Articles
Son of the Father
“So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:17)
How wretchedly unfair the decision of the crowds on that fateful day! Not only did the crowds make the worst decision in the history of mankind, they begged for the life of a thug and criminal! Barabbas was amongst the murderers and insurrectionists (Luke 23:19; John 18:40) and was notorious for his lawlessness (Matt. 27:16). Jesus, on the other hand, was utterly guiltless, free from all lawlessness. In fact He was the perfect fulfillment of the law. Rather than robbing people of their lives, He granted life more abundant. Rather than defy authority, He taught men to revere the appointed rulers of His Father.
Intriguingly, the name Barabbas is a word derived from two Hebrew terms: bar – son of and abba – father. The name Barabbas literally means “son of the father.” So, in stark contrast to the righteous Son of the Father was the antithetical Barabbas, son of iniquity. Barabbas was everything that Jesus was not and so ultimately are we because of sin.
We often scoff at the crowds’ decision. We cry, “Unfair! Unfair!” But consider this: as a result of Jesus’ death, Barabbas was set free. Because of this, Barabbas typifies every man entangled by the lawlessness that is sin and those condemned to death. We live because the Innocent Son died. We criminals are set free because the Son took our place. We live because God’s love is not fair. So the next time we point the finger, we should recall Nathan’s rebuke, “You are the man!”
