Barabbas Was Not the Only Guilty Person Set Free

March 24, 2016

Barabbas Was Not the Only Guilty Person Set Free

So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Matthew 27:26

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Lord Acton, British historian, 1834-1902) Pilate, on behalf of Rome, and the priests of Jerusalem demonstrated the truth of this axiom. Although Rome boasted of having the most advanced legal and justice system in the world, justice was the last thing on Pilate’s mind. He had absolute power and used his power at the whims of his own vanity. Mount Pilatus is a seven-thousand-foot mountain overlooking Lucerne in Central Switzerland. Legend has it that Mount Pilatus was named so because Pontius Pilate was buried there. Last summer, as I sailed across Lake Lucerne gazing up at Pilatus, I couldn’t help but wonder if Pilate’s encounter with Jesus haunted him until he died.

The priests also had much power, though not absolute, and used it with equal vanity. Both the priests and Pilate affirmed the wisdom of King Solomon: “Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Can the irony be any thicker than the priest’s refusal to enter Pilate’s residence, lest they be ceremonially defiled and unable to participate in the Passover? Yes, it can.

The absurdity of the moment escaped the priests as they conspired to kill an innocent man, while expressing a need to remain faithful to their law by refusing to touch something unclean. However, the irony thickens as they shout for the release of a man lawfully convicted and sentenced to die and substitute on his behalf the innocent blood of Jesus. They thought they were being clever. What they really did was make it clear that the innocent Jesus was dying for sinful people.

Of course it was not just the sins of Pilate, the priests, the crowd, and the Roman soldiers that Jesus took to the cross. Mine were nailed there as well. As I celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice on behalf of all humanity, it will be worth my while to examine my life. Where does my basking in God’s grace collide with my legalistic attitudes toward others? Where are the places in my life where I shout for my interpretation of justice for others, while I’m praying for God’s mercy in my life?

Barabbas’ role in this drama is recorded for one reason: Jesus was innocent and was put to death, Barabbas was guilty and set free. Barabbas was not the only guilty person set free through the sacrifice of the innocent Jesus.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.