Who was Barabbas in The Bible?

Answer 1

Opinion According to the gospels, Pontius Pilate offered the mob the option of freeing Barabbas or Jesus, thereby placing the primary responsibility for Jesus' death at the feet of the Jews. Earl Doherty points out that this is an option no governor of Judea would ever have offered, and there is no record of such a Roman policy anywhere. John Shelby Spong concurs, saying that in his research, he has been able to find no evidence that there was a custom among the Jews of releasing a prisoner at the time of the Passover. In the face of this evidence, it must be considered that Barabbas may have been an allegory created by the author of Mark's Gospel.

Spong suggests the original crucifixion story could have been related to the Yom Kippur tradition. One lamb or goat (Jesus) was killed for our sins and one had the sins of the people symbolically transferred to him, after which he was chased away (Barabbas).

Richard Carrier points out that Barabbas means "son of the father" and says that it is an obvious pun on Christ himself. The Jews chose the wrong "son of the father", one who represents the Old Covenant, as well as the scapegoat (the lamb) sent off, bearing the people's sins into the wilderness, while its twin is sacrificed (Lev. 16:8-10, 23:27-32, Heb. 8-9).

Opinion

In the first instance, Jesus is Barabbas and/or Barabbas is Jesus, -that is to say that 'Jesus' was His name; Barabbas was what He was called. "Jesus Barabbas", written in the original Greek Gospel according or attributed to Matthew (27:17) but that His name [Jesus] was removed or omitted from the Latin 'translation' of the same text (around 390 c. e.) and most of the subsequent 'translations' thereafter, -leaving us latter-day people with only "Barabbas" instead.

Barabbas is not a proper name or surname (any more so than is "Christ"), -it is what He was called. It is an Aramaic appellation, the meaning of which is: Bar = Son + ABBA = Father (as in 'the Father of us all' or, 'God', if you will).

This of course begs the question: Who is Jesus Christ.

Barabbas in the Bible

Matthew 27

15Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

18For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

19When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

22Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

23And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

24When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

25Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

26Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.