By Roger L. Ray
It is ironic that Barabbas had done the very sort of thing that the crowds had attempted to persuade Jesus to do ... what the crowds at the triumphal entry had counted on Him to do ... the people wanted a brave soldier messiah who would lead them in battle against the Romans, not surrender to them.
In fact, it is not all that surprising that the people called out for the release of Jesus Barabbas; that is what we have done ever since. We call out for a Rambo-like Jesus. His names are the names of the militant leaders the world has always seemed to prefer.
There are the inevitable religious leaders who believe they are defending God when they defend the status quo and shout down all voices which declare God's present activity in their midst. There are the faithless, cowardly friends and family members who run and hide when siding with Christ becomes too dangerous or too unpopular.
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There is the pathetic governor who never before showed any concern for the people but who will not risk himself at all to save the life of an innocent man in his own power. The words of Dante in the Divine Comedy were penned just for him: "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a time of crisis, maintained their neutrality." And yet, the fact that Jesus was crucified, in and of itself, is not historically noteworthy. Of the five major roads coming into the city of Jerusalem, the Romans kept someone hung on a cross at all of them, virtually all of the time. This was how the Romans reminded the Jews of the severity of their conquest.
Even after two thousand years, parts of more than 6,000 crosses have been unearthed in archaeological digs in the vicinity of first century Jerusalem. Crucifixion took place almost daily in that occupied city.
What Matthew wants us to see is the contrast of evil intent and innocence. The way to read the passion narrative is to see yourself as playing a role in it: a self-centered disciple, an untrue friend, a traitor, a zealot, a passive governor, a willing executioner, a mocking citizen, a cowardly follower. The power of the story is the mirror it holds up to our own lives that by conviction we may move to conversion.
