And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Barabbas was in custody as the notable and notorious prisoner whom the people could choose for release instead of Jesus under the feast custom. He was a robber chief and hardened murderer and ruffian, a false christ who under satanic delusion claimed religious power and the right to set the world right. Pilate set him side by side with the innocent, gentle and righteous Son of God, hoping the contrast would move the crowd to choose Jesus, but stirred up by the priests and rulers the maddened mob demanded Barabbas released and Jesus crucified. In that cry they preferred a murderer's company to goodness, mercy and truth itself, while Satan led those who reviled and crucified Christ. Placed beside Jesus, Barabbas represents Satan the rebellious robber and murderer, so that choosing Barabbas over Christ then and in earth's closing scenes is choosing Satan before Christ, rejecting the only provision for cleansing from sin, a choice every person still demonstrates by his own life.
The Notable Prisoner
When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Barabbas was already in custody as the notable, notorious prisoner whom the people could choose for release instead of Jesus. The offer was made under the custom of releasing at the feast, the great national festival, one prisoner chosen by the people, even one condemned to death. That custom was a pagan and unjust invention with no justice in it.
Barabbas was a robber and murderer, held as the notable prisoner set against the innocent Jesus. He was a robber chief and hardened desperado and ruffian, with appearance and expression marking him as such. He was a false Christ who pretended to be Christ, who had done great wickedness, who under satanic delusion claimed that whatever he could get by theft and robbery and murder was his own, who did wonderful things through satanic agencies, and who claimed religious power and a right to establish a different order of things and to set the world right.
Set beside Jesus, he stood in stark contrast to the true, innocent, sinless and righteous Christ. Jesus was gentle, patient and suffering, full of goodness, mercy and truth. He is the Son of God who made the world and all things therein, whose power even while bound and accused was the power of God and not of a common man.
The Trial Choice
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and that the rulers had brought Him from envy, and his soul was in terrible conflict over how to save Him from that maddened power. Hoping the contrast between innocence and guilt would move the crowd to justice and sympathy, he set the two prisoners side by side and offered a choice between Barabbas and Jesus of Nazareth, flattering himself that the people would choose Jesus. The offer was made under the custom of releasing at the feast one prisoner chosen by the people.
Stirred up by the priests and rulers, whose religious bigotry and prejudice prevailed, the maddened mob demanded the release of Barabbas and the condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus. Thereby they preferred a murderer's company to the Son of God and His goodness and truth, choosing a robber and murderer over the sinless and righteous One. Pilate declared to the throng that he found no fault in Christ, yet delivered Him into their hands, and they put Him to open shame and crucified Him in a cruel death of shame on the cross of Calvary.
Satan was at the head of and led those who reviled and crucified Christ and demanded Barabbas. Angels witnessed these cruel deeds, and by His death Christ proved false Satan's charges against God and vindicated God in the sight of the angels in heaven as One willing to make the greatest sacrifice for man. The account's picture of the crowd's fickleness and its demand that Jesus be crucified helped prepare the disciples for the trial of His betrayal and death, though it gives no detail about Barabbas himself.
Christ or Barabbas Today
In the judgment-hall the notable prisoner set beside Jesus stands for Satan himself, the rebellious robber and apostate and murderer, Satan personified. When the voices roared for the release of Barabbas, men were choosing Satan before Christ, and that choosing gave Satan great exaltation. Set there against the Son of God who made the world and all things therein, Barabbas offered man a choice between the two. That choosing of Barabbas over Christ pictures the choice facing the world in earth's closing scenes, accepting Satan and his falsehoods while rejecting Christ and the message of mercy concerning God's commandments and the faith of Jesus.
To choose Barabbas is to reject Christ, for those who reject the light of heaven reject Christ and the only provision for cleansing from sin. They will answer to God for that choice. That same choice is still being made in the world now, when Barabbas is still chosen and the answer for Christ is crucify Him. Every person demonstrates by his own life whom he is choosing.
When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Barabbas was in custody as the notable and notorious prisoner whom the people could choose for release instead of Jesus under the feast custom. He was a robber chief and hardened murderer and ruffian, a false christ who under satanic delusion claimed religious power and the right to set the world right. Pilate set him side by side with the innocent, gentle and righteous Son of God, hoping the contrast would move the crowd to choose Jesus, but stirred up by the priests and rulers the maddened mob demanded Barabbas released and Jesus crucified. In that cry they preferred a murderer's company to goodness, mercy and truth itself, while Satan led those who reviled and crucified Christ. Placed beside Jesus, Barabbas represents Satan the rebellious robber and murderer, so that choosing Barabbas over Christ then and in earth's closing scenes is choosing Satan before Christ, rejecting the only provision for cleansing from sin, a choice every person still demonstrates by his own life.
The Notable Prisoner
When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Barabbas was already in custody as the notable, notorious prisoner whom the people could choose for release instead of Jesus.
The offer was made under the custom of releasing at the feast, the great national festival, one prisoner chosen by the people, even one condemned to death.
That custom was a pagan and unjust invention with no justice in it.
Barabbas was a robber and murderer, held as the notable prisoner set against the innocent Jesus.
He was a robber chief and hardened desperado and ruffian, with appearance and expression marking him as such.
He was a false Christ who pretended to be Christ, who had done great wickedness, who under satanic delusion claimed that whatever he could get by theft and robbery and murder was his own, who did wonderful things through satanic agencies, and who claimed religious power and a right to establish a different order of things and to set the world right.
Set beside Jesus, he stood in stark contrast to the true, innocent, sinless and righteous Christ.
Jesus was gentle, patient and suffering, full of goodness, mercy and truth.
He is the Son of God who made the world and all things therein, whose power even while bound and accused was the power of God and not of a common man.
The Trial Choice
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and that the rulers had brought Him from envy, and his soul was in terrible conflict over how to save Him from that maddened power. Hoping the contrast between innocence and guilt would move the crowd to justice and sympathy, he set the two prisoners side by side and offered a choice between Barabbas and Jesus of Nazareth, flattering himself that the people would choose Jesus. The offer was made under the custom of releasing at the feast one prisoner chosen by the people.
Stirred up by the priests and rulers, whose religious bigotry and prejudice prevailed, the maddened mob demanded the release of Barabbas and the condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus. Thereby they preferred a murderer's company to the Son of God and His goodness and truth, choosing a robber and murderer over the sinless and righteous One. Pilate declared to the throng that he found no fault in Christ, yet delivered Him into their hands, and they put Him to open shame and crucified Him in a cruel death of shame on the cross of Calvary.
Satan was at the head of and led those who reviled and crucified Christ and demanded Barabbas. Angels witnessed these cruel deeds, and by His death Christ proved false Satan's charges against God and vindicated God in the sight of the angels in heaven as One willing to make the greatest sacrifice for man. The account's picture of the crowd's fickleness and its demand that Jesus be crucified helped prepare the disciples for the trial of His betrayal and death, though it gives no detail about Barabbas himself.
Christ or Barabbas Today
In the judgment-hall the notable prisoner set beside Jesus stands for Satan himself, the rebellious robber and apostate and murderer, Satan personified. When the voices roared for the release of Barabbas, men were choosing Satan before Christ, and that choosing gave Satan great exaltation. Set there against the Son of God who made the world and all things therein, Barabbas offered man a choice between the two. That choosing of Barabbas over Christ pictures the choice facing the world in earth's closing scenes, accepting Satan and his falsehoods while rejecting Christ and the message of mercy concerning God's commandments and the faith of Jesus.
To choose Barabbas is to reject Christ, for those who reject the light of heaven reject Christ and the only provision for cleansing from sin. They will answer to God for that choice. That same choice is still being made in the world now, when Barabbas is still chosen and the answer for Christ is crucify Him. Every person demonstrates by his own life whom he is choosing.