I am Barabbas in a lot of ways. Remember him? He’s the guy that Pilate, at the request of the Jewish crowd, released instead of Jesus.
At the festival Pilate used to release for the people a prisoner whom they requested. There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?” For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call the King of the Jews?”
Again they shouted, “Crucify him!”
Pilate said to them, “Why? What has he done wrong?”
But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!”
Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them; and after having Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified. – Mark 15:6-15
What Do We Know About Barabbas?
When we piece together all four gospel accounts, we get only a small glimpse of Barabbas.
- His name in Aramaic meant “son of a father.” That was as basic a description as you can find. Simply put, he was a human man, the offspring of another human man. Nothing more about his life other than his humanity set him apart from others.
- He was an insurrectionist. Barabbas was a rebel. Quite possibly he was among the ranks of a group of Zealots who wanted to overthrow Roman rule. Men like Barabbas stirred up trouble everywhere they went.
- He was a murderer. Apparently a recent uprising got so violent that in the process, Barabbas killed someone. The Romans incarcerated him and he awaited trial on charges of murder and insurrection.
Not exactly a heroic figure, was he?
How I Am Like Barabbas
In more ways than I care to admit, I am Barabbas.
- I am merely human. Even my best efforts at anything good come up woefully short. As Paul said in Romans 7:18, there is nothing good in me, humanly speaking. I am nothing more than a human son of a human father.
- I am rebellious since I have rebelled against God and all He has for me. In Romans 3:10 & 23, Paul reminds us that we all are sinners coming short of God’s standard of righteousness. In no way can I claim ignorance because I know what God requires. I can only admit that I chose to do my thing instead of God’s thing.
- I am a murderer. No, I’ve never taken the life of another human being. I did, however, cause the death of Jesus, God’s Son. The truth of Romans 5:8 give me freedom. God demonstrated his love for me by giving his Son’s life for my sin.
- Like Barabbas, I went free because Jesus went to the cross. I’m the one who sinned; not Jesus. No fault was found in him, but I am full of faults. Yet, he died for me, and he set me free.
What Happened to Barabbas?
The Bible does not mention anything else about Barabbas after Pilate released him? Did he return to his thieving, rebellious ways? Or did the import of what happened affect him so profoundly that his life changed? We really don’t know what happened to Barabbas.
But I know what happened to me. I found myself humbled when confronted with such sacrificial love. It amazes me that Jesus would willing take my place, because I know who and what I am. His love for me compels my devotion to him. How could I turn away from such love? I am forever HIS.
As you meditate during this Easter season, put yourself in Barabbas’s place. You, too, are Barabbas. You should have died, but Jesus took your place. How does that truth affect your life today?