Godspell Act Two

Play it, honey.

Stop. This is the beginning.

Who gave you this authority?

Well, I have a question to ask you. Answer it and then I’ll tell you by whose authority I act. The baptism of John; was it from God or was it from man?

We do not know.

Then neither will I tell you by whose authority I act, but I have a story for you: A man had two sons. He went to the first, and said, “My son, go and work in the vineyard today.” “I will go,” said the boy, but he never went. Then the father said to the second, “Now go my son, go and work in the vineyard today.” “I will not go,“ said the son, but later on he changed his mind and went. Now which of these two did as his father wished?

The second.

And I tell you this: Tax gatherers and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of heaven, because when John came and showed you the right way to live, you didn’t believe him, but the tax gatherers and the prostitutes did. And even when you saw this, you did not change your minds and follow him.

You hypocrites!

Show me the money in which the tax is paid. Well, now, whose head is on here, whose inscription?

Caesar’s.

Then pay Caesar what is due Caesar, but pay God what is due God.

Master, what is the greatest commandment of them all?

Thou shalt love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul. This is the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. all the rest of the law, and all the prophets have written, is based on these first two. The doctors of the law and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses, therefore listen to what they say, pay attention to their words, but do not follow their practices. For they say one thing and do another. They make up heavy packs and pile them on men’s shoulders and they don’t raise a finger to lift the load themselves. Everything they do is done for show. Oh, they go about wearing broad phylacteries with large tassels on their robes. They like to have their places of honor at feasts and at the synagogues and to be greeted respectfully in the streets and to be called “teacher.” But you must not be called “teacher” for you have one teacher: The Messiah,…and you must not call any man on earth “father” for you have only one Father and you are all brothers,…And you must call no man on earth “rabbi” for you have one Rabbi and he is in Heaven.

(End of Alas for You)

City that stones the prophets and murders the messengers sent to her. How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you would not let me! And so I tell you: You shall never see me until the time when you say, “Blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord!” But, take care that no one misleads you. For many will come claiming my name and saying, “I am the Messiah!” And many will be mislead by them. For the time is coming when you will hear the noise of battle near at hand. For nation will make war upon nation, kingdom upon kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes in many places, but with all these things,…The birthpangs of a new age begin!

For as things were in Noah’s days…

Happy Noah’s Days!

…So will they be when the son of man comes.

C’mon animals. C’mon. There’s a 73% chance of rain!

For in the days before the flood, men ate and drank and married and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away.

Master, save us! Are you not afraid we shall be drowned? Save us!

Have you no faith? Peace. Be still. For when the son of man comes, there will be men…Working in the fields. And of these men working, one will be taken and the others left. Women…Grinding at the wheel. And of these women grinding, one will be taken and the others left. So keep awake then, for you do not know on what day your Lord is to come.

Hah!

Remember, if the householder had known what time the burglar was coming,

he would have stayed awake all night.

Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha!

Keep awake, then, for the son of man will come at a time when you least expect him. Now, …who is the trusty servant? The man charged by his master…To take care of his servants and pay them at the proper time. Well happy is that servant who is at his job when his master comes, for I tell you, he will be put in charge of all his master’s property. But, what of the bad servant…Who sits around saying, “Oh well, the master is a long time coming,” and he begins bullying the servants and eating and drinking with his drunken friends. I tell you this, the master will come on a day he does not know at a time he least expects and will cut him to pieces. Then he’ll take his place among the hypocrites, where there is wailing…

Wailing!

…and gnashing of teeth.

G-nash, g-nash, g-nashing!

Remember, he who humbles himself as a little child will find good fortune in the kingdom of Heaven.

Yeah, what do you say about it, mister?

That the one of you who is faultless shall throw the first stone…Where are they now? Has no one condemned you?

No one, sir.

Nor do I condemn you. You may go. Do not sin again.

((By my Side finishes)

Now, when the Son of Man comes in all his glory, with all his angels with him, he will sit in state on his throne, with all the nations gathered before him. And he will separate the men into two groups, as a shepherd separates the sheep… Maaaa ! …from the goats … Baaah! from the sheep. And then he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left…

Sheep on his right? Oh, that right!

…and then he will say to those on his right: “Baa baa baa baa baa.”

Baaaaaaa!

You have my father’s blessing. Come and enter the kingdom that has been ready since the world was made.

For when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, when I was naked and without a home you took me to your house, and when I was ill and in prison, you came to my aid.

Hey, hey, hey get back there.

Baah!

And then they will say to him:

Yeah, or in prison and helped you?

And then he will say to them: Anything you did for one of your brothers here, however humble, you did for me.

Oh, I get it.

And then he will say to those on his left…

Yeah?

A curse is upon you!

Baah!

You go from my sight to the eternal fire…to the eternal fire, that has been ready for you with the devil and all his angels. For when I was hungry, you didn’t give me anything to eat; when I was thirsty, you didn’t give me anything to drink; when I was naked and without a home, you didn’t take me to your house; and when I was ill and in prison, you didn’t come to my aid. And they will say to him:

Aw, Master, if we’d a known it was you, we woulda taken you out…for a couple of Lamb Chops!

And then he will say to them: Anything you did not do for one of my brothers

here, however humble, you did not do for me.

Baah!

Go take your place in eternal punishment!

Baah!

But the righteous shall have everlasting life!

(Day by Day end)

I tell you this: One of you among us will betray me.

Rabbi, can you mean me?

The words are yours. Do quickly what you have to do.

Take this and eat; eat for this is My body.

Take this and drink for this is my blood,…

…the blood of the covenant shed for the forgiveness of sins. And I tell you I shall never again drink from the fruit of the vine until I drink it again with you in the Kingdom of my Father.

(On the Willows end)

Stay here while I go over there to pray. My heart is ready to break with grief. Stop here and stay awake with me.

(Finish song)

Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass me by. Yet not as I will, but as thou wilt. What!? Could none of you stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and be spared the test! Oh, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Everyone else may fall away on your account, but I never will.

I tell you this. Tonight before the cock crows, you will all betray me three times. Father, if it be not possible for this cup to pass me by without my drinking from it, THY … WILL … BE … DONE!

If you are the son of God, turn these stones into bread!

Man does not live by bread alone. He lives on every word that God utters.

If you are the son of God, throw yourself down, for Scripture says: “He will send his angels to support you and they will hold you in their arms.”

You shall not tempt the Lord your God.

All these things I will give you if you will do me homage.

Begone, Satan! You shall do homage to the Lord your God and worship him alone.

Friend, do quickly what you have to do.

Put down the sword; he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.

Do you not suppose that I could appeal to my Father, who would at once send to me twelve legions of angels to come to my aid? Do you take me for a bandit, that you come after me with swords and cudgels? Day after day I sat teaching in the synagogue and you didn’t come after me then. But all this has happened to fulfill what the prophets have written!