I'm re-reading Jesus According to Scripture by Darrell Bock and was struck by something from the Passion narrative. We know there was a custom that clemency is granted to one prisoner during the Passover celebration. The Gospels tell us that the people are presented with the choice of Barabbas or Christ (King of the Jews in Mark and John), but the people choose Barabbas.
Bock notes that there is great symbolism in this scene. He writes,
The substitution of an innocent Jesus for a guilty Barabbas is a metaphor for the entire experience of the cross... the name Barabbas means "son of the father" in Aramaic. Those who know the language and are sensitive to religious symbolism understand that one son had been exchanged for another. One condemned to die had been set free so that an innocent could die in his place.Of course, the symbolism was lost in the furor of the moment, but I'm sure God used this imagery in the days afterward to remind and teach people what Jesus did. Also, it reminds us that Jesus is our substitute. We deserve death, but He takes that punishment upon Himself so that we might live. We should not take for granted the magnitude of what Jesus did for us. We should be humbled by His love, mercy, and grace and be people who extend love, mercy, and grace to others.
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