Matthew 27:26 (Click title for audio access)
"Barabbas" • 4.3.11 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- What is it like to be a condemned man? What does a man on death row think about His life and what got him to that moment?
- The understanding that we can all die is something that each of us live with daily. However, for the condemned death row inmate, they eventually come to know when and how they will die. - Today in the United States, there are over 3,200 people on death row. I was surprised that there were only that many, but when one considers the debate over it's necessity, it's not.[i]
- California has the highest amount of death row inmates, at 697, while New Hampshire and Wyoming only have 1 death row inmate a piece.[ii]
- In 2009, the latest year for statistical analysis, there were just over 600 executions performed in the United States.[iii]
- In other countries, capital punishment is practiced much more frequently, China holding the distinction of being the leader in 2009 with 1,000 executions.[iv]
- I say all of this, not to depress you, nor to make a plea for or against capital punishment.
- I bring it to your attention because the time that we are studying makes these statistics look like the proverbial "Happy Days" of life!
- According to the oft quoted Roman historian Josephus, there were accounts of thousands of people being crucified in ancient Rome on single days!
- These were not private executions. These were public displays of the Roman brand of justice. This leads us to our subject today.
- There is a man who has been caught in a criminal act, tried and convicted. This man is known to us as Barabbas.
- Matthew relays to us in verse 16 he was a "notable prisoner." He was well known. Famous.
- Matthew says nothing else about him, but the other gospel accounts shed necessary light upon this man. Turn in your Bibles to Mark 15. We gather this information about Barabbas.
• Mark 15:7 : "And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion." : The name Barabbas literally means "Son of the Father."
- There is some scribal credence to the claim that Barabbas' first name was in fact Jesus, or in the original rendering, Yeshua.
- The name Yeshua was fairly common, the people understanding the significance of the name which means "God is salvation!"
- This would account for Pilate's designation of our Jesus being designated as the One who was called "Christ."
- Barabbas was a Jewish man, who had the same struggles that any Jewish man had in these days. He was oppressed, violently by the Romans. His actions led Him to chains.
- He was imprisoned with his fellow conspirators, who Mark terms to be "rebels." The word means "insurrectionists." That is how the Romans would have viewed Barabbas and the two men.
- The Jews would have called these people Zealots. They would term themselves freedom fighters, who actions would be justifiable in their own eyes because of their oppression.
- Their zeal the state of Israel, led them to violent, terrorist outbursts against the Romans at every opportunity, but also against the Chief Priests in the temple, who they viewed as collaborators.
˚ "Josephus...tells us of one successful assassination in the temple writing that the Zealots 'had daggers under their garments, and, by thus mingling themselves among the multitude, they slew Jonathan [the high priest]."[v]
- These were dangerous men and it was not uncommon for them to act this way often. Barabbas was a man of this caliber and because he was good at it, he was famous among people.
- Now, his life of crime had caught up with him. He and his co-conspirators were condemned.
- They were imprisoned, insurrectionists and in for murder! Notice that they had committed murder in a insurrection. There is no "the" in the original text.
- This was a part of their lives and in whichever insurrection that it was, they had been found guilty of murder. Additionally, John 18 tells us that Barabbas was a thief as well.
- Here Barabbas sits, knowing that he is guilty, knowing what was about to take place. As any terrorist, Barabbas had settled the issue already: Whatever Rome did to him was fine.
- He had made his mark and now his death would propel others to similar action. He would be another martyr for the cause and in his mind, one would rise and take his place.
- But what a death he would endure. For any criminal there was scourging and for the non-Roman criminal, there was crucifixion. It would begin with scourging.
To begin with, there was utter humiliation as the victim was relieved of their clothing and tied to a central stone.
- The Roman courtyard would be filled with bored Centurions looking for ways to amuse themselves. Their sadistic cruelty would now have a sharp focus on the accused.
- The accused had violated their laws and insulted their way of thinking. It's the Romans versus the world, and Pax Romana was to be enforced.
- The criminal was chained to the stone and the weapons were chosen. Years of trial and error had produced a vicious disciplinary weapon called the "Flagrum."
- It is similar to what we would call the "Cat of 9 tails," in that it is a multi-pronged leather whip. Sewn into these leather prongs were pieces of metal, glass and stone.
- As the whips made contact with the skin, the body immediately responded with at the very least, and depending on the torturor, severe bruising.
- Most of the time, laceration was accomplished on the first try; deep laceration followed.
˚ "For they say that the bystanders were struck with amazement when they saw them lacerated with scourges even to the innermost veins and arteries, so that the hidden inward parts of the body, both their bowels and their members, were exposed to view" Eusebius[vi]
- Scourging was meant to encourage the victim to confess his crimes and name his associates. Once the criminal "sang" the torturer would relent and "soften" his blows.
- Once a man was condemned, these sessions were meant to soften the man up for crucifixion. It was not uncommon for a man to die from the scourge alone.
- Barabbas was ready to take it. He had worked himself up. But then, there was crucifixion, a torture unparralled in history!
- Imagine it being Friday and Barabbas is led out for the choice. He's got a 50-50 chance, but when he sees the competition, it's a no brainer!
- This is the man that the world applauded just a few days earlier! He is the man who came in to Jerusalem on a colt and had palm branches dropped in front of Him.
- The crowd yelled out "Hosanna," meaning a call for Him, the supposed Messiah, to save them in that moment. They were calling Him to rise up and be their Messiah.
- What had He done to deserve this? Why were they treating Him like that?
- Barabbas knew that he now surely had no chance. Look at verse 17:
• Matthew 27:17 : "Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, 'Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?'"
- The question went out and hung in the air, as Pilate's wife called and interrupted this moment. Barabbas was stunned by this momentary reprieve.
- As he stood there, he saw movement in the crowd. The Chief Priests were walking feverishly through the crowd, looking up at him with re-assuring eyes.
- Barabbas must have wondered what was happening. Were they on his side?
• Matthew 27:21 : "The governor answered and said to them, 'Which of the two do you want me to release to you?' They said, 'Barabbas!'" : Pilate and Barabbas finally had something in common: They were both shocked!
- Barabbas could not believe his ears: They want me to be released!? How could that be!?
• Matthew 27:22 : "Pilate said to them, 'What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said to him, 'Let Him be crucified!'" : Let Jesus be the one that is crucified. Barabbas was stunned. He had come to the platform and was prepared for death.
- Now, because of a vendetta that the Priests had against Jesus, and because Pilate was too cowardly to do what was right, Barabbas was about to be freed.
- This brings us to an astounding verse that we will consider at length.
Text
• Matthew 27:26 : "Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified." : Pilate did the Mob's bidding.
- He turned his back on justice and righteousness and released, freed a notoriously guilty thief and murderer! Every part of Pilate longed to keep him, but Barabbas was free.
- Barabbas, a man who should have been condemned, who rightfully should have walked toward Golgotha, was given freedom instead.
- As Barabbas walked away, he no doubt acknowledged Jesus and wondered at the irony. This man had done nothing wrong.
- I wonder if he thought something like this: "He was completely innocent and yet, He carries a sentence that was designated for a man like me!"
- Jesus Christ literally took the cross that Jesus Barabbas was to be sentenced upon! There is a theological term for this!
- Barabbas, the guilty is released from His sentence and Jesus, the innocent, is delivered to endure it instead. This is called "vicarious substitutionary atonement."
- The word "vicarious" means to "experience something in the place of another."
- Another definition reads like this: "obtained or undergone at second hand through sympathetic participation in another's experiences"[vii]
- This word is essential when considering that Jesus did not die because He was deserving. Sin did not touch Him experientially. He never experienced sin Himself.
- Matthew has gone to great lengths in this chapter to say that the witness of the watching world was replete with one judgment, namely that Jesus Christ was innocent!
- Vicarious is important in that Jesus experiences the effect of sin as a representative.
- He takes the punishment that is due the sinner and experiences what the sinner deserves without having to ever know what it meant to disobey God in any way!
- Whatever the reverse of having your cake and eating it too is, that's what this is!
- It's vicarious in the fact that it is experienced by another. It's substituionary in that Jesus became the One that absorbed the full vengeance of God on account of Man's sin.
- There was a great exchange that took place on this day, that typifies what took place for all men for all time. Jesus substituted Himself to atone for every sin that has ever been committed.
- Every perverse thought that you or I have ever had, He took upon Himself. Every foul word that you or I have uttered was put on His account.
- Every hateful thing that has ever happened, from alienation to rape, from character assassination to genocide, from gossip to molestation, Jesus Christ grabbed the bill!
- His action was vicarious. He became a substitute. And He brought about the possibility of atonement, which is the reparation of the rift that stands between God and man.
- Sin leaves you and I thoroughly and hopeless guilty. The law of God is perfect and it's the mirror that shows us just how imperfect we are! That rift was corrected in one way: Jesus Christ.
- Now, I say the possibility, because we look at this picture of Barabbas. Jesus literally took His cross and literally paid for His punishment.
- Did Barabbas receive this gift? Will we see Barabbas in heaven because Jesus died in His place? There are no indications in any direction, but it opens up the topic: For whom did Christ die?
- On the one hand, He, being God in the flesh, died for every sin that man has ever committed on the face of the earth. He has brought about justice for ever wrong ever committed.
- There is enough credit on the account, that every man, woman and child could be accounted for, when it comes to salvation. Christ's work is that perfect and that extensive.
- However, we are aware of the reality that there is a "whosoever believes" clause and some do not believe. Some continue in their wickedness, not believing that there is any repercussion.
- Some continue in their own way, not believing that their works don't count against their debt!
- Jesus paid for the sins of those who have or will ever believe upon, trust in, cling to His name! That's the biblical data.
- While there is opportunity to "buy in" for every person, some will choose not to. There is no other payment for them. They are the ones who will bring flowers when they should bring blood!
- They are the ones who will say "Lord, Lord" and the Lord will say, "I don't know you!"
- They are the ones who will live and enjoy the world and it's pleasures, but will have gained all of their reward in this life!
- There are people that will hold onto their spiritual debt and die with it in hand!
- Jesus died literally in the place of Barabbas, but while he may have lived, he may never have been granted everlasting life and that would be the tragedy of all tragedies.
- It's possible that when Barabbas died, that he then paid personally for His unjust actions.
- On the other hand, because this part is pure speculation, Barabbas the criminal, may have seen Jesus the innocent, and been so moved that he sought out other testimony.
- Somebody, maybe even one of the disciples, got a chance to witness to him, to let him know what his story really meant.
- In contrition, Barabbas believed upon Jesus, repented from all known sin, made restitution for what he had stolen and sought to minister the name of Jesus to the Zealots that he once belonged to!
- That story is much more attractive, don't you think!?
Conclusion
- As we close today, I leave us with these two thoughts. First, we were all once a Barabbas. Guilty before God. Condemned to death. Objects of God's wrath.
- Be grateful for Jesus! Worship Him in thanksgiving and praise for your eternal reversal of fortune!
- Second, we all know at least one Barabbas. He represents the vile, self-consumed, perverted thinking person, who willfully denies the Lord.
- Be responsible for Him. Invite him to know the Christ that has changed you. Invite him to hear his own story through the eyes of Barabbas.
[i] http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-row-inmates-state-and-size-death-row-year
[ii] ibid
[iii] http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/stats-on-human-rights/statistics-on-capital-punishment/
[iv] ibid
[v] This quote was found at this website: http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/james_still/absurd.html, but can originally be found at The Works of Josephus. William Whiston, trans. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1987, The Antiquities of the Jews. 20.8.5.
[vi]http://truthmagazine.com/archives/volume44/v440106010.htm?PHPSESSID=5178885d7127a11c6c34d8933d9336c2
[vii] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Vicarious
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