"Calvary Characters": Barabbas

This is my first effort for my "Calvary Characters" project.  These are fictionalized first-person stories of people who surrounded Jesus during the time of His crucifixion and resurrected, based on Scripture and history.  This first one was based on a monologue I did for Easter a couple of years ago.  Let me know what you think.

CALVARY CHARACTERS - BARABBAS

            In a cave in the Negev of Judah, a hooded figure slips through the shadows to join a band of robbers by the fire.  As light from the flickering fire illuminates his face, gasps echo in the cavern.  The newcomer removes his hood and speaks…

            “Don’t look so surprised!  Yes!  It is me!  Barabbas!”

Questions for Jesus: Is It Right to Pay Taxes to Caesar or Not? (excerpt)



Mark 12:13-17

¹³ Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
And they were amazed at him.

"Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?  Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

I think this question has added relevance in modern times when many Bible-believing Christians also identify strongly with conservative "Tea-Party" politics, but I will get to that later...