By Rachel Green

The governor of Judaea glared at the semi-naked man before him, disgusted by the stench of blood and faeces but mindful of the nobility in his stance. “Who is he?” he snapped at the guards.

“They call him Iesu,” said the sergeant. “King of the Jews.”

“King?” Pilate sneered. “There are no kings under Rome. “Who are you, to declare himself king?”

Michael spoke with difficulty through bruised lips. “I call myself nothing,” he said. “But my father is King of all.”

Pilate took a date from the tray and ate it. “King of all, hmm?” He chewed and swallowed. “Have I heard of him?”

Michael was tempted to release his wings, but he had kept up the masquerade of being mortal for over thirty years and it would not be much longer now. “My father is the King of Heaven,” he said.

“Tch.” Pilate took another grape and regarded the man thoughtfully. He was not uncomely. Crucifixion would be such a waste. He strode to the balcony and gazed out at the crowd below. “It is customary to release on prisoner at Passover,” he shouted. “Who do you want freed?”

No-one knew who it was that shouted. They just heard his pleas: “Release the Son of the Father. Release Bar-Abbas!” Several of the crowd took up the chant: “Release Bar-Abbas! Release Bar-Abbas!”

Lucifer was pleased. With sufficient encouragement from the crowd perhaps his brother might not die after all. Pilate would surely bow to public pressure, as he had over the matter of the sigils on the shields, and release Iesu. Lucifer fervently wished him to be spared the agony of execution. Pilate retreated.

The crowd thickened, many of the newcomers wearing the robes of temple priests, and the mood of the crowd changed. “Execute Iesu!” they shouted. “He has defiled the temples and dishonoured God.” More took up the chant, and when Lucifer shouted for his release he was pushed to the ground and beaten. He struggled to the side of the crowd in time to see Pilate emerge from his rooms, leading his beloved Michael by the arm.

“Why do you desire the death of this man?” Pilate shouted. The murmur of the people softened and grew quiet. Pilate continued: “He is a good man. Never have I heard him preach violence. He has never harmed anyone, and he obeys the laws. This is a good man.”

“He has defied the Temples and gone against the word of God,” one of the priests shouted back. “He must be executed.”

“No!” Lucifer shouted, and a dozen faces turned to stare at him, hatred in their eyes. “Release Jesus Bar-Abbas!”

“No! Execute him,” the priests called, and the call was taken up again by the crowd until Pilate raised his hands for silence.

“Very well. You will have your execution, but it is your responsibility and not mine. I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your concern.” Michael merely looked resigned next to him, and when a bowl and cloth was brought out by one of the guards Michael held it for Pilate to use.

“I wash my hands of the whole affair,” he said to the crowd.

“It is none of my bidding.”

Lucifer felt tears pricking his eyelids as he watched his brother angel perform this humble deed for the man who had ordered his execution. Such a noble act from his lover of long ago. He wondered if God knew how noble this angel in mortal form was, and whether it mattered if he did. Was this part of His plan? To see an angel crucified so that God’s followers might stop warring with each other?

Michael looked down upon the crowd to see his old teacher staring up at him. Glancing to see Pilate still busily washing, he nodded to the man, seeing through the mortal form to the golden wings beneath and the visage of his brother who had loved and protected him for thirty years, despite his own quarrel with God.

Lucifer turned away, unwilling to let Michael witness the tears of his teacher.

Author’s note: In Aramaic, the name Barabbas is composed of two elements: ‘Bar’ meaning ‘Son of’ and ‘Abba’ meaning ‘father’ Thus ‘Barabbas’ means ‘Son of the Father i.e. Jesus’. Later, when people who did not understand Aramaic retold the story, they still included the petition for freedom, but bar-Abbas became a separate person.