Barabbas vs. Jesus: The Significance of Barabbas’ Release
Matthew 27:16-26, Mark 15:7-15, Luke 23:18-25, John 18:39-40
And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, the man called Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. He was one who had been bound (and) thrown into prison with the insurrectionists, who had, for a certain insurrection, committed murder in the city. And therefore, when they were gathered together, the crowd went up**, and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them.
But wanting to release Jesus, Pilate answered them, saying to them again, “But you have a custom, that I should release someone for you at the Passover. Whom, therefore, do you want me to release for you – Barabbas or Jesus, Who is called ‘Christ’, the ‘king of the Jews’,” for he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him over because of envy. And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man, for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.”
But the chief priests and the elders excited the crowd to ask for him to release for them Barabbas instead, and to put Jesus to death.
And the governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” Then again they all cried out all together, saying, “Not this Man! Away with this Man, and release for us Barabbas!”
And answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what will I do with Him Who is called ‘Christ’, Whom you call the ‘king of the Jews’?”
They all kept on calling out, saying to him, “Let Him be crucified! Crucify Him!”
And Pilate, [the governor]T said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has He done? I have found no guilt in Him demanding death. Therefore, I will punish Him, and release Him.”
But they were insistent with loud voices, (and) kept shouting all the more, asking that He be crucified, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” And their voices began to prevail.
And Pilate, seeing that it profited nothing, but rather a riot was made, took water, and he washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent from the blood of this [righteous]T One. You will see to it.”
And all the people answered and said, “His blood is upon us, and upon our children!”
And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate pronounced a sentence, that their demand should be granted. And Pilate released Barabbas to them, the man they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder.
For a long time I didn’t have Barabbas on my list since he showed no sign of faith after the blessing of Jesus literally being crucified in Barabbas’ place. How many people didn’t show faith or even ask for a blessing from Jesus? Malchus is a prime example, and also The Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda. Neither one showed faith, nor requested it, but were definitely blessed.
I was setting up my fish path in Second Life when I had the thought of what the name Barabbas literally means. Bar means ‘son of’, and abbas means ‘father’ or ‘master’. Barabbas is a son of a (or the) father. One possible reason that it was Barabbas that Jesus literally died for is that even an insurrectionist can be a child of God. Or as one search result commented that just as Jesus was silent when Barabbas (a son of the father) was released from his punishment, Jesus doesn’t accuse us as He releases us from our punishment, no matter what we are guilty of. The Holy Spirit chose names to record for a reason… Now I’m convinced that Barabbas deserves to be one of the 153.
Number of Fish: 1
Total Fish: 143
153 Fish 