The Irony of Good Friday… I am sure that the irony that reveals itself in the fact that we refer to today as Good Friday does not escape our minds. From the perspective of all who bore eyewitness to the events that transpired during the 24 hours of that first Good Friday, it was anything but good. From the most devout disciple to the most casual onlooker the events that transpired before their very eyes were anything but good. Think about it! It is recorded that the political authorities of the day examined Jesus and the charges against Him and concluded that He was innocent. Jesus was pronounced innocent not once, not twice but THREE times by those who had the power to render such a verdict! The crowd of opposition would not allow the verdict to stand and demanded that these political leaders do as they wished and what they wished for was for Jesus to be put to death.
Friday’s Were Days of Death... Furthermore, the first Good Friday was actually a bad day on the calendar. This was a day of death. The Romans, while not having the appeasement of the Jews as a high priority, did respect them enough to organize themselves in such a way that the Sabbath and the other religious festivals could be observed in peace. Therefore, it was common that executions be held on Friday’s so that those executed could be removed from the cross so that the Sabbath would not be desecrated. We know this to be the case because Jesus’ body was removed from the cross and buried quickly before the Sabbath began. Isn’t it ironic that today we wake up on Monday looking forward to Friday but during Jesus’ day Friday was not so desired especially knowing that condemned criminals would be put to death on that day.
The Romans had prepared for this day. There were three condemned criminals who were to be crucified that day—two thieves whose name we do not know and one murderous insurrectionist named Barabbas. Three crosses had been prepared and were waiting for the occupants to be placed. Three people were being held in the first century’s version of death row. The trials had been held. The verdicts had been rendered. The sentences had been pronounced. Three men were waiting to die that day. Three men were waiting to die that day. Three men were waiting to die that day.
One guilty man destined for death was going to get an unsuspected pardon while One innocent man destined to live was going to die.
What’s The Hold Up? Historians and archaeologists suggests that those who were sentenced to die would have been brought up out of their prison cells and placed in a holding area, of sorts, on the morning of death or possibly even the night before. It is also suggested that executions, especially in Jerusalem, took place early in the day so that everything could be “cleaned up” long before sundown because that is when the Sabbath began. On this day of execution things did not go as normal. There was an interruption in the normal flow of things that day because the crowds, being led by their religious leaders, were demanding that Jesus be put to death with the others who had been condemned to death but the authorities struggled to grant their request because they could not find anything to charge Him with that would deserve death. Everything was on hold because there was this great commotion surrounding Jesus. Nothing was going as normal because of this great commotion surrounding Jesus. Imagine what it must have been like for the two thieves and Barabbas in the holding area. They knew what this day held for them. This was going to be a bad day. They knew their destiny and probably wondered what the hold up was. When you know it is going to be a bad day you just want to get it over with! Everything was being held up because people were demanding that an innocent man be put to death.
The Guilty Set Free. One of the customs of the day was that a prisoner could be released from their sentence of condemnation if the majority so chose. This was a gift from the Romans to the Jews and was done when executions were taking place during or near a time of celebration (the Passover celebration was in full swing). Pilate, hoping that the people would ask for Jesus to be released, asked whether they would have Jesus live and Barabbas die or Jesus die and Barabbas live. Pilate chose Barabbas because he assumed that he, of all people, would never be chosen by the people. Remember, he had found Jesus innocent. Not guilty and his conscience was seething within at the thought of murdering an innocent man. Therefore, he set before them Barabbas rather than on of the other criminals we are familiar with that eventually hung on both sides of Jesus. Barabbas was known by all as both a murderer and an insurrectionist. He not only tried to put to death the system of Roman rule over him but also put to death his fellow man.
Imagine the Scene. Barabbas is in a holding cell. Suddenly he hears the crowd begin to chant his name—“Barabbas! Barabbas!” He does not know why they are chanting his name. All that he knows is that they are. He does not know that the crowd is chanting his name because they are choosing him, a hardened and condemned murderer, to be set free. This must have occurred very strange to him at the time. Then the crowd goes silent. Pilate begins to ask the crowd what he should do with Jesus. The crowd gets worked up again and begins to shout “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Could you imagine what must have been going through Barabbas’ mind? All he hears is “Barabbas! Barabbas! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” It is not that he does not know that today his number is up but it is an odd thing for a crowd to gather around to call for and cheer on his execution. Suddenly he hears footsteps approaching and he knows that the time has come. The clanging of the armor signified that the time had come and the guards had finally come to get him so that he may be delivered to his executioner. Something strange happens, however. The first thief is taken out in shackles and chains. The second thief is taken out in shackles and chains. When it comes to his turn, instead of being led out in his shackles and chains his shackles and chains are released and he is informed that he is free. I wouldn’t guess that he hung around that place long fearing that the guards might have made a mistake that they would soon recognize and look to rectify.
I Am Barabbas! Having painted the picture the way that I have I want you to hear this. A man who was guilty and condemned was set free because a Man who was innocent and perfect was willing to take his place. Somebody was going to die that day. Barabbas deserved it. Jesus did not. Barabbas could not have stopped the proceedings. Jesus could have. At any point and time Jesus could have called down legions of angels to His defense. At any point and time Jesus could have simply spoken a word and His enemies would have ceased to exist. At any point and time Jesus could have stopped it all…but He didn’t. Jesus allowed the events to transpire just as they did because His mission in coming was to die.
Two people were in front of Pilate. He had to release one of them. The one was a sinner against God and man, a criminal stained with many evils. The other was the holy, harmless, and undefiled Son of God, in whom there was no fault at all. And yet Pilate condemns the innocent prisoner and acquits the guilty! He orders Barabbas to be set free and delivers Jesus to be crucified.
This is an illustration of that wonderful exchange which takes place between Christ and the sinner when a sinner is justified in God’s sight. See 2 Corinthians 5:21. Christ the innocent has been reckoned guilty before God so that we the guilty might be reckoned innocent and be set free from condemnation.
If you have been saved by Jesus’ atoning and substitionary sacrifice tonight then Barabbas is more than the name of a man way back then. You are Barabbas. I am Barabbas. We are all those who bear the name Barabbas because we were the guilty. We were the condemned. We were the hopeless. We were the helpless. I say that we all bear the name Barabbas because Jesus died in our place. Jesus took our guild. Jesus took our shame. Jesus was condemned for us so that we could be forgiven, set free and given new life.
If we are true Christians, let us daily lean our souls on the comforting thought that Christ has really been our substitute and has been punished in our place. Let us freely confess that, like Barabbas, we deserve death, judgment, and hell. But let us cling firmly to the glorious truth that a sinless Savior has suffered in our place, and that believing in him the guilty may go free.
