The Ohio Independent Baptist, March 1965

I By Ralph T. Nordlund (While imaginary, thi dialogue hould increase our appreciation of Chri t' cro 'S) . Malchus : Barabba , )'OU are here? How can you ee Your ,friend and helpers die tfor crime you led Them into? You went free, and yet you fear To peak a ympathizing word to ,them! Barabbas: They under tand I ympathize and came To say farewell: my eye·-- can peak, and tear ! I also came to see my Sub ti tu.te Upon that central cro . I know not what To think of him. Wa he fal e, with demon power To heal the ick and rai e the dead, and e'en To save vile publicans and proo-titutes? Your business i to jeer with Caiapha · But as for me , I rather lon·g to cheer. Malchus: I am not jeering. Have you then not heard Of my experience in Gethsemene, And how he healed my alm·o t evered ear? Barabbas: Why, no - jail walls transmit no idle tale ! Why were you in Geth emene - or he? He went to ,pray, I ·ween, but what brought you? And, what might prick your ear - an olive branch? Malchus: ow, do not mock a friend. I cried for you , This morning, ' 'Bar abbas, gives tl<; Barabbas!" ye , I am ashamed to say, I led the mob That screamed, " Let him cruciified !'' H e healed My c;word-cut, dangling ear - yes, perfec tly! You ~ee, I was assigned by Caiapha To lead the temple guard with Judas to H is master 's hiding place ... but hark, I hear Poor Dy,mas praying to thi s Nazarene A:.., if he were a king, hie; cro <, a throne! Barabbas: A king 1ndeed ! He seem~ to clain1 the pow'r 'fo grant a resting place in Paradise. Malchu : Strar1gc king, I say, who prays for those w l10 nailed Hin1 to a cros:~, a11d of ters pardon now To 011e \\fho railed 011 h1111 a n1or11e11 t \ince ! ..J~hC}' ay l1e preac l1cd sL1c h things - the scco11tl 111iJc, ' f'hc t,Jr11ir1g of the other check; but, lo, He J)ractices his precepts - strar1gc, l1ow strange' J n1agir1e aiaphas, a priiest, if I 1 il· e J a<l a traitor L urnvd, lie al i11g 111y eat ! I ca111t: ~fith J lJda·:) t itrrest }1in1; and 11 • i111on la J1ctl 111)' ear r ':I J csu ,iugl1t 1-l i , r111 and tcr11l)' said , ' ' J>11t ltp tl1y swor I!" He t0Ltcl1ed a11{l l1ealed 111e , pcaki11g all tl1e \.\ 1 l1il t:, ·• ~'lio ta ·es t11c: wortl l1all p ri ll h)f tl1c: • word. " THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST Barabbas: How true, as I well know; but look, he peak Again and turn hi s thorn-crowned head as if To point to Mary - God bles her breaking heart! How nar,rowly my mother came to be In ,her s ad ca e without a on like ·her ! "Woman be•hold they son! " Himself? Ah , no He turns to John Ben Zebedee and ay "Behold they mother ," . . . Malchu , I do believe We crucified Me ieah , I rae]' King! Nf alchu : God grant you are mis taken! Yet I fear You peak the truth, for Mo e warned u well, And David prophe ied tbi very cene: Hi 1 bone all out of Joint and we like dog Yelping around him piercing hi hand ·and feet! I see it now; and ye t I erve the wor t Of ma ters, though he be a ,prie t - what can I do to re ct1e Chri t, what can I d 1 0? Barabba : We C·annoit r e cue him, nor would he wi h Such aid, if he reifu ed the ervice of The word · but an eclyp e i coming on, And God may ~ave him if he be Hi Son. Malchu,s: Not o, Barabba , aiapha h a taught Me not to fear eclyp e earthquake ign And omen - hea then uper tition all · And ye t, thi darknes i mirac11lou , For no ec lyp e ha been foreto ld ; and, look, The prie t all flee, and beat their brea t from fear! Come, now we can remain in peace, and wait The darkne ·s OLtt in prayer and probing thot1ght! Interlude o f nearly three hours Barabba : 0 Malchu , li ten to that cry of woe, "My od, my God, why ha. Thot1 for aken n1 ?" H e feel thi darkne s c11eans the frown of God! How can thi be? Wot1ld JOtl the Father turn Fr 1n H i own on ttpon the acct1r:;eJ tree? rvt alcht1s: Apo ·tate · ottght to dte ; but ca11 1t l1e He 'Ltffers as the pa\chal la111h, to tt1r11 Death\~ angel fro111 OL1r tloors? I atah ~aitl, .. I he 1 ortl hath laid 11 h1111 tl1e 1111qL11ty f l J\ all.H 0111c ral1b1s l1oltl a ,ui('ring Orie J\.1t1\.t co111l! - a ' hrt'-tt l1~c Jo,cph lt c ttl<.l be. Ll arahl1as: fi e SJ>cak., agai11 i11 a11gt11 h, \.\ht\~)cf " lO\\ .. , trt1st. " I{o\.\ horrihl this Rl)t11a11 lfc,ttl1, ntl sl1a 111c that ,,•e sh()Lt ltl le ar 11 l)llt <:0114 tll'ror' \Va \•s ~ 11(1 011l)f softc11 tl1e111 \\ 1tl1 vinegar . (Continued on inside back cover) MARCH, 1965 PAGE 5