Pontious Pilate – the governor in charge of Jesus’ case – offers the people an exchange, a get out of jail free card for any prisoner of their choosing. Amazing that when the crowds who had known Jesus, had heard Him teach, had been healed by Him and fed by Him, see Him humiliated and condemned, they have no mercy but shout for Barrabas, a murderer and insurrectionist. “Give us Barrabas! We have no king but Ceasar! Crucify Jesus! Crucify Him!” So Barrabas is set free, and Jesus takes his place on the cross of Golgotha, the place of a skull. This exchange was not only for Barrabas, but for all of us. 400 years before Jesus was born, Isaiah prophesied:
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6
It is a simple but terrible exchange: Jesus is condemned, and we go free. Jesus takes our punishment, and we are forgiven. Jesus takes our sin, and we get His righteousness. As Jesus hangs between Heaven and earth, the full wrath of God is visited on Him – only the sinless Son of God could take our punishment, only Jesus could not only survive it, but come through the other side. “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
This exchange is an eternal fix. The sacrifice of Jesus, our High Priest, not only covers our day-to-day sins that we confess when we come to Him, but it remakes our souls, so that our hearts become a holy and fitting place for the Holy Spirit to dwell.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” – so that in Christ Jesus the blessing Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13,14
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for taking my place on the cross, for forgiving all my sins, and making me a righteous vessel for Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, thank You, thank You! In Your name I pray, amen.