Monday, April 9, 2001
Monday, April 9, 2001
They shouted in reply, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a bandit.
Judas is already making plans. He shouts with the crowds, while he schemes with the opposition.
The rest of the Twelve run fickle, and leave Jesus alone when the heat is on. Even mighty Peter
will curse out a finale, rather than being caught humming this prelude tune too long. And around
them all, a bevy of amateur conductors is slowing the music to a ritard. This is the finale they've
all been waiting for. Any score is a good one, so long as it slows Jesus to a final rest. Pilate
takes the conductor's baton for a few fatal minutes. His wife sends him a message to change the
tune, but the weaving of the music has caught him in its web. Even when he conducts a popular
referendum, and offers the crowd a choice, "Do you want Jesus A or Jesus B, Jesus Barabbas or
Jesus of Nazareth?" Even when he throws the question to the general populace, the music of a
grand finale sweeps them along, "Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!"
(John 18:40
NRSV)
The excitement of Palm Sunday quickly fades as the faint notes of Good Friday start to sound.
Calvin Miller put it this way: "Humanity is fickle. They may dress for a morning coronation and
never feel the need to change clothes to attend an execution in the afternoon." (THE SINGER)
And we know the story well.
Dear Jesus, forgive me for not asking for your release, but thank you for taking my sins away.
Amen.
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