Barabbas or Jesus?

Barabbas or Jesus?

Scripture:

¹¹ Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. ¹² When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. ¹³ Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” ¹⁴ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. ¹⁶ At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” ¹⁸ For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”²⁴ 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!”²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Observation:

The Lord is brought before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, and remains silent in spite of the many accusations of the chief priests and the elders. Pilate is puzzled at the Lord’s silence, with no reply to even a single charge. Politically shrewd, Pilate is also quickly aware that it is from their own self interest that the Jewish leaders have handed Jesus over.

Finding no reason at all for Jesus to be killed, Pilate seeks to find a way to release Jesus. This intention is further strengthened when Pilate’s own wife issues him an urgent message not to have anything to do with hurting this innocent man.

Using the normal custom to release a prisoner of the crowd’s choice during the festival, Pilate offers to release Jesus or Barabbas, a well known murderer. Under normal circumstances, no one in the right mind would vote to release the murderer. However, the crowd, incited by the Pharisees, has become bloodthirsty and chooses Barabbas instead, being insistent on crucifying Jesus.

Pilate continues to try and reason with the crowd, asking them what crime Jesus has committed.  However the Jewish crowd only shouts louder “Crucify him, crucify him”. Afraid of having to deal with a riot, the cowardly governor finally gives in, washing his hands before them, and declaring himself innocent of Jesus’ blood which is wholly their responsibility. Horrifyingly, they declare “let his blood be on us and our children”. If they only knew what horrors their descendants would have to face in the Crusades, in the Soviet Union, and in the Holocaust where 6 million Jews were killed. In the last days, when the Anti-Christ takes control of the world, Jews will again be massacred and this will only end when the Lord comes again in His Second Coming.

Application:-

Looking at the way the events unfolded, everything pointed to the Jews being solely responsible for the arrest and murder of Jesus, their own Savior who came to save them. The Gentiles, though, as the tools used to execute the Lord are not guiltless too for it is their hands and tools that nailed the Lord to the cross and hung him there to die most gruesomely. How incredible the paradox, that as the human race, we killed God our Savior while He shed His blood to save us and give us eternal life. Indeed, He died for us while we were still His enemies, and therein lies the great mystery of God’s incredible love for us, that no one can fathom.

The incidence of Barabbas is also of no coincidence. The late Derek Prince once shared how he was meditating on the crucifixion where there were 3 crosses on a hill, with the central cross higher than the other two. The Holy Spirit asked him “For whom was the central cross made? Think before you answer”. Derek thought for a moment and said “It was made for Barabbas, but at the last minute Jesus took his place”. “So Jesus took Barabbas place, but you have said that Jesus took your place” the Holy Spirit continued. “Yes he did” Derek responded and the Holy Spirit concluded “Then you must be Barabbas”.  At that moment, Derek saw it with absolute clarity. He was exactly the criminal for whom the cross was prepared. It was made to his measure. It was exactly where he should have been.

Each one of us was destined to die on the cross, just like Barabbas. Every part of our personality is sinful, corrupted by our sinful desires. However, Jesus took our place. He suffered and died for us that we might escape death and live. What does it mean to take up one’s cross? One aspect of it has to do with the recognition that Jesus has died on our cross for us. With that knowledge, how then shall we live life? How other than to live for the Lord who took the place of suffering and death for us……. We were bought at a price at very great cost. How then can we go on and deliberately live sinful lives or lives of disobedience knowing what Jesus died for us?

Prayer:

 We praise You, Lord Jesus, for You took our place. Like Barabbas, we were destined to die on a cross made specifically for us, for the punishment of our sins. But You came and took our place. You saved us from death. You saved us from the fire. Even while we were Your enemies, You loved us and gave Yourself for us! How could we ever take You for granted O Lord? Forgive our sins we pray. Give us fresh passion to serve and worship You, out of the gratitude we should have in our hearts. Praise be Your name forever, Lord Jesus. We praise You and worship You. In Jesus name, Amen.