Dear Reader:

The title of this painting is ‘The Release of Barabbas.’ Barabbas is only mentioned in the Bible a few times and for most of us…the memory of him is simply that he was saved by the Passover crowd at the trial and Jesus died in his place on Good Friday.

Mark 15:1-14  (Mark’s Version of the exchange of prisoners)

Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”

But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

“Crucify him!” they shouted.

“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

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BARTER- to make an exchange using something other than a form of currency.

As a social studies teacher the one word that I never had to teach was the economic term barter-From first grade on school children”barter” their lunch bag contents intuitively. *I remember I would trade Freddie Jones 10 potato chips for his Twinkie. (Of course he always said he got to get one bite before we traded…and we wonder how the flu spreads so rapidly at school?)

When it comes to personal bartering…the largest and saddest exchange was between Jesus and Barabbas. No money involved…but something more precious…life.

My story today is a creative interpretation by Paul Harvey asking a question few of us have probably given much thought to…did the exchange of Barabbas change him in any way? Historically we don’t know…Barabbas is left behind on Good Friday and never mentioned again.

Paul Harvey decided to take a different angle on the story and as a fictitious “roving reporter” for Jerusalem, get an interview from Barabbas after the exchange.

It was our beloved Jo Dufford who remembered this story and when she went to look for it….the old album magically popped right up. It was a story that wanted to be told.

Since I couldn’t find a printed copy of the “interview” anywhere on the internet, Jo brought the album and record player for me to listen to it several times so I could pass the story on to you.

“The Interview with Barabbas”

*Paul Harvey pretends to be a seasoned news reporter in Jerusalem (with the language and customs of modern times) at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. He has worked his way up the ranks from covering petty crimes and misdemeanors to criminal activity like murders.

While the crowds are still gawking at the “show”…watching three men, slowly and painfully die…Paul Harvey decides to seek out Barabbas. Now there is a story waiting to be told…a new angle on just another crucifixion. He was spared for murder and set free as a Passover traditional gesture while Jesus, who calls himself the Son of God, was slowly and painfully dying in his place.

As Harvey starts down the slope from Calvary Hill he sees Barabbas in the crowd shuffling his feet, mumbling to himself, and shaking his head. Some men who recognize him call out “Hey Barabbas…you lucky son of a gun, come have a drink on us….you should celebrate still being alive while that poor fella, who didn’t kill anyone, is dying.” They burst out laughing again.

Barabbas walks away from the group of men and finally notices that Harvey, a recognizable reporter for the local Jerusalem newspaper, is still following him. When he looks at Harvey… he asks “Did you see what happened at the trial…did you see that man say nothing to defend himself?”

“I saw” Harvey said quietly.

“Well what do you think it was all about…I mean…what was the angle…always has to be an angle…but I sure can’t figure it out. “Did you see it? Barabbas asks strangely again. “I saw” Harvey repeats but doesn’t answer the question. He wants Barabbas to figure it out on his own.

Now walking together they take a ‘camel short-cut’ through an alley by some flat-roofed buildings where vegetables are drying and fruits are ripening on the roofs.

Barabbas is moving like a sleep-walker. Harvey knows him from covering other ‘indiscretions” he has committed and been caught for…leading riots, robbery, and now murder. He is known to be hot-tempered, sullen, violent, and abusive. Today, however, he is none of these…he is deep in thought…completely puzzled.

Both Harvey and Barabbas have watched men die…just like these three…still Barabbas can’t figure out why Jesus took his place?

When they arrive at his humble home…with mud walls and evidence of stable animals on the lower floor…Barabbas’ wife opens the door. She stares in disbelief…not delight. The woman’s face says it all…she has opened this door so many times to a drunk husband, or an abusive one that her heart can no longer open and let him back in. Her face is devoid of expression. Harvey can tell she is not happy to see him again.

Barabbas pushes past her with no greeting…waving for Harvey to follow where he finds a seat on a bench. Finally his wife asks…”What happened…I thought you were dead.” As if talking to himself…Barabbas mumbles…”Pilate gave the Passover crowd a choice between that other guy and me to spare one life…and encouraged by the chanting priests…they all cried out my name. I couldn’t believe it…my name! Barabbas’ tone is  incredulous and his expression … one of solemn wonder.

“Who was the other fella?” his wife asked.

Barabbas replies: “That man Jesus…and all he had to say was that He was not the Son of God…I mean how hard is that?”

His wife muttered and said in disdain”Oh, THAT one!” “The King of the Jews!”

Immediately Barabbas yelled back…“Don’t say THAT ONE THAT WAY woman” he growled. “He gave His life for me…(tears fill his eyes)…he says softer…”He gave His life for me”

To break the tension Harvey interjects…“So what do you think Barabbas…you think he is the Son of God?”

Barabbas answers slowly, “I doubt it…I mean he looked just like any of us…nothing special that way. But I am going back up there…to watch them cut him down…and if he can come back to life and he does, then I am going to become one of his followers.”

Harvey asks, “Why?”

Impatiently Barabbas yells at him “Because, Because..he died for me…ain’t that enough?” “And besides if He can come back…then can’t we? I want to learn how he did it.”

Quietly the wife… whose eyes have suddenly softened…walks over to Barabbas and holds his hand.

When Harvey leaves with his article intact…a good article…he finds himself walking back up Calvary Hill instead of going back into town to get the article finished for the paper. The talk is that if Jesus does return from the dead…it will be in three days. Harvey wants to be there if it happens…now that would be a story…maybe even a book?

Like Barabbas said...If Jesus is resurrected, then anyone can do it. Harvey looks up at the waning sun and pink skies…he supposes he will camp out with the other reporters around a campfire because this is a tough neighborhood to be alone in…but somehow he understands that the shadow across the cross is beckoning to him…if he just follows the cross …then he will find his way.

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So until tomorrow…Christ died so we can all have everlasting life. Amen.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

And Easter is on the first of April…so we know what that means…say “Rabbit” for a good month ahead! No April Fools’ here…I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!

*Received this from Shelly Baker, my one-time eighth grade student, and later secretary at the district office who helped me move mountains while I worked there…  she also sent me this note about connections and God Winks and proud mothers.

Okay, here is  ‘a small world’ moment for you. Our youngest daughter, Julie, and her husband Tommy closed on their new home in Summers Corner yesterday. Yes, they will be right down the road from us but there is a curve between us so I tease we can’t see what they’re doing and they can’t see what we’re doing. So, we had them over for dinner after the closing & before the moving started and they were giddy with details of the day.

As they were talking about the closing, they said how much they liked the attorney & how funny he was, what a nice experience they had enjoyed. As we talked more, they said his name was Tommy Dingle! What a small world we live in full of intertwined threads. And the next generations are crossing paths following in our footsteps.

*So true Shelly…thanks for making Easter also Mother’s Day…a proud Mother’s Day.