

here for him.

NATHANIEL:

That was a month ago. He talks to

the Baptist, then disappears.

JOHN:

Brothers. I don't understand you.

Think of the last words the Baptist

said. He said 'Jesus of Nazareth,

leave the desert. I am finished.

Return to mankind!'

PHILIP:

How do you know the Baptist really

said that?

JOHN:

(insisting)

Everybody says he did. But even if

he didn't say it, those words are

important because people believe

them. I don't want to blaspheme, but

what if our Master... what if he's

the one?

JAMES:

What one?

JOHN:

The one.

There is silence.

PHILIP:

But we don't know if the Baptist

really said that. I mean, what if...

They argue.

JUDAS:

(interrupting)

We're waiting here!

PETER:

I don't know now.

(pause)

I don't think we should go to Galilee.

We should wait here, maybe.

JUDAS:

(to Peter, sarcastic)

Changed your mind when you heard

what John said, uh? 'The one?' That's

what I like about you Peter, nobody

can change your mind. Not you. What

good are you?!

The apostles in front of Judas suddenly look past him. Judas

turns and stands up.

John sinks to his knees.

JOHN:

Master.

Reverse angle shows Jesus standing before them.

PETER:

Rabbi. John heard your foot-steps in

his heart... in a way... and we were

just preparing to welcome you.

JESUS:

Were you baptized?

PETER:

Yes.

JESUS:

John baptized with water and they

killed him. Now I'll baptize with

fire.

JUDAS:

Is that what the Baptist told you?

JESUS:

I have an invitation for you.

Momentary silence.

PETER:

Is there a celebration?

JESUS:

No, I'm not inviting you to a

celebration. I'm inviting you to a

war.

Jesus is standing at the edge of the pool. He reaches into

his chest and rips out his own heart. He offers it at arm's

length to the disciples. Blood drips from the ventricles.

JESUS:

This is my heart. Take it. I lead

the way to the Kingdom of God. The

Kingdom of God's inside us. It's the

Devil's kingdom that's outside, all

around us. We'll turn an ax against

the Devil's kingdom, against the

world. If you have sheep, give them

away. If you have nets, let them

rot. If you have a family, children,

leave them behind.

CAMERA tilts down following drops of heart blood which are

dripping into the pool. The water begins to glow red.

Jesus now stands before them no longer holding his heart,

but the ax the Baptist gave him in the desert.

JESUS:

I once believed in love, now I carry

this. Who's with me?

Judas falls to his knees in the water and kisses Jesus' feet.

JUDAS:

Adonai!

CUT TO:

EXT. SAMARIA - DAY

Jesus and his followers (they have grown in number) walk

through the Samarian lowlands.

The group advances with determination and purpose. Judas

walks at Jesus' right; Peter at his left. Women and children

follow them.

They come upon pits dug into the ground. The soil is colored

a strong green. Suddenly, bare arms come up out of some of

the pits. Heads pop up from others. Then, seven deranged men

and women, their naked bodies colored green from the soil,

crawl out of the pits and run toward Jesus. They flail at

him, some fall at his feet. Some beg in jibberish.

Judas and Peter try to ward them off. Jesus is angry -- not

at the men, but at the evil spirits that possess them.

He slaps one man, kicks another: he grabs one by the head

and pushes on him causing him to fall:

JESUS:

Satan! Leave them! Get out!

Judas and Peter hold Jesus as he touches each of the insane

people. They are in the thick of what looks like a brawl. At

one point, Jesus almost faints but is carried forward by the

two apostles. Jesus shouts as he touches the possessed. After

they have been confronted by Jesus, they grow suddenly calm.

Some are confused, some praise Jesus. Jesus is held by the

apostles, partially for protection and partially for strength.

CUT TO:

EXT. ANOTHER SAMARIA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

A BLINDMAN, led by his BROTHER and SISTER, approach Jesus

and the disciples. His reputation has spread through the

countryside.

Jesus stops. He takes ground herbal powder from his sleeve

and mixes it with sand. He spits into the mixture, then

applies it to the Blind Man's eyes.

JESUS:

Moses, Elijah, Isaiah -- touch my

mouth, touch my lips.

Jesus kisses the man's mud-caked eyes. The clay falls from

the Blind Man's eyes. His gruesomely deformed eyes are now

normal:
he can see.

JESUS:

Go to the temple. Let the high priests

see you.

CUT TO:

EXT CANA - DAY

On a small hillside. A group of children, at the right of

the frame, sees Jesus and the disciples approaching to the

left along a path below. They giggle and run away to announce

Jesus' arrival. A couple wave at him as they go.

CUT TO:

EXT. CANA - NIGHT

Six virgins, carrying lit lamps, sing a psalm at the wedding

of Nathaniel's cousin. It's a festive, happy occasion.

Jesus exchanges small talk with a group waiting for the

ceremony to begin. Everyone is in high spirits.

Mary Magdalene steps next to Jesus. She looks like a changed

woman:
simply dressed, radiant.

Jesus smiles and takes her hand. An OLD MAN says to Mary:

OLD MAN:

You don't belong at a wedding. We're

here to celebrate purity.

JESUS:

Listen to me. What do you think the

Kingdom of Heaven's like? It's like

a wedding. God's the Bridegroom and

Man's soul is the Bride. The wedding

takes place in Heaven and everyone's

invited.

(points to Mary)

God's Kingdom is large enough for

everybody.

OLD MAN:

Nazarene, that's against the law.

JESUS:

The Law is against my heart.

CUT TO:

LATER:

The ceremony is over. People are dancing. Jesus, the disciples

and the guests are laughing, drinking and swapping stories.

(MS SEE PG. 219 BOOK) Jesus' hand rests on Magdalene's

shoulder. The wine has loosened everyone's spirits. Nathaniel

is nearby frantically talking with his wife and two other

family members.

JAMES:

Nathaniel, what's wrong.

NATHANIEL:

(walks over, mortified)

I didn't buy enough wine. More people

came and stayed late and now we've

run out.

Jesus points to several large vats:

JESUS:

What's in those?

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