And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. but they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

The name Barabbas means son of daddy or son of father, an unknown father or daddy. Barabbas was an insurrectionist, trying to overthrow the Roman government by force. In an attempt to achieve his goal, he had robbed and murdered. Captured by the Romans, Barabbas was thrown in prison awaiting execution.

Theologically speaking, Barabbas can be seen as a type. There are hundreds of types in the Bible. To my knowledge, it is the only book in which types are found. A type is a person, place, thing, ceremony or event which speaks of a divine truth. It is an earthly shadow or picture of a spiritual reality. In Barabbas, we see a type of God’s plan of salvation.

A CONDEMNED CRIMINAL

The trial was over the verdict was in and Barabbas was convicted. There was no second chance, no appeal, and no opportunity to have his case reviewed. This is also the picture of man before a holy and righteous God. God’s standard is the law, and scripture says no one has kept it. By the law is the knowledge of sin. . There is none righteous, no not one (Rom 3:10). All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Like Barabbas, all we are condemned by a law which we have not kept.

AWAITING CRUCIFIXION

Having been accused and condemned, Barabbas was now in a prison cell waiting for execution by crucifixion. Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment ever devised to put men to death. It was slow and painful. Now consider this with regard to our standing before a holy and righteous God. Having concluded all are sinners, the Bible says, The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Man is waiting for execution. But, our punishment is much worse than that waiting Barabbas. All who rebel against God will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 21:8). There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. It is a place of eternal separation from God, a place of torment. There is no second chance or reprieve.

ALL CHARGES CLEARED

But wait, Pilate asked the crowd who they wanted to release because of the Jewish festival. They shouted release Barabbas, crucify Jesus. Pilate said, I find no fault in this Jesus, shall I crucify your King? The crowd again shouted, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him", we have no king but Caesar. Barabbas was set free and Jesus was crucified. The One despised and rejected by His own nation, became the substitute for the condemned criminal. This is where we see, in type, an amazing truth. God in His infinite love and mercy used this event to show us the way of salvation. God’s rejected Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, became an accepted substitute, to take the place for condemned man. Hundreds of years before this event the prophets had forecast what would happen. Isaiah said, He was despised and rejected a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, we hid our faces from Him…by His stripes we are healed. (Isa 53).

Here then is a picture of God’s plan in salvation. The Bible says, concerning Jesus, He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). But God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). In order for Jesus to be your substitute, you must accept Him by faith. As a sinner without hope and under condemnation because of sin you need Him. Have you received Jesus as your Savior? Is He your substitute? God’s plan is very clear. His is the only plan. He that hath the Son hath life, he that hath not the Son hath not life (1 John 5:12).

God bless.