Readers' Theatre: Mark 12: 28-34


Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of Mark 12:28-34, the gospel reading for Proper 26 B (Ordinary 31 B). It is set for three voices.

Readers’ Theatre: Mark 12:28-34

One:     One of the teachers of religious law was standing there 
            listening to the debate.
            He realized that Jesus had answered well,
            so he asked,

Two:     Of all the commandments, which is the most important?

Three:   The most important commandment is this:
            ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.
            And you must love the Lord your God
            with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’
            The second is equally important:
            ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
            No other commandment is greater than these.

Two:     Well said, Teacher.
            You have spoken the truth by saying
            that there is only one God and no other. 
            And I know it is important to love him
            with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength,
            and to love my neighbor as myself.
            This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings
            and sacrifices required in the law.”

One:     Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him,

Three:   You are not far from the Kingdom of God.

One:     And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.