Faith

From Insurrection To Resurrection

by Anthony Amos 
03/18/24
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

  Barabbas participated in a violent rebellion against the Roman government; so violent that murder was committed during the onslaught. He had been tried and imprisoned with the other insurrectionists and was sentenced to be crucified. Matthew points out that he was a "well-known" prisoner (27:16). He was probably well-known because he took the kind of forceful action against Roman rule that the Israelites looked for in a Deliverer. In this same verse it is also pointed out that his full name was Jesus Barabbas.
  The name Barabbas means "son of the father." There are many "Bar" names in the New Testament (Bar meaning "son of"). One most notable one is Barnabas, which means "son of encouragement." Some others are Bartholomew, Bar-Jonah, Bartimaeus, and even Bar-Jesus. Jesus, from Hebrew "Joshua," was a common name, meaning "God is salvation," or "deliverance."

  Gabbatha is the place where Jesus was tried before Pontius Pilate, as noted in John 19:13. This is the trial of the true Savior, not Jesus Barabbas, whom the crowd asked - rather vociferously - to be pardoned instead of Jesus of Nazareth. Though both men bore the same highly honorable appellation (Jesus, Son of the Father), only one would bear the burden of our sins. Barabbas was in need of a Savior himself, and he is an example of Jesus being substituted for our chastisement. He was the one who was supposed to be crucified with the other rebels at Golgotha, "the place of the skull,"...but he was set free.
  To be set free in Christ is to receive Him as Lord and Savior. Jesus said:

  "I am the Resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die..." (John 11:25-26).