The Epic Easter

Part One: Betrayal

Spoke chief priests who sought to kill Jesus:

“Let’s ask Iscariot to help us.”

“Out of the people’s sight so there will not be a riot,”

Said the one of the Twelve named Judas Iscariot.

“Jesus of Nazareth I will give to you

For thirty pieces of silver from you.”

On the first day of the Unleavened Bread

The Twelve came to Jesus and wondering, said:

“Where today do you want us to meet?

Where the Passover meal shall we eat?”

He gave them directions as to where,

And they readied the Passover there.

But while they were eating,

Jesus gave a bad greeting:

“One of you will betray Me,

One who eateth here with Me.”

John asked, “Lord is it I?”

And another, “Or I?”

“’Tis to whom I give bread.”

He gave Judas the bread.

“What you’ll do, quickly do.”

Into night, Judas flew.

Jesus broke more bread,

And he prayed and said:

“Take and eat this,

My body it is.”

He took the cup and said:

“Drink of this also my friends:

My precious blood it is

Shed for the remission of sins.”

After the supper being eaten

Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, and

Simon Peter said: “You shall not wash me!”

Jesus said: “Then you have no part with me.”

“Not only my feet, but my head, then!”

“But only feet need washing, after bathing.”

When they had sung a hymn in the house’s light

They departed toward Mount of Olives that night.

“Lord, I shall go with you through every cross and trial,”

Said Peter, when Jesus predicted his denial:

“I say you shall deny me thrice

Before the rooster will crow twice.”

Jesus said to the disciples, “Sit here,

While I go and pray over there.”

But He took both Peter and John

And James a little farther on.

“My soul is troubled,

The pain is doubled.”

Said Jesus in distress,

For truly He felt this:

His soul was drawn toward death,

Yes, e’en the point of death.

“Stay here and watch with me,”

Said Jesus to the three.

Then He fell on His face and prayed:

“Father, let this cup be laid

Not on Me, but still,

It’ll go as Your will.”

He found the disciples to be sleeping,

Not as He had told them to be keeping

Watch for his betrayer,

Who’d be coming later.

“Get up now!” he said,

They rose if from bed.

Then He prayed again

And returned again.

While they slept like in bed;

“Don’t be sleeping!” He said.

One final time he prayed

While fallen asleep they laid.

“Get up now, the time is come!

And my betrayer has come!”

Judas betrayed Him with a kiss

And Jesus was amazed at this.

A large crowd of chief priests came with clubs and with swords,

The disciples asked, “Should we fight back with our swords?”

Jesus replied no,

With the chief priests He goes.

The disciples full of dread

Far away from Him fled.

He was led by a chief priest

And marched to the high priest.

And when asked by the high priest,

He affirmed He was the Christ.

He said he really was the Son,

And not just any, but God’s Son.

But He said that later on

The Son would leave and be gone.

Sitting at the Right Hand in Power,

Among the clouds of Heaven with Power.

“Blasphemy this is!” screeched the high priest.

“You have heard what He has said, oh you chief priests!”

“He is deserving of death!” they replied.

“Prophesy who struck you, Christ!” they cried.

And with their palms they slapped Him,

And they spat on Him and beat Him.

Part Two: Crucifixion

As Peter warmed himself by the fire,

Said a girl who also was by the fire:

“You were also with Jesus of Galilee,

For your speech is that of a Galilean.”

“I do not know the man,” he said.

“But you were with him,” one more said.

“I do not know of whom you speak!”

“But just like him you now do speak.”

“Of what you say I do not know!”

And then a rooster gave a crow.

Then Peter remembered the word

That earlier had said his Lord:

“I say you shall deny me thrice

Before the rooster will crow twice.”

And then Peter went out and wept,

Bitterly down his face tears swept.

Jesus was given to Pilate

The people said unto Pilate:

“Release to us Barabbas!”

“Release to you Barabbas?

“But then what shall I do with Jesus?

“No evil has been done by Jesus!”

“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

“Crucify Him? Crucify Him?

But whatever evil has He done?”

“Oh, just crucify Him and be done!”

So He was delivered to be crucified,

As the people had wanted him crucified.

Jesus is mocked with a crown of thorns

As the women of Zion weep and mourn.

Then He was led to be crucified,

To hang on a cross until He died.

He got too tired to carry His cross,

So Simon of Cyrene then carried His cross.

Reaching the place of the skull

They gave him sour wine with gall.

On the cross Him they did fix.

And they divided His garments.

When Pilate put up a sign that read:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS

Then many chief priests argued and said:

“Write: He said He was the King of the Jews.”

“What just now I have written,”

Said Pilate, “I have written.

On Jesus’ either side there lay

A criminal who had come to pay.

Said the one on his right:

“Why with all your might,

If the Christ you are

Can you not save our

And your very own life?

Or shall we die in this strife,

And right here hangeth dead?”

But the other one said:

“Justly we are here,

But He who hangeth here,

He has done nothing wrong,

Yet still he hangeth long.

Lord remember me when You come

Into Heaven’s holy kingdom.”

“Most assuredly I say to you,

In Paradise with Me you’ll be, too.”

From the sixth hour

’Til the ninth hour

Darkness fell around the land.

Jesus spoke to John and said:

“Your Mother, brother.”

“Your son, mother,”

He spoke to his mother

Who now was John’s mother

Jesus asked for a drink,

And they gave Him a drink.

And when He had finished

He said, “It is finished.

“Father into Your hands I commend My spirit!”

And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Part Three: Resurrection

Now early in the morning

At the sun’s early dawning

A number of women

Came seeking His tomb, and

They opened their eyes

From startling surprise.

Each of them let out a moan

For rolled away was the stone!

They went in and they found

No Jesus on the ground!

But appeared two shining men,

And afraid they were, then.

But as they bowed their faces to the earth.

The two young men proclaimed aloud with mirth:

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?

“He goes into Galilee as He once said.

“For He is not here but He is risen!”

But Mary Magdalene came there; when

She saw her Lord was gone

She didn’t know where He’d gone.

Now as she cried

Jesus stood by.

He said, “Why are you weeping?

And who are you seeking?”

She thought He was the gardener,

And fighting her tears harder,

Said, “They have taken my Lord.

Oh do you know where, oh Lord?”

Jesus answered, “Mary.”

“Rabboni!” said Mary.

“Please do not now cling to Me,

Say to the brothers of Me:

‘I go to my Father,

I go to your Father;

I go to my God,

I go to your God.’

Mary told the disciples: “I truly have seen the Lord!”

And she told the disciples what had been said by the Lord.