BACK WISEMEN 5'1m1f Three wise men bring gifts to the Christ child MARY -- (enters carrying woven basket heaped with laundry) WISE -- (follows, 3 wise men follow carrying gifts. One may speak all lines or lines may be divided among all three) Dear lady.... MARY -- (turns) Yes? WISE -- We are looking for the baby who is called "King of the Jews". MARY -- (pause, looks both ways) You're not from around here, are you? WISE -- No, we have traveled a long way. We are from the east. From Mesopotamia, the land you Jews call Babylon. Do you know the baby we seek? MARY -- What do you want from him? WISE -- We brought him gifts. MARY -- You came 500 miles to bring gifts to a baby? WISE -- The baby we seek is no ordinary baby. He is the savior, the messiah we have been awaiting for almost 500 years. MARY -- You're not Jews. How do you know so much about the messiah of Israel? WISE -- We are disciples of the prophet Belteshazzar. MARY -- I don't know any prophet named Belteshazzar. I must go. (turns) WISE -- A moment, dear lady. MARY -- (turns) WISE -- (confers with others briefly) Belteshazzar is our name for your prophet Daniel. (confers, nods) Daniel. MARY -- Daniel has been dead for almost 500 years. How could yo be his disciple? WISE -- We Magi have been studying his writings and those of your prophet Isaiah since Daniel lived among us. MARY -- Are you saying that YOU worship OUR God? WISE -- Indeed, we do, dear lady. He is the one true God. We have come a long way seeking to worship his son who is called the King of the Jews. Do you know where we may find him? MARY -- How do I know you haven't come to harm him? WISE -- Harm him? Why would anyone want to harm the Son of God? MARY -- We have heard that King Herod is insanely jealous of his crown. He has killed people whom he fears might try to take over his throne. If he hears that the baby is called the King of the Jews... (turns) I must go now. WISE -- Please, dear lady. We mean no harm. We have brought no weapons, only these gifts. MARY -- (turns) What kind of gifts? WISE -- (points) In keeping with the teachings of your prophets, we brought three gifts. (points) The first is the gift of gold to acknowledge that he is a king. The second is the gift of incense to acknowledge his priesthood. MARY -- I'm sorry, you're mistaken. The priests among us are from the tribe of Levi. Both of us... I mean, both parents of the baby are from the tribe of Judah. WISE -- According to the writings of the prophets, this baby will be a priest forever on the order of Melchizedek. MARY -- Melchizedek. WISE -- Yes. MARY -- You seem to know a lot about him. How did you know where to find him? Daniel never mentioned Bethlehem in his prophecies. Neither did Isaiah. WISE -- We were guided here by a star. MARY -- A star. WISE -- Yes. MARY -- You followed a star from Babylon to Bethlehem? WISE -- Yes. MARY -- You can't get here from Babylon by coming straight west. You have to travel around the mountains. WISE -- Yes. That's right. The star guided us around the mountains. MARY -- You mean, the star moved in the sky? WISE -- Yes. MARY -- Which star? WISE -- The one directly over your head. MARY -- (looks up) That's odd! There's a bright star up there that doesn't belong in that constella.... (if spot lighting is available, bring up light to wash out Mary's face with baby blue light. If sound cues are available, play a dramatic chord as the light increases) MARY -- (backs away) How did you do that? WISE -- We didn't. It was the Lord who brought us here to acknowledge the fulfillment of his prophecies. MARY -- What's in the third gift? WISE -- I'm not sure you want to know. MARY -- I want to know. WISE -- (points) The third gift is the gift of myrrh. MARY -- (backs away) Just when I was beginning to believe you,... WISE -- Please, dear lady. MARY -- I happen to know that myrrh is a burial spice. Why would you want to give burial spices to a baby... (backs away) Oh, no! WISE -- Please, dear lady. Hear me. MARY -- Are you sure that Herod didn't send you? WISE -- No, dear lady. The burial spices are to acknowledge the way in which the Son of God will pay for the sins of the world. MARY -- (sigh, tearful) I don't want to lose my baby! WISE -- Oh, no! The prophecy will not be fulfilled for another 33 years! MARY -- Thirty-three years? WISE -- According to the teachings of the prophets, the annointed one must live to the age of priesthood before he sacrifices himself for the sins of the world. MARY -- So, you're not going to take my baby away from me? WISE -- No, dear lady, no! We've come to worship him. Are you the mother of the annointed one? MARY -- Yes. His name is Jesus. WISE -- An appropriate name. In your language Jesus means "God is salvation." MARY -- Yes. WISE -- Isaiah called him Immanuel, which means... (confers) MARY -- Immanuel means "God with us". My baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit himself. WISE -- The true son of God. MARY -- Come. I'll show him to you. (exits) WISE -- (follows singing the doxology, raising gifts high) ©2007 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.fea.net/bobsnook email: bobsnook@fea.net BACK |