"THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST" Screenplay by Paul Schrader Based on a novel by Nikos Kazantzakis EXT. NAZARETH - MORNING From above: Flying close over a thick grove of olive trees. MUSIC fades into the sound of wings beating through the air. We hear (OVER) the voice of a young man, thoughtful but strong. JESUS (V.O.) The feeling begins. It's a light tingling at first. Right on the top of my head. Very tender. Like a caress. Soft wings carrying me to Paradise. Then the pain starts. Now we see JESUS, the son of Mary, 28 years-old, sleeping under an olive tree. The mid-morning sun (OVER-EXPOSED) shines on his stubby face. He is dreaming. JESUS (V.O.) It feels like the bird has grabbed me from behind. Just above the neck. Talons slip underneath the skin and work and claw their way up the back of my neck. Then the real pain begins. Each claw digs into the soft matter behind my brain, and then across the top of my head toward my eyes. Just before they reach my eyes, they dig down... Jesus wakens. He looks around. JESUS (V.O.) And I remember. I have to make a cross. While he is still speaking he reaches up to touch the back of his head, where the pain started. He pulls his fingers away. There is blood on them. CUT TO: INT. CARPENTER'S WORKSHOP - DAY Jesus shapes a long piece of timber with an adze. His patched tunic rests on the workbench. Walls are hung with tools. A nail-studded belt hangs from a hook above his head. The belt is speckled with dried blood. Two drops of fresh blood drip off the belt onto the ground. JESUS (V.O.) At first I fasted for three months. Then I whipped myself before sleeping. At first it worked, then the headaches returned. I know it's God. Or the devil. Who can tell them apart? They exchange faces; God sometimes becomes all darkness, the devil all light, and they become confused in my mind. Outside, there are NOISES of a crowd gathering nearby. Undistracted, he finishes off the piece of timber, which has become the crossbar of a cross. He places the crossbar between two brackets on the wall, then puts himself halfway between them and stretches out his arms, gauging the proper proportion. CUT TO: EXT. NAZARETH STREET - DAY Narrow and crowded with citizens on their way to a crucifixion. A ROMAN SOLDIER watches them with professional disinterest. His armour is non-existent, his uniform is certainly not splendid. He looks like a sloppy traffic cop. PEOPLE come from behind him and walk in front. Over the soldier's left shoulder appears a man with blazing red hair and beard, moving with the crowd. He walks close behind the soldier for just a moment. Very professionally, he cuts his throat. The soldier falls to the ground. The man keeps walking calmly and the camera follows as, in the background, people start to notice that a soldier has been stabbed. A WOMAN screams. Two other MEMBERS of the crowd grab her and silence her, while SEVERAL OTHERS drag the body off into a hut. The red-haired man keeps walking. This is JUDAS. CUT TO: EXT. NAZARETH CARPENTER'S WORKSHOP - DAY Jesus looks toward the door, almost as if he has felt the murder. JESUS (V.O.) Who is it? Who are you? Why are you following me? Judas enters, sees Jesus working on the cross. JUDAS Are you ready? Jesus doesn't answer. JUDAS I said are you ready? He grabs him. Jesus still doesn't answer. He keeps working. JUDAS You're a disgrace. Jesus smiles at him. JESUS I'm the disgrace? Judas, I see the blood on your knife. Judas lets go of him. He takes the knife from inside his cloak and removes it from its scabbard. He wipes the blood off the blade with a rag. JUDAS Come with us. Help us. JESUS Leave me alone. JUDAS No. This time you won't finish. He grabs Jesus' hands and holds them. JUDAS Listen. Everything's ready. We're going to save the Zealot. He could be the one we've been waiting for. You can't just pray for the Messiah. You've got to help him. You can't expect God to do everything. He needs our help too. JESUS He'll have to do it without me. JUDAS You might be killing the Messiah. This Zealot today is not like all the others. I feel it. He's different. Don't finish the cross. Come with us. Don't you want to be part of it? You want the Romans to be here forever? JESUS The Messiah has nothing to do with the Romans. JUDAS Yes he does. How else do you expect to be free? If this Zealot is the Messiah and we don't save him, then he'll die and we'll never know. But if we save him, the miracle might happen. JESUS What miracle? JUDAS The sign, the signal. The royal crown of David will shine on his head. JESUS It can't be much of a miracle if we have to help. JUDAS You're not even ashamed. JESUS No. JUDAS Romans can't find carpenters to make crosses. Except for you. You throw yourself into it like a madman. Everybody thinks you're crazy. But not me. I can see through this act of yours. Fainting, hearing voices, having visions. Everyone thinks you're a madman. But I know what your are. You're an enemy. You're worse than the Romans. You're a Jew who's killing Jews. And you're not ashamed. You don't even have any pride. JESUS No, I don't have any pride. I don't go to Synagogue. I disobey the commandments. I work on the Sabbath. Your Messiahs? You find them, I'll crucify them. Judas hits Jesus across the mouth. JUDAS You're lucky you're a Jew. JESUS Why? JUDAS Anyone else would have been dead by now. You think Zealots are murderers? We're pathfinders, we're patriots, and you're in the way. JESUS Then get me out of the way. Judas and Jesus stare each other down. JUDAS I will. In my time. Not yours. When I'm told. JESUS When did you ever need permission to kill anybody? JUDAS To kill a Roman, never. To kill a Jew, we all have to agree. We have more respect for Jews than you do. The next time I see you, you're dead. CUT TO: EXT. CARPENTER'S WORKSHOP - DAY A CENTURION pushes his way through a small crowd. Jesus stands ready outside the workshop, the crossbar resting against a wall. The crowd is taunting him with cries of "Crossmaker!," "Traitor," "Cooperator," "Collaborator," but he ignores them. Someone throws something. A MAN in the crowd deliberately jostles him roughly, trying to start a fight. The Centurion breaks things up. CENTURION Leave him alone. You ready? (as Jesus nods) Come on. Jesus buckles the nail-studded belt around his waist. The Centurion helps Jesus heft the cross-beam to his shoulders. The Centurion leads Jesus through a gauntlet the crowd has formed from the village to the crucifixion site on the edge of Nazareth. Ahead, six Roman soldiers lead the protesting ZEALOT. Two mounted soldiers flank the group. The Zealot's hands are tied behind him. His clothes are torn and bloody, his long hair and grey beard matted with blood and sweat. ZEALOT You're the people of Israel! God is with us! He's judging us now! Fight! The soldiers push him along. MAN IN CROWD How long do we have to wait for the Messiah? ANOTHER MAN Until you die! Because he's not coming. WOMAN IN CROWD He forgot about us! He doesn't want us! YOUNG MAN Listen to the Zealot! God is strength. MAN Give us strength now! A Roman soldier slams the Man against the wall, then shoves the crowd back as the Zealot passes. The crowd cools down a little. Now the villagers heap abuse on Jesus. MARY, 56, mother of Jesus, pushes her way through the crowd. A MAN is about to throw a stone at Jesus. She grabs his arm, tries to pry the stone from his fingers. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) Don't touch him. Get away from him. She starts pushing people away in angry desperation. WOMAN IN CROWD You defend him. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) Yes. He's my son. He doesn't know what he's doing. The crowd now starts pushing Mary. She resists. A Centurion breaks up the melee. Jesus continues on his way. The Zealot has reached the crucifixion site: a rocky, flint covered mound. The soldiers wait for the cross. Children throw pebbles at Jesus as he approaches the Zealot. The Roman guards brace themselves for violence. Jesus sets the cross down beside the Zealot who is held by guards. Mary comes through the crowd, takes her son by the arm. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) Alright. Come away now. Jesus pulls away from her. She goes after him but a guard yanks her back into the crowd. The Centurion gathers some pieces of parchment together as the Zealot's voice rings out: ZEALOT Listen! Don't be afraid! God is strong. Rome is smoke. God will blow it away. Remember the Maccabees, remember how they threw out the Greeks! We'll throw out the Romans the same way. There's only one God of Hosts and he's our God! CENTURION (he's heard it all before) Finished? Without waiting for an answer, the Centurion begins to read the charges against the Zealot. CENTURION 'This man naked before you now is condemned for sedition, for lifting his hand against Rome. Even as a boy he pulled the Imperial Eagle from walls. He ran to the mountains and rallied the people to Revolution. He promised a Messiah would come from among the people to rise up and destroy Rome...' He starts paging through the parchment, his interest wandering. CENTURION '...murder... betrayal' ...so on... 'looting...' and so on... 'and therefore he is condemned to die. Rome condemns him. All the Gods of Rome condemn him.' And I condemn him. Start. The Zealot has been stripped naked and laid down on the cross- bar. The guards prepare to drive the nails into his wrists. A hush comes over the crowd. The spike is placed in the Zealot's wrist. The hammer drives it home. The Zealot's scream (almost ecstatic) is echoed by the crowd. Blood spurts from his wounds: a drop splatters on Jesus' lips. CUT TO: INT. HOUSE - NIGHT Close angle on Jesus, who is speaking vehemently. JESUS Speak softer! I can't understand! Softer! Silence. JESUS I still can't... stop... Are you trying to make me understand, or do you just want to hurt me? (pause; then, as if answering) Well, if I don't belong here, with men, where do I belong? Tell me! Or do you just want to punish me? Still silence. Now we see the whole room, which is a small area just off the kitchen. Jesus is alone. His Mother enters. Jesus looks over. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) What are you hearing? She sits near him and puts her hand over his. JESUS They want to know if I'm afraid. Afraid! Of course I'm afraid! (looking up) Hear that? I am afraid. Is that what you want? Alright. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) What do they want? JESUS They want me to speak. To go out and speak! MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) Speak about what? JESUS About the Kingdom of Heaven. But I don't care about the Kingdom of Heaven. I like earth. I like to eat, sleep, see a woman without my head being torn in half. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) But you can have that right now. JESUS No! Because anytime I try to get what everybody else has, the pain starts. And the voices. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) And so you make crosses! JESUS Yes, I make crosses! To keep him quiet. To make God hate me! To make him find somebody else. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) You're sure it's God? You're sure it's not the Devil? JESUS I'm not sure. I'm not sure of anything. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) If it's the devil, the devil can be cast out. JESUS What if it's God? You can't cast out God. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) But if it's God, why should he hurt you? JESUS Because he loves me. And I don't want him to love me. I want him to hate me! I want to crucify every one of his Messiahs. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) The more you dare God, the more you make him angry. Maybe that's why he's made you so unhappy here. JESUS Where? MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) Here. With people. Maybe you shouldn't be here. JESUS If I don't belong with people, who do I belong with, God? MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) I don't know. Go and ask him. Go where God is. CUT TO: EXT. EDGE OF NAZARETH - DAWN Jesus begins his journey to go where God is. He walks with a certainty we have not seen before. Nazareth, seen behind him, is stirring to life. Jesus' path takes him past the crucifixion site of the day before. At the foot of the cross are several GUARDS who are dividing up the Zealot's clothes. One of the Guards sees Jesus and calls to him. GUARD Crossmaker! Here's your share. The Guard throws the Zealot's bloody headcloth. Jesus holds it for a moment. GUARD What's the matter? Don't you want it? JESUS Yes. I want it. He puts the headcloth on. CUT TO: EXT. ROAD OUTSIDE NAZARETH - EARLY MORNING Jesus strides across a grassy plain. Much of the "lake district" of Galilee was a fertile and pleasant valley. Jesus leans his body into the wind as he reaches a ridge. JESUS (V.O.) All this time I've been cursing him, trying to make him hate me. All that pain for something so simple, I should have realized. He just wants me to devote my life to him. If that's what it takes to stop the pain, I'm happy. Only one road leads to God. And it comes out in the desert. God's waiting for me in a well in the monastery. He does love me. I'll hide under his wings. Jesus watches a small caravan in the distance and follows its path. CUT TO: EXT. GALILEE - DAY Jesus passes two PEASANT GIRLS reaping in an open field. Their partially open dresses reveal their bodies. Their open sexuality intimidates Jesus. PEASANT GIRL Are you going to Magela? JESUS No. To the monastery. They laugh. SECOND GIRL Then you take the other road. PEASANT GIRL If you really want to. SECOND GIRL Why not stop and have some bread with us? They're teasing him a little now and he's slightly embarrassed. JESUS No, thank you. I can't. They smile as they watch him go. CUT TO: LATER - JESUS Walks alone along the windy seashore. JESUS (V.O.) Lord, thank you for everything, for the loneliness, the hunger, the cold. I don't need anything else. Hearing FOOTSTEPS, he stops abruptly. Turns and looks. JESUS (V.O.) Who's that? Who's following me? Seeing nothing, Jesus starts again. The FOOTSTEPS return -- LOUDER. JESUS (V.O.) Is that you? He clutches his head, collapses to his knees in pain: JESUS (V.O.) Magdalene! Magdalene! CUT TO: EXT. MAGDALA - DAY Three camels in the forefront of a caravan kneel to the ground. Their riders and the camels are completely covered with sand. As the camels rest, the riders open their cloaks revealing bright robes of red, blue and gold and exotic jewelry. Jesus walks past the caravan on the main plaza of Magdala, where TOWNSPEOPLE are salting fish in a public market. The streets are crowded with camels, donkeys, Mongols on horseback, Afghans laden with rugs and blankets, Nubian slaves following their Greek and Roman masters. A Berber woman dances. She is caked with dust. As she dances, the dust flies away, revealing her dress, her jewelry, her body. Jesus passes a well where a woman is seated, drawing water. Her naked breasts are painted. He tries to avoid her glance. JESUS (V.O.) Thank you Lord for bringing me where I did not want to come. He pushes his way through the crowd until he reaches the home of Mary Magdalene. On her door, there is a painting of two intertwined snakes, one black, one white, and above the LINTEL, a painting of a large yellow lizard with its legs stretched out as if crucified. A row of camels, horses and donkeys stand outside. Jesus enters. A young Indian nobleman with an aristocratic air, passes by Jesus and into the courtyard, Jesus stares and follows behind him. JESUS (V.O.) He must be one of God's angels. He came down to show me the way. CUT TO: EXT. MARY MAGDALENE'S COURTYARD - DAY Jesus and the nobleman take their places seated on the ground in Magdalene's courtyard. About a dozen men wait for their turn with Magdalene. Besides the young Indian nobleman (with three gold bands around his ankles), there are three Bedounin, three old men with painted eyelashes and nails, two young men with black beards and moustaches, and two rich black merchants. An old lady is off to one side crouched on the ground with a small cage containing some crabs. A small fire is beside her on which she is cooking food. There is no door to Magdalene's room where she does business, only a wispy half torn curtain floating in the infrequent breeze. This affords her waiting clients a half-darkened view of the proceedings. An Arab makes love to her. She is nude, and good at her work. The young Indian nobleman lowers his eyelids, begins swaying his upper body back and forth and moves his lips as if in prayer. Jesus and the others glance at him. One of the black merchants pushes him with his knee and smiles. BLACK MERCHANT Prince of India, what does your God have to say about all this? INDIAN NOBLEMAN (opening his eyes) All what? BLACK MERCHANT Here, in front of you. INDIAN NOBLEMAN That everything is a dream. One of the old men, using prayer beads, turns to them. OLD MAN Well, if it's a dream, then don't wake us. Jesus stares straight ahead. At that moment the Arab comes out from Magdalene's room. All the men groan as if saying "about time." The old man gets up and enters. YOUNG MAN Don't take all day, old man. There's six more here before me. CUT TO: LATER - THE SUN is waning. Three merchants wait with Jesus. Two are eating. An Egyptian emerges from the Magdalene's house. Another man gets up. Jesus defers to him. CUT TO: LATER - IT'S DARK Jesus sits alone. The last customer closes the courtyard door. Jesus stands, enters Magdalene's room. CUT TO: INT. MAGDALENE'S ROOM - DARK - AMBERLIT - NIGHT Mary, lies naked on a stack of blankets, covered with the sweat of all nations. Facing the wall, she calls: MAGDALENE Is there anyone else? Jesus stops in the middle of the room. Mary turns and recognizes Jesus. She instinctively pulls back. MAGDALENE What are you doing here. JESUS I want you to forgive me. The Magdalene doesn't understand. JESUS I've done too many wrong things. I'm going to the desert. To the monastery. Before I go I want you to forgive me. Please. MAGDALENE Oh, I see. You sit out there all day with the others. Then you come in there with your head bowed, saying 'Forgive me, forgive me.' Well it's not that easy. Just because you need forgiveness don't ask me to do it. JESUS Mary, I'm sorry. MAGDALENE I don't want your pity. I'm fine, just fine. I don't need help from anybody. Especially you or your God. JESUS God can save your soul. MAGDALENE I don't want him. He's already broken my heart. Say the truth. Mary is half in darkness. As she speaks her legs partially open and one hand slips between them. Her other hand covers her breasts. MAGDALENE You want to save my soul? This is where you'll find it. You're the same as the others only you can't admit it. You lie about it. You're pitiful. I hate you. Here's my body. Kiss it. Save it. Jesus, angry, lunges for her and hits her hand away very hard. She pulls back on the couch and they stare at each other. When Magdalene speaks again she is calmer, but even sadder. MAGDALENE Is that the way you show you're a man? You never had the courage to be one. If you weren't hanging onto your mother, you were hanging onto me. Now you're hanging onto God, going to the desert to hide because you're scared. Well go. Whenever I see you my heart breaks. Don't look at me. She stands and puts on a dress. CUT TO: LATER Mary takes a casserole from the fire, pours it into a bowl and hands it to Jesus with a barley roll. Jesus eats ravenously. MAGDALENE Is that the way you eat? Without thanking God? Don't you think you should thank him for giving you all this: bread, beans, whores, wine... JESUS Let me eat and let me go. Mary looks at him and touches his face. As she speaks, Jesus doesn't respond. MAGDALENE I remember when we were children. When I was five and you were three. I remember when we laid under the tree together. I watched you. Later I wanted you to come to me but not before you suffered... Magdalene is coming on to him. He is her lifetime love. No matter what he does, she will never stop loving him. JESUS Stop it. He stands and walks over to the fire. MAGDALENE I never felt so much tenderness toward anyone as I felt for you then... all I ever wanted was you... nothing else. JESUS And what do you think I wanted? Do you think I wanted this? God help me. MAGDALENE To do what? It takes him a moment to answer, but when he finally speaks it is with some tenderness. JESUS To leave. MAGDALENE Please... stay. (pause) Here, it's cold. Sleep by the fire. (she reaches for him) Is it so bad, sharing a prostitute's room? You'll still have your virginity for the desert. I promise. JESUS I can't stay, Mary. I'm sorry. CUT TO: EXT. MONASTERY - NIGHT A small desert commune huddled near the edge of a precipice. The monastery is actually an unconnected series of low mud huts. Jesus strides toward them. The wind blows. 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. Judas stands in front of him, panting, his dagger in his hand. JUDAS I hissed and you came. JESUS I'm ready. JUDAS Ready? You think we're going to a feast? I'm going to kill you. JESUS Good. I'm relieved. I'm happy to see you. You're just in time. Judas is startled. JESUS God purified me tonight. I thought it was so I could go out and preach. But now I see. It's so I could die. And you're God's instrument. He brought us together. Jesus opens his tunic. JESUS Here's my neck. Cut it. Come on, cut it. What's the matter? Is there anything wrong? I was purified, you got your permission, it's all arranged by God. So what are you waiting for? They stare at each other. JESUS You can't do it, can you? JUDAS I can if I want. JESUS Why don't you want? JUDAS I do want. JESUS Fine. He positions himself for killing again. There is another pause. JUDAS Did you work some magic on me? When I go to kill a man, I kill him. JESUS (thinking it out) Maybe God doesn't want me to die. If God really wanted me to die, you wouldn't hesitate. You'd just kill me. JUDAS No, you should die. What good are you living? Why should God want you alive? What good are you for Israel? Do you have some secret? JESUS I have no secret. I know that I have pity, though. JUDAS Pity! How far will that get us? What good is that for Israel? JESUS It's good for men. JUDAS Men! The Greeks who killed us were men. So are the Romans. Don't pity men, pity Israel. The rest can go to hell. JESUS I feel pity for everything. Donkeys, sparrows, grass. JUDAS And ants? I suppose you feel pity for them too? JESUS Yes. Everything's a part of God. When I look into the ant, into his shiny black eye, I see the face of God. JUDAS What do you see when you look in my face? JESUS (matter of factly) I see God too. JUDAS You see God everywhere, don't you? Maybe that's why you don't fear death. JESUS Why should I fear death? Death isn't a door that closes, it's a door that opens. It opens and you enter. JUDAS (pause) If I don't kill you, what happens? JESUS I don't know. Whatever God decides. I'll speak to others. I can't think of anything else. JUDAS What are you going to say? JESUS I'll just open my mouth and God will do the talking. JUDAS See. I told you. You're not crazy at all, are you? If God does talk through you, then you're the messenger of God and I can't kill a messenger of God, can I? You've got my hand stopped. JESUS I didn't stop your hand, God did. JUDAS He's the only one who could. JESUS God didn't send you to kill me. Maybe he sent you here to follow me. JUDAS The one's I follow are the ones who follow Israel. Judas puts his knife away. CUT TO: EXT. GALILEE - DAY Judas and Jesus walk across the plain toward Magdala. CUT TO: EXT. MAGDALA - DAY Mary Magdalene is hurled into a shallow pit, her knees and elbows bloody from being dragged down the street. Jesus and Judas enter the village. They hear a commotion and hurry toward the crowd. The crowd, in a festive mood, hurl insults and spit at her. JUDAS It's Magdalene. She deserves it. Jesus steps into the center of the pit as the crowd starts to throw stones. One of them hits Jesus on the chest. He looks over at the man who threw the stone. We have never seen Jesus like this before: neither has anyone in the crowd. Two little KIDS take one look, giggle nervously, and run away. Judas is riveted. On the other side of the small crowd, PHILIP, PETER, ANDREW and JOHN watch this unexpected confrontation with fascination. MAN IN CROWD Get out of here. This isn't your business. You want to get hurt? More stones are thrown. Jesus doesn't move. Magdalene, has grabbed his leg for reassurance. ZEBADEE pushes his way through the crowd. ZEBEDEE You heard what he said, idiot. Move. JESUS No. I don't want this. ZEBEDEE Oh, listen to this. He doesn't want this. Well, we want it. JESUS Why? ZEBEDEE (livid) We don't have to tell you why... Peter, in the crowd, interrupts angrily. PETER Bad enough we live in a whorehouse. But does it have to be a Roman whorehouse? Our women can't even look in a mirror on the Sabbath, and this one goes with Romans on the Sabbath. She broke Moses' law. So she dies. Jesus picks up two stones from the ground. JESUS Who's never sinned? Which one of you has never sinned? Whichever one of you's never sinned should come up here and throw these. Zebedee steps forward immediately, carrying his own small stone. ZEBEDEE I've got nothing to hide. JESUS Good. Take one of these. They're bigger. You're not going to do much damage with the small one. Zebedee hesitates. JESUS Be careful, Zebedee. There is a God. He's seen you cheat your workers. He's seen you with that widow, what's her name... WOMAN IN THE CROWD Judith! JESUS ...Judith. Aren't you afraid God will paralyze you if your lift that stone? That your hand will wither and hang at your side? Zebedee drops the rock and moves back. Several MEN start toward Jesus, but Judas steps between them, braced for action. They stop. Jesus helps Mary to her feet. Judas calls to the crowd: JUDAS Follow us, follow the Rabbi. He wants to talk to you. Judas, Jesus and Magdalene walk away from the pit. A large segment of the crowd follows. WOMAN IN CROWD Who is he? MAN It's Jesus. From Nazareth. SECOND MAN Nothing good can come out of Nazareth. Even the scriptures say it. They start back, away from the crowd, toward the town. CUT TO: EXT. HILLSIDE IN MAGDALA - DAY The nearby summit of the hill which was the site of some ancient pagan temple, probably Mesopotamian. Fragments of several carved capitals of columns lay on the ground along with pieces of pagan Gods (winged lions with women's heads, etc.). Magdalene sits near Jesus' feet; Judas stands in the background. The crowd waits to hear what Jesus has to say. Jesus looks out over the poverty-stricken villagers, the peaceful country-side: JESUS (V.O.) This is what I've always been afraid of. There's so much to say. God has so many miracles. A pause. The words start to come. JESUS Come closer everybody. My brothers. My sisters. I'm calling you that because we're all a family. A little closer. My voice isn't very strong, and I've got something to tell you. The crowd gets closer, still more curious than anything else. JESUS I'm sorry if I have to tell you stories. But is seems to be the only way I can tell you what I have to. (pause) A farmer was planting in his field. Some seed fell on the ground and the birds ate it. Some seed fell on rocks and dried up. But some seed fell on rich soil, grew into wheat and fed a lot of people. Long silence. No one has any idea what the hell he's talking about. JESUS Didn't you hear me? Are you people deaf? ZEBEDEE (indignant) We can hear fine. It's not us. Can't you be more... clear. Jesus thinks for a moment. He is also hiding annoyance. JESUS I'm the farmer. The farmer's me. ZEBEDEE Wait a minute. I get it. Don't tell me. We must be the stones. We're the ground, is that it? That's just fine. And two and two makes four. (to crowd:) Another lunatic. JOHN, Zebedee's youngest son, who has an air of perpetual abstraction, leaves his father and approaches Jesus. JOHN Rabbi, tell me. If you're the farmer and we're the stones, what is the seed? Jesus is baffled. JOHN What's the seed? JESUS (surprised) Love one another. Love one another! This is too much for the crowd to take. ANDREW Alright, let's say we accept that. Maybe that's even good advice. But for some other world. Not here. we're starving. Feed us first, then talk. While the crowd makes noise, Judas steps near to Jesus and talks to him so the others can't hear. JUDAS What are you talking about, love? This is your message? We should all love the Romans? That's like putting our neck on the knife. Jesus takes a step forward, going with the momentum of his strong feelings. JESUS Listen, I used to think God was angry too. But not any more. He used to jump on me like a wild bird and dig his claws into my head. But then one morning he came to me. He blew over me like a cool breeze and said 'Stand up.' And here I am. ZEBEDEE Go to hell! MAN IN CROWD These are all stories for children. They can't help us. Jesus starts into the crowd, confronting them directly. JESUS What are you hungry for? And you, you're thirsty. What are you thirsty for? For justice. Justice. ANDREW And bread. JESUS Bread too, bread too. I'm telling you, whoever's hungry for justice, whoever's thirsty for justice... they're the one's who'll be blessed. They'll be filled with bread. They'll never be thirsty again. Jesus works his way through the crowd, really winning them over. He points at somebody else. JESUS And you. You're in mourning. But mourners will be blessed. You'll have God's comfort, you won't need it from men. Now he addresses the crowd at large. JESUS And the meek... they're the ones who'll be blessed. And the suffering... they'll be blessed too. and the merciful, and the peacemakers. And the poor, and the sick, and the outcasts... you will all be blessed. Because Heaven is yours. Now the crowd is really with him. JESUS But believe me. The ones who are laughing now... He indicates a couple of skeptics in the crowd. JESUS ...will be crying later. The ones who are fed now will be hungry soon. And the rich... will be poor forever. The crowd, agitated and excited, starts to run off. FIRST VOICE Let's kill the rich! SECOND VOICE Why bother with the rich? Kill the Romans. JESUS (protests) I didn't say death. I said love! I said love! ZEBEDEE (motions to his son) Let's go. JOHN No. Go on without me. JAMES looks as if he wants to stay too, but Zebedee pulls him by the arm and stalks off. John and Andrew stay behind with Peter, Philip and Judas. Mary Magdalene stands next to Jesus now. MAGDALENE Rabbi. I can help. Let me go with you. JESUS (interrupts) No. Stay here. Tell people about me. Show them how to live. He kneels and wipes her bloody feet with his tunic. CUT TO: EXT. SEA OF GENNASARET - DAY Another day. Jesus leads his little band along the seashore: Peter, John, and Andrew walk with Jesus; Judas and Philip follow. Two peasant women, a street urchin and a couple of dogs bring up the rear. They approach Zebedee, who works with James, Nathaniel and two other fishermen. ZEBEDEE (to John) Where have you been? We've been working all morning. John steps over to his brother James and starts pulling him away. JOHN What are you doing this for, after what we heard. Come with us. Zebedee grabs James' other arm. ZEBEDEE What do you think you're doing? He swats both John and James on the ear. The other disciples laugh. JUDAS (laughing) Watch it, Zebedee, you'll lose another son. JESUS Zebedee, do you really need them? You can hire other men. They won't be your sons, so you'll have to pay them... ZEBEDEE Pay them! I can't afford to pay them. I can't afford to pay anybody. Look, my nets have been empty for weeks. JESUS Look at them now. The nets are teeming with fish. ZEBEDEE How'd you do that? JESUS Maybe the current changed. (pause) Zebedee, let your sons come with me. They can fish for men. CUT TO: EXT. SEA OF GENNASARET - AFTERNOON Later the same day. Jesus and the disciples, now with James among them, walk past a stand of tall reeds. CUT TO: EXT. GALILEE - NIGHT The disciples sleep in an olive grove. Jesus, awake, sits on a nearby knoll, looking into the night. Judas walks over and sits next to him: JUDAS Rabbi, can I talk to you? He sits next to him. JUDAS I'm not like these other men. I mean, they're good enough. But they're weak. How are they going to fight for you? They couldn't even fight for themselves. Where'd you find them? One's worse than the other. This is no army. JESUS I don't need soldiers. JUDAS You wanted me. And if I love somebody, I'd die for them. If I hate somebody, I'll kill them. I can even kill somebody I love if he does the wrong thing. Do you understand? JESUS I understand. JUDAS The other day when you said turn the other cheek to the man that hit you, I didn't like that. Only an angel could do that, only an angel or a dog. I'm a free man. I don't turn my cheek to anyone. You do need soldiers. JESUS Will soldiers make me free? JUDAS You want freedom for Israel? JESUS I want freedom for the soul. JUDAS First you free the body, then the soul. You know that. The Romans come first. JESUS The soul is first. If you don't change what the soul needs, you'll only replace Roman domination with another domination and nothing'll ever change. First you have to change man inside. Then man can change what's around him. It's wanting wealth and power that makes the soul want to dominate others. That's the wanting we have to change, we have to free the soul first. With love. JUDAS We all want that eventually. But right now the only way is to start from the bottom. You build a house from the foundation up... (he turns) Who's there? Andrew, sleepy-eyed, walks over, concerned: ANDREW It's me, Andrew. Is everything... JESUS (interrupting) Go back to sleep. Judas and I are talking. Andrew turns and leaves. Judas waits, then speaks. JUDAS I still don't know who you are. JESUS Neither do I. JUDAS You can't look to the others for answers. All they can do is follow you. It's between you and me. When I went to kill you in the monastery, God took my strength away. That's what made me think, even if I didn't want to... that's what made me think you might be the one. The Messiah. Maybe you are, maybe you aren't, maybe you don't even know yourself if you are. That's why I said to myself, be patient for once in your life. See what he does, see what he says, and if he's not the Messiah there's plenty of time to kill him. JESUS How can I be the Messiah? First of all I wanted to kill those people when I saw them torturing Magdalene. Then when I opened my mouth, out came the word 'love.' Why? How can we tell? JUDAS Alright. You say God talks through you and right now I believe you. There's another one he talks through. JESUS The Baptist. JUDAS We'll go to see him. He stands out there every day preaching 'He is coming, he is coming.' As soon as he sees you he'll know who you are. He'll know if you're the one. JESUS I'm afraid, Judas. Stay here. Judas spreads his blanket on the ground. CUT TO: EXT. GALILEE - NIGHT Later that night. Judas and Jesus are asleep in each other's arms. Then Jesus appears to wake. On the ground in front of him is an apple. He reaches for it, takes a bite, extracts some seeds and the core. He scatters them on the ground. He watches where they fall. And now we see: a tree has grown, ripe red apples hanging from its every branch. CUT TO: EXT. RIVER OF JORDAN - DAY Jesus and his followers reach the edge of the Dead Sea. Andrew, a disciple of the Baptist, points ahead. ANDREW Up ahead. The water forms a pool in the caves. I'll show you. JESUS You're tired. Stay here. ANDREW No, I'd better come. It could be dangerous. JESUS NO. I want to go alone. Jesus walks through the burning heat toward the caves. Judas, following behind, runs to catch up. JUDAS What about me! I'm supposed to be with you. JESUS Come on. They walk down a slope. Jesus in front. Judas behind. John the Baptist's voice echoes in the distance. Offscreen Voice: THE BAPTIST (O.S.) 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.' (2 SAMUEL XII, 11) They push their way through a mixture of lower class Israelites, Ethiopians (painted nails, eyelashes, etc.), Chaldeans (brass rings in their noses, etc.) Some who have been or are about to be Baptized are naked. CUT TO: EXT./INT. BAPTIST'S CAVE - DAY Jesus and Judas approach. They enter a small cave like an antechamber in which the light has a slight greenish tint. In the larger cave, the BAPTIST is preaching. Jesus gasps when he first sees him: a wild man, unkempt, unwashed, (hair like a Rastafarian). He shouts in the wind: THE BAPTIST "Roll on the ground, bite the dust, howl! The Lord of Hosts says: 'On this day I will command the sun to set at noon; I will crush the horns of the new moon and spill darkness over the earth. I will reverse your laughter, turn it into tears, and your songs I will turn into lamentations. I will blow and all your finery -- hands, feet, noses, ears, hairs -- will fall to the ground.'" He's awesome. Even Judas is taken back. He grabs Jesus: JUDAS God. He sounds like the Messiah. JESUS No, the Messiah won't have an ax in his hand. Judas pushes Jesus forward. JUDAS We'll see. Go in front. Let him see you. Jesus walks slowly toward the Baptist, his eyes fixed on the prophet. The crowd flails and shouts; one half-naked woman slashes herself with sharp stones (throws herself on the ground, etc.). JESUS (V.O.) Even from behind, I knew I had seen him before. Where? When? Was it a dream? Yes, it was. But in the dream he was all dressed in white. Jesus steps behind the Baptist. John suddenly turns at him. THE BAPTIST Who are you? JESUS (his voice anxious) Do you recognize me? THE BAPTIST Who are you? JESUS Have you read Isaiah? Do you know the prophets? What does Isaiah say? THE BAPTIST He says, "Prepare the way of the Lord." Are you telling me that's you? JESUS I don't know. (demanding) Tell me. The Baptist looks around: the crowd wails in SILENT MOTION. A sudden calmness. We see them from Judas' P.O.V. Judas strains to hear but can't. The Baptist knows Jesus. THE BAPTIST Why are you here? JESUS To be baptized. THE BAPTIST I don't dare. If you are the Master, you should baptize me. JESUS Baptize me. Jesus kneels at John's feet, throws off his robe (his nakedness partially hidden by people in the foreground). Judas looks on. CUT TO: EXT. RIVER OF JORDAN - NIGHT Jesus and the Baptist sit in the cave by a fire built near the baptismal pool. An eerie blue-green light falls on the walls of the cave; their faces are reflected in the pool water. A group of pilgrims camp in the back of the cave. Music is heard. Jesus and the Baptist are weary from hours of debate. JESUS Isn't love enough? THE BAPTIST No. The tree is rotten. You have to take the ax and cut it down. JESUS If I was a woodcutter, I'd cut. If I was fire, I'd burn. But I'm a heart and I love. THE BAPTIST I'm a heart also but I can't love what's unjust. I can't love evil. What I can't love I attack. God demands it. God demands anger. JESUS Anger? Aren't we all brothers? THE BAPTIST You think love is God's only way? Go to the Dead Sea. Look in the bottom, you'll see the two whores, Sodom and Gomorrah. God was angry. He threw fire at them, turned over the dry land and the sea swallowed them up. That's God's way. 'On the day of the Lord, blood will flow from wood, the stones of the houses will come alive and kill their owners!' That day is here. He gave me the ax, now I give it to you. Jesus, frightened, turns away: JESUS That's not the answer. THE BAPTIST (aggravated) No? Then what is the answer? JESUS I don't know. I think it's love. THE BAPTIST Well I know. And if you won't listen to me who will you listen to? To God? The God of Israel's a god of the desert. If you want to speak to him, then you go to the desert. JESUS (a beat) I'll go to Idumaea. THE BAPTIST But be careful. The desert's full of sweet voices and death. The Baptist walks over to Jesus. JESUS Thank you Baptist. John kisses Jesus on the mouth. JESUS (V.O.) His tongue felt like a burning coal in my mouth. Judas watches from a hole in the ceiling of the cave. From his P.O.V. he can't hear anything. Jesus walks away, not looking back. CUT TO: EXT. IDUMAEA DESERT - SUNSET Jesus runs across the desert as if pursued. He stops, pants, continues. The earth underneath is cracked. The whole landscape shimmers with heat under a huge white sun. (SPECIAL EFFECT). The image is tinted warm red. CUT TO: EXT. DESERT - NEXT DAY Jesus wanders through the wild, uninhabited terrain. The sun, like a blast furnace, blows sand into his face. He starts to draw a large circle. JESUS (V.O.) I'm not going to leave this circle. I won't leave until you talk to me. No hums. No thunder. No headaches. Just talk to me in human words. Whatever path you want, I'll take. Love or the ax or anything else. Or if you want me to stay here and die I'll do that too. But you have to tell me. He sits in the center of the circle. He sees: the sun, looming huge in the sky, seeming to be unnaturally close to him. (SPECIAL EFFECT). He sees: in the far distance, birds flying across a great plain. He sees: on the flat desert, the plain of Sodom, a herd of gazelles. He continues to watch as we... FADE OUT: EXT. DESERT - NIGHT FADE IN. Days have past. The hunger and deprivation are beginning to show on Jesus' face. His clothes are the color of soil. JESUS I don't want... I don't want to be alone. He puts his head down, but hears sounds and looks into the moonlit night. SOUNDS: of water; bracelets; laughing. Then a large SERPENT coils at the edge of the circle, speaking in a half-human, half-animal voice. SERPENT I felt sorry for you. You were lonely. You cried, so I came. JESUS I didn't call you. Who are you? SERPENT Your soul. JESUS My soul. SERPENT You're afraid of being alone. Just like Adam. He called me and I reached into his ribs and gave him a wife. JESUS You're here to trick me. SERPENT Trick you? To love and care for a woman? To have a family -- this is a trick? Why are you trying to save the world? Aren't your own sins enough for you? What arrogance to think it's your duty to save the world. The world doesn't have to be saved. Find love. JESUS I have love. SERPENT Look into my eyes, look at my breasts... The Serpent's voice dissolves into the soft, comforting voice of Mary Magdalene. SERPENT ...Do you recognize them? Say the word. Nod your head and we'll be in my bed together. Jesus looks up, eyes glaring. SERPENT (compassionately) Oh, Jesus. The Serpent suddenly explodes, leaving no trace. Jesus places his head between his legs and begins to sob, as if he has lost a loved one. CUT TO: EXT. DESERT - NIGHT FADE IN. Another week has passed. Jesus' clothes are torn and tattered by the desert winds. He awakens. JESUS (V.O.) After ten days the hunger went away. He hears a sound. A LION stands at the edge of the circle. LION Welcome, Jesus. Congratulations. You've overcome the small temptations of a woman, a family. We're both bigger than that. A woman's not enough, we need the whole world. JESUS Who are you? LION I'm you. I'm your heart. Your heart is so hungry. It pretends to be humble but it secretly wants to conquer the world. I will set my four feet down, one in Babylon, one in Jerusalem, one in Alexandria, the last in Rome. JESUS I've never wanted a kingdom on earth. The Kingdom of Heaven's good enough for me. The Lion's voice transforms into Judas': LION You're a liar. You've always wanted power. When you were making crosses for the Romans in Nazareth, your head was exploding with dreams of power. You said it was God, but you really wanted to rule others. Now you will. Any country you want. All countries. You will rule Babylon. You will rule Jerusalem. You will rule Alexandria. You will even rule Rome. Jesus, shaking, reaches out toward the Lion. JESUS Liar! Step into my circle so I can pull out your tongue. The Lion steps into the circle, and, as he does, disappears. FADE OUT: EXT. DESERT - NIGHT FADE IN. Jesus lies sleeping. Another week has past. He's a wasted skeleton. An ARCHANGEL stands at the circle's edge. The Angel appears as a normal ten-year-old boy speaking in the voice of a young girl. Jesus strains to see through his swollen eyelids: JESUS Archangel... go farther back. You're blinding me. ARCHANGEL I'm the one you've been waiting for. Remember when you were a child, you cried, 'Make me a God. God, make me a God.' JESUS But I was just a child then. ARCHANGEL Adonai. You are God. The Baptist knew it. It's time you admit it. I salute you, Son, only Son of God. Join me in power. We will rule together over the living and the dead. You'll give life and take life. You'll sit on the throne and I'll sit at your hand. Imagine how strong we could be together. Jesus suddenly realizes who he's talking to: JESUS Satan! The ripe tree from Jesus' dream appears behind the Archangel. The Angel offers an apple. Jesus bites into the apple: it turns into blood in his mouth. The blood splashes down his chest. ANGEL (smiling) We'll see each other again. The Archangel turns and leaves. Jesus picks up a stick at his feet. The stick is an ax. We see from over Jesus' shoulder. John the Baptist crouches down into the frame, puts his hand on Jesus' shoulder and speaks: THE BAPTIST Don't be afraid. You are the One. I was the one who came before you. My work is finished. Now I can die. The Lord wants me to tell you to stand up, his day is here. Take the ax. Run and carry the message to men. Jesus rises and strikes at the root of the tree with an ax. Entire scene turns red. CUT TO: INT. MARY AND MARTHA'S - DAY MARY and MARTHA, sisters in their early thirties, are working in their house. Mary sits at a weaving loom; Martha near the fire. The door opens. An emaciated figure in tattered clothes stands silhouetted in the doorway. The sisters turn, aghast. JESUS I'm a foreigner. From Galilee. I need rest. The door was open. Excuse me... I... MARY We're alone. Our brother Lazarus is out. MARTHA What difference does that make? Come in. Don't listen to her. She's afraid of her own shadow. I'm Martha and this is my sister, Mary. There's not much here, but you're welcome to it. Who are you? JESUS Jesus of Nazareth. MARTHA (laughing, teasing) A good man? JESUS Yes, good. Jesus staggers over to the hearth. JESUS (smiles as he sits) ...I do my best. CUT TO: INT. MARY AND MARTHA'S - NIGHT Jesus, washed and wearing a new tunic, eats bread and olives. Martha hands him a wine flask. Sitting by the fire, they almost look like a family. Jesus raises his pot of wine in a toast. JESUS Martha. Mary. I swear to you if there's another flood and if it's up to me to invite you into the ark, I'd do it. You'd both be on it. Because tonight a stranger came to your door. You fed him, dressed him, made him comfortable, spoke kindly to him, and the Kingdom of Heaven came down and went in his heart. They drink. Mary and Martha look at Jesus flirtatiously. MARY Go on. JESUS (eating) What should I say? Silence is good, It says everything. MARY It doesn't say everything to me. A kind word now and then helps. MARTHA Do you have a wife? JESUS (thinks) No. MARY If you only knew what goes through a woman's mind when she weaves. You'd pity her, Jesus. JESUS I do know. I was once a woman, in another life, and I used to weave. MARY And what did you think about? JESUS God. And you? MARTHA God. But we think about men more. MARY God is a man after all. And men can be husbands. Jesus smiles, but deliberately chooses not to pursue this subject. There is a brief silence. JESUS You know the Baptist? He died, didn't he? MARY He was killed... by Herod. You didn't know? JESUS No... I knew. MARTHA They say the King was drunk and cut off his head to satisfy a little girl... It happened in his palace in Jerusalem. MARY No, at his palace in Tiberias. 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? NATHANIEL Water. JESUS No. It's wine. NATHANIEL No, no. It's water. JESUS Go over there and make sure. It's wine, I'm telling you. Nathaniel, still unconvinced, goes over to a vat and tastes. NATHANIEL You're right. It is wine. JAMES (as a joke) It's another miracle. CUT TO: LATER Jesus, a little drunk and very happy, dances with men and women. Magdalene watches him, a mixture of reverence and longing on her face. CUT TO: EXT. NAZARETH - DAY Sabbath. The faithful, fresh from synagogue, mill about under the date palms in the manner of churchmen over the centuries. These are not common people. On the contrary, they represent the Jewish hierarchy: the severely moral Pharisess, Saducees, in collusion with the Romans; and the landowners and shopkeepers who supported the synagogue. Jesus calls out: JESUS Brothers! Sisters! My old friends! Listen to me! Listen to me. THe churchmen, curious, gather around. JESUS (continuing) The prophet was talking about me. God talked to me in the desert. He gave me a great secret and told me to bring it to you -- didn't you hear me coming? I ran here first -- to Nazareth -- where I grew up -- to give you the news. The Lord's Kingdom is here. VILLAGER #1 (taunting) You do miracles. Do a miracle for us, make us believe in you. Otherwise, go away! JESUS (impassioned) The Messiah doesn't need miracles. He is the miracle. The Day of the Lord is here. Are you ready? I've come to tear down the world around you. The old world will be replaced by the new world. The Kingdom of Heaven! The Kingdom of God! So call the poor and give them your food. What do you care about your possessions? Your gold and silver will rust and their rust will eat your flesh like fire. Flood and fire will come down, and the new Ark will float above the flames. I hold the keys and I open the Ark and I select. My brothers of Nazareth, you're the first I invite. Come and enter. The villagers boo and laugh. Some children put stones in their hands. VILLAGER #1 A boat. We're in the desert and he tells us about a boat. VILLAGER #2 Aren't you the son of Mary? Right? Who are you to tell us about God. VILLAGER #3 You made better crosses than speeches. (to companion as he walks away) Go get somebody from his family. This is embarrassing. JESUS What are you laughing at? Everything you have will burn!! Soon! Leave your homes! Come with me to Jerusalem! VILLAGER #2 This is what happens when a man doesn't marry. The semen backs up into his brain. Someone throws a stone; it grazes Jesus' head, drawing blood. VILLAGER #4 Go home! You're full of devils. JESUS (wiping blood from his brow) This is my home! Peter and Judas rush to Jesus' defense. Judas puts his hand to his dagger. VILLAGER #2 Kill him! He throws another rock. PETER What are you doing that for? That's a shame. VILLAGER #2 He's a sorcerer. He's calling the fire to come down on us! POOR VILLAGER Don't touch him! God's Kingdom is for the poor. It's our Kingdom! The rich and poor scuffle. Judas, Jesus, Peter and the others, all disgusted, break free from the brawl. Jesus looks back, confused and angry. JESUS (yelling back at crowd) If I could touch every stone, breathe on every twig, they would rise up and join me! Come with me! Jerusalem is falling. I can feel it! CUT TO: EXT. OUTSIDE NAZARETH - DAY Jesus and his followers head across the plain toward Samaria. He turns to Judas who walks at his side: JESUS See these misfits. They're crippled, they're blind, they're poor. That's our army. They shout and the Old Jerusalem will fall. JUDAS We'll need more men than this. JESUS God will provide them. We're going to build a New Jerusalem. Mary comes out of the crowd near him and grabs Jesus' arm. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) Son. Please. Come back with me. JESUS Who are you woman? MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) You know who I am. Don't you recognize me? I'm your mother. JESUS I have no mother. I have no family. Only my father who's in heaven. Get away from me. He shakes off her arm. She trips, Jesus keeps walking, followed by the disciples. Peter and a WOMAN help Mary to her feet. Peter walks on as Mary and the woman turn back to town. WOMAN Mary... why are you crying? Didn't you see them? MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) See what? WOMAN When he spoke to you, thousands of blue wings, behind him, I swear to you Mary, there were armies of angels. MARY (MOTHER OF JESUS) I didn't see anything. What good are angels to me? I wanted children and grand-children behind him, not angels. CUT TO: EXT. ALONG THE JORDAN RIVER - DAY Jesus and his ragtag "army" continue their southward march. Martha and Mary, dressed in black, approach Jesus. MARTHA Rabbi, forgive us. Our brother Lazarus is very sick. MARY We heard you've healed the sick, made cripples walk, that you preformed miracles... JESUS (interrupts) Take me to him. CUT TO: LAZARUS' TOMB - SUNSET Jesus, Mary, Martha and the disciples stand before the tomb, which is sealed by a large boulder. There is a small crowd of mourners nearby. JESUS When was he buried? BETHANY WOMAN Three days ago. JESUS Roll the stone away. Judas and Peter elicit the help of two others and lean their shoulders to it. JESUS (V.O.) What can I do? How much can I do? The stone moves: a hideous stench gusts from the tomb. Some disciples turn their faces: others put handkerchiefs to their noses. Jesus stands at the entrance of the tomb and yells. His voice echoes: a wild, strange cry, like something from another world. JESUS Lazarus! In the name of the prophets, in the name of Jeremiah and my Father, in the name of most Holy God, I demand that you rise and come out! At first, nothing. Then we begin to hear a soft rustling inside the tomb. Jesus is apprehensive. He stares at the tomb's entrance. Suddenly a decomposed skeletal human hand reaches out. The crowd gasps. Jesus, startled, jumps. Slowly, Jesus reaches out, moves a bit closer and clasps the corpses' hand. He is terrified. Suddenly, the corpse pulls back as if to yank Jesus into the tomb. Jesus is more frightened. He stands his ground. Then, Jesus decides to pull and the corpse comes out. The disciples and the crowd are stunned. The desicated figure, Lazarus, is covered head to toe in white burial cloth. His free hand slowly unwraps the cloth from his face. Strips of rotting flesh hang loose. Lazarus embraces Jesus. LAZARUS Adonai. Jesus is shocked by his own miracle. JESUS (V.O.) Is the power of God so strong? If it can raise the dead, can it also move mountains? Can it destroy Rome? Tear the world in half? God help me. Jesus embraces Lazarus. CUT TO: EXT. TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM - EARLY MORNING SUNRISE Jesus and his companions are walking along the ruins. ("Excavations in Jerusalem") The city wall is behind them. Then from above, ("St. Steven's Gate") they enter the Roman ruins. An arch towers above them, a pool below them. some inhabitants of the ruins watch. They enter the temple pl