Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Who was Barabbas? We read about this man in all four of the Gospels. According to Matthew, he was a notorious prisoner. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. (Matthew 27:16) Mark wrote And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. (Mark 15:7) Luke said release to us Barabbas who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder. (Luke 23:18-19) In the Gospel of John, we read Now Barabbas was a robber. (John 18:40)
Therefore, according to these four men, Barabbas was a notorious prisoner who was a rebellious murderer and a robber. He was a very bad man, evil in all his ways. He had been tried and declared guilty on all counts and sentenced to be publicly crucified.
Crucifixion was the common method of the death penalty in those days. Thousands of men were publicly crucified for their evil deeds. This was the law at the time and was carried out on a regular basis.
On the day Jesus was Crucified, there was supposed to be three men crucified. Three crosses were prepared for the crucifixion of the three men who had been found guilty and sentenced to death. They were two thieves and Barabbas. The cross in the middle had been prepared for Barabbas the notorious, rebellious, evil, robber, and murderer.
However, on that day, a switch was made. The people demanded that Barabbas be released and Jesus be crucified in his place. That’s what happened. Barabbas was representative of the old man and every sin and evil deed. He was the worst of the worst sinners and Jesus, who had never committed a single sin, died in his place.
The Apostle Paul understood that prior to his Salvation, he too was a horrible sinner deserving of death by crucifixion. He too had been involved in many murders and the stoning of innocent people. There should have been a cross built for him and he knew it. That’s why he wrote But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Paul saw himself as Barabbas, guilty and worthy of death by crucifixion.
The old man in all of us is guilty and deserving of death by crucifixion. We are all sinners and the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) But, praise be to God that Jesus took our place on the Cross in the middle. The Cross in the middle was built for you and me but Jesus took our place so we don’t have to suffer what we deserve.
Jesus paid the price for our sins on the Cross in the middle that day. Barabbas represents the old man in all of us. Praise God we don’t have to live as the old man any longer because while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Hallelujah!
Christ suffered and died to…………..turn the tide …….in the old man.
I was Barabbas, Doreen
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