Written by Opeyemi Ojekunle
The Word
9 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
John 18:39-40
15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[a] Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Matthew 27:15-26
Exegesis
Pilate did not want to crucify Jesus. He was sure Jesus is innocent of any crime deserving crucifixion. His wife also warned him against getting involved because of a dream, which would have been taken seriously by a Roman. One of the ploys that Pilate tried was to let Jesus go (Acts 3:13), and to release him according to the custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover (John 18:39), so he presented Barabbas and Jesus.
Barabbas was a murderer, robber and was jailed for lots of rebellious acts (Mark 15:7, Luke 23:19, John 18:40), yet the crowd chose him over Jesus to be released. Pilate could not justify killing Jesus, so he asked “Why, what evil has he done?”
In this story, I will say we all identify with Barabbas because our words, thoughts and actions are unjust, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Jesus came along to offer us a pardon so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. The exchange of Jesus for Barabbas is a sweet and wonderful one.
He gave his life as a ransom for us, that we may have life eternal.
How else or in who could we, the ungodly, wicked and unjust be justified and acquitted, except through Jesus, the Son of God?
I can not say if Barabbas received eternal salvation, but his rescue from death by Jesus points us to how Jesus is offering a rescue to every human so we may live forever if we believe in Him!
Application
Jesus came for us not to get what our deed deserves, death. He offered us an escape, he died that we may live. Jesus has given us a Passover amnesty because he is our Passover lamb. When we put our trust in Him, we have access to our pardon from sin and death, we enjoy the sweet exchange where Jesus was condemned in our place. Good news is, even if Barabbas (that is us) was worse than he already was, Jesus would still have died just for us to be forgiven and not face the wrath of God!
Prayer
Father God, thank you for your undiluted love, your love is so amazing. You came just the way we are, you felt everything we feel, you are the High Priest, the holy Lamb of God, you are our Advocate, thank You for Your love. Help us to trust in You and to believe that we are dead to sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin reign in our mortal body and let us live our lives for your glory. Amen.
City Life Starter 
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