A Reflection on Barabbas and the Election of Bishop Gene Robinson

In all four Gospels, the Jews were given a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a rebel hero of the Jewish people (save in John’s Gospel, where he is a bandit.) It seems to me that Barabbas was a fairly popular man - a pro-Jewish, anti-Roman rebel, who, while some Jews may have decried him publically, would have ultimately had the support of the Jews, even if secretly, for attempting to throw off the Romans. He would be one of many Jewish rebel leaders over the time of the Roman occupation of Israel, but, at the time Jesus was brought before Pilate, I suspect he was rather in vogue, having recently led a riot where presumably someone loyal to Rome was killed. Barabbas was doing what most Jews wanted to do - get rid of the Roman oppression of Israel’s sovereignty. So, when faced with a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, the Jews chose Barabbas. Why? They liked him. Barabbas was a good guy in the eyes of the Jews. He might even be one of the favorite sons of the Jews. Jesus, however, had become a pain for the Jews. He wasn’t giving them freedom from the Romans, but was preaching the Good News of forgiveness and transformation, and a turning away from sin and to God. I can picture Ciaphus, the high priest, leading the cries of “Barabbas!”

The irony is further striking, in that Barabbas is Jesus Barabbas, and Pilate gives us a choice between Jesus Barabbas, “son of the father” and Jesus the Christ. A choice between the Jesus of the age and Jesus, the Christ - the Jesus of all ages.

The rest:
Drell's Descants: http://descant.classicalanglican.net/index.php?p=336