Jesus and Barabbas
Jesus and Barabbas: The Danger of Judging a Person by Their Past When we hear the word “criminal,” we often make a decision about a person immediately. We remember what they did, what people say about them, and what their past looks like. We may believe they deserve rejection, shame, or punishment forever. But the story of Jesus and Barabbas gives us a powerful warning: human judgment can be very different from God's grace. Barabbas was a prisoner and a criminal. The Gospels tell us that he had been involved in serious wrongdoing. When Pilate presented Jesus and Barabbas to the crowd, the people chose Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. Think about the tragedy of that moment. The innocent man was condemned. The guilty man was released. The crowd looked at Jesus and Barabbas and made a judgment—but their judgment was completely wrong. We Can Make the Same Mistake Today Sometimes we look at someone and say: “He is a bad person.” “She will never change.” “He is a c...