Jesus Enters Jerusalem
Children's Resources
Spotlight On Jesus
Readers' Theater For Children's Church
Characters
Narrator
Woman 1
Man 1
Man 2
Woman 2
Pharisee
Jesus
Questions
1.
When the people saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, what did they think?
2.
What did the Pharisee think of all this?
3.
What did Jesus think about it?
4.
When Jesus went into the temple, how did he feel?
Narrator: It's the first day of the week, the day we now call Palm Sunday. After spending the night in Bethany at the home of Mary and Martha, Jesus secured a donkey and came riding over the Mount of Olives and down into the valley and up the other side to the temple. A group of people stood along the road, greeting the pilgrims who have come to Jerusalem for the Passover. Someone in the crowd spots Jesus.
Woman 1: (shouts) Hey, there's Jesus! The prophet from Galilee! Welcome, Jesus!
Man 1: (shouts) He's riding a donkey, like Solomon rode a donkey, proclaiming himself successor to King David. The prophet Zechariah said our king would come riding a donkey. Jesus is proclaiming himself king! Hail, King Jesus!
Man 2: (shouts) Jesus is a second Judas Maccabees! He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, after driving out the Syrians. Hail, Jesus, deliverer of our people from the tyranny of Rome!
(Next five speeches quickly follow almost on top of each other)
Woman 2: (shouts) Messiah Jesus! Descendant of David! Liberator of Israel!
Woman 1: Welcome, Jesus! Prophet and miracle worker!
Man 1: Welcome, Jesus! King of Israel!
Man 2: Welcome, Jesus! Leader of our armies against Rome!
Woman 2: Welcome to Jesus! Messiah, Son of David!
Man 1: (begins chanting, quickly joined by the others, growing louder) Hosanna to Jesus! Hosanna to Jesus! Hosanna to Jesus!
(several more chants)
Man 2: (shouts) Hosanna to Messiah Jesus, Son of David! Hosanna to Messiah Jesus, Son of David! (repeats)
(Others take up the chant, growing louder --�entire cast needs to be real enthusiastic)
Pharisee: (after a number of chants, shouts) Stop this shouting, you foolish people! This is blasphemy! It's contrary to the scriptures. Jesus is no more the Messiah than I am.
(groans from the people)
Pharisee: Jesus is merely a self-appointed rabbi from the backwoods country of Galilee.
(more groans and muttering)
Pharisee: If Jesus were a true man of God, he would rebuke you for this God-dishonoring outburst. Now be silent and return to your homes.
(more groans)
Woman 1: (begins chant again, quickly joined in by others) Hosanna to Messiah Jesus, Son of David!
(others join in the chant)
Pharisee: (shouting) Stop this hysteria, you wretched people. I demand that you cease these stupid ravings. Return to your homes, or I shall summon the temple police.
Woman 1: You can summon the devil for all we care.
Man 2: We're free to say whatever we wish, without some clergy telling us what to do.
(others laugh and agree)
Pharisee: Jesus, don't you hear what they're saying about you?
Jesus: Indeed I do. The praise of God's children.
Pharisee: I appeal to you. These thoughtless words of the ignorant rabble. Tell them to cease their ridiculous chants of praise. It could stir up this unruly assembly to violence and make them think you approve of their misguided admiration. They act like stupid children.
Jesus: Have you never read the scripture, "Out of the mouths of infants and babies comes perfect praise"? The Father must rejoice at their great faith.
Pharisee: Then you have no intention of rebuking this mob?
Jesus: If they were to keep silent, the very stones along this road would cry out with adoration. Now I shall enter the temple, a place for prayer and for the worship of my Father.
Narrator: As Jesus enters the outer court of the temple, a frown comes over his face.
Woman 2: What's wrong, Master? You seem displeased at something.
Jesus: I can scarcely hear you in the midst of this bedlam. Merchants hawking out the sale of their animals and birds. Money changers haggling over the rate of exchange. How could anyone come here and pray or hear the voice of my Father in heaven?
Woman 2: Well, it's just the way things are here in the outer court of the Gentiles. There's nothing you or anyone else can do about it.
Jesus: Something will be done about it. I'm returning here tomorrow morning.
Narrator: Mark's Gospel tells us that Jesus then left the temple, but he did return the next day.
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
Narrator
Woman 1
Man 1
Man 2
Woman 2
Pharisee
Jesus
Questions
1.
When the people saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, what did they think?
2.
What did the Pharisee think of all this?
3.
What did Jesus think about it?
4.
When Jesus went into the temple, how did he feel?
Narrator: It's the first day of the week, the day we now call Palm Sunday. After spending the night in Bethany at the home of Mary and Martha, Jesus secured a donkey and came riding over the Mount of Olives and down into the valley and up the other side to the temple. A group of people stood along the road, greeting the pilgrims who have come to Jerusalem for the Passover. Someone in the crowd spots Jesus.
Woman 1: (shouts) Hey, there's Jesus! The prophet from Galilee! Welcome, Jesus!
Man 1: (shouts) He's riding a donkey, like Solomon rode a donkey, proclaiming himself successor to King David. The prophet Zechariah said our king would come riding a donkey. Jesus is proclaiming himself king! Hail, King Jesus!
Man 2: (shouts) Jesus is a second Judas Maccabees! He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, after driving out the Syrians. Hail, Jesus, deliverer of our people from the tyranny of Rome!
(Next five speeches quickly follow almost on top of each other)
Woman 2: (shouts) Messiah Jesus! Descendant of David! Liberator of Israel!
Woman 1: Welcome, Jesus! Prophet and miracle worker!
Man 1: Welcome, Jesus! King of Israel!
Man 2: Welcome, Jesus! Leader of our armies against Rome!
Woman 2: Welcome to Jesus! Messiah, Son of David!
Man 1: (begins chanting, quickly joined by the others, growing louder) Hosanna to Jesus! Hosanna to Jesus! Hosanna to Jesus!
(several more chants)
Man 2: (shouts) Hosanna to Messiah Jesus, Son of David! Hosanna to Messiah Jesus, Son of David! (repeats)
(Others take up the chant, growing louder --�entire cast needs to be real enthusiastic)
Pharisee: (after a number of chants, shouts) Stop this shouting, you foolish people! This is blasphemy! It's contrary to the scriptures. Jesus is no more the Messiah than I am.
(groans from the people)
Pharisee: Jesus is merely a self-appointed rabbi from the backwoods country of Galilee.
(more groans and muttering)
Pharisee: If Jesus were a true man of God, he would rebuke you for this God-dishonoring outburst. Now be silent and return to your homes.
(more groans)
Woman 1: (begins chant again, quickly joined in by others) Hosanna to Messiah Jesus, Son of David!
(others join in the chant)
Pharisee: (shouting) Stop this hysteria, you wretched people. I demand that you cease these stupid ravings. Return to your homes, or I shall summon the temple police.
Woman 1: You can summon the devil for all we care.
Man 2: We're free to say whatever we wish, without some clergy telling us what to do.
(others laugh and agree)
Pharisee: Jesus, don't you hear what they're saying about you?
Jesus: Indeed I do. The praise of God's children.
Pharisee: I appeal to you. These thoughtless words of the ignorant rabble. Tell them to cease their ridiculous chants of praise. It could stir up this unruly assembly to violence and make them think you approve of their misguided admiration. They act like stupid children.
Jesus: Have you never read the scripture, "Out of the mouths of infants and babies comes perfect praise"? The Father must rejoice at their great faith.
Pharisee: Then you have no intention of rebuking this mob?
Jesus: If they were to keep silent, the very stones along this road would cry out with adoration. Now I shall enter the temple, a place for prayer and for the worship of my Father.
Narrator: As Jesus enters the outer court of the temple, a frown comes over his face.
Woman 2: What's wrong, Master? You seem displeased at something.
Jesus: I can scarcely hear you in the midst of this bedlam. Merchants hawking out the sale of their animals and birds. Money changers haggling over the rate of exchange. How could anyone come here and pray or hear the voice of my Father in heaven?
Woman 2: Well, it's just the way things are here in the outer court of the Gentiles. There's nothing you or anyone else can do about it.
Jesus: Something will be done about it. I'm returning here tomorrow morning.
Narrator: Mark's Gospel tells us that Jesus then left the temple, but he did return the next day.
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
