Pentecost Thursday - Devotion in Exile

Lection for Thursday after Pentecost 

Numbers 24:1-25      Luke 23:1-25

Pilate knew that the Jews were envious of Jesus, that they wanted harm to come to him. His wife had pleaded with him to release Jesus, in fact she told him that she had suffered much in a dream because of Him. But the crowds prevailed.

It was the custom, and so Pilate was obliged to release one prisoner to them at the time of this festival. Knowing that they hated Jesus, he figured that they would lighten up on their hatred if he offered them the most vile prisoner held in captivity as the option to be released instead of Jesus. But little did he know!

God had planned this all out from the beginning. When the fullness of time came – when all the pieces were in place – it happened as God desired. Barabbas would go free and Jesus would be the Christ of God. Do you understand the significance? Here is the Great Exchange in irony!

Jesus is the beloved Son of the Father. We have heard the Father declare this truth on a couple occasions. At Jesus’ baptism and on the mount of Transfiguration, the Father declares of Jesus, “This is my beloved Son.”

Along comes Barabbas, of all criminals deserving the punishment of crucifixion, this is one who committed theft, and murder in the insurrection. He was imprisoned and awaiting execution, the death penalty. Pilate offers Barabbas up as the alternative for Jesus, believing that the Jews would rather have Jesus freed than the vile criminal Barabbas. The Jewish leadership stirs up the crowd to call for Jesus to be crucified and Barabbas to go free. Barabbas, in this immediate instance, is freed from the consequences of his sin, He is acquitted, as Jesus goes to the cross.

Now I wonder if you understand why I call this irony, or Divine comedy? Scripture helps us to understand what is taking place when we hear Peter name before Jesus changed it to Peter. Previously he was Simon bar-Jonah, that is, Simon bar(son of) Jonah. Do you note what you are taught? That prefix, ‘bar’ means “son of.” When  you add to that the word abba, which means ‘father,’ you have Barabba, or in the Greek and English, Barabbas. Barabbas means literally, ‘son-of-the-father.’

It is becoming clear now, the True Son of the Father goes to the cross to free the bar-abba (Barabbas) from the consequences of his sin, death. Freed from sin, Barabbas is freed to become a son-of-the-Father. We do not know if this happened, for we hear no more of him. Barabbas may or may not come to believe in Jesus, we do not know.  We are not given any information about his future.

It is a beautiful picture for you though, for The Son of the Father dies for all mankind that they may become Sons of the Father.

You are Bar-Abbas, Sons of the Father, through Jesus Christ.  For the true Son of the Father gave up His place as the true Son of the Father to stand in your place, taking the punishment and death that you deserve, that you might be a son of the Father. His righteousness, His perfection and holiness, His active obedience under the Law is sacrificed to pay for your unrighteousness, your imperfection and unholiness under the Law.

By a Divine intervention and cosmic play on words, God intervenes to deliver His plan. The True Son of the Father takes upon Himself your flesh and your sin so that you might become Sons of the Father, the redeemed children of God and heirs of all that is Christ’s.

You are Sons of the Father...

You are forgiven, called by name, through water and the Word, and given a new name, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. You are cared for as a True Son of the Father.

God’s peace be with you – Bar-abbas all – Sons of the Father through Jesus Christ your Savior from sin and death.

Let us pray:    All thanksgiving to You, dear Father in heaven, for You have adopted us into Your divine family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, we have died to sin and risen to new life. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we would live lives of daily repentance and faith, ever clinging to Jesus, our living Redeemer, for forgiveness, life and salvation. Amen.