What is the meaning of John 18:40? “Not this man” The crowd’s first words reveal outright rejection of Jesus. • John 1:11 says, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” Their refusal fulfills this prophecy of unbelief. • Psalm 118:22 reminds us, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” showing that God foreknew their response. • Their choice was willful; Pilate had just declared Jesus innocent (John 18:38). In light of clear evidence, they still preferred to dismiss Him—a stark picture of the blinding power of sin (2 Corinthians 4:4). They shouted The volume of the demand underscores a mob’s sway over reason. • Mark 15:11 notes, “But the chief priests stirred up the crowd…”; leaders manipulated public opinion against Christ. • Exodus 23:2 warns, “You shall not follow a crowd in wrongdoing,” yet the people ignored that command. • This moment previews Acts 2:23, where Peter later says they acted “by the hands of lawless men.” The praise of Palm Sunday has morphed into the roar of Good Friday—illustrating how quickly human hearts can turn when untethered from truth (Jeremiah 17:9). But Barabbas! Here the crowd makes its astonishing trade. • Luke 23:18 records the same cry: “Away with this Man, release Barabbas to us!” • Barabbas represents the worst of humanity—guilt, violence, rebellion—while Jesus embodies innocence, peace, submission to the Father. Yet the sinner goes free and the sinless One is condemned, pointing to the heart of the gospel: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:21). • The choosing of Barabbas foreshadows substitutionary atonement—Jesus takes the place we deserved, so we may receive the freedom He earned (1 Peter 3:18). Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist. John adds this fact to underline the irony. • Mark 15:7 tells us Barabbas “had committed murder in the insurrection.” Setting him loose jeopardized public safety, yet the crowd embraced the danger. • Jesus had just told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). In contrast, Barabbas fought for an earthly uprising. The people preferred a political savior to a spiritual Redeemer, revealing misplaced expectations of the Messiah. • Their choice anticipates the warning of Acts 4:11–12: only Jesus offers salvation; all other “saviors” lead to ruin. summary John 18:40 exposes humanity’s tragic preference for darkness over Light. The crowd’s rejection (“Not this man”) and frenzied demand (“They shouted”) climax in a disastrous exchange (“But Barabbas!”), freeing a violent rebel while condemning the sinless Son. Yet through this injustice God accomplished perfect justice: the guilty walk away pardoned because Jesus willingly took their place. The verse therefore calls us to acknowledge the literal accuracy of the event and to embrace its spiritual lesson—only Christ can save, and choosing anyone or anything else repeats the crowd’s fatal mistake. |
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