Barabbas is referenced in only eleven Bible verses in the New Testament. Then he disappears from the story. "A Life for Barabbas" imagines how he might have lived the rest of his life.
Here was a notorious man, convicted and facing crucifixion, suddenly pardoned by Pilate and released from prison. Stunned and confused by this turn of events, he flees the city and within hours finds himself on Calvary where he encounters the crucified Jesus, and there begins Barabbas' transformation from unrepentant rebel to redeemed Christian leader.
Part adventure story, part history, the novel is set during the 40 years between the crucifixion of Jesus and the siege of Jerusalem. While the work is fictional, as are some of the characters and their activities, it is vividly drawn with well-researched details of daily life in first century Palestine. The storyline closely follows Biblical events and influences on the evolution of Christianity in the First Century, and, in the process, seeks to clarify some of Jesus' core teachings.
A Life for Barabbas will appeal to fans of The Robe, Ben Hur, Spartacus, The Spear, and The Shack, to name a few. A Life for Barabbas is different in that the entire story is based on researched historic facts, events, settings, and creates a life story for a man mentioned only briefly in the Bible.