The amazing exchange

The key clicked in the lock. Heavy chains were cold on his wrists and the light paled as the jailer closed the heavy prison door. The air was as stale as the future. Guilty. Caught in the act of robbery. Condemned for murder.

The man slid along the cool wall to sit on the ground. Guilty. Caught in the act. There had been no hope in the judge’s monotone sentencing. What could he expect?

All the excuses hung like shredded rags now, because the soldiers had looked him in the eye as he held the goods in his hand. The knife, just wiped clean, was in his belt. What defense had he had? He was drop-dead guilty.

He deserved to die. The dark hopelessness of isolation settled over him for ages.

Outside, the sun was shining. There wasn’t even a glimpse of rain in the sky. But the heat in the air was nothing compared to the argument between the government man and the angry assembly.

Their evidence was worthless. It was easy to see the accused had done nothing wrong, except really tick them off.

But the government man was wilting under the pressure. Really, why should he care? He could keep the crowd happy. The accused man would fade from everyone’s memory soon.

That was how a minor government official gave the order to substitute an innocent man for another who was absolutely, no-questions-asked guilty. That was how the swap happened, that a man who didn’t deserve to die trudged to an execution in the place of the one who did. It was the beginning of the amazing exchange.

The official turned to his assistant: “This stinks but it isn’t my fault. I have other business to attend to. Go release Barabbas.”

Because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[

Isaiah 61:1