bar Jonah
January 30th 2003, 02:59 PM
Pilate’s Choice For The Crowd
The Shocking Truth
by Jim Schofield
What Christian isn't familiar with the story of how Roman governor Pontius Pilate allowed the crowd of Jews the choice of who would be crucified and who would go free? But let's back up a bit and take a look at a story that you probably THOUGHT you knew...
A revolutionary leader had appeared on the scene named Jesus, stirring up the people, promising to set them free. Jesus moved from town to town, teaching revolutionary ideas and causing an uprising among the people, inspiring them to change their lives, even risk death for what they believed! Many saw this man as someone who would liberate them from oppression, set them free through some kind of revolution. And now he would suffer on the cross for his attempt to be a revolutionary leader of the Jews. He was to be crucified.
And that fateful day came when Pilate stood before the crowd, and asked them who they wanted to crucify and who should be set free, for it was a custom for the Roman governor to set free one man on this day every year, in honor of Passover. The Passover feast celebrated the day that death passed over a people who were rebellious and sinful and deserving of death, spared only by their God's mercy and grace. Perhaps the real purpose of this tradition was an attempt by the Romans to replace the Hebrew God with their own authority, by being the new source of mercy and grace to one prisoner every year. It would have been a brilliant propaganda ploy, to be sure.
And now, Pilate presented the choice to the people, and they shouted their answer! And Jesus... was released and walked away free.
What? Yes, you heard me. Jesus was released, and he lived.
Here is the scripture you are familiar with, from the gospel of Matthew.
[i]NKJV
Matthew 27:15-23
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 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?" For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.
While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"
They said, "Barabbas!"
Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"
They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"
Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"
But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"
Some may note that Pilate says something odd here. Why would he, of all people, refer to Jesus as "Christ?" Did he have a particularly good reason? But what if I told you this isn't a completely accurate translation. Translators have intentionally removed a shocking word. Remember the back-story... Barabbas was a thief and a murderer, and a leader in a failed attempt of some Jews to rise up against the Roman occupation. Many saw this man as a person who would liberate them from oppression, set them free through some kind of revolution. And now he would suffer for his attempt to be a revolutionary leader of the Jews. He was to be crucified.
But what most don't realize is that Barabbas wasn't his first name. It was his surname. The prefix "bar-" means "son of..." (A man named Bar-Jonah was the son of Jonah.) And "abbas" meant "father," but in this particular form, it referred to a Hebrew "cohen" or priest, who were commonly called "father" by Jewish believers.
Yes, Barabbas' name meant "son of a priest." A priest's son! You know, it's not uncommon for some to note even today that when a preacher's child rebels, they tend to REALLY rebel. And this is evident in the life of ____ Barabbas.
But what was his real first name? Do you know... that it's right there in the gospel of Matthew? But guess what? The problem is... the translators leave it out! And this is quite strange, because his name was... Jesus.
His name was Jesus, "son of the father." And the crowd shouted for Pilate to set him free.
STRONG'S LITERAL
Matthew 27:15-17
15. at And a feast was accustomed the Governor to release one to the crowd prisoner, whom they wanted.
16. they had And then a prisoner notable called Jesus-Barabbas.
17. having assembled Then they said to them Pilate, Whom do you want I should release for you -- Jesus-Barabbas or Jesus called Messiah?
18. he knew For that through envy they had delivered him.
19. sitting And he on the tribunal sent to him the wife of him, saying, Nothing to you and to just one that! many things For I suffered today by a dream through him!
20. the But most important priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for - Barabbas, and Jesus to destroy.
21. answering And the Governor said to them, Which do you want from the two {that} I should release to you? they And said, - Barabbas!
22. Says to them, Pilate, What then should I do {to} Jesus called Messiah? They say all, Let him be crucified!
23. the But {Governor} said, what For crime did he? they But more cried out, saying, Let him be crucified!
A revolutionary leader had appeared on the scene named Jesus, stirring up the people, promising to set them free. Jesus moved from town to town, teaching revolutionary ideas and causing an uprising among the people, inspiring them to change their lives, even risk death for what they believed! Many saw this man as someone who would liberate them from oppression, set them free through some kind of revolution. And now he would suffer on the cross for his attempt to be a revolutionary leader of the Jews. He was to be crucified.
Many people assume that Jesus-Barabbas was there on the balcony with Pilate and Jesus the Christ. But in fact, historical records show he was being kept in a jail not far from there. Although he surely couldn't have heard Pilate's words to the crowd, he definitely would have been able to hear the crowd's responses. And he knew he was slated for execution. And he probably knew that something was going on over there, something about the fate of himself and another prisoner. He knew the annual tradition. And when he heard Pilate shout... something to the crowed, he surely heard them respond, "BARABBAS!!!"
And moments later, he surely heard them cry out, "CRUCIFY HIM!!!" And again, they shouted it with even greater fervor.
And a shudder must have moved along his spine at the sound of that. His impending doom... sealed by his own people. His surprise must have been great when they came to set him free and told him what had really happened!
Scripture is silent on what follows, but it isn't difficult to imagine this criminal, this broken man, now set free... finding his way to the Cross, kneeling and looking up at the other prisoner who shared his name, and who now took his place on the cross. The cross that should have born the man named Jesus-Barabbas.
The Shocking Truth
by Jim Schofield
What Christian isn't familiar with the story of how Roman governor Pontius Pilate allowed the crowd of Jews the choice of who would be crucified and who would go free? But let's back up a bit and take a look at a story that you probably THOUGHT you knew...
A revolutionary leader had appeared on the scene named Jesus, stirring up the people, promising to set them free. Jesus moved from town to town, teaching revolutionary ideas and causing an uprising among the people, inspiring them to change their lives, even risk death for what they believed! Many saw this man as someone who would liberate them from oppression, set them free through some kind of revolution. And now he would suffer on the cross for his attempt to be a revolutionary leader of the Jews. He was to be crucified.
And that fateful day came when Pilate stood before the crowd, and asked them who they wanted to crucify and who should be set free, for it was a custom for the Roman governor to set free one man on this day every year, in honor of Passover. The Passover feast celebrated the day that death passed over a people who were rebellious and sinful and deserving of death, spared only by their God's mercy and grace. Perhaps the real purpose of this tradition was an attempt by the Romans to replace the Hebrew God with their own authority, by being the new source of mercy and grace to one prisoner every year. It would have been a brilliant propaganda ploy, to be sure.
And now, Pilate presented the choice to the people, and they shouted their answer! And Jesus... was released and walked away free.
What? Yes, you heard me. Jesus was released, and he lived.
Here is the scripture you are familiar with, from the gospel of Matthew.
[i]NKJV
Matthew 27:15-23
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 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?" For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.
While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"
They said, "Barabbas!"
Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"
They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"
Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"
But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"
Some may note that Pilate says something odd here. Why would he, of all people, refer to Jesus as "Christ?" Did he have a particularly good reason? But what if I told you this isn't a completely accurate translation. Translators have intentionally removed a shocking word. Remember the back-story... Barabbas was a thief and a murderer, and a leader in a failed attempt of some Jews to rise up against the Roman occupation. Many saw this man as a person who would liberate them from oppression, set them free through some kind of revolution. And now he would suffer for his attempt to be a revolutionary leader of the Jews. He was to be crucified.
But what most don't realize is that Barabbas wasn't his first name. It was his surname. The prefix "bar-" means "son of..." (A man named Bar-Jonah was the son of Jonah.) And "abbas" meant "father," but in this particular form, it referred to a Hebrew "cohen" or priest, who were commonly called "father" by Jewish believers.
Yes, Barabbas' name meant "son of a priest." A priest's son! You know, it's not uncommon for some to note even today that when a preacher's child rebels, they tend to REALLY rebel. And this is evident in the life of ____ Barabbas.
But what was his real first name? Do you know... that it's right there in the gospel of Matthew? But guess what? The problem is... the translators leave it out! And this is quite strange, because his name was... Jesus.
His name was Jesus, "son of the father." And the crowd shouted for Pilate to set him free.
STRONG'S LITERAL
Matthew 27:15-17
15. at And a feast was accustomed the Governor to release one to the crowd prisoner, whom they wanted.
16. they had And then a prisoner notable called Jesus-Barabbas.
17. having assembled Then they said to them Pilate, Whom do you want I should release for you -- Jesus-Barabbas or Jesus called Messiah?
18. he knew For that through envy they had delivered him.
19. sitting And he on the tribunal sent to him the wife of him, saying, Nothing to you and to just one that! many things For I suffered today by a dream through him!
20. the But most important priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for - Barabbas, and Jesus to destroy.
21. answering And the Governor said to them, Which do you want from the two {that} I should release to you? they And said, - Barabbas!
22. Says to them, Pilate, What then should I do {to} Jesus called Messiah? They say all, Let him be crucified!
23. the But {Governor} said, what For crime did he? they But more cried out, saying, Let him be crucified!
A revolutionary leader had appeared on the scene named Jesus, stirring up the people, promising to set them free. Jesus moved from town to town, teaching revolutionary ideas and causing an uprising among the people, inspiring them to change their lives, even risk death for what they believed! Many saw this man as someone who would liberate them from oppression, set them free through some kind of revolution. And now he would suffer on the cross for his attempt to be a revolutionary leader of the Jews. He was to be crucified.
Many people assume that Jesus-Barabbas was there on the balcony with Pilate and Jesus the Christ. But in fact, historical records show he was being kept in a jail not far from there. Although he surely couldn't have heard Pilate's words to the crowd, he definitely would have been able to hear the crowd's responses. And he knew he was slated for execution. And he probably knew that something was going on over there, something about the fate of himself and another prisoner. He knew the annual tradition. And when he heard Pilate shout... something to the crowed, he surely heard them respond, "BARABBAS!!!"
And moments later, he surely heard them cry out, "CRUCIFY HIM!!!" And again, they shouted it with even greater fervor.
And a shudder must have moved along his spine at the sound of that. His impending doom... sealed by his own people. His surprise must have been great when they came to set him free and told him what had really happened!
Scripture is silent on what follows, but it isn't difficult to imagine this criminal, this broken man, now set free... finding his way to the Cross, kneeling and looking up at the other prisoner who shared his name, and who now took his place on the cross. The cross that should have born the man named Jesus-Barabbas.