Son of the Father: Barabbas, the Guilty and the Gift of Redemption
“It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison. With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?” Pilate knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him.” – Matthew 27:15-18 (Message)
Pilate’s wife sent a message to her husband, “Don’t get mixed up in judging this noble man. I’ve just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him.”
In an attempt to avoid his responsibility for justice, Pilate allowed the crowd to decide who would be set free. The Religious leaders used their positions to manipulate the crowd and take advantage of the shade of meaning of names to determine the outcome.
The name Jesus Barabbas carries a weighty nuance. In Aramaic, Barabbas means “son of the father.” So, we have Jesus, Son of the Father, standing alongside Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father. One is a flawed, fallen man, shackled by his sins; the other is the divine Savior, perfect and blameless. Barabbas represents us—humanity in its brokenness, guilty yet offered freedom through the sacrifice of the innocent.
Here are five biblically inspired points to reflect on why Jesus Barabbas embodies man and how his story points us to the transformative power of Christ’s grace.
1. Barabbas: The Guilty Mirror of Humanity
Scripture paints Barabbas as a man steeped in sin—a rebel, a murderer, a man bound by the chains of his choices (Mark 15:7). He is not a hero; he is a criminal, deserving of the death penalty under Roman law. Yet, in his guilt, Barabbas mirrors every one of us. Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Like Barabbas, we are prisoners of our own making, entangled in rebellion against God’s perfect standard. Our sins—whether pride, greed, or envy—bind us, and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
Barabbas didn’t earn his freedom; he was chosen for it. In this, he reflects the human condition: we are guilty, yet God’s grace offers us a way out. The crowd’s choice to free Barabbas over Jesus wasn’t just a miscarriage of justice; it was a divine setup to reveal the heart of the gospel—that the guilty can be set free because the innocent took their place.
2. The Name: Son of the Father
The name Jesus Barabbas is a striking detail. Early manuscripts of the New Testament, such as the Codex Sinaiticus, include his full name, Jesus Barabbas, emphasizing the parallel with Jesus Christ. While Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of the Father, Barabbas, “son of the father,” represents humanity’s fallen sonship. We were created to be sons and daughters of God, bearing His image (Genesis 1:27), but sin fractured that relationship. Barabbas, with his shared name, stands as a symbol of what we were meant to be and what we became through sin.
Yet, in the exchange on that fateful day, we see the beauty of redemption. Jesus, the true Son, takes the place of Barabbas, the wayward son. Through Christ’s sacrifice, we are adopted back into God’s family, as Galatians 4:4-5 proclaims: “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son… to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” Barabbas’s name reminds us that we, too, can be restored as sons and daughters of the Father through Christ’s atoning work.
3. The Exchange: Guilty Freed, Innocent Condemned
The transaction at the cross is the heart of the gospel. Barabbas, guilty and deserving of death, walks free, while Jesus, innocent and sinless, is crucified. This exchange is the essence of substitutionary atonement. Isaiah 53:5 foretold this moment: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Jesus took Barabbas’s cross, just as He takes ours.
Imagine Barabbas’s bewilderment as the shackles fell from his wrists. He didn’t plead his case or offer a defense; freedom was simply given. So it is with us. Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Barabbas’s release is our story—freedom we didn’t earn, given through the sacrifice we didn’t deserve.
4. The Choice: Humanity’s Rejection, God’s Redemption
The crowd’s choice to free Barabbas and crucify Jesus reveals the darkness of the human heart. Influenced by fear, envy, and mob mentality, they chose a criminal over their Messiah (Matthew 27:20-21). This decision echoes humanity’s tendency to reject God’s truth in favor of fleeting comfort or worldly gain. Yet, even in this rejection, God’s redemptive plan unfolds. What the crowd meant for evil, God used for good (Genesis 50:20).
Barabbas’s freedom wasn’t the end of his story; it was an invitation to transformation. Scripture doesn’t tell us what became of him, but his release symbolizes the opportunity every sinner has to respond to grace. Will we, like Barabbas, walk away from the cross unchanged, or will we recognize the One who took our place and live differently? Romans 12:2 urges us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Barabbas’s story challenges us to embrace the freedom Christ offers and live as redeemed sons of the Father.
5. The Cross: The Ultimate Act of Love
The cross where Jesus died was meant for Barabbas. Every nail, every thorn, every lash was destined for the guilty, but the innocent bore them instead. John 15:13 declares, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus’s sacrifice wasn’t just for Barabbas; it was for you, for me, for all who are bound by sin. His love is the power that breaks our chains and sets us free.
Barabbas’s story is a call to marvel at this love. We are not freed to continue in sin but to live for the One who saved us. Galatians 5:1 proclaims, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” The cross invites us to live boldly, purposefully, and gratefully as men transformed by grace.
An Invitation to Transformation
The story of Jesus Barabbas is more than a historical moment; it’s a mirror reflecting our own need for redemption. Like Barabbas, we are guilty, yet offered freedom through the sacrifice of the innocent Son of the Father. This grace is not a license to remain in sin but a call to live as authentic, purpose-driven men of God.
I invite you to take the 45-Day Challenge at FivestarMan.com. This transformative journey will equip you to live out the freedom Christ has won for you, embracing your identity as a son of the Father. Through daily disciplines, biblical insights, and practical steps, you’ll grow into the man God created you to be—strong, purposeful, and free. Will you accept the challenge to walk in the freedom Barabbas received and live for the One who took your place?
Neil Kennedy is the founder of FivestarMan, dedicated to inspiring men to live with authentic masculinity and purpose.
