Men and Women of the Bible…

Barabbas

Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-40

Barabbas was a prisoner who was jailed alongside Jesus. Placed into jail due to crimes he committed such as murder, trouble making, and a thief. He was someone who was known to cause an uproar.

There is always a feast around Passover and the governor would release a prisoner. The Pilate asked, who should be freed, Jesus (who really did not do any harm but only went about doing good and noble things) or Barabbas. The people chose Barabbas. 

Jesus made them feel uneasy. He would always be around those who others outcasted for one reason or another. Jesus respected them and treated them with the love of God. Whereas, Barabbas did not hold the people to living righteously. He sinned and did not make others feel uncomfortable.

Barabbas is like each and every one of us. We don’t always live our lives according to how God wants us to live. The choices available to Barabbas are available to us all: surrender to God in grateful acknowledgment of what Christ has done for us, or spurn the gift and continue living apart from the Lord.

We are yet sinners just like him. BUT by God’s grace, our lives have been spared. Just like Barabbas was set free, we too have been set free. Jesus died to cover our sins.