Devotional on Mark 15:6-16
by Tim Williamson
Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Mark 15:6 – 15 (ESV)
This portion of the narrative of Good Friday is familiar to most of us. Jesus, an innocent man, is condemned by Pilot to be crucified due to the incessant protests of the crowds outside his palace. These crowds had been gathered and whipped up by the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem who believed Jesus to both be guilty of blasphemy (that is, claiming to be God) and saw him as a threat to their positions of power and their attempts to justify themselves before God through their outward obedience to the law. Pilot was a fairly shrewd man and had correctly, “perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered [Jesus] up.”
There was a potential solution available to him. By custom, the Roman Governor released one prisoner back to the people at Passover. If he were able to persuade the crowds to ask for Jesus to be released, he could put this whole affair (which he regarded as a Jewish religious squabble) to bed. The religious leaders and the crowds, however, would not be satisfied with the solution. Instead, they demanded that a man named Barabbas be released. We learn from the accompanying account in Luke that Barabbas was, “a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder,” (Luke 23:19, ESV). Unable to persuade the crowds, and in fear of a riot breaking out, Pilot eventually acquiesces by releasing Barabbas and having Jesus flogged and crucified.
I was encouraged to take a fresh look at this passage this week when I read something Kevin DeYoung posted on Twitter:
If ever there were a clear picture of the gospel, surely it is with Barabbas. The guilty man--a kind of imposter son of the father (bar abba)--goes free, while the innocent man, the true Son of the Father, dies in his place (John 18:40). -@RevKevDeYoung
I had not considered what the name Barabbas would have meant to the original crowd standing outside of Pilot’s palace and to the original readers and hearers of the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life.
“imposter son”.
Jesus taught us that there are only two families with two kinds of sons in this world. There are those who have God as their Father, and those who have the Devil as their father. The Jewish religious leaders claimed God as their Father, but Jesus rebuked them:
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” John 8:42 – 47, (ESV)
Jesus tells them that their will is to do their father’s desires, and that those desires include murder. Just as the Devil played his role in the murder-suicide that was Adam’s disobedience, his children would soon play their role in the murder of the Second Adam. Likewise, Barabbas, a murderer, is the choice of these same leaders when given the opportunity to have someone spared justice from the Roman governor. A group of “imposter sons” bargaining with the authorities to have the life of one of their own spared at the expense of the True Son. We are meant to see this as a great injustice. We are meant to pause and take account of what is happening. The imposter sons of the king are about to put the true crown prince to death, and in doing so lay hold of the keys to the kingdom. What can be done?
What could not be seen or understood by the eyewitnesses was that God was presenting an earthly picture of the heavenly reality taking place. As these events were unfolding, God was preparing to set aside his wrath against “imposter sons” and declare them righteous, while at the same time bearing their guilt in the person of the True Son. Barabbas is a picture God pardoning his people. Jesus’ enemies thought they had won, but God used this very act to help bring about his salvation!
As Peter would help the crowds at Pentecost soon understand:
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Acts 2:22-24 (ESV)
As God’s people it is good for us to reflect on the ways in which this episode involving Barabbas helps us think rightly about ourselves, our standing before God, and our Savior. I think there are three points (among others) worthy of consideration:
Just as Barabbas was truly guilty of crimes against the Emperor warranting death, so too were we truly guilty of crimes against the Supreme Emperor of the universe deserving Eternal Death.
Just as Barabbas was unable to free himself from the chains of a Roman prison, we were unable to free ourselves from bondage to sin and death.
Just as it required a decree from the Governor to set Barabbas free, so too our freedom has come through the declaration of righteousness pronounced upon us by God.
Thanks be to God that he loved rebellious “imposter sons” enough to atone for them, forgive them, and adopt them into his family to share in the glorious inheritance of his True Son!
“Man of Sorrows” what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned He stood
Sealed my pardon with His blood
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Guilty vile and helpless we
Spotless Lamb of God was He
Full atonement can it be
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Lifted up was He to die
“It is finished!” was His cry
Now in heaven exalted high
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior
When He comes, our glorious King
All His ransomed home to bring
Then anew this song we’ll sing
Hallelujah, what a Savior
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm_CwCvs4Ho
Have a blessed Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday!