“But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Then they all cried again, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. (John 18:39-40)
Barabbas was a thief who was on death row, having already been sentenced; he was, as we would say today, “one of the walking dead.” After speaking to Jesus, Pilate could find no reason to have Him put to death, and yet, he did not want to anger the Jewish people. So, he remembered that they had a custom, not a law, which could have possibly been introduced to ingratiate themselves into the affections of the people; and being repeated once and again, was now looked for during the Passover. It seems Pilate was also looking for a way to not be held responsible for condemning an innocent man to death, and of the three men that were to die, Barabbas was the worst, and so Pilate offers the people to make the choice, Barabbas or Jesus, Matthew 27:17. 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 Christ?”
Barabbas is sitting shackled in his cell knowing this was his last day, when suddenly the Roman guards come in with keys and a message that he was a free man, another has taken his place. As he is released and goes to the streets bewildered by this sudden turn of events he drawn by the angry crowd yelling, “crucify Him! Crucify Him!” He soon finds out that it is the man called Jesus, whom he has heard about, that they want crucified, and it is He that has taken his place. His mind is racing; he stands in the angry crowd trying to comprehend why they would want to kill this man in his place. He had heard about all the good things this man had been doing in the region, feeding the hungry, healing the lame and sick, even raising someone called Lazarus from the dead, and teaching about God. Unlike himself who truly was guilty of committing crimes, he could think of no reason why this man would die, and especially take his place.
Whether you choose to believe it or not we all are sitting on death row, only ours is a spiritual death (unless you have already believed and received the gift of life through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus). Just as Jesus took Barabbas’ place that day, He also took ours. We are all sinners, deserving of death, Romans 3:23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. However, Jesus has taken our place and has offered life eternal (not just physical like Barabbas received). The choice is yours, you can receive the gift of life and be set free like Barabbas, or you can reject it and remain in your cell awaiting your eternal death sentence. Your debt has been paid! However, you must accept it in order to receive it, the cell door is open; the only thing keeping you there is yourself. Today is the day of salvation, you may not have tomorrow!
Dale LaFrance (please look up Leviticus 16:5-10)
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