EPISODE FOUR: "He Was Always the Christ"

Summary

THE CHRIST – An Easter Audio Epic<br>Episode Four: "He Was Always the Christ" (April 2, 2026, Faith Podcast Network)

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Episode Overview

This episode dramatizes the resurrection of Jesus and its aftermath, weaving together scenes of confusion, fear, and ultimately faith among his followers. Through narrative flashbacks, dialogue, and moments of deep emotion, the episode explores the meaning of Jesus as "the Christ"—not just in his final days, but from the beginning of time. The narrative threads together his resurrection, the discovery of the empty tomb, and the eventual restoration and commissioning of his disciples, emphasizing mercy, forgiveness, and the transcendent invitation to "Follow me."

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Empty Tomb and Resurrection Witnesses (00:04–07:22)

• Dramatic Opening: The resurrection is announced with the mysterious rolling away of the tomb's stone and angelic visitors to the women followers.
• Discovery by Women:
  • Mary Magdalene, Martha Salome, and Mary, mother of James, find the tomb empty.
  • Angels appear and instruct them:

    "Why are you looking for the living among the dead?" (Angel, 02:13) “He is not here. Go quickly and tell his disciples that he has arisen and to remember what he had said to them.” (Angel, 02:16/02:25)

• Reactions of the Disciples: Initial skepticism and confusion prevail as the women report what they saw.

2. Flashback: Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (03:08–05:46, 08:11–09:52)

• Cleansing the Temple: Jesus' confrontation with merchants and Pharisees at the Second Temple:
  • Jesus declares:

    “Destroy this temple, and I shall raise it up in three days.” (Jesus, 05:35)

  • Disciples and religious authorities misunderstand this as literal, not prophetic about his body.
• Last Supper Prophecies:
  • Jesus speaks of his imminent departure and predicts Peter’s denial:

    “Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you deny me three times.” (Jesus, 09:17)

3. Gethsemane—Suffering, Prayer, and Divine Mission (09:52–12:21)

• Jesus’ Agony:
  • Emotional garden scene where Jesus prays intensely, sweating “like great drops of blood.”
  • Angel comforts Jesus, affirming his cosmic significance:

    “You are the very center of what his plan has always been. You are the alpha and omega.” (Angel, 11:19)

  • Jesus surrenders to divine will:

    “Father. Thy will be done. Rise, children. The time is at hand.” (Jesus, 12:21)

4. Betrayal, Denial, and Crucifixion (12:38–19:09)

• Judas’ Betrayal & Arrest:
  • The moment of betrayal with a kiss, subsequent arrest, and Peter’s attempt at defense.
• Peter’s Denial:
  • Peter recounts denying Jesus three times:

    “I assure you that I am not he. You are mistaken.” (Peter, 17:35)

  • Profound guilt and shame surface as Peter recalls these events.

5. Mercy, Forgiveness, and True Faith (19:09–20:32)

• John Comforts Peter:
  • John reinterprets betrayal not as a unique failure, but as the human condition:

    “We all have denied him... And guess what? He will always forgive us. And not just seven times or 70 times seven, but always. Because his mercy is boundless. He would have even forgiven Judas had he asked.” (John, 19:09)

• Faith Defined:
  • The true meaning of the resurrection:

    “It means that we are no longer the sum of all our actions and mistakes, Peter. Our entire lives are the result of one decision. That we choose to believe. He is the Christ.” (John, 20:13)

6. Post-Resurrection Appearances and The Great Commission (20:45–27:25)

• Skepticism and Proof for Thomas:
  • The disciples, including Thomas, encounter the risen Jesus:

    “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet still believe.” (Jesus, 22:29)

• Jesus’ Final Teachings:
  • Jesus reveals a new relationship, not of servant but of friend and witness:

    “Abide in my love. You are my friends... you did not choose me. I chose you.” (Jesus, 23:15)

  • Promises the Holy Spirit; commands them to love one another:

    “For there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.” (Jesus, 24:55)

• Peter’s Restoration:
  • Jesus thrice asks Peter to affirm his love, paralleling Peter's three denials:

    “Peter, do you love me?” (Jesus, 25:50, 26:08, 26:24) “Then feed my sheep.” (Jesus, 26:32)

  • Promises Peter’s future leadership and mission.

7. The Christ Eternal—Conclusion (27:25–29:09)

• Narrator’s Summation:
  • Presents Jesus as the eternal “Word” made flesh, the central point of salvation history:

    “He was always the Christ. For in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...” (Narrator, 27:25)

  • The invitation to "Follow me" is framed as ongoing and universal.

    “It was spoken not as command or even question, but as an invitation.” (Narrator, 29:09)

  • Jesus’ parting words echo:

    “Follow me.” (Jesus, 29:09)

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” – Angel (02:13)
• “Destroy this temple, and I shall raise it up in three days.” – Jesus (05:35)
• “I have overcome the world.” – Jesus (09:25)
• “You are the very center of what his plan has always been." – Angel (11:19)
• “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet still believe.” – Jesus (22:29)
• “It means that we are no longer the sum of all our actions and mistakes, Peter. ... That we choose to believe. He is the Christ.” – John (20:13)
• “For there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.” – Jesus (24:55)
• “He was always the Christ. For in the beginning was the Word..." – Narrator (27:25)
• “Follow me.” – Jesus (29:09)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• 00:04–02:56: Women discover the empty tomb; angels’ message.
• 03:08–05:46: Flashback to Jesus cleansing the Temple, prophecy of resurrection.
• 08:25–09:52: Last Supper; Jesus predicts betrayal and Peter’s denial.
• 09:52–12:21: Jesus’ agony in Gethsemane; angelic reassurance.
• 17:18–18:38: Peter recounts his three denials amidst Jesus’ trial.
• 19:09–20:13: John explains the boundless mercy and forgiveness of Jesus.
• 22:23–22:42: Jesus appears to the disciples (including Thomas); the invitation to faith.
• 25:40–26:32: Jesus restores Peter, commands him to “feed my sheep.”
• 27:25–29:09: Narrator’s summation; theological framing of Jesus as the eternal Christ.

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Summary Takeaways

• The resurrection is both history and invitation: It validates Jesus' identity as the Christ and extends an enduring call to believe and follow.
• Forgiveness and mercy are central: The episode dwells on human frailty—betrayal, denial, doubt—and the healing, restoring forgiveness of Jesus.
• Faith is the crux: The spectrum from “doubting Thomas” to Peter’s restoration illustrates that faith isn’t certainty—it’s choosing to believe.
• Timeless Love and Command: The command to “love one another” is elevated as Jesus’s new covenant, binding all followers together.

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Tone and Style

The language remains reverent, poetic, and deeply human, with moments of raw vulnerability mixed with hope and transcendent affirmation, true to the source material and the creators’ intent.

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This episode beautifully encapsulates how, through confusion and fear, ordinary people were transformed by encounters with the risen Christ—and how that call to “Follow me” rings through history for all who listen.

Transcript

[Narrator]

On the third day, after the crucifixion and death of Jesus of Nazareth, before morning broke, something happened that would change the course of all humanity. And it happened from inside the sealed and guarded burial site that had belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, where Jesus had been entombed.

[Jesus]

Sam,

[Peter]

What is happening?

[John]

I don't know.

[Peter]

Where are you going?

[Jesus]

Away from here.

[Peter]

Now.

[Narrator]

When the Sabbath was past, after morning had broken, the women, Mary of Magdala, Martha Salome and Mary, the mother of James, went to the site bringing spices so that they might bless and anoint the body of Jesus. But when they arrived, the garden had been vacated and the massive stone that had been used to seal the tomb had been rolled back. Two strangers then appeared.

[Angel]

Why are you looking for the living among the dead?

[Jesus]

We know that you seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is not here.

[Narrator]

The women then went inside.

[Jesus]

Go quickly and tell his disciples that he has arisen and to remember what he had said to them.

[Mary Magdalene]

The tomb is empty.

[Peter]

What do you mean it's empty?

[Mary Magdalene]

I mean he is not there. Peter.

[John]

Someone must have taken him.

[Mary Magdalene]

No, James. The stone was rolled away and there were two strangers there.

[John]

Dory, calm down.

[Mary Magdalene]

I am calm. James.

[John]

What did the strangers say?

[Mary Magdalene]

They said that he has arisen.

[John]

What?

John. James, Wait for me.

[Narrator]

Jesus had foretold of his death and resurrection before, most famously to the Pharisees at the Second Temple. Early in his ministry, the temple building was the very centre of religious activity for the Jews, including teaching, the giving of sacrifices and meetings of the Supreme Council of Israel. And it was considered the most sacred of places. But when Jesus would enter into it with his disciples during their first Passover together, what he saw wasn't sacred at all. No reverence. Merchants preying upon travelers, charging surplus for sacrificial animals. This corrupt use of the temple grounds deeply offended him.

[John]

You can't exchange the Roman money for our shekels. Do that somewhere else.

Take two instead of one.

[Peter]

The Lord will be grateful.

[John]

It is written that my father's house will be a house of prayer for all nations.

[Peter]

Who is that?

[John]

And you have defiled it.

[Jesus]

What is he doing?

[Narrator]

Someone stop.

[John]

Get them out of here. This is not a market.

[Peter]

Who is this?

It's the Nazarene. What kind of madness.

[John]

Something must be. Oh, travel, Jesus.

[Jesus]

Nazarene.

[Peter]

How dare you? Do you know where you stand?

Do you?

I do, because I. And we have dedicated our lives to this temple.

[John]

And woe to you Pharisees who have turned it into a den for thieves.

[Peter]

We have Turned it into what God asks of us. A symbol of obedience and sacrifice. Is that not good enough for you, Rabbi?

[Jesus]

I seek not sacrifice.

[John]

I seek mercy.

[Peter]

What?

What is he saying? You. Your trickery with loaves and fishes and other wonders. Do not stand among us or in this holy place. We built this temple from the ruins of Solomon's. 40 years. Did it take what had been destroyed 40 years. To replace what God had designed for us? We live the law. What authority have you?

[Jesus]

Destroy this temple, and I shall raise

[John]

it up in three days.

[Thomas]

I told you he was a madman.

[Jesus]

Worse than the Baptist.

[Narrator]

The Pharisee had been mistaken. It had taken 46 years to rebuild the great temple. Nor did he or even his disciples understand that Jesus had been referring to the temple of his own body. A body that had gone missing on the morning of the third day after his death and burial.

[John]

And you touched nothing, Martha?

[Peter]

No.

[John]

And there was no indication that anyone else may have been here?

[Jesus]

No.

[Mary Magdalene]

It was empty.

[Narrator]

This is exactly as we found it.

[John]

Yet his shroud had been folded.

[High Priest]

Yes.

[John]

Why would thieves who stole his body bother to fold his burial garment?

[Jesus]

They would not.

[Peter]

Where is he?

[John]

He is gone.

Do you know what this means, Peter?

[Peter]

No, I do not know what this means, John. Mary, tell me exactly what this stranger said.

[Mary Magdalene]

There were two of them then.

[Peter]

Two of them.

[Mary Magdalene]

One of them asked why we were looking for the living among the dead. And then the other one said, we know it is Jesus of Nazareth you are looking for. And then we checked the tomb. And we saw that it was empty. And we heard one of them say, Go quickly and tell his disciples to remember what he spoke to them.

[Peter]

Remember what he spoke to them. Remember what?

[John]

Peter, lower your tone.

[Peter]

He spoke to us a thousand times. I could barely make sense of what he said when he was alive. Now he's speaking through strangers. No, this isn't happening. I have to leave.

[John]

Go speak to him. John.

Peter.

I am sorry, Mary.

[Mary Magdalene]

What is happening?

[John]

I do not know. But I need to tell the others.

[Mary Magdalene]

Your mother and Martha did. And they did not believe them either.

[John]

Well, I do not know what to believe yet. Stay here in case any return. I'll go find the others.

[Narrator]

Jesus had also spoken about his death and resurrection. The last time they were together. When he had gathered them for the first day of the feast. The night he was arrested.

[Jesus]

There are things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you. But the time has now come that I must go away to him who sent me. But I will be gone for only a little While.

[John]

Lord, where are you going?

[Peter]

Take us with you.

[Jesus]

Lord, where I am going, you cannot go, Peter. But you shall follow me afterwards. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. And he is among you.

[John]

No.

[Peter]

Not I. Lord.

Lord, who is it?

[Jesus]

The Son of Man will go as it is written of him. As for his betrayer, it would have been better had he not been born.

[Peter]

Lord, I am ready to go with you. Be it prison or death, wherever I tell you.

[Jesus]

Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you deny me three times.

[Peter]

Never.

[Jesus]

I have prayed for you all. That your faith should not fail. Remember the things I have spoken to you on this night. That in me you may have peace and strengthen your brethren. The world will give you tribulation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.

[Narrator]

After he had spoken these words. Jesus then went out with his disciples. And to a place called Gethsemane where there was a garden. It was there that his soul became exceedingly sorrowful. And he withdrew from them to a nearby place. Fell to his knees and began to pr.

[High Priest]

So why the crucible? Why the terrible suffering and the sacrifice?

[Peter]

Father.

[Jesus]

Father. Father, please.

[High Priest]

For him.

[Narrator]

For them.

[High Priest]

He is despised and rejected for his will. Because he will abandon you from me. I promise you that.

[Narrator]

And Jesus prayed so hard. That his sweat became like great drops of blood.

[Angel]

It's all right. You're not alone.

[Jesus]

He's not coming.

[Angel]

You know that he cannot. But he loves you so, so much. And he is so proud of your strength and courage and sacrifice. And he joyfully waits for you to take your rightful seat at his side. But you know this and always have. For you are not just the key in his grand plan. You are the very center of what his plan has always been. You are the alpha and omega. And now for him, for all of his children. For all his creation. For your precious mother. Crush his head,

[Jesus]

Father. Thy will be done. Rise, children. The time is at hand.

[Narrator]

At this time, history, prophecy and his own divine destiny had finally come to pass. And the hour had come for him to be handed over to wicked men. He would be condemned to death under Pontius Pilate.

[Peter]

And I deliver to you Jesus of Nazareth.

To be crucified.

[Narrator]

He would suffer, die and bedded.

[Jesus]

Woman, why are you weeping?

[Mary Magdalene]

Because they have taken away my Lord. And I do not know where they have laid him.

[Jesus]

Mary

[Mary Magdalene]

Rabboni.

[Jesus]

Careful. I have not yet ascended to my Father.

[Mary Magdalene]

Is it really you, my Lord?

[High Priest]

Yes.

[Jesus]

Yes, it is. Mary. Do not be afraid. Go and tell your brothers to Go to Galilee and I will find them there.

[Narrator]

As Jesus followers tried to make sense of what had happened, those in power had already begun to deny anything happened at all.

[High Priest]

We do not have to do anything.

[Peter]

We could just replace the tomb with another body.

[Narrator]

Are we in trouble?

[Peter]

I don't know.

[High Priest]

The elders have assembled and reviewed your testimony that early on the third day of your dispatch at the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, you had fallen asleep. And while you slept, a small group of followers of the Nazarene came and stole his body.

[Peter]

But we did not fall asleep.

[John]

Such an offense would be punished by our silver.

[High Priest]

For you, you fell asleep. And as you slept, his followers took his body. This is what you testified to. Do you understand?

[John]

Yes, sir.

[High Priest]

And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure. Now take it and go.

[John]

Peter.

Peter.

Peter. I know your heart is emptied, as is ours, and perhaps a little lost, but something is happening. And whatever it is, we need you. Peter. He needs you.

[Peter]

No, John. He needed me, and I wasn't there. Mary Magdalene said to remember what he said. I remember what he said to me that night. That I would betray him three times. And I dismissed it as impossible. And I was half asleep when he woke us. Right before it all happened.

[Jesus]

Rise, children. The time is at hand.

[Peter]

And then Judas appeared.

There you are.

[Narrator]

Rabbi. I have been looking for you. What is it, Rabbi?

[Jesus]

You betray me with a kiss?

[John]

Are you Jesus of Nazareth?

[Jesus]

I am He.

[Peter]

Take him.

Keep your hands on him. That happened so fast.

Take him down.

There were soldiers on the ground and. And I picked up one of their swords and I swung it at the nearest. And I was so scared, I just ran. Word had spread that he had been taken to Caiaphas, so I went with caution. I thought they may have been looking for me. Or us. Still I went there. The crowd was ugly.

[John]

Back.

Back.

[Jesus]

What is to be done to the Nazarene?

[John]

The Sanhedrin will decide.

[Peter]

And one of them saw me.

You there. You are a follower of the Nazarene.

I do not know what you're talking about. But his suspicion had aroused another who surely recognized me.

[Narrator]

Indeed he is.

[Peter]

I have seen you with the Nazarene. I assure you that I am not he. You are mistaken. And then I bowed my head and moved my way through the crowd to be lost. It seemed to work. And after some time, as I moved, I slowly pushed my way forward, all the way to the courtyard. And I could see him as they questioned him.

[John]

Do not answer the high priest like that.

[Peter]

And my heart broke watching as they struck him and I. And as I stood there, once again, I was seen.

Fisherman.

[Jesus]

Yes, I know of that man. He is one of the 12.

[Peter]

I am not.

[John]

You are.

[Jesus]

You are the son of Jonas. And a follower of the house, so called Christ.

[Peter]

Leave me alone.

And then I heard it. And then I remembered what he had said. And I just started to run.

[John]

Ah, you run. You will be found.

[Peter]

I ran until I no longer could. And found somewhere to just wear. It was not just Judas who was the betrayer. It was I too, John. If he has arisen, I would be too ashamed to see him.

[John]

You are not alone, Peter. You, Judas, myself, we all have denied him. And we still do. Every day with our disbelief, with our choosing of the world over his teachings. And no matter as we try, we will continue to betray him over and over and over again. And guess what? He will always forgive us. And not just seven times or 70 times seven, but always. Because his mercy is boundless. He would have even forgiven Judas had he asked. He was one of us. And Jesus loved him.

[Peter]

Too easy for you to give comfort, for you are his favored one.

[John]

This is true. But so too are my words.

[Peter]

The tomb is empty. You asked if I knew what this means. I do not, John.

[John]

It means that we are no longer the sum of all our actions and mistakes, Peter. Our entire lives are the result of one decision. That we choose to believe. He is the Christ.

[Peter]

So up.

[John]

Simon Peter.

[Peter]

Where are we going?

[John]

We are going to Galilee.

[Narrator]

Despite the guards orders from the high priests, rumors persisted about the missing body of Jesus of Nazareth. While some believed that it had been stolen, others believed that he had risen. And this was fueled by rumors that he had been seen by witnesses. Not just by Mary Magdalene and the women, but he had appeared to others as well. He had even spoken to a pair of followers while walking on the road to Emmaus. But the 11 disciples still had not seen. Nor did they believe. They did, however, listen to Mary of Magdala. And went away into Galilee to the Sea of Tiberias. And waited.

[Thomas]

So, Mary.

[John]

Mary.

[Thomas]

Martha.

[Jesus]

Salome.

[John]

Salome.

And he most certainly has been seen

by his own mother, Thomas. He's probably there right now. But don't forget Cleopas and his friend

on the road to Emmaus.

[Thomas]

So basically, everyone in Galilee, but us, his closest followers.

[John]

You don't believe, Thomas?

[Thomas]

No, I do not, John. And I will not believe until I can see with my own eyes and touch the wounds of his crucifixion.

[John]

Good fishermen.

Have you caught anything no, we have not.

[Thomas]

Because we are not really fishing.

[Jesus]

We. We are hiding.

[John]

Perhaps he has seen the Rabbi.

[Thomas]

Why not? Everyone else in Judea has.

[John]

Try casting your net on the other side.

Is that he?

[Jesus]

Jesus?

[John]

Come with me. And I will make you fishers of men.

[Jesus]

Hello, Thomas. Do you need to see something, Thomas? No, Lord. Well, blessed are those who have not seen, yet still believe. Come, let us break bread together, shall we?

[John]

Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?

[Jesus]

James, it is not for you nor anyone to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in his own authority. But all of you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. As the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Abide in my love. You are my friends. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing. But you did not choose me. I chose you. And appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. And. And that your fruit should remain. That whatever you ask the Father in My name he may give to you. And nobody comes to the Father, except through me.

[Narrator]

How long can you stay with us, Lord?

[Jesus]

In this world, not much longer. But I will not leave you as orphans. Not many days from now, you shall receive a helper in the Holy Spirit. And he shall abide with you forever. And where he dwells, I, too, will dwell. He will guide you in all matters of this world. So fear not. Because when the world hates you, know that it hated me first. This I have spoken to you. That my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. But this is my commandment. That you love one another as I have loved you. For there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. This I command you, that you love one another.

[Narrator]

While they ate and listened to Jesus, Peter had been silent. And when they were finished, he withdrew to a quiet place, as Jesus usually had to think and pray.

[Jesus]

Simon Peter, I am the one who usually withdraws for prayer.

[Peter]

Well, I learned it from you, Lord.

[Jesus]

Peter, do you love me?

[Peter]

Yes, Lord. I am committed to you.

[Jesus]

Then feed my lambs. Peter, do you really love me?

[Peter]

Yes, Lord. I told you. You know that I would do anything

[Jesus]

for you and tend to my sheep. Peter, son of Jonah, do you love me?

[Peter]

I don't understand. You know all things, Lord. You know that I love you.

[Jesus]

Then feed my sheep. Peter, when you were a younger man, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. Did what you willed. But now you are older, and now when you stretch out your hands, another will gird you, another will carry you where you fear to go. Follow me.

[Peter]

I will follow you, Lord, to the end of the ages, and we will bear witness and share your gospel to all the peoples and places on this earth. And I will build your church upon you, for you are the Christians.

[Narrator]

He was always the Christ. For in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word was made flesh. And he dwelled among us, full of grace and truth and light, a true light which lighteth every man and woman who come into the world. And so now it has been made known. Brothers and sisters, the gospel which to you has been shared and for you, for you have been saved. For it is appointed that all men shall die once before judgment. But for the sake of his sorrowful passion, the Christ bore the sins of all mankind on the cross so that we may have everlasting life according to the Scriptures. His last words to the disciple who would help build his church were Follow me. It was spoken not as command or even question, but as an invitation.

[Jesus]

Follow me.

[Narrator]

If you want to learn more about what it means to follow jesus, visit the christ podcast adapted from the books of matthew, mark, luke and john this is the christ episode four starring tom pelfrey, paul walter hauser, david ayelowo, patricia heaton, courtney hope and john rhys davies as the narrator created and written by pg kasheri directed by pg kasheri and mark ramsey produced by mark ramsey and jim young executive produced by jason sharp and carissa rogers for the faith podcast network, a division of northwestern media casting by gillian o' neill produced in association with casey whelan and wayland productions editing and sound design by macy larson, michael keane and casey weyland script supervisors macy larson and john black music selection by vicki lucas additional audio production by jordan fair production manager tatiana kelly production assistant joshua david principal recording at 48 windows in santa monica engineer eric garcia coordinator shalin vantour featured cast includes mike falco, renee faya, johnny digiorgio, jesse wolinski, ulf bjorlan, james babson, tarek bishara, gary hudson, eric etabari, isabella hoffman, boyd kessner, raz depaolo, j. Scott schonka, andres soluzzo, leah morgan, tajaney turner, jessica bryden, joshua david, dariante kinder, jake ellsworth, jessica gardner, casey weyland and hope valentina bernal. Special thanks to carmen laberge, david guffey, marcus peters, michael grunwald ziv fisher co. 3 brian anderson, david armstrong, insight studios, terry watson, carl bliss and fred bellotto, the christ is in isaiah 4310 and mark ramsey media production.