#DailyDevotion Who Do You Want? The son of the devil Or The Son Of God?
Matthew 27: 15Now, at every Passover festival the governor used to free one prisoner whom the crowd wanted. 16At that time there was a well-known prisoner by the name of Barabbas. 17When the people had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Whom do you want me to set free for you, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?” 18He knew they had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous. 19While he was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent someone to tell him, “Let that righteous Man alone. I suffered much in a dream last night on account of Him.” 20But the ruling priests and elders persuaded the people to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 21“Which of the two,” the governor asked them, “do you want me to set free for you?”They said, “Barabbas.” 22“Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?” Pilate asked them. “He must be crucified!” all of them said. 23“Why, what wrong has he done?” he asked. But they kept yelling all the louder, “He must be crucified!” 24When he saw he wasn’t getting anywhere, but a riot was breaking out instead, Pilate took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “See to it yourselves!” 25And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children.”26Then he freed Barabbas for them, but Jesus he whipped and handed over to be crucified.
It’s kind of strange don’t you think they Jews ask for Barabbas to be saved instead of Jesus? He was a murderer and a rebel. Well they may have liked him some because he was a rebel. There were at least two other prisoners he could have chosen who also were crucified with our LORD. Did Pilate think the other two were worse than Barabbas? The ruling priests and Pharisees didn’t think Jesus had what it took to overthrow the Romans though they were worried the Romans would take them out of power if Jesus stirred up the people against them.
Lots of questions and not a lot of answers. What is particularly interesting is the name of this criminal who is a murderer, Barabbas. In Aramaic it means “son of the father.” Now he may have been named this because his parents didn’t have a great imagination. On the other hand, they could have been quite pious and meant he was a son of God the Father, though it is my impression they did not speak of the LORD God as Father much. However, “son of the father” and Jesus who claimed to be the “Son of God” are quite a contrast. One was a murderer and a rebel and the other was a man of peace who taught about loving one’s enemies. I think it is quite appropriate the unbelieving Jews cried out for Barabbas. Why? Well let’s turn to John 8:44, “44Your father is the devil, and you want to do what your father wants. From the beginning he has been murdering people and hasn’t stood in the truth, because there’s no truth in him.” Jesus says the unbelieving Jews father is the devil, because he was a murderer and they want to kill him. Barabbas is a murderer. Being a son of his father, his father would be the devil (not ontologically but of the same spirit). It would make sense if the Jews there were children of the devil they would want the son of the devil to be released to them and reject God’s only-begotten son, Jesus Christ.
The Jews cried out, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Indeed, the Father sheds his son’s blood and pours it upon the mercy seat so Jesus’ murderers could be forgiven and saved, indeed all of could be saved by having his blood sprinkled upon us in baptism.
Merciful God and Father, you gave us your son to death so his blood would ransom us from our guilt. Grant us faith to receive Christ and believe his blood sets us free. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.