Godspell (1973)

John-Michael Tebelak: Pharisee Monster

Quotes 

• Jesus : Stop!

  [the Pharisee Monster appears in front of him, Judas, and the disciples] 

  Jesus : This is the beginning.

  Pharisee Monster : By whose authority are you acting like this? Who gave you this authority?

  Jesus : Well, I have a question to ask you. Answer it, and I will tell you by whose authority I act. The Baptism of John - was it from God, or was it from man?

  Pharisee Monster : [thinking]  If we say "from God", then he will say, "Then why did you not believe?" But if we say "from men", the people will be angry, for they took John as a prophet.

  [to Jesus] 

  Pharisee Monster : We do not know.

  Jesus : Then neither will I tell you by whose authority I act!

  [starts to walk away] 

  Pharisee Monster : Stop! Now we know you are an honest man. Give us your ruling on this: are we, or are we not permitted to pay taxes to the Roman emperor?

  Judas : Why, you hypocrites, I...!

  [Jesus and Merrell restrain him] 

  Jesus : Show me the money in which the tax is paid.

  [the Pharisee Monster spits coins at Jesus, who picks one up] 

  Jesus : Whose head is on here, whose inscription?

  Pharisee Monster : Caesar's!

  Jesus : Well, then, pay Caesar was is due Caesar, but pay God what is due God!

  Pharisee Monster : What is the greatest Commandment of them all?

  Jesus : Thou shalt love the Lord, youe God, with all your heart and your soul." This is the greatest Commandment of them all. The second is like it: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." All the rest of the Law and what the prophets have written is based on these first two.

  [angry] 

  Jesus : You doctors of the Law, and you Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses, but you say one thing and you do another. Everything you do is done for show.

  [scornfully] 

  Jesus : Oh, you like to have your places of honor at feasts, and in the synagogues, and to be greeted respectfully, and to be called "teacher."

  [bows sarcastically] 

  Jesus : But must not be called "teacher", for you have ONE teacher, the Messiah. And you must not call any man on Earth "Father", for you have ONE Father, and you are all BROTHERS!