How does choosing Barabbas reflect human nature's rejection of righteousness? The scene: a shocking choice in the courtyard John 18:40: “They shouted back, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)” Human instinct exposed: preferring darkness to light • John 3:19–20—“Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light…everyone who does evil hates the Light.” • Choosing Barabbas over Jesus reveals the natural bent of fallen hearts: when confronted with perfect righteousness, we recoil and cling to what echoes our own rebellion. Tracing the pattern through Scripture • Genesis 3:6—Adam and Eve reject God’s word for forbidden fruit. • Exodus 32:1—Israel trades the glory of God for a golden calf. • 1 Samuel 8:7—Israel demands a human king, rejecting the LORD as King. • Acts 7:51—Stephen: “You always resist the Holy Spirit.” The crowd’s cry for Barabbas is one more link in a long chain of humanity choosing the counterfeit over the holy. Why Barabbas? what the crowd thought they wanted • Power: an insurrectionist seemed useful against Rome; Jesus, silent and surrendered, looked weak. • Immediate gratification: Barabbas promised change now; Jesus spoke of an unseen kingdom. • Familiarity with sin: a violent man felt relatable; sin makes righteousness appear foreign. • Blindness: Isaiah 53:3—“He was despised and rejected by men.” Prophecy fulfilled as ignorance masked majesty. The gospel paradox: the innocent for the guilty • Isaiah 53:5—“He was pierced for our transgressions.” • 2 Corinthians 5:21—“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.” Barabbas walks free because Jesus takes his place. The crowd’s unrighteous choice becomes the stage for God’s righteous plan. Lessons for today: responding to righteousness • Recognize the same impulse within: Romans 3:10—“There is no one righteous, not even one.” • Reject the counterfeit saviors of power, popularity, and self-rule. • Embrace the true Deliverer who chose the cross over the sword. • Live as those freed by substitution, not as rebels demanding our own way. |
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