Who is Barabbas?

All four Gospels mention individuals whose lives were in some way changed by a brief encounter with Jesus. These encounters are recorded in only a few verses, but they illustrate one aspect of grace. "But God shows his love for us in that Christ died for us when we were still sinners" (Romans 5,8). Barabbas is such a person who was allowed to experience this grace in a very special way.

It was the time of the Jewish Passover festival. Barabbas was already in custody awaiting execution. Jesus had been arrested and was on trial before Pontius Pilate. Pilate, knowing that Jesus was innocent of the charges against him, tried a trick to get him released. "But at the festival the governor was in the habit of releasing the people any prisoner they wanted. But at that time they had a notorious prisoner by the name of Jesus Barabbas. And when they were assembled, Pilate said to them, Which one do you want? Whom shall I release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus, who is said to be the Christ?" (Matthew 27,15-17).

So Pilate decided to grant their request. He released the man who had been imprisoned for insurrection and murder and handed Jesus over to the will of the people. Thus Barabbas was saved from death and Jesus was crucified in his place between two thieves. Who is this Jesus Barabbas as a man? The name "Bar abba[s]" means "son of the father". John simply speaks of Barabbas as a "robber," not one who breaks into a house like a thief, but one of the kind that bandits, privateers, plunderers are, those who ravage, destroy, take advantage of the misery of others. So Barabbas was a vile figure.

This brief encounter ends with the release of Barabbas, but leaves some interesting, unanswered questions. How did he live the rest of his life after the eventful night? Has he ever thought about the events of this Passover? Did it cause him to change his lifestyle? The answer to these questions remains a mystery.

Paul did not experience the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus himself. He writes: "First of all I passed on to you what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures" (1. Corinthians 15,3-4). We think about these central events of the Christian faith especially in the Easter season. But who is this released prisoner?

That released prisoner on death row is you. The same germ of malice, the same germ of hatred, and the same germ of rebellion that sprouted in the life of Jesus Barabbas is also slumbering somewhere in your heart. It may not bring evil fruit into your life as obviously, but God sees it very clearly: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6,23).

In the light of the grace revealed in these events, how will you live the rest of your life? Unlike Barabbas, the answer to this question is not a mystery. Many verses in the New Testament give practical principles for the Christian life, but the answer is probably best summed up by Paul in his letter to Titus: "For the wholesome grace of God has appeared to all people and educates us to turn away from ungodly beings and worldly desires and living prudently, righteously and piously in this world and waiting for the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us so that he might redeem us from all injustice and purified itself as property a people zealous for good works "(Titus 2,11-14).

by Eddie Marsh