“ ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ asked the governor. ‘Barabbas,’ they answered. ‘What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ Pilate asked. They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’ ” (Matthew 27:21-22).
Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. Pilate’s wife got word to him that she had been troubled by a dream. “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him” (v. 19). It is clear that Pilate knew Jesus didn’t deserve to be crucified. He knew that the mob was pressuring him to execute an innocent man.
In his desperation, he offered to release one of two prisoners, Barabbas or Jesus. He was hoping the crowd would choose Jesus but they wanted Jesus to die and called for Barabbas to be released. There is no better picture of what the death of Jesus was about than this explanation that Jesus was crucified and Barabbas went free. Every time I read this I am indignant about the choice. The killer and terrorist walked away and the righteous One who never did anything but good for others was executed. It offends everything I feel about fair play.
Yet, that was what the death of Christ was about. Jesus died instead of Barabbas. Not only that, He died so that all of us who are guilty could go free.
Jesus went to the Cross and Barabbas went home. Jesus went to the Cross so I, too, could live. The Cross isn’t about the choice Pilate made or the choice the crowd made. It’s about the choice Jesus made. He loved us so much that He died for us rather than live without us! It’s hard to grasp that kind of love.
