I Am Barabbas

When the crowd called for the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus (Matthew 27:15-26), they chose a known insurrectionist and murderer over the innocent Son of God. It's a jarring moment in the Gospel narrative, one that seems irrational and unjust. And yet, in that moment, something deeper is happening–something that points to the very heart of the gospel.

Barabbas–his name meaning "son of the father" in Aramaic–was guilty. His hands were stained with rebellion and blood. Jesus was innocent, pure, and without fault. And yet the guilty man walked free, while the innocent man took his place on the cross. This is not just a historical event; it is a theological portrait. Barabbas is every one of us.

The gospel declares that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21). Jesus died not just instead of Barabbas, but in place of every sinner who deserved judgment. His death was substitutionary–He bore the punishment that we rightly earned. Barabbas was the first person to benefit from that substitution in a literal, visible way.

When I see Barabbas walk free, I see myself. I am the rebel. I am the lawbreaker. I am the one who should have stood condemned. And yet, because of God's grace, Jesus took my place. I go free–not because I am innocent, but because He was.

This story is a warning against self-righteousness. The religious leaders thought they were defending the law by condemning Jesus, but in truth, they rejected the very source of life. It's also an invitation–to recognize ourselves in Barabbas and respond with gratitude, humility, and faith.

So yes, I am Barabbas. And in Christ, I am also forgiven, set free, and given a new name–a true child of the Father.