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Barabbas
The insurrectionist released by Pilate in Jesus' place — the man whose freedom cost the Son of God his life.
Barabbas was a prisoner held by the Romans in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ trial. All four Gospels describe him as a notorious insurrectionist and murderer — a man who had taken part in an uprising and committed murder during it (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19; John 18:40). He was being held for execution.
The Passover Custom
It was the custom for the Roman prefect to release one Jewish prisoner at Passover. Pilate offered the crowd a choice: Barabbas, the insurrectionist, or Jesus, the teacher from Galilee. He expected them to choose Jesus. But the crowd, stirred up by the chief priests, called for Barabbas and shouted for Jesus to be crucified.
The scene is a compressed parable of the gospel: a guilty man goes free, and an innocent man takes his place. Barabbas is every man. His release is what every Christian believes has happened to him.
After the Crucifixion
The New Testament says nothing else about Barabbas. Later tradition is silent. He disappears from the record. What he did with his freedom, and what he made of the man who died in his place, is unknown.
“ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”
Mark 15:15Sources
- Matt. 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:18–25; John 18:39–40.
- Raymond E. Brown, The Death of the Messiah, vol. 1 (Doubleday, 1994), 797–812.