John 18:40

Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

John 18:40 (KJV)

Context

John 18 describes Jesus’ arrest and trial before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. During the Passover feast, Pilate customarily released a prisoner chosen by the people (Matthew 27:15-16). Seeing Jesus innocent, Pilate offered the crowd a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious criminal.

Meaning

In John 18:40, the crowd cried out again, demanding Barabbas instead of Jesus. The text explicitly identifies Barabbas as a robber, but he was more than a common thief; he was involved in violence and rebellion against Rome. The people’s choice was a collective, vocal rejection of the innocent Jesus in favor of a guilty insurrectionist.

Biblical connections

This rejection echoes Israel’s history of rebelling against God’s chosen deliverer. In the wilderness, the congregation cried out against Moses and Aaron (Numbers 14:1; 16:41), and even sought to stone Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:10). Psalm 78:40 describes how Israel provoked God in the wilderness. The crowd’s cry, “Not this man, but Barabbas,” mirrors that pattern of preferring their own way over God’s provision.

Application

The choice of Barabbas over Jesus is a stark illustration of humanity’s tendency to reject the Savior and embrace sin. It warns against the fickleness of public opinion and the danger of choosing the world’s way over God’s way. Each person faces a similar choice: to accept the innocent Jesus or to prefer the guilty self.

Reflection

Barabbas, the guilty criminal, represents humanity and our sinfulness, while Jesus is the sinless Son of God. The release of Barabbas foreshadows substitutionary atonement: Jesus took the place of Barabbas and all sinners, bearing the punishment for our sins on the cross. The people unknowingly fulfilled God’s plan of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice, highlighting the wonder of His substitutionary death.