Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BARABBAS

(Gk. Barabbás)

The “notorious prisoner” (Matt. 27:16) whom Pilate released to the crowd at Passover instead of Jesus. He is also described as a bandit (Gk. lēstḗs; John 18:40) and one imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection (Mark 15:7; cf. Luke 23:19, 25). All four Gospels indicate that Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, but the crowd insisted on Barabbas. While there is no extrabiblical evidence for the custom of releasing prisoners at Passover, similar practices existed at festivals in other ancient cultures.

Some manuscripts of Matt 27:16-17 give Barabbas’ name as Jesus Barabbas. While this seems to be the preferred reading, which some scribes probably omitted out of reverence for Jesus Christ, several questions remain. Did Matthew invent the common name Iēsoús to create a contrast between Jesus Barabbas and Jesus who is called the Christ? Or was he following at this point a source not used by Mark? If so, did someone in Matthew’s source tradition invent the name? Because we cannot answer these questions with certainty, it is impossible to know whether Barabbas was actually named Jesus.

Warren C. Trenchard

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BARABBAS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)