Pilate:Truth?
What is truth? He says he is a king, bearing witness to the truth.
Someone said he claimed he was “the way, the truth and the life.”
The way to what? What truth? What life? None of it makes any sense.
The truth as I see it is that these Pharisees have been a pain in my
back since I got here. If I don’t do what they want, it could mean
my job or even my life. If I release him, I’ll have a full scale
riot on my hands, and I can’t afford that. This Jesus is right
about one thing—I don’t have any real authority. If it isn’t
the Jews telling me what to do, it’s Caesar and his lackeys. Even
my wife thinks she controls me. The truth is that this whole thing is
a mess. This is no way to live—fighting for control and living in
fear. There ought to be some other way. No matter what I choose, I
lose... I’ll hand him over. And if there is a God, I hope he has
mercy on my soul!
Barabbas:Well,
this isn’t what I expected. I was supposed to die today, but here I
am out on the streets while my two buddies are hanging up there on
crosses. I was ready to die. At least, as ready as anyone could be. I
knew with all the trouble I’d caused that it would catch up with me
one day. I saw my own father die on a cross, and I knew I’d follow
in his footsteps. But now I’m free... Well, not really free. I’ll
never forget the faces of all those people I hurt and robbed, and
that girl who died. I deserve to be up there on that cross. Those
other two guys were nothing compared to me. What did he say to
Marcus? “You’ll be with me in paradise”? Really? Is it
possible? It can’t be that easy, can it? I’m not sure who this
man is, but there’s something different about him. He shouldn’t
be up there in my place. I should be the one dying. Jesus, forgive
me!
Peter:
Why did I do it? Why did I deny knowing Him? I’m such a coward. I
really thought I would defend Him to the death. I tried in the
garden, but when He told me to stop I just lost my nerve. What would
have happened if I’d stuck by Him? Would I have been arrested and
beaten too? John wasn’t hurt. He stayed. He didn’t run and hide.
When that rooster crowed and Jesus looked at me... I thought He would
hate me. But there was no condemnation in His eyes... only love. He
knew. He even told me what I was going to do, but I didn’t believe
Him. Well, my pride has tripped me up before. Me and my big mouth. It
seems like every time I got something right I immediately fell flat
on my face. I walked on water, and nearly drowned. I figured out He
was the Christ, then He told me to get my priorities straight. He
invited me up on the mountain, then I babbled something about setting
up tents. But no matter what I said, He still loved me. And now He’s
in the grave, and I’ll never hear that voice again, telling me that
it will be okay, reminding me that His love doesn’t change. Forgive
me, Lord! Have mercy on me, a sinner!
Thomas:
They’re saying they’ve seen Jesus alive. I’m not sure what to
believe. Could they have been hallucinating? None of us ate much
those first few days, so maybe it affected them somehow. Maybe they
saw a ghost. But they said He ate some fish. I’m afraid to hope
it’s true and just get disappointed again. I’m not sure hope is
worth the pain. But these guys seem so sure of what they saw. It’s
not just the women saying it. If it is true, will I get to see Him
too? Or is it just for those who never doubt? Is it wrong to want
some proof? I want to believe, but I’m scared too. It just seems
too good to be true... My Lord and my God!
“Blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29 ESV).
© Dawn Rutan
2016
