Barabbas: The One They Wanted

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor.
"Barabbas," they answered. Matt. 27:21

We always settle for so much less.  They could have had the Savior and they chose the criminal instead. 

What did they get for their trouble?

The name "Barabbas" is significant.  The pre-fix “Bar” means “son of”.

“Abbas” was the name often used to address a priest or rabbi.  It also means "Father".

It seems oddly symbolic to me that one whose name literally meant "Son of the father" was exchanged for "The Son of The Father".

I believe there is a distinct possibility that Barabbas was the son of a priest.  I wonder if his father was among those inciting the crowd against Jesus?  What lengths would a father go to in order to save his son?

“Please ask for my son!  This Jesus is upsetting our entire nation, but my son has killed only a few!  It will be better to be rid of this one who foments rebellion!  He's just a carpenter's son! What is He worth to us?  Please, you know me, Barabbas is my son!”

What person, if they were any kind of good parent, would not ask to save their own child?

It's easy for me to look back and call them all fools for giving Him up.

I know who He is now, but there was a time...

There was a time when I cared little and less for Him.  There was a time when I would have been one of the crowd screaming the name of "Barabbas" in foaming rage instead of the name of "Jesus" in quiet reverence. 

There was a time in my life, that I now shudder to remember, when Jesus was just an inconvenience.

And what of Barabbas?  What did he think of his good fortune?

Did he ever see the face of the one for whom he was exchanged?

Did he ever understand that Christ literally died in his stead?

Did he change, or simply return to a criminal life?

Did the sacrifice of Christ make any difference to him?

Does it for you?

But what true parent among us could possibly make the choice to sacrifice one child to save another?

I couldn't.  I have no means to determine which would live or die.  I would die myself before making that choice.

God does.

He made that choice.

So Jesus was the One of us that died for all of us.

The Best of us, for the rest of us.

God knows how much He loves us.

The sacrifice He made was far more brutal for Him than for us. 

We are merely spectators to His actions, but we are invited to be participants.

There are many roles in this drama.

Pilate.

Peter.

Mary.

John.

The priests.

The crowd who hated Him.

The crowd who adored Him.

Barabbas.

Judas.

Many more.

When Easter comes around which one will you choose? 

Will you be the one they want, or the one He wants?

©Dan Bode 2012