There is a choice to make.
Jesus or Barabbas?
This passage of Scripture is a very fascinating scenario that unfolded immediately before Jesus was condemned to be crucified. It is easy to overlook the irony and significance of this rather strange occurrence, but it actually played a very crucial role in the tragic death of Jesus….and, to be quite honest, the tragic fulfillment of Scripture. I would like to read with you Matthew 27:15-26.
Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
There are a couple of striking elements about the identity of Barabbas which are very significant. From Matthew’s gospel, we read that Barabbas was a “notorious prisoner”. When we look more carefully at the other gospels, we can discover more information about Barabbas. John says that Barabbas was a “robber” or “revolutionary” (18:40). But Mark informs us that Barabbas was a “rebel” and that he had “committed murder in the insurrection” (15:7). Meanwhile, Luke tells us that Barabbas was in prison “for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder” (23:19).
Does any of this information about Barabbas really make a difference? Yes, it does. For one, it helps to explain to us why Jesus was executed by crucifixion instead of by stoning or beheading. It is important for us to realize that crucifixion was not the normal method of execution that was practiced by the Romans in the first half of the 1st century. Rather, crucifixion was a very painful, public form of execution that was reserved for a special kind of criminal. Namely, the Romans reserved this excruciating method of death for criminals who rebelled against the authority of Rome. Rome would tolerate no challenge to their authority and power. Anyone who dared to rebel against Rome would face the most hideous form of punishment; not just death, but a humiliating and tortuous death by being nailed to a cross.
On that fateful Friday, almost 2000 years ago now, Barabbas was sentenced to be executed because he was guilty of an “insurrection” against Rome. Since Barabbas’ crimes were a rebellion and a challenge against Rome’s authority, his judgment was sealed: Barabbas would be executed by crucifixion.
At this point, it is important for us to realize that Jesus was brought to trial by the Jewish religious leaders on two different charges: the first and foremost charge was blasphemy and the second charge, which was mostly fabricated in order to try to pressure Pilate to execute Jesus, was a charge of insurrection against Rome. Jesus admitted that he was a king. The Jewish leaders actually found Jesus guilty of blasphemy (which was punishable by stoning or beheading), but they tried to make his crime more meaningful to Pilate by describing Jesus’ blasphemy as creating an insurrection against Rome (which was punishable by crucifixion). When Barabbas is released instead of Jesus, the punishment of Jesus is pushed to the side of crucifixion instead of stoning because crucifixion was the certain penalty and punishment that awaited Barabbas. Since Jesus took the place of Barabbas, he would likewise face the penalty and punishment of Barabbas. Since Barabbas was scheduled to be crucified, then Jesus, in taking his place, would also be crucified. It is possible that Pilate would have had Jesus crucified even without the release of Barabbas, but the release of Barabbas essentially sealed the fate of Jesus to execution by crucifixion instead of by any other means. And thereby, Scripture was fulfilled in its rather specific details of the circumstances surrounding the crucifixion of our Savior.
When we look more closely at the identity of Barabbas, there is also a very meaningful ironic element that is present within this story. Most commentators note that the name “Barabbas” is very thought-provoking. Literally, the name “Barabbas” means “son of a father”. It is rather ironic that the religious leaders provoke the Jewish people to press for the release of Barabbas — a “son of A father” — in order to execute Jesus, who claimed to be the “Son of THE Father”. There is not full agreement among scholars as to whether all 4 of the gospel writers intended to present this ironic play on words in the Passion story of Jesus and Barabbas, but it is a very striking element of the Passion story that is evident if we will simply look more carefully at the identity of the characters who are present in the Biblical passage.
As I think about the Jews’ decision to substitute Jesus, the “Son of THE Father” for Barabbas, the “son of a father,” I am reminded of Paul’s telling description of sin in Romans 1. Paul explains that the essence of sin seems to be captured in humanity’s blatant act of substituting fiction for reality. Thus, in Romans 1:23, Paul says that sinful humanity “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man” and animals. In Romans 1:25, Paul says that humanity “exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.”
We see this sin repeated with the exchange of Jesus for Barabbas. They would rather have a “son of a father” instead of the “Son of THE Father.”
It is sometimes easy for me to cast stones of criticism and judgment on the Jews, but how often do we do this in the activities of our life? How many times do we try to substitute something of our own making in place of the divine purpose and will of God our Father? And so here is what we do:
We exchange church attendance for true worship of God.
We exchange knowledge about God for knowledge of God and a personal relationship with Him.
We talk about prayer instead of praying.
We talk about the importance of the Bible instead of actually reading and studying the Bible.
We substitute social holiness and good deeds for true consecration and holiness of heart and life.
We offer a few dollars each Sunday to the offering plate instead of giving God his rightful tithe — the first fruit of our labors — as the Bible instructs us.
We want to be called Christians, but we don’t even try to be Christlike.
The story of Barabbas is not a condemnation of the Jews as much as it is a reflection of our own ability to exchange our own lies for God’s truth.
During these days of Jesus’ passion, we have to realize that we cannot simply wash our hands of guilt while we point out the sins and errors of the Jews. Jesus suffered and died for your sins; Jesus suffered and died for my sins. My own tendency to substitute my will instead of God’s will, my convenience instead of God’s obedience, my way instead of God’s way reflects once again the people’s sin of rejecting the true Son of the Father for a lesser demanding “son of a father.” It was for our sins that Jesus died. And it was for our forgiveness and transformation that he was raised again! As we prepare ourselves this Sunday to celebrate the greatest story of forgiveness and reconciliation ever told, I would like to challenge you to examine your own heart and life today. There is no victory when we persist in trying to substitute our own will instead of God’s will. There is no substitution for faith in Jesus; there is no substitution for obedience to his call to follow him, no matter what. Christ calls us to follow him completely, in full surrender to his will, to his way. Let’s not settle for anything less. And the joy and victory and presence of the resurrected Jesus will be ours both now and forevermore.
And so on this Wednesday before Easter, I would like to challenge all of us to resist the temptation of finding a substitution for the repentance and devotion to which God calls us through Jesus Christ. Jesus did not try to find a cheap substitute for the penalty of our overwhelming sin, even though the Jewish religious leaders sought out and eventually found a substitute for Jesus in Barabbas. Jesus took the penalty and punishment of Barabbas upon himself, even though he was innocent of any and all wrong-doing. And likewise, he identifies himself with our sin, with our rebellion, with our estrangement from God. And Jesus died for our sins. Jesus taught his disciples in John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” These are not idle and meaningless words that Jesus only mouthed to his followers. He punctuated the reality and truth of these words by offering himself freely and lovingly for us and for our sin.
Jesus DID lay down his life. For us! And in doing so, he modeled for us the greatest form of love. And God his Father raised him triumphantly from the dead.
But Jesus did not only model love for us, but he also calls us to a life of love. In fact, Jesus gives us a new command. He calls us love one another. On this special day of Holy Week, I want to ask you to reach out to others in love. As followers of Christ, Jesus empowers us with HIS love so that we can reach out to others with that same love. So, please, would you offer an expression of love to someone else today in the name of Jesus? May God bless and fill you with his love, as you reach out to someone today in the name of Jesus our Savior. And in this way, we will celebrate the true meaning of Easter. Celebrate this day in Christ’s love!
- Dr. Dan Powers serves as Director of the Pastoral Ministries program at Nazarene Bible College.