John the apostle wrote how the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate, and after he spoke with Jesus the first time, “Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Say you this thing of yourself, or did others tell you of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you unto me: what have you done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from here. Pilate therefore said unto him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate said unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no fault at all. But you have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will you therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?”, and in chapter eighteen and verse forty of his book John shared how the crowd cried, “not this man, but Barabbas” where we read:
Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
The verse reads, “Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas.” John began with the words, “Then cried they all again” which means “at that time shouted aloud everyone of the Jewish people another time”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “not this man” which means “not this particular male human being”, “but Barabbas” or “nevertheless, notwithstanding and moreover Barabbas whose name means son of a father or master and was a captive robber and thief”. John shared how the crowd of Jewish people shouted aloud to Pilate that they wanted the robber “Barabbas” instead of Jesus.
The verse goes on to say, “Now Barabbas was a robber.” John continued with the words, “Now Barabbas” or “moreover Barabbas whose name means son of a father or master” “was a robber” which means “existed as a captive robber and thief”. John shared how “Barabbas” was a thief among the Jewish people.
When we consider John's words in this verse, we learn how the Jewish people did not want Jesus to be set free among them but rather chose a “thief” named “Barabbas” to be “released”. Jesus previously told the people, “the thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (See John 10:10), and although He came to give them “life”, they chose a “thief” instead. Satan is the ultimate “thief” who desires to destroy every person, and when a person submits themselves to Jesus, they choose Him rather than Satan. God wants to forgive the sins of every person who comes to Him through His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him, they shall receive everlasting life with God in Heaven.
Next time we begin a new chapter and see John share how, “Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him”, 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".
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