“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.” (Matthew 27:15–16, ESV)
Introduction
Barabbas is one of the most striking figures in the New Testament, not because of what he said or did after Christ, but because of what was done for him. He stands at the center of the trial of Jesus, representing sinful humanity placed face-to-face with the sinless Son of God. His release and Christ’s condemnation reveal the heart of substitutionary atonement and expose the moral blindness of fallen man.
Biography and Background of Barabbas
Barabbas appears in all four Gospel accounts of the trial of Jesus (Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:18–25; John 18:39–40). His name, “Barabbas,” means son of the father—a deeply symbolic detail that Scripture does not explain but clearly allows the reader to notice.
According to the Gospels, Barabbas was a criminal. Mark and Luke identify him as a rebel involved in an insurrection and guilty of murder (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19). John describes him as a robber or bandit (John 18:40), a term often used for violent revolutionaries. He was not a petty thief but a dangerous man who opposed Roman authority through bloodshed.
Barabbas was imprisoned under Roman law and awaiting judgment. By all legal and moral standards, he deserved punishment. He had taken life and disrupted public order. Yet he would walk free—not because of innocence, repentance, or justice, but because another would take his place.
Barabbas and the Choice of the Crowd
During Passover, the Roman governor Pilate customarily released one prisoner chosen by the people. Pilate, seeing no guilt in Jesus, offered the crowd a choice: Jesus, called the Christ, or Barabbas.
The religious leaders stirred the crowd to demand Barabbas’s release and call for Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:20). When Pilate asked what should be done with Jesus, the people cried out, “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22).
This moment exposes the sinful heart of humanity. Faced with truth and innocence, the crowd chose violence and guilt. They rejected the Son of God and embraced a murderer. This was not merely a political failure; it was a spiritual one.
Theological Significance: The Great Exchange
Barabbas is a living picture of the gospel. The guilty man is released. The innocent man is condemned. Barabbas goes free while Jesus is scourged, mocked, and nailed to a cross.
This exchange reflects the core truth of salvation:
- Barabbas deserved death, yet received freedom.
- Jesus deserved honor, yet received punishment.
Isaiah had prophesied this centuries earlier:
“He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5).
Barabbas likely did nothing to earn his freedom. He may not have even understood the full reason for it. Yet he walked out of prison because Christ took his place. In this, Barabbas represents every sinner who is justified not by works, but by grace.
Barabbas as a Warning and a Witness
Scripture is silent about what became of Barabbas after his release. This silence is intentional. The focus is not on his response, but on the act itself. The Bible leaves the reader to ask: What will I do with the freedom Christ has purchased?
Barabbas also stands as a warning. The same crowd that chose him rejected their Messiah. Political passion, religious pride, and mob pressure blinded them to truth. This pattern continues in every age, including the last days, when many will again choose darkness over light (John 3:19).
Conclusion
Barabbas is not a hero of the New Testament, but he is one of its clearest illustrations of grace. His story confronts every reader with a single truth: salvation is substitution. Christ takes the place of the guilty so that the guilty may go free.
In the choice between Jesus and Barabbas, humanity revealed its nature. In the cross of Christ, God revealed His mercy. Barabbas walked away alive because Jesus went to the cross. That is the gospel—clear, final, and eternal.