Well, here I am a day or two behind in reading the lovely notes (and looking at all the lovely pictures of DR FS Charles Pogue and his lovely wife Julianne), but I could not let this holiday season pass without reminiscing and sharing.
Long before the Passion of Mel Gibson, well before Jesus Christ Superstar, when I was a twig of a lad in college, I wrote and directed the musical comedy The King of Kings and I or My Son, the Messiah. Oh yes, it was produced at Caltech and later at the University of Wisconsin. But alas not on Broadway. However, and this is a long post, I had to share one lyric with you. This is, as Lehman Engel would have it, a "musical scene" to a recognizable melody.
JESUS: Dear kindly Pontius Pilate, I'll speak in my defense:
Forget my case and file it. It doesn't make much sense.
They call me a blasphemer, they say that I'm a clod.
Pontius Pilate, I'm the Son of God!
PHARISEES &
SADUCEES: Oh, gee, Pontius Pilate, this man we accuse,
Because he keeps insisting he's the King of the Jews.
His blasphemous heresies ever increase.
He claims that he's the Prince of Peace!
JESUS: Prince of Peace!
P&S: King of Jews! Prince of Peace!
He's a duke at least,
And he claims that he's the Prince of Peace!
PILATE: Waita just a minute! If he'sa da Kings da Jews, what's he adoin' her?
JESUS: That's what I'd like to know!
PILATE: This isa none-a my business! Take 'im to Caiaphas the High Priest!
JESUS: Dear kindly High Priest, Father, they want to nail me up.
I'd like to say I'd rather you would remove this cup.
Just give me an acquittal, and things will be all right.
Father, I'm the Way, the Truth, the Light!
CAIAPHAS: Well, gee, Jesus Christ, I must say it is odd
To see you stand here and to hear you claim to be God.
I can't really swallow a word that you've said.
It's common knowledge God is Dead.
JESUS: God is dead?
P & S: God is dead, God is dead,
God is dead, dead, dead!
He is theologically dead!
CAIAPHAS: But this isn't my affair. The offended party is the King of the Jews.
JESUS: Right here!
CAIAPHAS: Not you--the real King of the Jews. Take him to Herod!
JESUS: Dear kindly old King Herod, O monarch of renown,
Don't think that I have dar-ed to try to take your crown.
It's true that I'm a King--I have been one from my birth,
But my kingdom is not of this earth!
HEROD: Well, gee, Jesus Christ, that's a pitiful plea.
The crime that you've committed even out-Herods me!
To teach you your place and to show you who's boss,
You'll have to hang upon the cross!
JESUS: On the cross?
P & S: On the cross, on the cross,
On the big wood cross!
We must nail you up upon the cross!
HEROD: This guy must go! But I don't have the legal authority to crucify him.
JESUS: Too bad!
HEROD: So take him back to the man who does--Pontius Pilate!
JESUS: Dear kindly buddy Pontius, well here I am again,
And still I am not conscious of just what is my sin.
This Roman crucifixion just doesn't sound like fun.
Not my will, but my Father's must be done.
PILATE: Well, gee, Jesus Crhist, you have lost by a hair.
I'm going to wash my hands of this entire affair!
I gave them Barabbas, but he won't suffice.
Your blood will have to pay the price!
JESUS: That's not nice!
P & S: Pay the price, pay the price,
As a sacrufice!
Jesus' blood will have to pay the price!
CAIAPHAS: The trouble is he teaches!
P: The trouble is he heals1
HEROD: The point is what he preaches!
S: The point it what he feels!
CAIAPHAS: The point is he's a Christian!
PILATE: The point is he's a Jew!
JESUS: Father, forgive them; they know not what they do1
ALL BUT J.C.: Oh, gee, Jesus Christ, we are sorry to say
We're gonna have to crucify you early today!
PILATE: The people say kill you. What am I to do?
JESUS: Gee, Pontius Pilate--bless you!