One Named Barabbas - Mark 15:7

Mark wrote how, “in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Are you the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, You said it. And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answer you nothing? behold how many things they witness against you. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marveled. Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired”, and in chapter fifteen and verse seven of his book, Mark shared how, “there was one named Barabbas” where we read:

And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

The verse reads, “And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, ...”. Mark began with the words, “And there was one named” which means “and there existed a particular person whose name was” “Barabbas” whose name means “son of a father or master”, “which lay bound with them” which means “who fastened and put himself under obligation, law and duty with the people” “that had made insurrection” or “who were companions and fellow rioters” “with him” which means “alongside Barabbas”. Mark shared how “Barabbas” joined himself to people who were “rioters” against the government.

The verse goes on to say, “... who had committed murder in the insurrection.” Mark continued with the words, “who had committed murder” which means “who made, produced and prepared slaughter and slaying” “in the insurrection” or “within the strife, dissension and standing uproar”. Mark shared how “Barabbas” “murdered” someone while he was rioting with the others in an “uproar”.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we discover how “Barabbas” was not only a “rioter”, but also a “murderer” when he was involved in the “dissension”. This particular “prisoner” was being considered as the “certain one” who would be release among the people instead of Jesus. There will be more to this story in the next few verses, but for now, let us consider how this “riotous murderer” was to be offered to the people for “release”. God loves people so much that He allowed such a horrific exchange to be set against His Son Jesus, and when people consider who Jesus really is, they should simply believe and trust in Him as their as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Mark shares how, “the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".