Valerie Rae Hanneman
“Should’ve” Easter Series #3
Luke 23: 18 - 25 (NIV) “With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him punished and then release Him." But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.”
Some time after the death of my children’s father I was speaking to a friend. Like me, she is a survivor of spouse abuse. “I think it is amazing how you put aside your hatred for him these last few months - you even helped him with his finances,” she said to me, ‘I know you did it for your children. I don’t think I could have done it - I would’ve laughed at him and told him I was glad he was dying!” I was truly surprised - I had not hated Steve for many years before his death and my involvement with him during the last months of his life was my genuine desire - not a show for my kids. When I told her this, she didn’t believe me. “How could you not hate him? Look at what he did to you!” I answered, “Jesus did more for me - and I can’t follow Jesus completely if there is hatred in my heart. I had a choice to make, and I chose Jesus.” “I just don’t understand you - my hatred is all that keeps me strong.”
Barabbas sat in his cell that morning, flexing his hands, knowing that he would shortly be crucified for his crimes against Rome. His hatred for Rome was strong. Sometimes it seemed that this hatred was all he had in his life. It had lead him from one group of insurgents to another, plotting the overthrow of Rome, gathering others like him to the group, spreading the gospel of discontent throughout the land, then finally they took action to topple the Roman invaders. Only something had gone wrong - the people did not rise with them. And now, here he was in this filthy cell, the minutes of his life rapidly ticking away. He hears the mob from outside “Crucify him! Crucify him!” This was another blow to him. He had hoped that through his martyr’s death the people would rise up in protest and then throw off the yoke of the Romans. Perhaps in his death, there would be freedom, but from the sounds of it, that wasn’t going to happen. Then he hears them chant his name, “Barabbas, Barabbas” then again, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” No surprise when the guard opens the cell door and waves him out. “Pilate’s waiting for you” Outwardly defiant, inwardly trembling, Barabbas stumbles onto the platform that holds Pilate in his judgement seat. Barabbas looks up and sees the other prisoner standing there. Even though beaten & bloody, he recognizes Jesus. He had heard him speak once, and although Jesus words were a nice dream - face it - they had nothing to do with the reality of hatred that bounded his life. Their eyes meet and Barabbas almost falls to his knees with the shock of what is in this man’s eyes. Compassion? Love? How can this be? Then the truly unbelievable. For a moment, Barabbas doesn’t understand. He has been chosen to go free while this other man dies? Again their eyes meet, and as Barabbas looks into Jesus’ eyes he knows that Jesus has done nothing to deserve this death. His chains are removed and he is pushed down the stairs. As he looks back up at Jesus one last time his heart is again filled with the love that is in Jesus eyes. Brutally, Jesus is grabbed by a soldier and taken away to be crucified.
Barabbas - his name is often translated as bar Abbas. His last name means “son of the father” Can there be any more of a contrast between two sons? On one hand we have Jesus, the Son of God, and God Himself. On the other is Barabbas, the human son of the Father. Jesus has lived 33 years of sinlessness. He is absolutely perfect. He had gathered people around Him to teach them the gospel of God’s love and forgiveness. He has healed the sick, He has given people hope, His life has been motivated only because of His love. Now He stands before Pilate facing death because of His relentless love for us. Barabbas stands there before Pilate and he is facing death as well. Only Barabbas is not there because of his love - quite the opposite. Barabbas’ life has been motivated by hatred. He had also gathered people around him, but his was the gospel of hatred and rebellion. He stands before Pilate as a murderer and participant in a failed insurrection.
Jesus had done nothing wrong, Barabbas had done nothing right. Justice says that Jesus should go free and Barabbas should pay for his sins. But on this morning it is not about justice. On this day that will change the world, it’s about love. This day is about God and His perfect Son choosing to pay the sin debt of His rebellious human son. Barabbas should have died. Jesus did die.
My friend’s hatred of her abusive spouse is what she thinks makes her strong. She doesn’t understand that it destroys her life. She cannot be whole until the acid of her hatred is no longer eating away at her. I wonder if Barabbas followed Jesus that morning and witnessed the crucifixion. I wonder if being part of the clearest picture in the Word of Father’s substitutionary mercy finally allowed him to release his hatred for Rome and let him find mercy, grace and salvation at the foot of that cross. I hope so. I hope that Barabbas discovered - as millions of us have - that real life begins in the death of the Son of God.
LORD Jesus, I live today because You died in my place. You released me from all the hatred and rebellion that was destroying my life. I pledge my life to You.
Contact Valerie at or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Posted by Valerie at April 7, 2006 11:37 AM