“The One for Whom Jesus Died” by Mark McGee
“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, saying, ‘Not this Man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber.” John 18:39-40
One of my favorite stories around Easter time is about Barabbas. Why? Because it has a life-saving message for us today.
Barabbas is mentioned in all of the Gospel accounts. John’s is the shortest. Matthew, Mark and Luke go into greater detail. Why do all four Gospel writers include the account of Barabbas? One answer could be that it was pivotal to whether Jesus would die or be released. Another answer could be that it was one of the ways God demonstrated His great love for us.
John wrote that Barabbas was a “robber.” According to Matthew’s account, Barabbas was a “notorious prisoner.” Mark wrote that Barabbas was chained with his fellow rebels because they had committed murder in “the” rebellion. Luke also wrote that Barabbas had been thrown into prison for murder and for being in a rebellion in Jerusalem.
Let’s set the scene for a moment. Marcus Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judaea at the time Jesus was teaching, preaching and working miracles in that same area. Historical writings about Pilate report the Jews didn’t like him because of his harsh governance and pushing his paganism on them. Pilate had to put down many rebellions during his time in Judaea and Barabbas was probably one of the rebels his troops had arrested. Pilate obviously saw the guilt of Barabbas and the innocence of Jesus and may have thought the Jews would see it the same way – even though he knew the real reason Jesus was standing before him was because of the envy of the Jewish chief priests.
The Jews had a custom that the Roman governor would release a prisoner to them at Passover. The custom may have been an ancient one as part of remembering God’s freeing His people from Egypt following the first Passover. Some scholars suggest it may have been part of a Roman custom. Whichever it was, Pilate recognized the custom and used it as an attempt to free Jesus.
“You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will
The Jews and their leaders who were gathered together for the sole purpose of making sure the Romans crucified Jesus would have none of Pilate’s offers to chastise Jesus and release Him.
“But Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, ‘What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?’ So they cried out again, ‘Crucify Him!’ Then Pilate said to them, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out all the more, ‘Crucify Him!’” Mark 15:9-14
Even though Pilate knew Jesus was innocent of all charges against him, and had been warned by his wife against harming “that just Man” because of a dream she had had, Pilate capitulated to the crowd.
“So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.” Mark 15:15
We know little about what happened to Barabbas after Pilate released him to the crowd. Barabbas was a rebel, thief and murderer and may have returned to that life. However, facing the death penalty and seeing an innocent person willingly die in his place may have had a profound impact on his life. The Bible and history don’t answer that question.
We do see the Apostle Peter mention Barabbas briefly in Acts 3 –
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” Acts 3:13-16
What we do see in this brief moment of time in the life of Barabbas is that the innocent Jesus died in the place of the guilty rebel, thief and murderer. Certainly it stands as a lesson for us all.
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8
Jesus, a Just and Righteous Man who was innocent of any crime, died for the ungodly Barabbas and He died for you and me. Though we have no record of how Barabbas responded to the love of Jesus Christ, we know what our response should be –
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:9-11
If you have received the gracious gift of God’s love through Christ’s death on the Cross, rejoice! If you have not received this gift, be reconciled to God today through the death of God’s Son and be saved.
“… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10
Those are our prayers for you and your family, in Jesus’ Name.
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~ Written by Mark McGee ~
Mark McGee is a career journalist and former atheist. He worked on the news staff of several radio and television stations (including Huntsville’s WAAY-TV from 1984-1996) and two large metropolitan newspapers. Mark was a reporter, correspondent, anchor, managing editor, executive producer, and news director during a four-decade career in news. Since retiring in 2009, Mark has worked as a communications director and consultant.
Mark has written three published books and more than 250 Ebooks. He also writes regularly for several Christian blogs. Mark also serves as Alabama Regional Director for Ratio Christi Campus Apologetics Alliance and works with students at the University of Alabama Huntsville.
Mark has been active in martial arts and self-defense training since 1961 and has been teaching from a Christian perspective since 1971. He is an instructor with Christian Soldiers Karate at Whitesburg Baptist Church and continues to teach privately in the Huntsville area.
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