Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
—1 John 3:16
Many Bible exegetes contend that the cross on which Jesus died was intended for Barabbas, a notorious terrorist who was in custody.
It was Pilate’s custom at Passover to free one prisoner, of the people’s choosing. He offered them a choice: Barabbas or Jesus—and was baffled when, at the badgering of the religious leaders, the crowd insisted that he release Barabbas and crucify Jesus.
A mental scene shift lands us in the company of Barabbas. “There is no one righteous . . . All of us have sinned” (Rom 3:10, 23)—and the sentence for sin is death (Rom. 6:23).
Barabbas belonged on that center cross—so do we. But Jesus took his place—and ours. The innocent died—the guilty was set free. The just was crucified—the unjust was justified.
Say it: “He took my place.”
Say it again.