LANGUAGE:
Barabbas Takes The Stage
(Mark 15:6-15: Matt 27:15–26; Luke 23:18–25; John 18:39–19:16)
I invite you to open your Bibles to Mark 15.
Mark’s intent is to focus on the certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,[i] and the fulfillment of the promise given in Genesis 3:15 (ESV) where God says to Satan, I will put enmity[ii] between you (that would be the line of Satan)’ and the woman’s’ offspring;[iii] and he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”[iv]
We are now in the final hours leading to Jesus’ death, where He takes the wrath of God against our sin. 1 John 4:10 (M:BCL) This is the kind of love we are talking about—. . . that God loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage our sins have done to our relationship with God.[v] What we do with this truth is a decision that has eternal consequences.[vi]
Let’s pray: Gracious Father, help us to see how Jesus has become the sacrifice that covers our sins. As You open this passage to us, help us to see the ‘now’ in which we live in light of eternity. AMEN.
The verses we are looking at begin with v6 to v15. The focus is on a criminal by the name of Barabbas. Because of the length of the passage before us, we’ll skip reading it in its entirety. Instead, I’ll try to give you the cliff-notes of the story before us.
15 It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. 16 At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison. 19 (He had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.)[vii] 20Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus. 17 With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?” 18 At that, the crowd went wild: “Kill him! Give us Barabbas!” 26 At that point Pilate pardoned Barabbas, but had Jesus whipped, and handed over for crucifixion.
In Luke’s gospel, chap 23, we’re given a quick summary of Pilate’s take on Jesus.
Interestingly, Pilate is no saint. He was a cruel and oppressive governor; he had no love for the Jews.[ix] And yet, he testified as to Jesus’ innocence. He could find no reason for the Jewish shenanigans, declaring Him quilting and deserving death. It was clear to him that Jesus was totally innocent of the charges. V10 tells us he was very much aware that Jesus was in his court because of the envy of the Jewish leadership. Upon examining Jesus Pilate reports back to the crowd in Luke 23:14 (ESV) “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. But after examining Him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.
Remember John the Baptist’s testimony in John 1:29, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. I find the ritual for bringing a lamb for sacrifice very interesting. According to Deuteronomy 15:21, you couldn’t just grab any lamb from the flock. Once you picked your lamb for sacrifice, you had to set it aside and examine it for three days, looking for blemishes such as lameness, blindness, imperfections, etc.[x] Then at the time of sacrifice, the priest would again examine the lamb in case the owner missed something. Upon his approval the lamb would then be sacrificed as a sin offering. The point is, sacrificing a lamb for sin was a very big deal.
To the crowds the Baptist had testified that Jesus was the Lamb of God. Since He was God’s sacrificial lamb for sin, He had to follow protocol. In preparation for God’s sacrifice for our sins, in following protocol, Jesus was examined by the crowds for three years vs 3 days and found to be without blemish; He was then examined by Pilate and found to be without guilt; and in the process examined by God Himself and approved for sacrifice of our sins. As we are told in 1 Peter 1:18–19 (NASB95) 18 know that ‘we’ were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from our forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Now as to the trial, according to the Gospel narratives, the crowds are growing uneasy.[xi] In John’s Gospel we are told that there was a custom at Passover time to release/pardon a prisoner. The crowd shouts out, “give us Barabbas, crucify Jesus”. V15, Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having whipped Jesus severely, he delivered him to be crucified.
Just who is Barabbas?[xii] John 18 tells us that he was a robber,[xiii] and in Acts 3 were told that he was a murder.[xiv] v7(ESV) And here in Mark 15, 7 he was amongst the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection.
So whatever else, he was a political prisoner, part of a major rebellion against Rome and a freedom fighter of some kind. He likely represented what the people wanted Jesus to be, a freedom fighter,[xv] which would explain somewhat the people’s outburst in John 18:40 (M:BCL) “Not this one, but Barabbas!” Jesus was a disappointment, a failure when it came to freedom from their perspective, while at least Barabbas tried. The point being, Barabbas was a violent man who hated the Romans perhaps as much as Pilate hated the Jews, while Jesus was a total opposite. Just as it is said in Isaiah 53:1-3, Isaiah 53:2–3 (GW) 2 He grew up in his presence like a young tree, like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him. He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn’t consider him to be worth anything. In the heat of the moment, while Jesus was not caught up in the world’s politics Barabbas, Pilate and the Jews were held him captive by it.
Herein lies the deceptiveness of sin. Proverbs 14:12 (NASB95) There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. There is a path that looks right and seems to be of God, yet it is actually against Him and His ways. The people choose their own path of liberation rather than God's. As Augustine, the great African Theologian wrote, the people choose "not their Savior, but the murderer; not their Giver of life, but the destroyer".[xvi] And so we see the deceptiveness of sin: There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
As I reflect on the events that unfold, there are at least two layers in these events that I find fascinating.
First, there is more than just an exchange of persons when it comes to Barabbas and Jesus.
Pilate finds himself between a rock and hard-place. There’s the innocence of Jesus vs the jealousy/envy of the Jewish leadership. They forced him to make a choice—between setting Jesus free or experience the wrath of Rome. Because of that Barabbas becomes Pilate’s scape goat.[xvii] As Andrew Wilson writes in Christianity Today, Barabbas and Jesus stand accused of the same crime: sedition, insurrection, treason. Barabbas was a revolutionary who directly challenged Roman rule.[xviii] On the other hand Jesus avoided the political bantering, coming across as a disappointment. So in order to remove Him from the lime-light they presented Him/Jesus as a threat to Caesar’s governance as the king of the Jews.[xix]
Jesus doesn’t just go to the cross instead of Barabbas; He actually goes to the cross as His representative, as dying in his place. This wasn’t so much of an exchange, as it was of a substitution. Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice is clearly worded in Romans 8:3: “ So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins” (New Living Translation).
When Jesus stood before Pilate, He didn’t call down legions of angels, or called anyone names, or argued, or go the “Old Testament” on the crowd.[xxii] He willingly gave of Himself to redeem us. His willingness to stand in for Barabbas showed us a better way to bring change.
Then there is the Passover story itself given to us in Exodus. We don’t want to miss the tie-in here. Mark captures this in V6(ESV) Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. Mark is making a point that this all happened on Passover which takes us back in time to Exodus 12-13. There God declares He was going to kill all the firstborn because of Pharaoh and Egypt’s stubbornness. To be exempted from certain death, a Lamb was to be killed, and its blood splashed on the doorframes.
There stands Barabbas, guilty. Popular, but guilty. And as a side note, we all stand with Barabbas, guilty. But in stark contrast comes Romans 5:8–9 (ESV)
8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Barabbas was a notorious prisoner, a revolutionary, a freedom fighter, and a murderer. He had no right to be released from prison and the coming execution, yet he is presented to us as an example of God’s grace and mercy.[xxiii] Barabbas is flat out guilty as charged according to Luke 23:22; But in contrast Jesus was innocent, having done nothing to deserve death. But that is the whole point here. And like Barabbas we stand condemned for we All have sinned and continue to fall short of the glory of God, and the wages for sin is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23), yet Christ died for us anyway. Jesus, the innocent one, delivered over to die, while the guilty one deserving death is released.
·
One thing we can always remember about Barabbas is, guilty as charged, and released from prison at the insistence of the Jews because of envy. They preferred to have him set free as opposed to Jesus. Despite His innocence they condemned Him to death. And the guilty man was released instead of the righteous one.
But The biggest and most important lesson we learn from Barabbas is how his freedom is similar to the freedom we received from Jesus. Barabbas mirrors our nature before Jesus redeems us from our sins. We were sinners who violated the Word of God and headed for eternal condemnation. Then, Jesus came and died in our place, and set us free from eternal death. Like Barabbas, we were released when Jesus died in our place.
When you read the story of Barabbas, let it bubble up a thankful heart to God because the death and resurrection of Jesus, who reconciled us to God and now we can fellowship with Him today. We are truly free because Jesus set us free out of His great love for us.
There’s a poem/song that nails down the Barabbas story.
I lived two thousand years ago
A thief, a rebel was I
My name is Barabbas
And I was condemned to die
On Friday morning the jailer came
In the early light I could see
As he dragged two thieves away he said
Barabbas you can go free
The crowd outside was angry
And I could hear them roar Barabbas, Barabbas
as the jailer unlocked my door
I made my way through the city gates
Out to Mt. Calvary
Instead of two crosses on that hill
I could see that there were three
Who’s hanging there upon my cross
The one they built for me?
Who’s dying there in the middle
That Barabbas might free?
A purple robe, a crown of thorns
A face forgiving and kind
Nailed to the cross on Calvary
The cross that should have been mine
I lived two thousand years ago
A sinner friend, like you
My name is Barabbas
But your’s is Barabbas too[xxv]
The more we understand the depths of our sin, the more we hear ourselves say, “I am Barabbas.” I am so clearly guilty and deserving of condemnation, but set free because of the willing substitution of the Son of God in my place.
The Jews chose the wrong man, but the Lord put forward the right one. That’s the gospel. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
You and I are sinners. We sit in a spiritual prison, bound helpless, awaiting the day when we will receive the just punishment we deserve. We sit on the death row not knowing when God’s righteous judgment will come down. But the good news is, when we repent of our sin and trust in Jesus, He goes to the cross in our place. He gets what we deserve; we get what He deserves. He gives up His life so we can have life. We are all sinners in the eyes of God – just as guilty as Barabbas. But only through the blood of Jesus can we be set free. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)
Today, if you acknowledge that you are a Barabbas, may I introduce you to Jesus? If you confess your sins, God will be faithful and just to forgive your sins and set you free from condemnation (1 John 1:9)[xxvi]
Let’s close in prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sin. Thank You that His blood has paid the full penalty for our sins and that the power of sin in our lives has been broken through Him. Thank You that His sacrifice reveals Your immense love for everyone despite our rebellion. This morning I give You thanks and praise for this free gift of salvation that is open to whosoever will come. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen[xxvii]
[i] Cf., Mark 1:1 (NASB95) 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
[ii] This verse establishes a cosmic explanation for the disorder of the world: Satan is at work. Satan had been given dominion over the earth by the disobedience of Adam. The kingdom of darkness rules and is the way of the world, ruled by its wicked king. Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005). The Hebrew word translated “hostility” is derived from the root אֵיב (’ev, “to be hostile, to be an adversary [or enemy]”). The curse announces that there will be continuing hostility between the serpent and the woman. The serpent will now live in a “battle zone,” as it were.
[iii] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005).The Hebrew word translated “offspring” is a collective singular. The text anticipates the ongoing struggle between human beings (the woman’s offspring) and deadly poisonous snakes (the serpent’s offspring). An ancient Jewish interpretation of the passage states: “He made the serpent, cause of the deceit, press the earth with belly and flank, having bitterly driven him out. He aroused a dire enmity between them. The one guards his head to save it, the other his heel, for death is at hand in the proximity of men and malignant poisonous snakes.” See Sib. Or. 1:59–64. For a similar interpretation see Josephus, Ant. 1.1.4 (1.50–51). Heb “he will attack [or “bruise”] you [on] the head.” The singular pronoun and verb agree grammatically with the collective singular noun “offspring.” For other examples of singular verb and pronominal forms being used with the collective singular “offspring,” see Gen 16:10; 22:17; 24:60. The word “head” is an adverbial accusative, locating the blow. A crushing blow to the head would be potentially fatal. You will attack her offspring’s heel. Though the conflict will actually involve the serpent’s offspring (snakes) and the woman’s offspring (human beings), v. 15b for rhetorical effect depicts the conflict as being between the serpent and the woman’s offspring, as if the serpent will outlive the woman. The statement is personalized for the sake of the addressee (the serpent) and reflects the ancient Semitic concept of corporate solidarity, which emphasizes the close relationship between a progenitor and his offspring. Note Gen 28:14, where the LORD says to Jacob, “Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you [second masculine singular] will spread out in all directions.” Jacob will “spread out” in all directions through his offspring, but the text states the matter as if this will happen to him personally.
[iv] Cf., 1 John 3:8 (NASB95) 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. John 8:43–45 (NASB95) 43 “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
[v] M:BCL = The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language
[vi] John 17:3 (NASB95) 3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
[vii] Matthew 27:15–16, 26 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) Luke 23:18–19 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language)
[viii] At the crucifixion two thieves were crucified with Jesus. v41, one of them rebukes the other with these words, we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then there is the Centurion in charge of the crucifixion, V47, Standing at the foot of the cross. And he testifies, “certainly this man was innocent.”
[ix] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pontius-Pilate. According to the traditional account of his life, Pilate was a Roman equestrian (knight) of the Samnite clan of the Pontii (hence his name Pontius). He was appointed prefect of Judaea through the intervention of Sejanus, a favourite of the Roman emperor Tiberius. The Samaritans reported Pilate to Vitellius, legate of Syria, after he attacked them on Mount Gerizim (36 CE). He was then ordered back to Rome to stand trial for cruelty and oppression, particularly on the charge that he had executed men without proper trial. He provoked both Jews and Samaritans to riot. Josephus tells us that “in order to abolish Jewish laws,” and with the intent of diminishing privileges Jews had hitherto enjoyed, Pilate ordered his troops to encamp in Jerusalem and sent them into the city with images of the emperor attached to their ensigns.
[x] Leviticus 1:3 (NASB95) 3 ‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. Deuteronomy 15:21 (NASB95)
21 “But if it has any defect, such as lameness or blindness, or any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.
[xi] Cf., John 18:39–19:16: Matt 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:18–25
[xii] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Barabbas-biblical-figure The name may be an Aramaic patronymic meaning “son of the father” (bar abba) or “son of the teacher” (bar rabban), indicating perhaps that his father was a Jewish leader. According to the early biblical scholar Origen and other commentators, the full name of Barabbas may have been Jesus Barabbas, since Jesus was a common first name. If so, the crowd was presented with a choice between two persons with the same name.
[xiii] John 18:40 (NASB95)40 So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.
[xiv] Acts 3:14 (NASB95) “But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
[xv] John 6:15 (NASB95) 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. John 18:36–37 (NASB95) 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
[xvi] Augustine In John 116.1; https://www.churchpop.com/2016/10/12/was-st-augustine-black-the-skin-color-of-the-churchs-greatest-theologian/ .
[xvii] https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/24305/was-the-scapegoat-of-leviticus-an-allusion-to-barabbas One thing that Christ said is paramount, and that is “the scriptures must be fulfilled.” In Leviticus 16 the ritual of atonement, twin goats were presented to God (i.e. The Judge) and then God decided which goat would die and which goat would be released alive into the wilderness (represented by casting of lots). BOTH of these goats were considered the SINGLE sin offering in the foreshadowing ritual. In the ritual, all of the sins were placed on the head of the second goat, so by all intents and purposes the second goat was “full of sin” or seen as “sinful”, while the first goat “had no sin” or was “sinless”. Still...the pure goat was killed for the sin payment while the sinful goat was set free though it actually deserved to die.This is exactly what we have fulfilled in the gospel account. Barabbas was a criminal; guilty of crimes, while Christ was an innocent man. Christ died, while Barabbas was set free.Again, Christ said The Scriptures must be fulfilled. Leviticus must be fulfilled to the very letter because all scripture is "God-breathed"(2 Tim 3:16). Not one jot or tittle passes from the Torah (i.e. scriptures) until ALL is fulfilled. - Christ
[xviii] Luke 23:18–19 (NASB95)18 But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.)
[xix] Andrew Wilson, The Story of Barabbas Is Not Mere Prisoner Swap, https://www.com/ct/2021/april/andrew-wilson-barabbas-story-prisoner-swap.html
[xx] Ephesians 2:14–16 (NASB95) 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
[xxi] Colossians 2:13–15 (NASB95) 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
[xxii] 1 Peter 2:22–25 (NASB95) 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
[xxiii] Genesis 9:6 (NASB95) 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.
[xxiv] Melissa Tumino, A Powerful Lesson From Barabbas in the Bible, https://thinkaboutsuchthings.com/barabbas-in-the-bible/
[xxv] Barabbas, https://bluegrasstoday.com/the-story-behind-the-song-barabbas/ Patent Pending CD A Child of God (Copper Creek Records CCCD 0158) © Eldred Hill (Lonesome Note Music – BMI)
[xxvi] Cf., Caleb Kaltenbach, We’re Still Choosing Between Barabbas and Jesus, https://christianstandard.com/2021/04/ were-still-choosing-between-barabbas-and-jesus/ Sgt. Joseph Serna was an Army Special Forces soldier who served four tours in Afghanistan. Various media reported how he was nearly killed by a suicide bomber and a roadside bomb. Serna also narrowly avoided drowning one night when a dirt road gave way and his truck rolled into a canal. After 20 years in the Army, Serna returned home with three Purple Hearts . . . and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Eventually, Serna was arrested for DUI and entered the court’s sobriety program for veterans. He appeared 25 times before Judge Lou Olivera (also a veteran) to show his progress in the program. One day, Serna confessed to lying about a urine test. Judge Olivera sentenced him to 24 hours in jail.
On April 13, 2016, much to Serna’s surprise, Judge Olivera drove him to the jail, brought dinner, walked him to the cell, and entered the cell with him. The Washington Post reported that, as the door shut, Serna asked, “You are here for the entire time with me?”
Concerned about Serna’s PTSD, Judge Olivera replied, “Yeah that’s what I am doing.”
Jesus didn’t just stand-in for us during one moment in time. … He promised to continue fighting for us and always be with us (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 8:34).
[xxvii] https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/John/3/16