Jesus And Mary Magdalene In The Garden
Drama
Robert Lakey
Readers’ Theater for Children’s Church
Object:
Characters
Narrator
Mary Magdalene
Peter
John
Jesus
Questions
1. Why did Mary and the other women come to the tomb early Sunday morning?
2. What did Mary do when she found the tomb empty?
3. What was it that puzzled Peter and John when they entered the tomb?
4. Who did Mary think Jesus was when she first saw him?
5. When Mary did recognize Jesus, what did Mary do and what did Jesus tell her to do?
Narrator: On Sunday, the first day of the week, very early, Mary Magdalene and two other women came to Jesus' tomb intending to anoint his body with spices, but they discovered the stone had been rolled back and the tomb was empty. Mary Magdalene hurried back to the upper room where the disciples were hiding.
Mary Magdalene: Peter! John! Come quick. The stone is rolled back and the tomb is empty. They have stolen the body of the Lord.
Peter: Stolen Jesus' body? Come on, John, let's go see for ourselves.
John: Haven't they done enough already? They killed him! Now they've stolen his body. Is there no end to their hatred?
Mary Magdalene: You two run ahead. I'll follow as fast as I can.
Narrator: John, being the younger, was the first to arrive at the tomb. But being of a timid nature, he paused outside the sepulchre. Peter arrived and rushed right into the tomb.
Peter: (pants) It's empty all right. The body's gone. Hey! That's weird. John come in here. Take a look at this.
John: What is it? Oh, the grave clothes. Why would they take the body and leave the linen wrappings?
Peter: Take a closer look at those grave clothes. They haven't been ripped off the body and tossed aside. Nor have they been folded neatly and laid in a pile.
John: It looks as though the linen merely collapsed, as though the body simply evaporated. Those wrappings haven't been handled by human hands.
Peter: Do you suppose ... no, it can't be possible ... although Jesus did say that ...
John: What are you trying to say?
Peter: (acts puzzled) I don't know what happened here, but it's something very strange. Come on, let's go back and tell the others.
Narrator: Finally Mary arrived at the tomb.
Mary Magdalene: John? Peter? ... They must have come and gone already. I'll check inside the tomb ... It's still empty, except for the grave clothes. Where could they have put Jesus? Why would they steal his body? Aren't they satisfied with killing him? ... It's just too much to bear. (begins to weep, then gasps) Someone's coming! It's the gardener! Maybe he knows what's happened. Sir, something terrible has happened here. Jesus of Nazareth, that great prophet and teacher from Nazareth, was buried here Friday afternoon, in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. If they've moved the body, please tell me where. I'll go and take care of it. It won't be any trouble for you. But please tell me where they laid him.
Jesus: (tenderly) Mary, oh, Mary.
Mary Magdalene: (sucks in breath but is still unsure who it is) Is ... Is it you? ... Jesus? ... Master?
Jesus: Yes, Mary, it is I.
Mary Magdalene: (weeps with joy) Oh, Master, Master! Master! Let me hug you, hold you, cling to you. I must be absolutely sure it's not a dream, not a hallucination. It really is you. You really have come back! Oh, thank you, thank you! Don't ever leave us again.
Jesus: Mary, please stop holding me. I am soon ascending to my Father and your Father. From now on you must have a different relationship with me, no longer by physical sight and touch, but through the Spirit. You won't be able to see me, but I will be with you always; believe that, Mary. Now, hurry! Go tell the disciples that I'm alive and that they will see me soon! And let your heart rejoice at the good news.
__________
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
Narrator
Mary Magdalene
Peter
John
Jesus
Questions
1. Why did Mary and the other women come to the tomb early Sunday morning?
2. What did Mary do when she found the tomb empty?
3. What was it that puzzled Peter and John when they entered the tomb?
4. Who did Mary think Jesus was when she first saw him?
5. When Mary did recognize Jesus, what did Mary do and what did Jesus tell her to do?
Narrator: On Sunday, the first day of the week, very early, Mary Magdalene and two other women came to Jesus' tomb intending to anoint his body with spices, but they discovered the stone had been rolled back and the tomb was empty. Mary Magdalene hurried back to the upper room where the disciples were hiding.
Mary Magdalene: Peter! John! Come quick. The stone is rolled back and the tomb is empty. They have stolen the body of the Lord.
Peter: Stolen Jesus' body? Come on, John, let's go see for ourselves.
John: Haven't they done enough already? They killed him! Now they've stolen his body. Is there no end to their hatred?
Mary Magdalene: You two run ahead. I'll follow as fast as I can.
Narrator: John, being the younger, was the first to arrive at the tomb. But being of a timid nature, he paused outside the sepulchre. Peter arrived and rushed right into the tomb.
Peter: (pants) It's empty all right. The body's gone. Hey! That's weird. John come in here. Take a look at this.
John: What is it? Oh, the grave clothes. Why would they take the body and leave the linen wrappings?
Peter: Take a closer look at those grave clothes. They haven't been ripped off the body and tossed aside. Nor have they been folded neatly and laid in a pile.
John: It looks as though the linen merely collapsed, as though the body simply evaporated. Those wrappings haven't been handled by human hands.
Peter: Do you suppose ... no, it can't be possible ... although Jesus did say that ...
John: What are you trying to say?
Peter: (acts puzzled) I don't know what happened here, but it's something very strange. Come on, let's go back and tell the others.
Narrator: Finally Mary arrived at the tomb.
Mary Magdalene: John? Peter? ... They must have come and gone already. I'll check inside the tomb ... It's still empty, except for the grave clothes. Where could they have put Jesus? Why would they steal his body? Aren't they satisfied with killing him? ... It's just too much to bear. (begins to weep, then gasps) Someone's coming! It's the gardener! Maybe he knows what's happened. Sir, something terrible has happened here. Jesus of Nazareth, that great prophet and teacher from Nazareth, was buried here Friday afternoon, in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. If they've moved the body, please tell me where. I'll go and take care of it. It won't be any trouble for you. But please tell me where they laid him.
Jesus: (tenderly) Mary, oh, Mary.
Mary Magdalene: (sucks in breath but is still unsure who it is) Is ... Is it you? ... Jesus? ... Master?
Jesus: Yes, Mary, it is I.
Mary Magdalene: (weeps with joy) Oh, Master, Master! Master! Let me hug you, hold you, cling to you. I must be absolutely sure it's not a dream, not a hallucination. It really is you. You really have come back! Oh, thank you, thank you! Don't ever leave us again.
Jesus: Mary, please stop holding me. I am soon ascending to my Father and your Father. From now on you must have a different relationship with me, no longer by physical sight and touch, but through the Spirit. You won't be able to see me, but I will be with you always; believe that, Mary. Now, hurry! Go tell the disciples that I'm alive and that they will see me soon! And let your heart rejoice at the good news.
__________
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
