Barabbas: The Rest of the Story

Matthew 27:21-22: The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

We’re all probably familiar with the story of Barabbas in the Bible who was released instead of Jesus. One thing that I have until now failed to see is that Jesus was taking the place of Barabbas. In effect, Jesus died in the place of Barabbas. There are three things to be taken from the picture that is drawn here in the story of the crucifixion.

First, Jesus is taking the place of Barabbas. As the story continues on from the place where Jesus was condemned to die, we tend to forget about the person who should be there. In the story, it was Barabbas. Barabbas is a perfect picture of every person before they are saved. The Bible depicts this man as a notorious criminal. When we read the story, are we not quick to judge Barabbas as being evil and disserving of death? In reality we are no better than he was. Romans 3:10 says: “There is none righteousness, no, not one.” Perhaps none of us have done anything that merits death according to the law of our nation, but Jesus says twice in Luke 13: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” It’s clear that in God’s court, we are all sentenced to death. However, if we do repent and believe, we can accept Christ’s death to be the sacrifice to take our place.

Next, there is something that may be easy to overlook in this story, and that’s the fact that not only did Jesus die in Barabbas’s place, but Barabbas was set free. And that brings me to my second point which is highlighted in Matthew 27:26: “Then he released Barabbas to the people.” Here again we see a picture of ourselves. In John 8:34 Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” Are we not all prisoners of sin before Christ comes along? Not only does Christ die in our place for the evil that we have committed, but He allows us to be freed from the bondage of it. If Jesus had died for our sins, but did not free us from it, that would be similar to Him dying in the place of Barabbas, and Pilot putting him back in prison. But Pilot didn’t put Barabbas back in prison, and God doesn’t leave us in the prison of our sin.

Lastly, as if being saved from death and released from bondage weren’t enough, there’s one other point to be noted here. My third point is made known in the meaning of Barabbas’ name. The first part of the name (Bar) means “son of” (similar to son at the end of names like Johnson). The second part of the name is abbas, which is translated to mean father (Abba, as used in the phrase “Abba Father” spoken of in Romans 8:15 is a word meant to convey a close relationship between a father and his child). So now we come to the conclusion that Barabbas means “son of the father.” This fact demonstrates the amazing thing that Jesus accomplished on the cross—that we should be called sons of the Father.
In the story of the crucifixion, the inclusion of Barabbas in Christ’s path to the cross paints a very detailed picture of what Christ’s sacrifice meant for condemned sinners, from Adam to men and women in our present age. And if we take a close look, we should be able to see ourselves in Barabbas. We are condemned to die as notorious sinners and enemies of God, but we are relieved of our punishment by the atonement of Christ. We are thus set free from the consequences of sin and from its bondage, and, as if that weren’t enough, are made “children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ together (Romans 8:16-17).”