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ADULTERY 3'2m0f Woman caught in the act of adultery

HARRY - (enters backward, stops, cranes neck to look offstage)

MORT -- (enters opposite, crosses to Harry) Hi, Harry. What's
the big commotion?

HARRY - Oh, hi, Mort. I think we got him this time. (points)

MORT -- Him? Who are you talking about?

HARRY - Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth. (points)

MORT -- Oh, the guy who claims to be the Messiah?

HARRY - He's no messiah. He's soft on crime.

MORT -- What do you mean he's soft on crime?

HARRY - Oh, he always says he came to save sinners, not to
condemn them. But if he's really God incarnate, he won't
tolerate sin. He has to stone that woman to death. (points)

MORT -- What woman? (cranes neck)

HARRY - Oh, you can't see her because of the crowd. She's on the
ground there at Jesus' feet. We caught her in the act of
adultery and brought her to him. If he's really the messiah, he
has to do what the law says. And the law says he has to stone
her to death.

MORT -- So, ah, how come nobody is picking up a rock?

HARRY - Jesus is trying to wiggle out of it now.

MORT -- What do you mean?

HARRY - Well, he just now said that it was alright to stone her
to death, but he wants the first stone to be thrown by someone
who is without sin.

MORT -- So, go ahead.

HARRY - Me? What about you?

MORT -- You're a Pharisee. You're the one who keeps all the
laws. Go ahead.

HARRY - Wait a minute. Everybody is leaving.

MORT -- Nobody is picking up any rocks. Which one is Jesus? Is
he picking up a rock?

HARRY - Jesus is the one kneeling down now. He's writing with
his finger in the dirt.

MORT -- What's he writing?

HARRY - (tilts head) Looks like he's writing people's names.
Well, I'll be! He's written the names of the men who just left.

MORT -- I don't get it.

HARRY - I don't get it either. He's from Galilee. How does he
know their names?

MORT -- What is that he's written next to each name?

HARRY - Oh, oh.

MORT -- What's the matter?

HARRY - Names.

MORT -- Names? You mean he's writing names next to the names?

HARRY - How does he know?

MORT -- How does he know what?

HARRY - I know one of the Pharisees who just left. His name is
written in the dirt there.

MORT -- So?

HARRY - So, the name next to his is his ex business partner.

MORT -- I don't get it. Why would he walk away?

HARRY - I happen to know that he cheated his business partner
out of his half of the business. But how did Jesus know that?

MORT -- Hey, he's writing your name there.

HARRY - Oh, oh.

MORT -- (tilts head) What's that name next to your name there?

HARRY - (backs away, then turns and exits) Oh, look at the time!
I have an appointment. I have to go.

MORT -- Harry, that's a woman's name next to yours. Who is that
wo... (looks around) Harry? Hey, where did he go? (backs away,
then turns and exits) Well, I better get out of here before
Jesus immortalizes my name in the dirt.

©2007 Bob Snook. Conditions for use:
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