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According to Christian tradition, Barabbas was the prisoner whom Pilate released instead of Jesus of Nazareth at Passover in Jerusalem.

Overview

The character of Barabbas is introduced only in Christian sources--the Gospel of Mark (15:6-15), the Gospel of Matthew (27:15-26), the Gospel of Luke (23:13-25), and the Gospel of John (18:38b-40).

The Gospel of Mark speaks of "a man, called Barabbas, who was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection" (Mk 15:7). Similarly, the Gospel of Luke reports that "this was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder" (Lk 23:19.25). The Gospels of Matthew and John do not provide any of these details but refer to Barabbas simply as "a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas" (Mt 27:16), or "a bandit" (Jn 18:40).

According to Mark and Matthew, releasing a prisoner at the Passover was Pilate's custom ("at the festival [Pilate] used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked... So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom", Mk 15:6.8; cf. Mt 27:15). For John instead it was a Jewish custom ("[Pilate] said... You have a custom that I released someone for you at the Passover", Jn 18:23). The detail is missing in the Gospel of Luke, if not in a later glossa at Lk 23:17, which generically affirms that "[Pilate] was obliged to released someone for them at the festival".

All four gospels suggest that it was Pilate's intention to free Jesus, but then he was somehow forced against his will to release Barabbas.

The Gospel of Mark argues that "the high priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead... They shouted back... [until] Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas" (Mk 15:11-15).

Similarly, Matthew says that "the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed" (27:20), while the wife of Pilate interceded for Jesus against Barabbas (Mt 27:19); at the end "when Pilate saw that he could do nothing but rather that a riot was beginning... he washed his hands... and released Barabbas" (Mt 27:24-26).

The interaction between the crowd and the Jewish authorities gets lost in the later gospels. In Luke Pilate addresses a crowd made of "the chief priests, the leaders and the people... They kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict, that their demand should be granted" (Lk 23:13.23). In the Gospel of John, Pilate summoned "the Jews... but they shouted in reply: Not this man, but Barabbas!" (Jn 18:38.40).

As the figure of Barabbas and the custom of releasing prisoners at the Passover in Jerusalem are not recorded in any sources other than the Gospels, the historicity of the event and the very existence of the character of Barabbas is disputed. The lack of evidence makes it virtually impossible to evaluate the Gospel tradition from the historical point of view.

Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan (June 2010)

In Depth

• Barabbas (sources)

• Barabbas (literature & the arts)

References

• Barabbas / Michael J. Wilkins / In: The Anchor Bible Dictionary (1992 Freedman), dictionary, 1:607

External links

• Wikipedia