4 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Deuteronomy 2-3
Mark 15:1-20

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Mark 15:11-14 (CSB): “But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. Pilate asked them again, ‘Then what do you want me to do with the one you call the king of the Jews?’ Again they shouted, ‘Crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Why? What has he done wrong?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify him!'”

Reflecting on God’s Word

God loves stories. That’s why the Bible isn’t merely filled with commands. It has plenty of narratives that tell the stories of people like Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Ruth, David, Josiah, Esther, Jesus and His disciples, and the life of the early church, just to mention a few.

But you must put your thinking cap on when reading each story. There may be much more to see if you spend time praying and meditating on a passage.

I bring this point up because there is more to what Mark 15:11-14 tells us. Sure, the criminal Barabbas was released, and the mob cried for Jesus to be crucified. But there’s more to the story. It’s a picture. A powerful picture!

When we look at Barabbas, we see a man who was worthy of death—a villain if there ever was one. But Jesus, on the other hand, didn’t deserve death. He was the only perfectly righteous man (the God-man) to walk the earth. So, we can clearly see the injustice when a guilty man went free, and Jesus died in his place.

I bet you have already seen the double meaning, haven’t you? I bet you are nodding your head as you say, “Oh, I get it now!”

Simply put, Barabbas represents every one of us. All of us are sinners and worthy of God’s judgment. But Jesus died in our place. He took the punishment that we deserved. Yes, it’s a horrible injustice, but God has turned that injustice into the greatest gift ever given. As we see our guilt, turn from our sins, and trust in Jesus as He died on the cross for us, we are forgiven and saved.

Yes, Barabbas was a picture of us before we were saved. It’s how God saw us in our sin and guilt. But, if you are trusting in Jesus (and not yourself), then you don’t have to pay your sin debt. You get to go free as you rest in Jesus as He walked to the cross and paid your sin debt.

Now, that’s an absolutely beautiful injustice!

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you see anew and afresh what He did for you to make you right in His eyes.
  • Express your gratitude to Him for what He has done.
  • Ask God to help you live a life worthy of what He has done for you.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into who Barabbas was and the story behind his release, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“Who was Barabbas in the Bible?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)