Apostle Paul
from Pixabay
A Play In Three Scenes
By Father John R. Green
Copyright © by John R. Green
Shown with his blessing
Saul of Tarsus Persecutor of Christians
Paul of Tarsus Apostle to the Gentiles
Bakum Priest
Laliah Priest
Tamiel Comforting and Inspirational Friend of Paul
Marybeth Comforting and Inspirational Friend of Paul
Rodono Catacomb Christian
Cleorella Catacomb Christian
Adelphia Catacomb Christian
Ardella Member of Roman Royalty
Donoto Roman Soldier
Armino Roman Soldier
A Priestly Office In Jerusalem
Mid-morning
SETTING: A plainly furnished room with a round table in the center. A door is located in rear center of room.
AT RISE: Saul is standing in front center of room facing forward. Bakum Stands to his right and Laliah to his left.
SAUL (with great passion) Where oh where are the glorious traditions of our fathers? We see them trampled upon and destroyed by devilish Christians? Where oh where is the sacred Law? We see it defiled and shattered by the blasphemous Christians! (pause, walks in circle heatedly and shaking his head) I have struggled valiantly to uphold, honor and obey every whit of Israel's majestic Law, yet these Christians casually shake the very foundations of the faith of Israel! (ceases walking, brandish his sword and gazes piercingly toward Bakum and Laliah) The only way to silence these contemptible Christians is through the process of extermination! I repeat: the only solution to the Christian problem is death to them! They deserve death, and they deserve it richly! (returns sword to his side)
BAKUM (perplexed) You speak eloquently, Saul, but with such strange passion - with such hatred and hostility. It is as though the Christians were mounting an attack upon you as an individual. Now we are indeed happy that you are commissioned to deal with the Christians, but why aren't you considering flogging and imprisonment as means of deterring the Christians? Why death? And you must bear in mind that Rome is the sole authority for ordering executions - not us!
SAUL When the faith of our beloved Israel is attacked it is an assault upon my personal integrity. The purpose of my entire life has been the proclamation and defense of the Law which God gave us through our great Moses! Oh, I have flogged and imprisoned many Christians, but as soon as they are free they again shout their destructive message everywhere!
LALIAH But Saul, for every Christian you slay ten others spring up to take his place. We desperately want to keep the Christians from destroying our faith, but couldn't you utilize, other means to counteract them?
SAUL (agitated, walks in circles) We are well aware of many examples of death visited upon the detractors of our faith. Thousands were executed for idolatry and lustfulness. (ceases walking and faces Bakum and Laliah) Now I am only one servant of the God of Israel. I need help in eliminating this Christian plague.
BAKUM (shaking a bowed head and walking back and forth) We cannot depend upon the Roman authorities to restrain them. Rome cares not about our religious difficulties - indeed they likely laugh and scorn us, even as we speak. (ceases walking and faces Saul)
LALIAN (shaking his head and walking back and forth) We have no complaint about the Christians that is acceptable to Roman authorities. We failed to convince them of the guilt of Jesus of Nazareth. They found him innocent of blaspheming the faith of Israel, but they executed him for reasons of political expediency. (ceases walking and faces Saul)
BAKUM (to Saul) What do you really know about Jesus - the glory of the Christians?
SAUL (shaking his head) I only know that He died the death of a criminal upon a cross; and that the Christians claim He arose from the dead and now reigns in heavenly glory.
BAKUM Obviously, they declare his resurrection; otherwise, Christianity would have no appeal for those whom it seeks to convert.
LALIAH (pointedly to Saul) What do you know about the Christian men, women and children upon whom you have vent your wrath?
SAUL I only need to know of their allegiance to Jesus of Nazareth.
LALIAH Then you have no personal animosity toward them?
SAUL (brandish his sword) I make no distinction between their attack upon the faith of Israel and upon myself L (returns sword to his side)
BAKUM But we must remind you, Saul, that many of the Christians whom you have put to the sword have friends and relatives who are faithful Israelites, not Christians, and there is grief in their hearts over the loss of their Christian loved ones! (pause, Saul assumes a soldier like rigidity) Now you know that you have our full support. May God bless your allegiance and avowed purpose of defending the faith of Israel.
SAUL (smiling broadly) I have many miles to cover; I shall now take my departure from you. Your faith in me and my mission is most gratifying! (Exit Saul as Bakum and Laliah wave toward him.)
CURTAIN
A Room in the Home of Tamiel and Marybeth in Jerusalem
Mid-morning
SETTING: Several reclining chairs adorn the room. A table laden with fruit and wine is at center of room with a small stand nearby. A door is located near left rear wall of room.
AT RISE: Paul is seated in reclining chair at front of table sipping from a container of wine. Tamiel and Marybeth stand to the right and left of Paul, respectively, facing him.
PAUL Your wine cheers both body and spirit, my dear Marybeth. Oh how immeasurably blessed am I to have seen the resurrected Lord? (pause) But now, (shaking his head in distress) he wishes me to witness for him. (rising to his feet and wringing his hands in vexation) How, oh how, can I face those whom I have persecuted? How can I preach to those whose friends and families I have murdered?
MARYBETH (tenderly, embracing Paul) You have faced the twelve and they have accepted you as a fellow in Christ. And the Christians whom you greet will do likewise. (removes her embrace from Paul and extends her arms upward) Oh, they may be suspicious of you in the beginning, but that will change. (returns her arms to her side; then tenderly to Paul) They are gentle, loving people, these Christians. They know what it is to forgive and be forgiven. Indeed, they will treasure your ministry for the resurrected Lord!
PAUL It is my first appearance to them that has me sorely troubled.
TAMIEL Your resurrected Lord will be with you; his spirit will endow you with eloquence and courage. So be of good cheer!
PAUL (gazing fondly upon Tamiel and Marybeth) I could not ask for dearer friends than you have been in my hour of grace and turmoil. (walks in circles) Yet, just moments ago as it now seems, I was killing, yes murdering the followers of our resurrected Lord. I can plead no extenuating circumstance for such actions. These slayings were the product of my hatred and hostility. I was cruel to the core of my heart. (ceases walking and faces frontward) Then suddenly I am in the presence of the resurrected Lord - high in third heaven I experienced unspeakable joys and saw things for which there is no counterpart here on earth. This has been both transforming and traumatic for me. I was literally snatched from the jaws of hatred into the bosom of love, but with this love I experienced crushing, unbearable guilt. (walks in circles again) Oh, I have received heavenly pardon; mercifully I am released from the burden of sin. Without this I would be haunted with a misery intolerable in this world. (desperately) Why did He forgive me? (ceases walking and faces Tamiel)
TAMIEL (waving his arms upward) He loves you, Paul! He accepts you as he accepts all sinners. We have all sinned in his sight; we all need forgiveness. This is why he left his home in glory for the cross on which he died.
PAUL (facing frontward) Always I have desired to show the God of Israel how much I could do for him. (sighing mournfully) But how can I undo or make up for all the sufferings I have inflicted upon his people?
MARYBETH (softly) You do not have to justify yourself through good works. Our salvation comes through faith in our resurrected Lord. No amount of good works can cancel the sins each and every mortal being has committed against the God of Israel. You are not subject to rigid obedience to the Law. (walks back and forth with her arms raised upward) You shall now behave according to the spirit of love, peace and joy within you. (ceases walking, returns arms to her side and faces Paul) Hereby you will do good things for our resurrected Lord and all of the people with whom you meet.
PAUL (nodding his head affirmatively) Yes, there is a growing sense of love, peace and joy within me. Yet I feel a struggle between good and evil tugging at the core of my soul.
TAMIEL Yes, you will be haunted by temptation and with unchristian actions as time goes on. You are imperfect, as are we all. But our resurrected Lord will grant you mercy and the strength to surmount these torments.
MARYBETH (embracing Paul and looking upward) Now, Paul, you are to proclaim the resurrection of the one who gives us life abundant; the one who now reigns in glory!
PAUL It is obvious that Christians everywhere have received the spirit of my resurrected Lord. (pause, lowers his head and begins walking back and forth in evident distress)
TAMIEL You are troubled, dear Paul?
MARYBETH Is it your former life that still tortures you, our dear friend in Christ?
PAUL (ceases walking and faces Tamiel and Marybeth) I am moved to tears as I recall witnessing the love of Stephen as he was being stoned. He prayed in his agony for those who were killing him because of his testimony for the resurrected Lord. He was praying for me! (faces frontward) Well, your prayer has been answered, dear Stephen. I shall proclaim the resurrection of my Lord with all my heart, soul and mind! I shall declare unceasing of my undeserved exaltation in third heaven - a witness of love and bliss beyond mortal comprehension!
MARYBETH (exuberantly) There is no equal to the message of the resurrection!
PAUL (facing frontward) We Christians are true heirs of the noble faith of Israel, and the profound truth of the Law and the Prophets. I shall relate this to the resurrection. (pause) I will meet with other Christians who likewise have much to reveal about our resurrected Lord. (pause, nods his head) It will take a period of time for me to contemplate and formulate the nature of life as it should be lived while serving our Lord. As I declare the resurrection, I must make known the message of his earthly ministry. (faces Tamiel and Marybeth) I shall now depart from you, my dear friends in Christ, with the fervent hope that in due season we shall be together again!
(Tamiel and Marybeth embrace Paul and accompany him through Exit door)
CURTAIN
In a Section of the Catacombs of Rome 96 A.D.
Twilight
SETTING: The dreary gray walls of the catacombs are in stark evidence in the rear and sides of the stage. An entrance and exit door is located at intersection of left side wall and rear wall to the right. Several plain wooden benches for sitting are in center of stage.
AT RISE: Rodono, Cleorella and Adelphia are standing between the benches.
CLEORELLA (anxiously) Now I wonder why the Roman soldiers haven't descended upon our catacombs!
RODONO (nodding his head in anguished agreement) They have searched the length, width and depth of the city of Rome to discover and visit death on worshipping Christians. (pause) It may only be a matter of time before they find us!
ADELPHIA (wiping tears from her eyes) We have lost so many Christian brothers and sisters to the sword; (shaking her head) We really don't know who are dead, or who are alive.
CLEORELLA (stoutly) We survived the persecutions of Nero; we hope and pray the persecutions of Diocletian will soon end.
RODONO What shall we make of royalty visiting us tonight?
ADELPHIA Our soon to be royal guests claim to be seeking knowledge pertaining to the Christian way of life.
CLEORELLA For what purpose?
ADELPHIA We are aware of converts to Christianity from the ranks of Roman nobility.
RODONO (shaking his head) They might be part of a conspiracy to assault us.
ADELPHIA I think not. Our royal visitors know of our whereabouts and could have dispatched soldiers to destroy us.
(Enter Ardella and Donoto. Rodono, Cleorella and Adelphia recoil in startled fright)
ARDELLA (laughing cheerfully) Oh, for the glory of Jupiter, have no fear! We are not here to harm you.
RODONO (pointing toward Donoto) Soldiers are killing Christians!
ARDELLA (motioning toward Donoto) Donoto is in my service. He seeks with me an introduction to this Christ whom we have heard about from many sources.
ADELPHIA (motioning toward Ardella and Donoto) Please forgive us. We have endured much suffering for our faith. We wish for you to be seated, although we cannot offer the comfort to which you are accustomed.
(Ardella and Donoto seat themselves on benches.)
CLEORELLA It is strange for us to be with royalty. We hope you will find your visit with us a rewarding experience.
ARDELLA I am a distant relative of Emperor Diocletian. I am aware that you Christians refuse to bow before him in religious adoration - a reverence you bestow only upon your Christ. But I seek a life of quality and wholeness, not prevailing in the court of the Emperor. There are many among the aristocracy who are bored and dissatisfied with the lives they are leading - some of whom have departed into the ranks of you Christians.
RODONO Do you not risk persecution and death by defying his Imperial Majesty?
ARDELLA (motioning toward Donoto) Indeed we do! Thus far, Emperor Diocletian has not vented his wrath upon palace Christians, but this may change in days to come.
(Enter Armino rapidly, brandish his sword and quickly surveys all in catacombs. Rodono, Cleorella and Adelphia recoil in fright.)
ARMINO (amazed, points toward Ardella and Donoto) What evil wind has borne you to this place of damnation? (pause) Why are you here? Do my eyes deceive me?
ARDELLA (pointedly to Armino) Need we ask why you are here? (pause) And why should Donoto and myself not be here?
ARMINO (laughs, returns sword to his side) Why do you degrade the mental capacities of his Majesty's soldiers? You are perfectly aware that members of Roman royalty do not belong in the company of Christians in the catacombs or anywhere else, and that Roman soldiers are under expressed orders to exterminate Christians wherever we find them!
ARDELLA (firmly and with passion) There will be no slaughter of Christians here tonight! (to Rodono, Cleorella and Adelphia) Please rest calmly. You have my assurance that Armino will not harm you.
DONOTO (to Armino) We are here to learn the secret of the love and joy we have observed among Christians.
(Armino laughs disgustedly)
ARDELLA (firmly) You may remain to listen if you so desire. But you are to refrain from action. Do I make myself clear?
ARMINO (throws arms and head upward) Oh, I will stay. (satirically) Perhaps your Christian friends will charm or enchant me.
ADELPHIA (relieved, waves to Ardella and Donoto) Now how may we help you?
ARDELLA We seek to learn of your Christ - the life He may have to offer us.
ADELPHIA And what do you know of Him?
DONOTO We have observed how Christians differ from other residents of Rome. They are more gentle, more gracious, more loving, more compassionate and forgiving. We don't, however, understand why they posses these qualities.
CLEORELLA We adhere to the teachings of Christ. He calls upon us to love our neighbors as ourselves; to be merciful, humble, forgiving and to melt hatred with love.
ARDELLA No doubt your Christ gives you commendable admonitions. (pause, shakes her head) As a female member of aristocracy, I have been privileged to study the various philosophers and religious leaders of the Greek and Roman world; and a number of them offer goodly counsel. I am too weak, however, to profit by them. (sighing) In my heart I long to live by higher principles but my mind and body rebel. (pause, arises and strolls back and forth) What is the secret that enables Christians to do that which I cannot do?
DONOTO Yes, by what power or strength do you Christians surpass common mercy and goodness? (Ardella ceases walking - faces Adelphia)
ADELPHIA Our Christ forgives our sins and gives us the power and strength to overcome the evil in our nature.
DONOTO (bewildered) How can this be. He lies in his grave! Was He not mortal?
RODONO (triumphantly, raising his head and arms upward) He has resurrected from the dead!
ARDELLA (passionately) Arose from the dead! Your Christ was resurrected, and you have waited until now to tell us? Why didn't you shout this revelation the moment we entered the catacombs? (nervously paces back and forth) This is all so confusing!
DONOTO (stunned) You mean he lives? (pause, searches faces of Rodono, Cleorella and Adelphia) How do you know of this resurrection?
ARMINO (laughing in derision) Yes, why haven't we found him among the catacombs?
ADELPHIA He was seen alive by his disciples - those who shared an intimate life with him, and then by five hundred other persons.
ARMINO They were hallucinating!
ARDELLA (shaking her head with vigor) No! Hallucination is an individual experience. (pause) Who else may have seen this risen Christ?
CLEORELLA He first appeared to a dear friend, Mary Magdalene.
ARDELLA (astounded) His first appearance was to a woman? As a female member of royalty, the respect for my womanhood is only a shade above the lot of other women in Rome. We are indeed miserable in our inferior status. (shaking her head) But until now, I haven't heard of women in any nation being elevated to the status of equality with men. (seats herself and shakes her head in wonderment)
ARMINO (to Cleorella) I have observed some female leaders among Christians here in Rome, but I haven't seen your Christ anywhere - in fact, I hear much of another leader of Christians - one who was executed under Emperor Nero?
CLEORELLA (passionately) You have heard of Paul who was lifted into third heaven where he saw and heard wonderful things - things he could not describe to we Christians here on earth. Heaven is the home of our resurrected Lord!
(Ardella and Donoto walk among benches in apparent tension and striving to absorb the revelation of Cleorella. Armino eyes them thoughtfully)
ARDELLA (as she and Donoto cease their walking and faces Cleorella) What and where is this heaven you speak of?
CLEORELLA Heaven is the abode of God who created all that is now in existence.
ARMINO (marveling) You mean that your resurrected Christ lives among the immortals? (pause, as he walks among benches studying the faces of all in catacombs. Ceases walking and looks toward Cleorella) Our Roman gods were never mortals, yet your Christ who was once man is now a God?
CLEORELLA He was both God and man, but he shed his heavenly glory and died for us.
ARDELLA I now see why this Paul fought so valiantly for Christ - why he faced death so courageously.
DONOTO (nodding his head affirmatively) I comprehend why you Christians face suffering and death.
ARMINO If your Christ is all you proclaim him to be, he is who I need - yes, who I sorely need.
ARDELLA Should we become followers of the resurrected Lord, do we hearken to the words of Paul, who was with the Lord in Heaven, or do we listen to the teachings of Christ?
(All in catacombs seat themselves with the exception of Armino who stands near in thoughtful silence)
ADELPHIA (softly, broadly smiling) The message of our resurrected Lord is supreme. Paul, however, has enlightened us greatly in understanding the nature of the Christian life. (pause) Of course, without Paul we would not have heard of Christ.
RODONO (gently) In some respects, we Christians see the witness of our resurrected Lord differently than did Paul. Christ accorded women equal treatment with men, but no so, Paul. As Armino has aptly observed, we have women who are church leaders here in Rome.
ADELPHIA Although Paul emphasized that there is neither male nor female in Christ, only a few women exercised leadership in his churches. Now we Christians in the spirit of our resurrected Lord are calling for the abolition of slavery. While Paul urged Christian masters to treat their slaves as brothers in Christ, he never demanded the ending of slavery.
ARMINO (tenderly) As of now, I have this much to say to you Christians. I contemplate becoming one of you. You have nothing to fear from me.
(joyful murmuring sounds throughout catacombs)
DONOTO (to Armino) We both may feel the sword of Emperor Diocletian if we cast our lot with Christians - which we may well do.
ARDELLA (to Donoto and Armino) I have great admiration for the two of you, and I likewise share the hope of association with the resurrected Lord.
ADELPHIA We gather that you desire time for reflection upon your experience with us this night?
ARDELLA You have lovingly surmised our position at this time. We shall, however, communicate with you in the near future.
DONOTO And we are both grateful and indebted to you for that which we have received from you.
ARMINO I feel as though I have experienced a bit of this heaven which was seen by Paul!
CLEORELLA On the first day of each week we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. We are here for prayer and fellowship every night.
ADELPHIA (to Ardella, Donoto and Armino) We join hands for a circle prayer before departing from one another. We hope you will join us in the circle where you may or may not pray silently.
ARDELLA (as she, Donoto and Armino join the circle) The prayers of you Christians may be of great comfort for us.
(All join hands in circle for a period of silent prayer. When they release hands Rodono, Cleorella and Adelphia shout: "Hail our resurrected Lord!" Then they wave lovingly to the departing Ardella, Donoto and Adelphia)
CURTAIN
THE END