"But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will."
Luke 23:18-25
More Than a Pardon
The fervor of the crowd grew as the chief priests and rulers of the people responded to the summons of Pilate. They approached the Roman governor with fatal intent to hear his ruling on the guilt of Jesus, whom they accused. Pilate looked upon them and declared,
“After examining him before you, behold I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.” (Luke 23:14b-16)
The hearts of the religious leaders were hard and their intent fixed, and they cried out against Jesus and demanded Pilate release Barabbas, a known insurrectionist. It was the custom for the governor to release one prisoner to the people and, desiring to release Jesus, Pilate beseeched the Jewish leaders two more times, “but they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that He should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.” (Luke 23:23) Barabbas, was released, and Jesus led away to be crucified.
What becomes of Barabbas remains a mystery. Did he seek out his friends and go carousing through the evening, celebrating his good fortune? Did he carry on his work, fighting against the empire of Rome? Or did he follow the path of the innocent man who died so he could be free? Did he watch as the lash striped the back of Jesus, thinking that could have been his back. Did a shiver run up his spine when Jesus collapsed under the burden of carrying his own cross, knowing it could have been his back crushed under the weight. Did his blood turn to ice at the pounding of the nails, or his heart melt when he heard Jesus proclaim “Father forgive them, they know not what they do”?
We don’t know what becomes of Barabbas, but he was offered more than a pardon, Barabbas was a substitution. The innocent man, Jesus, took the punishment Barabbas deserved. He not only took the earthly consequences, He also bore the wrath of God against sin, a substitutionary sacrifice which atoned for our sin. As Isaiah prophesied,
Isaiah 53:5–6 ... "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Father, the innocent lamb of God, died in order that Barabbas, had the opportunity to be forgiven his sins and become a true son of the Father (bar-abba). The offer made to Barabbas is also made to us, "[Jesus] came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:11–12). Will you reject Jesus and receive the just punishment for your sins, or, will you receive Him, believe in His name, and become a child of God?