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“Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner,
whomsoever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay
bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed
murder in the insurrection. And the multitude crying aloud began to
desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. But Pilate answered
them, saying, ‘Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?’
For he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him for envy. But the
chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas
unto them.” Mark 15: 6 - 11
Earlier this month I was at a friend’s house and we were
watching an animated Easter film. It was about the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus, but it had a twist to it. The difference was
that instead of the usual narrator explaining the happenings, it had
Barabbas, was the Jews asked to be released from prison instead of
Jesus, going around like an investigative reporter, seeking to find out
the truth about the widespread rumour. He had heard that an innocent
man, powerful and kind, died in his place, and though he was a ‘tough
guy’ he just couldn’t release himself of such a thought. A good man
died for him? This was too good to be true.
Now Barabbas was not your typical criminal. He was what we call a ‘bad man’. St. John 18:40 called him a robber; St. Luke 23:19 said he was cast into prison for sedition (treason, rebellion, subversion) and murder...
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drumhead22 