The peddlers pay no attention to his protest. Then, with a sudden
burst of wrath, he breaks upon them, overturning their tables,
scattering their gold upon the floor, and beating them with thongs.
The animals kept for sacrifice are released. The sheep scamper
backward to the rear of the stage, and escape through the open door.
The white doves fly out over the heads of the spectators, and are lost
against the green slopes of the Kofel.

The play now follows the Gospel narrative very closely. It is, in
fact, the Gospel story, with only such changes as fit it for continuous
presentation. Events aside from the current of the story, such as the
wedding at Cana and the raising of Lazarus, are omitted. There are few
long speeches. The leading features of what may be called the plot,
the wrath of the money-changers, the fierce hatred of the Pharisees,
the avarice of Judas, which makes him their tool, are all sharply
emphasized.

The next scene introduces us to the High Council of the Jews, and to
its leading spirit, Caiaphas. Caiaphas is represented by the
burgomaster of the village, Johann Lang. "No medieval pope," says
Canon Farrar, "could pronounce his sentences with more dignity and
verve. He is what has been called 'that terrible creature, the perfect
priest.'" Violent, unforgiving, and harsh, he is the soul of the
conspiracy. His strong determination is reflected in the weak
malignity of his colleague, Annas, as well as in the priests and
scribes. "While he lives," Caiaphas says, "there is no peace for
Israel. It is better that one man should die, that the whole nation
perish not."