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HELEN SANDERS
4-3-2026
BARABBAS
Pontius Pilate saw that the religious people wanted to crucify Jesus. He knew Jesus had not done anything worthy of death by crucifixion and Pilate wanted to see him released. He offered the choice of letting one prisoner go free. It would either be Jesus or Barabbas, who was a well-known lawbreaker. Certainly, they would choose Jesus, who had healed the sick and raised the dead, who went about doing good.
We know that Barabbas was a well-known offender, possibly a murderer but known as a thief. Pilate thought they would choose Jesus, but instead they chose Barabbas. Barabbas deserved crucifixion, but God had another plan.
The religious leaders hated Jesus and persuaded the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and silence Jesus once and for all.
When we look at the Greek name Bar-abbas, it means son of Abba which means father or in English, “son of the father.” We also know that Jesus was the Son of the Father. Two sons of the father. Something interesting was happening.
There was a great exchange taking place here. Jesus, the Son of the Father, the one who was not guilty, was taking the place of Bar-abbas, the one that was guilty, who was named the son of the father, but not a son of Father God. He was the son of his father, the devil, or Satan, bound by sin and heading for eternity separated from the Father in Hell.
Jesus was about to give his life as the Son of Father God, for Bar-abbas, the son of the father Satan. This even represents more than we can realize. God allowed his Son to take the place of Bar-abbas to show us his love. Pilate could no more have stopped this from happening than he could stop the crucifixion of Jesus that came because of Bar-abbas’ release. The not guilty Son of the Father released the guilty son of the father.
We, too, stand on the auction block of sin, guilty as charged, but Jesus releases us from that guilty charge when accept him as our savior having shed his innocent blood or out guilty blood. When we realize what happened to Bar-abbas also happens to us, we should lift our hands in praise to Father God, thanking him for this great exchange of love.
We deserve the death penalty, but God, the Father, through his great love for us and all mankind made a way out. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection are proof of that love. We must never take it lightly.
We do not know what happened to Bar-abbas after he was freed, but if I were him and knew that an innocent man took my place of death, I would certainly learn more about him.
Have you given your life totally to Jesus? Do you thank him daily for what he has done for you? Every time we sin it is a reminder of those nails that pierced his hands and feet. Every time we take what He has done lightly, we must remember that crown of thorns that pierced his head, but Jesus then said in Luke 23:34, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” May we always remember what it cost Jesus to set Bar-abbas free and what it cost Jesus to set us free too.
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