The Bible and the Song

The story in the song

The story in the Bible

Adventure. Jesus anticipates the reception he’ll get in Jerusalem.

The raising of Lazarus. The last time Jesus went to Jerusalem he was almost lynched for blasphemy. His preparation for his next visit presents a direct challenge to  the authority of the religious leaders.

Prophecy. Jesus knows the old prophecies that predict his death.

The road to Emmaus. After his resurrection, Jesus appears to two travellers and explains the prophecies  to them.

Destiny. Jesus wonders if he could change his destiny.

The woman at the well. When Jesus was a baby, an old man had prophesied that Jesus was destined to be a sign of  God’s presence in the world. Years later, Jesus reveals his identity to a Samaritan woman.

Love. Jesus dreams of wars declared in his name despite his instruction to love and not kill…

The sermon on the mount. Jesus tells the crowd that happiness comes from doing what is right and loving even those who oppose you.

Bomb. …and foresees the inquisition and the atomic bomb.

Rumours of war. Jesus tells his friends that there will indeed be ‘wars and rumours of wars’ and natural catastrophes that some will interpret as the end of the world. But the end cannot come until the whole world has heard the good news of God’s kingdom.

Rock. Jesus calls Peter ‘the rock’.

Peter’s profession of faith. Jesus takes his friends to a pagan city where a dead Roman emperor is worshipped as ‘the son of a god’. On being asked who he thinks Jesus is, Peter says ‘You are the son of the living God’.

Judas. Jesus thinks about Judas’s role.

The last supper. The devil recruits Judas to betray Jesus.

Tables. Jesus turns over the money lenders’ tables.

The cleansing of the Temple. Jesus reminds the people that the Temple is supposed to be a place for prayer, not a market place.

Miracle. Rumours of miracles.

The wedding at Cana. When they run out of wine at a wedding, Jesus performs his first public miracle.

Fickle. People who readily accepted Jesus are just as quick to reject him.

Jesus enters Jerusalem. People are divided in their opinions about Jesus. Some acclaim him as the king of Israel, whilst others will not believe in him despite his miracles.

Nails. Whilst his friends are asleep, Jesus wonders if he can face the cross.

The garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is arrested, tried and  executed.

Effect. Jesus wonders what people will think of his reaction to being  crucified.

The last words of Jesus on the cross. With his dying breath, Jesus starts to recite Psalm 22.

Suffer. Jesus foresees good and bad people caught up in Christian in-fighting…

The Tower of Siloam. Some people think that bad things only happen to bad people. Jesus disagrees, but says it’s a warning for us to stop doing bad things.

Interred. …and the superstitious use of his name as they bury their dead.

The empty tomb. Jesus is hurriedly buried on the day he died, but when the women bring the embalming spices on Sunday morning the tomb is empty.

Trees. The scent of pine reminds Jesus of his childhood and his foster-father, Joseph.

Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was brought up in Nazareth, close to ancient pine forests which provided the raw materials for Joseph’s carpentry business.

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