By Paul E. Russell
A skit through the eyes of two market workers, the week after Jesus turned over the tables of the corrupt traders in the Temple. See how Jesus affects an entire society, not just one person.
Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-48
Trader One & Trader Two
Passers-by
(Two men stand behind a table with an assortment of livestock around them (toy animals acceptable for dramatic illusion). A third person walks past.)
Trader One: Offerings, buy your offerings here.
Trader Two: Lambs, rabbits, calves, match the animal to your sin.
Trader One: Need absolution, sir?
Trader Two: Forgiveness -buy now, sin later. (third person walks off ignoring them)
Trader One: Bit of a quiet morning.
Trader Two: Yeah, this location really is terrible
Trader One: Let's go back to the temple; we always made a killing there.
Trader Two: I ain't going back to that place, no way, not after what happened.
Trader One: It can't have been that bad.
Trader Two: You wouldn't know, you took last week off.
Trader One: Week off, ha. I had to take the wife all the way to her mother's house in Damascas because she had a little case of the sniffles. Nag, nag, nag the whole trip. Look, I work hard, every night I bring home the freshest meat and fruit, what more could she want?
Trader Two: What's her problem?
Trader One: Oh she has some ethical problem with eating other people's offerings. I mean, who else is going to eat it. Those temple guys were getting pretty chubby already.
Trader Two: Yeah, and like God needs food anyway. (another person walks past) Buy a calf sir?
Trader One: Forgiveness with legs. Buy it now, use it later, short walk to the temple and salvation. (customer leaves) So what happened, anyway?
Trader Two: You haven't heard?
Trader One: Only a few rumours.
Trader Two: I don't know exactly what started it. I was closing this great deal convincing a man that he really needed a bull for adultery and that a sheep was more an impure-thoughts sacrifice, when the place just went nuts.
Trader One: Really?
Trader Two: Yeah, birds flying everywhere, livestock running wild, tables crashing.
Trader One: King of peace, huh.
Trader Two: What a joke! He went crazy, he looked so angry.
Trader One: His disciples beating up farmers, no doubt.
Trader Two: Well no, actually they stood back and looked sort of stunned.
Trader One: Then who beat up the clergy?
Trader Two: What? No one.
Trader One: Who killed all of the shopkeepers?
Trader Two: Killed? What are you talking about?
Trader One: Barry said that he killed six guys before the first one hit the ground, Jackie Chan Style (does air Kung-fu pose).
Trader Two: Who is Jackie Chan? What are you talking about? He just turned over a few tables and made this great speech about the true cost of forgiveness.
Trader One: Two sheep, three calves and a rabbit. I know, I know, people always forget the rabbit.
Trader Two: No, he said it was faith.
Trader One: Faith? Faith? That's ridiculous, you can't buy faith.
Trader Two: No, you're right, you can't. Um,
Trader One: It's insane, you can't even sell faith. You know what they say, if you can't sell it ...
Trader Two: (cuts off his conversation) ... can't buy it? Can't sell it? I've gotta go.
Trader One: You're going, but it's only ten o'clock, where are you going?
Trader Two: To the temple.
Trader One: Yeah, that's what I'm talking about, I'll get the bulls you get the cash register.
Trader Two: You can have the bulls. I'm going alone.
Trader One: Sure you don't want to take a rabbit? Or just one little calf? (Trader Two walks off, another person walks across the stage) Oh well, more for me. Sir, can I interest you in some forgiveness? If you buy this one sir, you can milk it as well.
.................................
This is a Paul E. Russell script. Please notify him by email if you choose to produce this skit. His address is a_russell03@hotmail.com . The writer would also appreciate any feedback and photographs of the production.