Does the Jew of Malta Need Sympathy or Sarcasm?

Conventional readings of the Jew of Malta may have Barabas pinned as a villainous character whose entire existence revolves around his gain and his reward. I don't disagree with this interpretation. However, I believe there may be a more Biblical reading available that may allow for different interpretation of Barabas as a tragically flawed character.
An important consideration to take into account in the discussion of Barabas as a tragic character would be this: Is Barabas a villain or does his actions stem from the idea an eye for an eye? In context of the time period that Jew of Malta was written in, Barabas is set up as a villain because that went along with the common notion of Jews as something disgusting and not quite human.  To say that Barabas as a Jew is evil is a subjective point of view and it doesn't accurately represent the entire population of the Jewish community in relation to Malta. The other three Jews, while unhappy about the Maltese seizing half their belongings, they comply in order to keep peace and to remain Jewish. Barabas, while the most stubborn of all, puts up a fight because he knows he and his people are being treated unfairly. If we remove the fact that Barabas is a Jew, he is a man whose life work is being taken away from him under a leader who believes in abusing power.
In the beginning of Act One, Barabas discovers from the other Jews that their property may be seized and he decides to hide some of his wealth so he is not destitute. I personally don't see this as having a malicious or deceitful intent. In 1,001 Nights, or perhaps better known as The Arabian Nights, there is an account of a merchant who embarked on a voyage with his two brothers. Having had previous experience with his brothers, this merchant was aware of their lack of financial responsibility and he buried three thousand coins in case he should return empty handed. Barabas' lack of honesty may be viewed as him looking for his own personal gain, but I believe that his creation of a nest egg was an action taken by a shrewd business man who knew how to manage his belongings.
Barabas is painted as the typical Jew, disobedient and deceitful. Throughout the play, there are multiple Biblical allusions that lend a hand to understanding Barabas' actions. His name alone condemns him to be hated by Christians, because in the New Testament Barabas was the prisoner that the Jews wanted to be released over Christ. Already he is set up as the anti-Christ. However, I believe that while Marlowe may be trying to convey Barabas as a nasty Jew, he may have portrayed him as a disobedient Jew. After Barabas receives word he cannot enter his house again, he sends his daughter Abigail to pose as a nun for his own benefit.This could be in reference to Abraham offering his most beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. However, as the play goes on Abigail transforms from the loving Isaac figure to the black sheep that is Ishmael.  When Abigail retrieves his treasures for him, he describes her as the "star that shines in the East". This may reference how the wise men followed the star to find the Christ child. As the scene goes on, the reader sees a shift from his affections for Abigail to his devotion to his gold. This may be a reference to the disobedient and ungrateful Jews who worshiped a golden idol while Moses retrieved the Ten Commandments. All these references revolve around the first few acts, and it raises the idea that Barabas is not being deceitful and ill-willed towards the Christians, but he is just simply not strong in his faith and is therefore disobeying God.

Fickle Faustus

Dr. Faustus, while a highly educated individual, relies too heavily of the physical aspects of the world. For a man well versed in theory and the dynamics of the human knowledge and intelligence, he often shows his ignorance in the ways of the world. Faustus was a man of meager means when he came into the world and over the course of his lifetime gained more intelligence to feed his intellectual appetite as well as his ego. However, his most impressive trait may be his biggest character flaw. When Faustus believes he has reached his intellectual capability and hit the glass ceiling so to speak, he moves to an area outside of his expertise. By conjuring evil spirits, such as Mephastophilis and the seven deadly sins, he feeds his intellectual appetite even more. However, Faustus remains hung up on the physicality and appearances, beginning with demanding Mephastophilis to return in a more handsome form when in his presence. Appearances continue to be everything with Dr. Faustus as he presents himself to those more powerful than he. Instead of allowing himself to accomplish great things in terms of revolutionizing the world, he rolls over and "fetches" for the royalty. For a man of high intelligence with a mind for science, he cannot move past the persona he projects in society.
Faustus continues to feed his voracious physical appetite in the final chapter of his life. At the beginning of the play Faustus demands a wife from Mephastophilis, who complies with a homely dressed up demon. Still, this doesn't satisfy Faustus. As his life is coming to a close, Faustus gives into the ultimate physical desire and consummates his binding contract with a demon in the form of Helen of Troy. By doing so, Faustus damns himself and refuses any hope of redemption. By constantly giving himself into the physical aspects of his sinful nature, Faustus feeds his childish naive nature. For a man of science, he refutes the notion of faith and salvation,
and allows sin to personify and take over his soul. If Faustus had moved past his naive sense of the physical identity and persona, he may have received eternal reward instead of instant gratification.