I am Barabbas

Mark 15

Mark fifteen begins with the Roman trial of Jesus. The Jewish trials, unjust as they were, had been completed. Now he would be tried by the gentiles.

The Jewish leaders bring Jesus to Pilot because they could not execute anyone in their own courts. They wanted Jesus dead, so they drummed up some false charges. Luke gives us a list of these. They accuse first that he was misleading the nation. I’m not sure that this can even be construed as a crime. At any rate, Pilot questions him and finds him not guilty on this charge. They also make the claim that Jesus says not to pay taxes to Caesar. This was a blatant lie. The Pharisees had tried to trick Jesus with this question, and he had said that the imperial tax did have to be paid.

The third charge is that he is claiming to be the Christ, a king. This is sort of a half-truth. He does indeed claim to be the Christ, the Messiah. The Jews thought that when the Messiah came, he would immediately set up an earthly kingdom. There are several old testament prophecies about the Messiah that indicate he will set up a kingdom on earth. Today, we understand these to be referring to his second coming. But perhaps, they believed that he was trying to set up a kingdom. However, they would be aware that the Christ was also a spiritual designation, and there was nothing to indicate that Jesus was trying to overthrow the government. Jesus explains this to Pilot (in John’s account), “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). He makes it perfectly clear that he is not trying to interfere with Roman rule at all. Pilot again finds no reason to charge him. The Jews have one more charge to make, and this is the true one. They say, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he he has made himself the Son of God.” Here, finally, is the issue. Jesus does claim this. And if he were simply a man, he would be guilty of blasphemy. But if he really is the Son of God, then there was no crime.

Here Mark records an interesting statement by Jesus. Pilot says, “Are you a king?” Jesus responds, “You have said so.” What kind of a response is that? It is like he is saying, those are your words, not mine. I am making no claim to your physical kingdom. John adds a little more detail. After this Jesus says that he has come to bear witness to the truth, and everyone on the side of truth listens to him. Pilot responses, “What is truth?”

This could have come out of the mouth of anyone on a college campus today. It is postmodern philosophy. The idea that there is no objective truth, only subjective truths. There is no Truth, with a capital T, only little t truth. There is my truth and your truth, not an overarching truth. I read a reporter recently who said that he was not biased, he just reported “his truth.” But there can’t be differing truths, if so, then one of them is not the truth.

Jesus reminds us here that truth has a side. You are either for him or against him. He who does not gather scatters.

All these charges are brought against him, perhaps even more, and Jesus is silent. He does not respond to his accusers. This fulfills the scripture, like a lamb led to the slaughter is silent (Isaiah 53:7). Jesus does not defend himself, because he is taking the injustice willingly.

Pilot, knowing that the Jewish leaders are accusing Jesus out of jealousy, tries to make a deal. He usually releases a prisoner during the Passover feast as a favor to the Jews. He brings out a true criminal, Barabbas and asks them to choose between him and Jesus. It should be an easy choice. Barabbas was a murderer. He was a rebel. He was a bad human being. Jesus was a healer. Innocent. But the chief priests stir up the crowd to choose Barabbas and to crucify Jesus. A riot is on the verge of starting, and Pilot finally gives in.

Pilot is in a difficult situation. He knows Jesus is innocent. His wife warns him not to have anything to do with him on account of a dream she had. But the Jewish leaders want Jesus dead. They are adamant. And they turn the screw on Pilot. They present Jesus as “King of the Jews”. And they warn Pilot that anyone who claims to be a king opposes the emperor. If Pilot is too soft, he may get his position taken away.

Pilot releases Barabbas to “satisfy the crowd.” It was only a week earlier the crowds had been shouting “blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” and “hosanna.” But the crowds are fickle. The crowds turn on Jesus because they don’t have a relationship with him. They see him from afar, and they are fans. He is healing people, and preaching interesting things, but they don’t have any intimacy with him. They aren’t disciples. It does no good to be a fan of Jesus. You must be a follower.

Barabbas was a real person, but he also is representational. This is exchange is the one that every follower of Jesus is familiar with. I am Barabbas. We are Barabbas. Barabbas was an insurrectionist, a rebel. He tried to start a rebellion. He was a sinner, a murderer. That is what the bible teaches we are. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” In the garden of Eden, we rebelled against God. Barabbas is only the latest of a long like of sinners and rebels. And that is what we were before Christ.

As we read the next few verses, consider the exchange that takes place. Jesus gets the punishment that Barabbas deserved. Barabbas was truly a rebel. He was justly condemned, and Jesus took his place. All his punishment was that of an insurrectionist. And Jesus takes our place as well. What he endured, we deserved.

Now remember, Jesus has stayed up all night, sweating blood, and enduring hours of false accusations. He has been beaten and mocked and denied justice a second time. Now he is scourged. It is difficult to convey the suffering he endured this day. The scourging involved being beaten with a whip that at the end had strips of leather with bits of bone and metal woven in, so that as it came down across the flesh and was jerked away, it would tear furrows of flesh away. A Jewish historian, Josephus, said that Jesus, by the time he was crucified, looked like a chunk of meat instead of a person.

After this painful experience, Jesus was again mocked and beaten, this time by the callused Roman soldiers. Jesus is so weak now, carrying his cross, that a man must be conscripted to carry his cross for him. He cannot even lift it himself. As a last mercy they offer him wine mixed with myrrh. This was a drug that was used as a painkiller. It was meant to numb him to what he was to endure. Jesus refused it. He took the full agony of the cross.

On the cross, his hands and feet were nailed through to support him. Hanging as he was, he could not breath unless he pulled himself up. Every breath would have been a new wave of pain. And so he hung, for hours. The crowds continued to hurl insults upon him. He bore our suffering. He bore our shame.

Finally, after hours, he died. The ultimate price was paid. And we, like Barabbas, walk free.

The chapter ends at the darkest moment. The light of the world was laid in darkness. He who was the “Life” was in the grave. The Truth was overwhelmed by lies. The disciples were scattered, terrified, ashamed.

We must remember that these moments don’t define us. This chapter leads to the next, to the resurrection. While we are waiting, God is working. It looked like Satan had won, but Jesus was giving the final blow. Imagine being a disciple that weekend. It must have been hard. Jesus had promised to rise again, but that is hard to believe in the struggle. We must trust his promises in the dark place. We must trust his leading in the valley.

You may be struggling today. Things may be difficult. Maybe you are faced with something that seems like it is impossible to overcome. But remember, God is working. Trust in Him.

The prophet Habakkuk begins his short book with this question, “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?” (Hab. 1:2) But it ends this way. “God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer’s; he makes me tread on the high places” (Hab. 3:19). God does not always remove the mountain, but he makes us able to stand on the top. There may be difficulties – no, there will be difficulties – but the Lord will make us able to overcome. Whatever your struggle is, make the Lord your strength. Trust in Him. He never fails us.