# Jesus Christ Superstar based on what gospel **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822 "2002-10-11T14:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/1 "2002-10-11T14:30:27Z")
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the movie or the play or heard the soundtrack, and, being Roman Catholic, I don’t know my Bible anyway ( 😃 ), so I can’t figure out the answer myself. I remember reading about it following the story of one of the Gospels. A quick search of the Internet and the SDMB didn’t work. Is this true? Which Gospel? It’s playing locally in a few months and I’m trying to get a group to go. A friend of mine who in recent years has been attending a rather strict Christian church doesn’t want to go. I think it’s because she thinks it’s sacreligous and I’m working on convincing her otherwise. Of course, that’s probably a topic for a different thread. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/2 "2002-10-11T14:44:12Z")
Well, none of them, really. Consider: 1. The idea that Mary Magdalene was a former prostitute in love with Jesus isn’t based on anything in ANY of the four Gospels. 2. Neither is the idea that Judas was an idealist who betrayed Jesus for the noblest of reasons. Take away those plot lines, and there isn’t much in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” is there? Just a few scenes based loosely on scattered passages throughout the Gospels. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/3 "2002-10-11T15:06:00Z")
Around casa-Dinsdale, we generally refer to it as **the Gospel according to Tim Rice.** IMO certainly as compelling a telling as any of the big 4. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/4 "2002-10-11T15:23:56Z")
OK, what about the broader story line? Does it follow one of the gospels more closely than the others? **Dinsdale** , my brothers, both atheists, like it very much. One of them even named his son Ian, after Ian Gillam who performed on the original album. I think that speaks to the music and story if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/5 "2002-10-11T15:41:11Z")
A review [here](http://www.southam.com/windsorstar/entertainmentnews/020524/105387.html) from _Rolling Stone_ states that JCSS is: > [@](#): > > “a sappy hippie’s version of St. Matthew’s Gospel, which ought to be equally odious to true believers of all faiths…” Don’t know how true that is. Personally, I love it. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/6 "2002-10-11T16:24:53Z")
My guess is Matthew (“Hosanna” & “Herod’s Song” rule out the two likely candidates) but who knows where they feel they got their source material. And loosely based. Very loosely. It is obvious while watching it that it’s written by people that think of the source as an interesting read - but an entirely fictional one, which may be a problem for a very conservative Christian. It might raise some questions, that are probably good things for her to think the answers out to (which, IMHO, is always better than plugging your ears and refusing to listen to the questions in the first place… As far as the music…some people really love it, think it’s amazing. I’m not one of them, though I do like 1 or 2 of the songs. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/7 "2002-10-11T17:39:46Z")
Monstly Matthew, with little bits and pieces thrown in from the others. It never was intended to be a literal retelling of the Gospels. Interestingly enough, I remember when it came to St. Louis in the early 70s, the Roman Catholic Archbiship (very conservative, although not a literalist in interpreting the Bible) said he had no problem with the story as told through the lyrics although he had never seen a staging of it. Is it sacreligious? Depends. I saw one staging of it that had what I could only interpret as a sexual relationship between Jesus and Judas and I felt that was sacreligious. I have seen other stagings that downplayed any sexual attraction between Jesus and Mary Magdalene (or Judas for that matter), and yet another version that played Judas as more of a bad guy than the usual tortured-soul interpretation. Different interpretations will spark different responses. If you want it to spark discussion, I’d pair JCSS with Godspell. Both were written in the same general time period, but an entirely different treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/8 "2002-10-11T17:42:44Z")
Actually, I think the closest source, or perhaps I should say analogue, for JCS isn’t the Gospels themselves, but the medieval Passion plays, which aren’t themselves based on any one Gospel but include material from several of them, as well as tradition. (The idea of Mary Magdalene as repentant former prostitute is quite an old tradition, based on a conflating of several women who appear in the Gospels; the medieval plays frequently expand on this idea. See, for instance, the Benediktbeuern Passion [a couple of numbers in _Carmina Burana_ are taken from Mary Magdalene’s pre-conversion speeches – the song “Chramer, gip die varwe mir” is one of them. There’s a very long English play about her as well, but I haven’t read it – it comes up later in the semester. ;)) Of course, I don’t have enough evidence to make a case for that, although it would be kind of cool to do so. I mostly thought of it because I’m taking a medieval drama course and, since we’re studying various Passion plays this month, I’ve had songs from JCS stuck in my head fairly often. 😉 Incidentally, I’m a practicing Catholic and I love JCS – I think it’s Webber’s masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/9 "2002-10-11T19:19:15Z")
Several people I have talked to over the years have claimed it was supposed to be a “Gospel according to Judas” but I have no cite. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/10 "2002-10-11T19:27:34Z")
Sidenote - my kid’s HS marching band is doing a JCS medley this year, including a King Herod kickline. Pretty cool, tho a little odd from a public school. Hey, this is Homecoming weekend! How’s that for a worldclass hijack? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/11 "2002-10-11T20:38:22Z")
Quoth **astorian** : > [@](#): > > 1. Neither is the idea that Judas was an idealist who betrayed Jesus for the noblest of reasons. Dude, what version of the show have you been watching? I’ve never seen a version which portrayed Judas as “noble”. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckForbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@ChuckForbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChuckForbin)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/12 "2002-10-11T20:54:12Z")
No clue as to the OP. But, I can’t help but mention that when the 25th anniversary version came to Madison, Wi, after the show my girlfriend and I went to the hotel bar and met and got to have a few drinks with Jesus (Tim, I think.). For what it’s worth, Judas (can’t remember his name, a black guy, incredible singer too) was rather surly. But Jesus was a lot of fun. I got to drink with Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/13 "2002-10-11T22:12:40Z")
You may be thinking of GODSPELL, which did claim to be a retelling of the Gospel according to Matthew. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/14 "2002-10-13T02:48:30Z")
_Godspell_ is directly based on the Gospel of Matthew, uses its actual scripture as dialogue. _JCSS_ seems to use Matt. as the baseline, but includes quite a bit of the Gospel of John – particularly, the extended verbal exchange with Pilate (\* “What IS ‘Truth’?” ; “Any power you have has been given to you from higher above”\* ) – and some bits taken from Luke, like the encounter with Herod. As **Katisha** mentions, it’s more akin to the old Passion Plays. Another deviation from the Scripture: in the Gospel (Matt)it’s not Pilate, but Pilate’s _wife_ that has a dream vision that nothing good would come out of this. **Dinsdale** : That with the school band has got to be a trip 🆒 Good for them. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/15 "2002-10-13T03:07:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by amarinth \* > **[…] which may be a problem for a very conservative Christian.** The one aspect of _Jesus Christ, Superstar_ that I think most Christians would object to is this: The movie ends with Jesus dead on the Cross. There is no Resurrection. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/16 "2002-10-13T03:17:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*Quoth **astorian** :Dude, what version of the show have you been watching? I’ve never seen a version which portrayed Judas as “noble”. \*\* Dude, why were you sleeping during the whole show? MOST of the show deals with Judas, not with Jesus. And Judas is presented as a wholly admirable guy, who only wants the best for Israel, and who betrays Jesus reluctantly. NONE of that comes from the Gospels. That came completely from the imagination of TIm Rice. Go back to sleep, Chronos. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/17 "2002-10-13T03:24:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*The movie ends with Jesus dead on the Cross. There is no Resurrection. \*\* Neither does it say it didn’t happen, though… ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-christ-superstar-based-on-what-gospel/131822/18 "2002-10-13T04:09:13Z")
I think that some conservative Christians have a problem with it because it tells the story from a different angle than most Christians typically view it from. It portrays Jesus not as a God who walked nobly among the people, but as a somewhat confused, somewhat reluctant man with a big job to do that no one could ever understand. I have seen a production of JCS where the resurrection was implied at the end by the staging. As an aside, I strongly recommend “Jesus Christ Superstar: Resurrected”, featuring Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls as Jesus. Her voice is perfect for the role, and hearing Jesus played by a woman is sure to piss off your fundie friends. Dr. J