scriptures? Well, personally, he was not so familiar with them that he knew of it.
—No, nor am I. But that’s how it is.
Barabbas did not doubt it. But how was it that his Master had to be crucified and what was the point of it anyway? It was all very strange.
—Yes, that’s what I think. I can’t see why he had to die. And in such a horrible way. But it had to be as he had prophesied. It must all come to pass as it was ordained. And he used to say so many times, he added, bowing his great head, that he must suffer and die for us.
Barabbas glanced up at him.
—Die for us!
—Yes, in our stead. Suffer and die, innocent, in our stead. For you have to admit that we are the guilty ones, not he.
Barabbas sat gazing out into the street and asked no more for a time.
—It is easier now to understand what he meant, the other man said to himself.
—Did you know him well? Barabbas enquired.
—Yes, indeed. Indeed, I did. I was with him from the very first moment he began up there amongst us.
—Oh, did he come from the same part as you?
—And since then I’ve been with him the whole time, wherever he went.
—Why?
—Why? What a question! It’s easy to see you don’t know him.
—What do you mean?
—Well, you see, he had power over one. A remarkable power. He would merely say to one: follow me, and one had to follow. There was nothing else to be done. Such was his power. If you had known him you would have experienced it. You too would simply have followed him.
Barabbas sat for a moment in silence. Then he said:
—Yes, he must have been an extraordinary man, if all you say is true. But surely the fact that he was crucified proved that he had no special power?
—Oh no, you’re wrong there. I thought so too at first—and that’s what is so terrible. That I could believe such a thing for one moment! But now I think I understand the meaning of his shameful death, now that I’ve thought things over a bit and talked to the others, who are more at home with the scriptures. You see, it’s like this, he had to suffer all this, although he was innocent, he even had to descend into hell for our sakes. But he shall return and manifest all his glory. He is to rise again from the dead! We are quite sure of it.
—Rise from the dead? What nonsense!
—It’s not nonsense. Indeed he will. Many even think it will be tomorrow morning, for that is the third day. He is supposed to have said that he would remain in hell for three days, though I never heard him say so. But that’s what he is supposed to have said. And at sunrise tomorrow …
Barabbas gave a shrug.
—Don’t you believe it?
—No.
—No, no … How can you …? You who havenever known him. But many of us believe. And why shouldn’t he rise again himself when he has raised so many from the dead?
—Raised from the dead? That he never did!
—Yes, indeed. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
—Is it really true?
—Of course it’s true. Indeed it is. So he has power, all right. He has power to do anything, provided he wants to. If only he had used it for his own sake, but that he has never done. And why did he let himself be crucified if he had so much power …? Yes, yes, I know.… But it’s not easy to grasp, I grant you. I am a simple man, you see, it’s not easy to understand all this, you may be sure.
—Are you not sure that he will rise again?
—Yes, yes, of course I am. I am quite sure it’s true what they say. That the Master is to return and reveal himself to us in all his power and glory. I am quite certain of that, and they know the scriptures much better than I do. It will be a great moment. They even say that then the new age will begin, the happy age when the Son of Man will reign in his kingdom.
—The Son of Man?
—Yes. That’s what he called himself.
—The Son of Man …?
—Yes. So he said. But some believe … No, I can’t say it.
Barabbas moved closer to him.
—What do they believe?
—They
—No, nor am I. But that’s how it is.
Barabbas did not doubt it. But how was it that his Master had to be crucified and what was the point of it anyway? It was all very strange.
—Yes, that’s what I think. I can’t see why he had to die. And in such a horrible way. But it had to be as he had prophesied. It must all come to pass as it was ordained. And he used to say so many times, he added, bowing his great head, that he must suffer and die for us.
Barabbas glanced up at him.
—Die for us!
—Yes, in our stead. Suffer and die, innocent, in our stead. For you have to admit that we are the guilty ones, not he.
Barabbas sat gazing out into the street and asked no more for a time.
—It is easier now to understand what he meant, the other man said to himself.
—Did you know him well? Barabbas enquired.
—Yes, indeed. Indeed, I did. I was with him from the very first moment he began up there amongst us.
—Oh, did he come from the same part as you?
—And since then I’ve been with him the whole time, wherever he went.
—Why?
—Why? What a question! It’s easy to see you don’t know him.
—What do you mean?
—Well, you see, he had power over one. A remarkable power. He would merely say to one: follow me, and one had to follow. There was nothing else to be done. Such was his power. If you had known him you would have experienced it. You too would simply have followed him.
Barabbas sat for a moment in silence. Then he said:
—Yes, he must have been an extraordinary man, if all you say is true. But surely the fact that he was crucified proved that he had no special power?
—Oh no, you’re wrong there. I thought so too at first—and that’s what is so terrible. That I could believe such a thing for one moment! But now I think I understand the meaning of his shameful death, now that I’ve thought things over a bit and talked to the others, who are more at home with the scriptures. You see, it’s like this, he had to suffer all this, although he was innocent, he even had to descend into hell for our sakes. But he shall return and manifest all his glory. He is to rise again from the dead! We are quite sure of it.
—Rise from the dead? What nonsense!
—It’s not nonsense. Indeed he will. Many even think it will be tomorrow morning, for that is the third day. He is supposed to have said that he would remain in hell for three days, though I never heard him say so. But that’s what he is supposed to have said. And at sunrise tomorrow …
Barabbas gave a shrug.
—Don’t you believe it?
—No.
—No, no … How can you …? You who havenever known him. But many of us believe. And why shouldn’t he rise again himself when he has raised so many from the dead?
—Raised from the dead? That he never did!
—Yes, indeed. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
—Is it really true?
—Of course it’s true. Indeed it is. So he has power, all right. He has power to do anything, provided he wants to. If only he had used it for his own sake, but that he has never done. And why did he let himself be crucified if he had so much power …? Yes, yes, I know.… But it’s not easy to grasp, I grant you. I am a simple man, you see, it’s not easy to understand all this, you may be sure.
—Are you not sure that he will rise again?
—Yes, yes, of course I am. I am quite sure it’s true what they say. That the Master is to return and reveal himself to us in all his power and glory. I am quite certain of that, and they know the scriptures much better than I do. It will be a great moment. They even say that then the new age will begin, the happy age when the Son of Man will reign in his kingdom.
—The Son of Man?
—Yes. That’s what he called himself.
—The Son of Man …?
—Yes. So he said. But some believe … No, I can’t say it.
Barabbas moved closer to him.
—What do they believe?
—They
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