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Give Us Barabbas!

Written by Khimani A. Williams

Tuesday, 01 April 2008

Ever wonder what would have resulted if the people had called for Jesus instead of Barabbas? What if they said to Pontius Pilate, “Give us Jesus and crucify Barabbas!” where would we be today? Let me answer: “We will still be in our sins!” What a point in history that was. Imagine the innocent Christ on one hand and the guilty sinner on the other. Thank God for His eternal will which was manifested in time, and no devil in hell could cancel or postpone God’s purpose. I’m joyous that Jesus was on the middle cross and not another!

For some context: Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. When He was accused by the chief priests and the elders, He gave no answer. Then Pilate asked Him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. 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." But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. [Matthew 27: 11 – 31].

Pilate had a custom of releasing one prisoner at the Feast, so when he asked who the crowd wanted, they called for Barabbas. Today millions of souls reap the benefits of that decision, because only a perfect sacrifice would God accept, and Jesus Christ was the Perfect Sacrifice. In the past the High Priest had to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, but before he could do so he had to offer a sacrifice for his own sins. This means that he, too, was not perfect. He had to repeat the process annually, and after he finished he had to remain standing each time. But when Jesus died, He was and still is the Great High Priest. He was perfect, and in offering Himself for the sins of the world He made the acceptable sacrifice, once and then He sat down at the Father’s right hand after His triumphant resurrection.

Barabbas, even if he was a priest, was never good enough. Aaron was the High Priest, but Jesus Is the Great High Priest. This is what God’s Word has to say: “So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With His own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

There’s nothing much I have said in this article or could have said, but if I had a chance to choose between Christ and another, this is my joy: “Give me Jesus!”

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