How does Barabbas' release reflect human nature's rejection of righteousness? Setting the Scene • Matthew 27:16–17: “At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, ‘Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’” • Barabbas—an insurrectionist and murderer (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19)—stands beside the sinless Son of God. • The contrast is stark: open rebellion versus perfect righteousness. Human Nature on Display • The crowd chooses Barabbas, illustrating humanity’s tendency since Eden to grasp what is destructive and reject what is holy. – Genesis 3:6: Our first parents desired the forbidden fruit over fellowship with God. – John 3:19: “Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the light.” • Sin blinds, confuses, and persuades people that freedom is found in lawlessness rather than in the Lord’s rule. A Pattern Repeated through Scripture • Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men.” • Acts 3:14: Peter later tells Israel, “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.” • Romans 3:10–12: “There is no one righteous, not even one… all have turned away.” These passages show Barabbas is less an isolated episode and more a snapshot of the universal human heart apart from grace. Prophetic Fulfillment and Divine Purpose • Isaiah 53:12 foretold that the Messiah would be “numbered with the transgressors.” Standing beside Barabbas, Jesus literally shares the place of a criminal. • 2 Corinthians 5:21: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” The unjust choice of the crowd becomes the stage for the justifying work of the cross. Barabbas as a Mirror • Barabbas represents every sinner set free while Jesus bears the penalty. • His chains come off; Jesus is bound. • The guilty walks away; the Innocent is condemned. • This exchange dramatizes substitutionary atonement: Christ takes our place so we might receive His freedom. Our Ongoing Temptation • Even after coming to faith, believers feel the pull to prefer “Barabbas options”—attitudes and actions that promise quick relief or autonomy but oppose God’s righteous path. • Romans 7:23 speaks of a “law of sin” still warring in the believer’s members. Vigilance and reliance on the Spirit remain essential. The Gospel’s Invitation • Barabbas’ release spotlights both humanity’s rejection of righteousness and heaven’s provision of grace. • 1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” • In accepting the Substitute, we move from crowd mentality to cross-centered worship, celebrating the One who was rejected so we could be received. |
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