Barabbas! Oh, Barabbas! What happened to you after you were freed from prison? Did you become a celebrity with the religious leaders who encouraged the crowd to call for your release? Did you thank Jesus for his sacrifice? Did you continue your murderous, thieving and insurrectionist ways? Did you come to believe you were the chosen one?
Oh, so many questions come to my mind now that we have entered 2024.
Earl Chappell
In a previous writing, I suggested many professing Christians will not recognize the anti-Christ and will follow him down the road to destruction. In one of my quiet moments of reflection, Barabbas came to mind. Yes, that Barabbas! The person who was freed so that Jesus, a person who neither sinned nor was found to have any fault, would suffer the fate of criminals by the ultimate of cruel punishments on the Cross.
We have such a Barabbas figure in our society today. His name is Donald Trump. For whatever reason, many professing Christians flock to him, pray for him and encourage him to stamp out the infidels (or enemies) in their midst. The love Jesus proclaimed is nowhere to be found. Yet, religious symbols abound. The name of Jesus is loudly proclaimed as if Jesus is one of them and is encouraging them to do the dastardly acts they do.
“The name of Jesus is loudly proclaimed as if Jesus is one of them and is encouraging them to do the dastardly acts they do.”
Without so much as lifting a finger, Barabbas was freed. I imagine he was the last person on earth to suspect he would be the admiration of the people on that day.
Only a week earlier, a great crowd of people were singing hosannas and escorting Jesus into Jerusalem. Figuratively, “All hail, King Jesus.”
However, Jesus got in the way of the religious elite of his time. They wanted to keep what they believed was God-given power. Even though Romans 13 had not been written by Paul yet, the religious leaders assumed God was on their side and was against the Roman authorities. Even Jesus did not weigh in on the Roman government. All he said was to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.”
In some ways, even Trump does not understand this admiration of the religious leaders who flock to him. In his private conversations with his closest associates, he allegedly speaks negatively about the masses that follow him. Yet, apparently being used to such cruelty, they continue to be attracted to him. Why? Because they think there will be better days ahead. That things will change in their favor.
Even though it was not on Jesus’ agenda, Trump and his acolytes will push for their agenda: eliminate LGBTQ people, ban abortion, kill “woke,” remove “liberal” curricula from all colleges and universities, abolish public education as we know it, and so forth. It is like an abused wife who continues to believe the abusive husband will change one day even though she has been threatened over and over again.
In Trump’s situation, even those who may not like him stay with him because of both perceived and observed violent outcomes of his many threats.
The Bible is silent as to what happened to Barabbas and his association with the religious leaders. This silence is where speculation and conspiracy theories thrive. However, there is one thing we know as fact: An innocent man was crucified in the place of an acknowledged criminal. This same innocent man is being crucified again today. In our churches!
“Every preacher who stands with the modern-day Barabbas takes a stand against Jesus.”
Every preacher who stands with the modern-day Barabbas takes a stand against Jesus. Jesus, the crucified, innocent personification of the living God, even asked for forgiveness for those who had done such a dastardly deed. He did not ask for revenge or retribution. He exhibited love to the bitter end.
Ignoring the responsibilities to government according to Romans 13, the modern-day Trump followers suggest Romans 13 only applies while their guy is in political power. Their marriage of Old Covenant legality to New Covenant love is an oxymoron, which yields every form of hypocrisy and irrationality.
In Matthew 25, Jesus gave a parable about judgment. His concern was about those who were hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, the stranger and the prisoner. Jesus covered his entire message in one statement at the end of his earthy life when he told his disciples to love one another. Indeed, this was his final message to his followers. He did not stand in a pulpit and call for the execution of the “gays,” the unbelievers, those who had abortions and so forth. He was disappointed in the choice of the rich young ruler, yet he did not openly condemn him, but exhibited love for him.
Christians should be known for how we love each other as well as how we love our neighbors. The exhibited behavior of many of our fellow Christians has been a major stumbling block in a necessary witness to a lost world. We can still preach without being judgmental. The greatest attribute exhibited by any Jesus follower is that of love.
The Bible does not tell us how long Barabbas held influence within the religious community of his day. The Bible does not tell us how many of those who cried out for Barabbas eventually turned to believing in Jesus and following him. However, we do know that much that is wrong in Christendom today may have its roots in the story of Barabbas.
Earl Chappell lives in Virginia Beach, Va., and has been a member of First Baptist Church of Norfolk since 1977.