BARABBAS AND THE TIMING OF THE EXODUS

April 2

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.
Matthew 27:20

On the same occasion that the Jews brought Jesus before Pilate, Pilate released to them Barabbas, an act based on the Jewish custom to free one prisoner “at the Feast” (Matt. 27:16-26; Mark 15:7-15; Luke 23:18-40; John 18:39-40). This happened “during the Feast” while it was in progress, which was daytime of Passover (Abib 14). Such release was a symbolic gesture of Israel being freed from their bondage as they were in the process of leaving Egypt. Therefore, John 18:39 labels it a custom of the Jews, “But you have a custom, that I should release someone for you at the Passover.”

The timing of Pilate releasing Barabbas significantly plays into the chronological calculation of the Passion Week, since it parallels with the original Passover. Hendriksen leans toward this interpretation although he is not sure it pointed only to the Passover festival: “...the idea of setting a prisoner free would seem to be (emphasis mine) most appropriate in connection with Passover, the commemoration of the deliverance of the Israelites from the house of bondage.”

The Passover meal had been eaten the night prior to the prisoner’s release, just as Israel ate the Passover the night of Abib 14 and were in the process of being released from their bondage the next day (Preparation Day for leaving Egypt), Passover daytime. If the Passover during Passion Week had not yet been eaten (according to some scholars who hold that Jesus and His disciples ate Passover a day early, but the regular Passover had not yet commenced) the release of Barabbas was out of synchronicity; it was too early. Such a scheme is actually in reverse than what happened in the Exodus. God’s timing is perfect. Events in history are controlled by God and can only happen one way.

DeLane Miller