Jesus Christ is one of the two main protagonists (alongside Judas Iscariot) from Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.
He was portrayed by Ian Gillan in the original concept album, by Jeff Fenholt in the original Broadway production, by Ted Neeley in the 1973 feature film, by Glenn Carter in the 2000 TV production, by Ben Forster in the 2012 Arena Tour, and by John Legend in the 2018 NBC concert.
History[]
Jesus first appeared at the very beginning, shortly before than Judas who actually questions him and his heavenly origins and everything else related. This all happened in Sunday, when Jesus announces his disciples they were coming into the city of Jerusalem. Every one of his disciples had questions about it, but Judas had his own doubts, he even disagreed the way Mary gave so much stuff to Jesus. He replied that "If his slate was clean, he could throw stone but if it wasn't then he should leave her alone".
This same day, Caiaphas and the other priests noted that Jesus gathered along his followers to celebrate the entrance into the Promised Land and enter into Jerusalem and before they stopped them by the force, he chose to do it for good with a big plan to send them all to justice. In an attempt to silence the singing crowd, Caiaphas was silenced first by Christ's words who sang with the crowd to the way into the City. Later, after Jesus' successful way into the city, he got congratulated by one of his followers: Simon Zealotes, claiming that some day he would do as some of his ancestors, like Joshua or David and become a conqueror. But Jesus declared that he did not care for any of those things and the only thing to conquer is death itself and the only way is dying. Later that day, Jesus left the temple for a moment with his followers, but when he came back, he saw that the people were doing something unusual and irrational: Making merchandise out of animals under the High Authorities (Romans and Priests) then, Jesus angered, destroyed every merchandise and threw everyone out of there.
He begun to feel exhausted, since this encounter made him find out that his days were counted, and on his way back to his tent a beggar came in, and then two beggars, and other beggars surrounded him asking to touch them, but they were like the hydra: he touched one and more beggars appeared, and there were more and more and more until he literally drowned into a sea of beggars until he woke up, since it was all just a dream. He could actually get to his tent after blasting everyone out of the temple, so Mary comforted him so he could sleep well. Some time after everyone left the temple when Jesus got them out, Judas stood there for a while and before the priests left, he stopped them to talked to them about a favor he wanted them to do for him with Jesus, since after the temple incident he could see that he was coming out of control. The priests agreed and offered Judas thirteen pieces of silver in exchange for showing where he could be found without witnesses.
Judas disagreed at the beginning but they said that the money would be used for greater good, like giving to the poor. Then Judas, took the money and told the priests where he would be and when. Two days later, on Thursday night, Jesus gathered with his followers for supper in Gethsemane announcing that he was leaving for good, so for those who might care, drink for wine could be his blood and for those who care, eat for bread could be his body, and they might remember him when they eat and drink. And then revealed that not everyone might remember him after he died since one of them would deny him and other betray him. Then every one begun a big argument while only Jesus and Judas stood quiet. Jesus revealed that it was Peter who would deny Jesus three times before sunrise and Judas would leave for the Romans to betray them all.
Judas and Jesus argued for the rest of the supper, while the first was claiming that he was doing it for their own good and safety before leaving to do what he did. The other eleven, took up everything from the supper and instead of staying aware of the Romans or Judas, they slept. As for Jesus, feeling sad for his fate, walked down-headed through the garden and prayed wondering why his fate should come so soon. He asked for his father to take the cup of his fate away and not to make him drink its poison. Jesus took some time understanding why God took his fate so shortly until his father gave his answer in a glimpse. It was all in God's plan, to forgive all mankind's sins.
Jesus understood his father's message and chose to agree but it rather happen quickly before he repented. Then, Judas and the Romans came and they saw who Jesus was since Judas gave him a kiss for betrayal. Peter, Simon and the other apostles woke up surrounded by roman soldiers. Jesus told his disciples not to use the brute strength and let his leader leave in peace with them. When Jesus left with the Romans, a big crowd surrounded them asking any kind of questions like if you were in an interview until he was taken to Caiaphas' palace.
He asked to Jesus if it was true what they said if he was The Son of God in which he just answered; "that's what you say, you say that I am". After this response, Jesus was taken to Pilate's palace. Meanwhile, a woman saw Peter coming close to Jesus and recognized him. But Peter, afraid of the Romans, said he did not know him, then another man came to him and also said that he was pretty sure he saw him with Jesus yet he denied it again.
Then, a soldier came to him and also questioned him just for the same response "I don't know him!". Peter could not believe what he just did. When Jesus came at Pilate's, he asked who he was. A soldier told him he was some "king of the Jews" and Pilate recognized him immediately and asked him if he was an actual king as for Jesus just answered; "That's what you say".
Knowing it would be hard to deal with someone his own kind, Pilate ordered to send him with Herod Antipas and so the soldiers did. Jesus was taken to Galilee to be judged by Herod, who just mocked him forcing him to do all his miracles he did: Turning water into wine, walking over water, enter turning stones into bread (He did not do this one but the Devil tempted him to). However, Jesus stood quiet and did nothing, angering the King and making the Romans and him blasted out of there to go back to the city.
In there, back in Pilate's palace he didn't look surprised for Herod rejecting Jesus and begun to judge him asking again if he was a king yet he answered; "It's you who say I am!".
The whole crowd insisted on kill him on the cross but Pilate saw Christ's innocence and offered to turn him into a king yet they would not listen and he ordered to lash him and so the soldiers did. The soldiers gave Jesus 39 lashes, enough for him to fall totally wounded (half-dead) however, Pilate offered him a second chance to live but Jesus replied he could not do that since only God in Heaven could do that and there was nothing he could do about. The people still insisted on Christ's execution at the point Pilate had no choice but let it happen, though he pretended he was not responsible for this. And Jesus then, for his execution, was taken to mount Golgotha, forced to carry his own cross there.
His clothes were taken and got crowned with a crown of thorns. And then the soldiers nailed him to the cross where he died with his last words: "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they're doing." "Who is my mother? Where is my mother?" "My god, my god, why have you forgotten me?" "I'm thirsty!" "It's finished." "Father, into your hands I command my spirit." In his Ascension, he finds himself with Judas' spirit in heaven surrounded by many angels asking why did he just let things happen as they happened, since if he did not would become a bigger leader nowadays.