Act II pictures | Jesus Christ Superstar

Act II

The Last Supper

Matt 26:20 When it was evening, [Jesus] took his place at the table with the twelve.

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.”

27 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you,

28 “For this is my blood.”

34 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, on this night, before the rooster crows, [Peter] will deny me three times.”

21 And while they were eating he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”

25 Then Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Master, is it I?” Jesus said to him, “You have said it.”

John 13:30 Judas then having eaten the bread, went immediately out; it was night.

Gethsemane

[Jesus prays while his disciples fall asleep]

Matt 26:36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

[“Could you ask as much from any other man?”]

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.”

The Arrest

Matt 26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a mob with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48 Now [Judas] had given them a sign, saying, “Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: hold him fast.”

49 Immediately he came to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him.

Luke 22:48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Matt 26:57 Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered.

Luke 22:70 Then said they all, “Are you then the Son of God?” And Jesus replied, “You say that I am.”

Matt 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, “He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphamy!

66 “What is your verdict?” and they answered saying, “He is guilty and deserves death.”

Matt 27:2 And when they had bound him, they lead him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governer.

Peter’s Denial

Matt 26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the coutyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”

Luke 22:57 But Peter denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”

58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”

Matt 26:73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.”

74 Then Peter cursed and swore, “I do not know the man!”
And immediately a rooster crowed.

75 And Peter remembered the words which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

[Peter swears that he does not know Jesus]

Pilate And Christ

Luke 23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

3 So Pilate asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And Jesus answered him and said, “That’s what you say.”

4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, “I find no fault in this man.”

5 And they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.

7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

King Herod’s Song

Luke 23:8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad: for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard many things of Jesus; and was hoping to see him perform some miracle.

9 Herod questioned him at length; but Jesus gave him no answer.

11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, dressing him in elegant clothes, Herod sent him back to Pilate.

Could We Start Again, Please

Luke 22:63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him and struck him.

Judas’ Death

Matt 27:3 Now when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus had been condemned, he repented himself, and brought back the pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 Saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself!”

5 So Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and departed. Then he went out and hanged himself.

Trial By Pilate (39 Lashes)

[The priests ask for Jesus to be executed]

John 18:31 Then Pilate said to them, “Take him, and judge him according to your law.” The religious leaders replied to him, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.”

John 18:35 So Pilate [asked Jesus], “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me: what have you done?”

36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. […]”

37 Pilate said to him, “Then you are a King?” Jesus answered, “It is you who says I am. For this reason was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice.”

38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the religious leaders, and said to them, “I find in him no fault at all.”

Matt 27:22 So Pilate said to them, “What should I do then with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!”

23 And the governer said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out the more, saying, “Crucify him!”

Luke 23:22 And he asked them the third time, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore flog him, and let him go.”

23 And they were instant with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified.

John 19:9 And he went back into the judgement hall and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

10 So Pilate said, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the power to release you, and to crucify you?”

11 Jesus replied, “You would have no power over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.?”

12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the religious leaders cried out, saying, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caeser: whosoever makes himself a king stands against Caesar.”

Matt 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Take care of it yourselves!”

[The soldiers place a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head]

[Pilate disclaims responsibility for the crowd’s verdict]

Superstar

Crucifixion

Luke 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and [two] malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

34 Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Mark 15:34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice and gave up the ghost.

40 There were also women, watching from afar, among them Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

John 19:41

John 19:41 Now at the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried.

42 So because it was the Jewish day of preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus’ body there.

Photographs courtesy of Stewart MacPherson and Scenic Projects [scenicprojects.co.uk].