DRAMA—WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK, YEAR B
Bible reference: John 13:21-30
THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER
(Judas enters in biblical costume as if in a hurry, notices audience. He is angry and bitter)
'What you are about to do, do quickly', he said! I'll do it quickly all right! The sooner the better. Thirty pieces of silver will soon be clanging in my pocket, and they'll be all mine, all mine! I've earned them. (Angrily) After all, I've wasted three years of my life on that man!
(Realises) Oh, sorry, I haven't exactly introduced myself. I'm Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve. Yeah, I was one of the chosen. (Bitterly) Must've been my honest face. Hah! If only they knew. And to top it off, they made me treasurer! I was in charge of the money! A little bit for me and a little bit for them. No one has ever noticed! I've been dipping my fingers into the coffers for quite a while now. But nothing as big as this last haul is going to be. Thirty pieces of silver for one little kiss!
(Confused) I mean, this Jesus is an OK guy, I guess, but when it comes to leadership he falls short badly. Just tonight he went around doing the servants' job of washing everybody's feet. I mean to say, a leader washing feet. He's crazy!
(At a loss) You know, once I thought... hoped... he might've been the Messiah, come to save us all. But what sort of a Messiah does stuff like that? What sort of a Messiah goes around talking about love and peace and forgiveness?
I don't know what the authorities will do to him when they get him, but that's not my worry, is it? As long as they keep their side of the deal and I get my cash.
I thought that Passover meal would never finish. It took ages and everyone was sitting around chatting and being nice. It was sickening, really. Then he said that one of us was going to betray him. At first I wasn't sure I heard right. I mean, how could he know what I was planning? Then he looked right at me and said, 'It's the one to whom I give this piece of bread...' (Looks at hand as if still holding piece of bread) and he gave me the bread. (Distressed) He knew! Somehow he knew, and he told me to do it quickly!
Anyway, this little voice inside of me said, Go Judas, go for it, man. So I left. For a minute I thought they all knew, but the others just thought I was going out to buy some supplies for the meal!
It was as easy as that, he didn't even try to stop me! What kind of a Messiah lets someone betray him! Hah! I'm better off without him. (Exits)
© Bev Dickeson 1999
Permission is given for the owner of this disk to make sufficient copies of this script for their group or congregation, for rehearsal and performances only.
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