Passage: Mark 15:1-15

The Big Idea

Barabbas, a rebel and murderer, appears in all four Gospels, and his name means “son of the father.” On the morning Jesus stood before Pilate, the crowd chose to free Barabbas and crucify Jesus. The guilty man walked out of his chains, and the innocent Son of God took his place on the cross. That’s not just Barabbas’s story. It’s ours. We stood condemned, and Jesus died in our place so we could go free.

Son of the Father

Today we meet a man named Barabbas.

Bar means “son of,” and abba means “father.” Barabbas: “son of the father.”

So here we have a “son of the father” meeting the Son of the Father.

Barabbas is mentioned in all four Gospels! Why is he so important? I believe God wants us to understand who this man really is. And what we’ll discover is that Barabbas is us. The parallels between his story and the story of every believer are remarkable.

Before Pilate (Mark 15:1-2)

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders, scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.

Who was Pilate?

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea, about AD 26-36.
Several ancient historians mention him, and coins minted under his rule have been found.
In 1961, archaeologists at Caesarea discovered a stone inscribed with his name and title. Skeptics who once questioned details of the Gospel accounts have repeatedly been answered by discoveries like this.
Often the issue for skeptics isn’t a lack of evidence. There’s plenty. Sometimes we simply don’t want anyone to have authority over our lives: “You’re not the boss of me.”

Rome was hated by the Jews but in charge of everything, so the Jewish leaders had to ask the Romans to carry out any execution (John 18:31).

Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “You have said so.”

I almost feel bad for Pilate. He was mostly trying to keep the peace.
He tried to get to the bottom of the charges: was there a coup coming, a rebellion against Rome?
That’s what the leaders were accusing Jesus of. The only way they could get Rome to execute Him was to paint Him as a rival king bent on overthrowing the empire (Luke 23:2).

Silent (Mark 15:3-5)

The chief priests accused Him of many things. Pilate asked again, “Have You no answer? See how many charges they bring against You.” But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Jesus knew exactly what was happening. They would kill Him; they’d get their way. But He trusted His heavenly Father.
He felt no need to defend Himself.
Isaiah had foretold it: like a lamb led to the slaughter, like a sheep silent before its shearers, He didn’t open His mouth (Isaiah 53:7).
I could preach a whole sermon on this, but I fail at it far too often. Just trust in the Lord.

Barabbas or Jesus? (Mark 15:6-15)

At the feast Pilate used to release for them one prisoner, whomever they asked. Among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, was a man called Barabbas. The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. He answered, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas instead.

Pilate again said, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Crucify Him!” Pilate said, “Why? What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!”

So Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

Barabbas Is Us

Barabbas was a “son of the father,” and the Father loved him too.

Think about the remarkable parallel:

Barabbas was guilty. He was a rebel and a murderer, sitting in chains, awaiting execution. We, too, stood guilty before God, deserving death. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
Barabbas did nothing to earn his release. He didn’t plead his case or prove he had changed. Someone else was chosen to die in his place. We did nothing to earn ours either.
Jesus took his place. The innocent One bore the punishment the guilty one deserved. Barabbas may have looked up at the middle cross that afternoon and realized, “That was supposed to be me.”
Barabbas walked out free. No condemnation. And there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Peter says Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

What happened to Barabbas after his release? The Bible doesn’t say, and history is silent. Did he go back to his old life? Was he grateful? Did he ever follow Jesus? No one knows.

But the choices open to Barabbas are open to all of us: surrender to God in grateful wonder at what Christ has done for us, or ignore the gift and keep living apart from Him.

A Modern Barabbas

Here’s a story I love. The Italian actor Pietro Sarubbi, who played Barabbas in the film The Passion of the Christ, has told how one scene changed his life. As Jesus and Barabbas stood side by side and Barabbas was set free, the actor playing Jesus turned and looked at him. Sarubbi said that look went straight through him. He couldn’t understand how an actor’s gaze could turn his soul upside down, but he came to believe that God was looking at him through that moment. It began a journey that led him to faith in Christ, and he has shared that testimony publicly ever since.

Jesus is still looking at Barabbases with that same love.

Grace Takeaway

Barabbas was guilty, chained and condemned, and he walked free because Jesus took his place. That’s your story too. You didn’t earn your release; Someone else was chosen to die for you. The innocent Son of the Father bore the cross so that every guilty son and daughter could go free. Don’t just walk away. Look at the One who took your place, and let His love turn your life upside down.

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