Call Me Barabbas
A meditation for Good Friday
He wasn’t at the table.
He didn’t kneel for the washing.
He didn’t hear the words,
“This is my body, broken for you.”
While Jesus served the bread and passed the cup,
Barabbas was still in chains.
By dawn, everything had changed.
He stood blinking in sunlight,
the iron loosened from his wrists,
his sentence lifted—no explanation.
And Jesus, silent, stood in his place.
No upper room.
No garden agony.
No lashes, no trial for Barabbas.
Just freedom.
Freedom he didn’t ask for,
purchased by a man he’d never met.
And then, the hammer.
The cries.
The cross.
Barabbas wasn’t there to carry it,
but he knew—
with perfect clarity—
it should have been his.
And though Scripture never tells what he did next,
we know this story.
Because it is ours.
We, too, missed the meal.
We missed the trial,
missed the sentence.
And still—
we walk free.
So on this Friday,
as the sky darkens
and the earth shakes,
pause.
And listen.
You may hear your name
in the silence
on the lips
of the One who took your place.
Beautiful, Tom. Thanks for sharing. You and Jayne have a blessed wonderful Easter. See you soon.
Thank you, June. Jane joyns me in wishing you the most blessed of Easters as well!
Until I read this and for all the years I attended Sunday services, no sermon, that I can recall, ever drew the parallel of Barrabas’ captivity (sin) and freedom, to our captivity (sin) and freedom, through the sacrifice of one Man, Jesus Christ! None of us know for sure but maybe, just maybe, we will see Barrabas in Heaven. Hope so, for I’m sure he has quite the testimony.
Happy Easter, Tom and thank you for all you do for us!
Thanks for the kind words, Bill. They’re much appreciated. Have a blessed Easter.
I echo the comments from Bill…have never heard (or really even thought about) the parallel between Barrabas and myself…for sure shows how privileged I am and how much I take for granted. Praise God that he’s not so completely thoughtless! It’s wonderful to be on this side of the remembrance of that horrible day and celebrating the resurrection today! Happy Easter!
Thank you, Janice. Indeed, the blessings of Easter are beyond our comprehension. See you Wednesday.