04-09-2013, 08:16 PM
I do a fairly short (up to about 10 min) monolog in auxilia armor and kit. I portray a soldier who participated in the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus. I add in some about my persona's history, some about life and systems in the Roman army, and a couple of times I've brought along a furca and gear. I've presented this is several churches and a couple of renfaires when Easter is one of the Sundays, and they have a service. Have hasta, will travel. The script is pretty easy, it's mostly contained in the Gospel of John, I just shift things around and make them first person.
FACTCHECK: I know the soldiers who were directly involved in crucifying people probably didn't carry shields, or wear armor. They were a work crew. It's very likely there were fully armed soldiers accompanying them, to keep the crowd, if any, in line. But it's more impressive to the public to see the gear, and generally, I'm the only one there. It would be great to have the other 3 in the quaternion present, but so far, that hasn't happened.
Sometimes, I add in guarding the tomb, and witnessing the resurrection. Add 5 min or so. As a result of the experiences in the skit, the soldier has become one of the few soldier-Christians of the 1st Century AD.
FACTCHECK; I do not believe the guards at Jesus' tomb were Romans. I think instead, based on the Biblical account, that they were Herod's bodyguard, or Jewish temple guards. But to explain to the people in the audience about that would take much longer, and many would be more confused than educated. So I keep it simple, and let the message be the prime importance, not the socio-political reasons why Pilate would not have put Romans under Jewish authority, nor would he have accepted the priests' story about the guards having fallen asleep when the body was taken out of the tomb. A whole crew of Roman guards sleeping would not have gotten off so easily.
FACTCHECK: I believe there were a few soldiers who were probably Christians early on, though not many. This conclusion comes from the question that at least one soldier asked, 1 "Well what should we do?" in a conversation about how different people in a group were to conduct their lives, 2 the centurion at the crucifixion who said, "Surely this man was the Son of God", 3 the centurion who sent for Jesus to come and heal his daughter, and the 4 centurion Cornelius to whom Peter came to bring the gospel in Acts. None of these are concrete evidences, however.
FACTCHECK: I know the soldiers who were directly involved in crucifying people probably didn't carry shields, or wear armor. They were a work crew. It's very likely there were fully armed soldiers accompanying them, to keep the crowd, if any, in line. But it's more impressive to the public to see the gear, and generally, I'm the only one there. It would be great to have the other 3 in the quaternion present, but so far, that hasn't happened.
Sometimes, I add in guarding the tomb, and witnessing the resurrection. Add 5 min or so. As a result of the experiences in the skit, the soldier has become one of the few soldier-Christians of the 1st Century AD.
FACTCHECK; I do not believe the guards at Jesus' tomb were Romans. I think instead, based on the Biblical account, that they were Herod's bodyguard, or Jewish temple guards. But to explain to the people in the audience about that would take much longer, and many would be more confused than educated. So I keep it simple, and let the message be the prime importance, not the socio-political reasons why Pilate would not have put Romans under Jewish authority, nor would he have accepted the priests' story about the guards having fallen asleep when the body was taken out of the tomb. A whole crew of Roman guards sleeping would not have gotten off so easily.
FACTCHECK: I believe there were a few soldiers who were probably Christians early on, though not many. This conclusion comes from the question that at least one soldier asked, 1 "Well what should we do?" in a conversation about how different people in a group were to conduct their lives, 2 the centurion at the crucifixion who said, "Surely this man was the Son of God", 3 the centurion who sent for Jesus to come and heal his daughter, and the 4 centurion Cornelius to whom Peter came to bring the gospel in Acts. None of these are concrete evidences, however.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
