“And Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the spirit. And the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.” — Mark 15:37-38

Entrance Restricted

To understand the weight of Mark’s words, we have to look back at the old system described in Hebrews 8-9. Under the Old Covenant, the Temple was divided into sections, but the innermost room — the Most Holy Place — was strictly off-limits.

The Law was clear: only the High Priest could enter that room, and he could only do so once a year on the Day of Atonement. He never entered without the blood of a sacrifice, which he offered for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. The thick veil stood as a physical blockade, a constant reminder that sin had created a chasm between the Creator and the created. Access was restricted, temporary, and dependent on the blood of sacrificial animals.

A Divine Intervention

When Jesus “gave up the spirit,” the spiritual landscape of the universe shifted. The veil didn’t just wear out or fray; it was “torn in two from the top to the bottom.”

This wasn’t an act of man, but a merciful act of God. By tearing the curtain from the top down, God signaled that the era of the “once a year” sacrifice was over. As Hebrews 10 explains, Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary once and for all, not with the blood of goats or calves, but with His own blood. The barrier that kept us out was taken away by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus — by His death on the cross to atone for our sins.

The Invitation to Enter

The author of Hebrews explains the practical “so what” of this miraculous event. Because the veil is torn in two and opened, your relationship with God has changed from one of distance to one of acceptance and intimacy.

“Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way that He has consecrated for us through the veil — that is to say, His flesh — and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” — Hebrews 10:19-22

Takeaway

• The Sacrifice is Final: You no longer need a yearly sacrifice; Jesus’ blood is sufficient forever.
• The Access is Constant: You don’t have to wait for a special day or a special person to intercede for you. Jesus is your High Priest. He intercedes for you with His shed blood
• The Way is Open: You are invited to boldly “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”

The torn veil means that atonement for your sins has been made by the sacrifice of God’s Son. You have access to the Father through faith in the blood of Jesus, shed for you on the cross. God now accepts you and receives you into His presence through faith in Christ Jesus, your crucified and risen Savior!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we praise You for the miraculous moment the veil was torn from top to bottom, forever destroying the barrier that kept us from Your presence. We are deeply grateful that we no longer stand at a distance, but can now enter the holiest place with boldness through the “new and living way” consecrated by the flesh and shed blood of Jesus. Thank You, Lord, that our acceptance is not based on our own merit, but on the perfect sacrifice of our High Priest who washed us clean and opened the way to come into Your presence. We draw near to You today with full assurance, resting in the finished work of the cross and the gift of constant access to Your grace. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are taken from the Barbour Simplified KJV, copyright 2022, 2025. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc. Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved.]

Now at that feast he released one prisoner to them, whomever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, who was bound with those who had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And crying aloud, the multitude began to ask him to do as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” For he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him out of envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate answered and said again to them, “What then do you want me to do to Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
And they cried out again, “Crucify Him.”
Then Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has He done?”
And they cried out the more exceedingly, “Crucify Him!”
And so Pilate, wishing to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them and, when he had scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified. — Mark 15:6-15

Barabbas (sometimes spelled Barabus) is a biblical figure from the New Testament, known as the insurrectionist and murderer chosen by the Jerusalem crowd to be released by Pontius Pilate instead of Jesus Christ. His release symbolizes substitutionary sacrifice, where a guilty man is freed while the innocent Jesus takes his place on the cross.

Key details about Barabbas from the Gospels

Significance: He represents a pivotal moment in the Passion story, highlighting the people’s rejection of Jesus in favor of a violent rebel.

Name Meaning: “Barabbas” is derived from Aramaic “bar abba,” meaning “son of the father.” Some ancient manuscripts suggest his full name was Jesus Barabbas, creating a direct contrast between “Jesus Barabbas” and “Jesus called Messiah.”

Criminal Profile: Matthew 27:16 describes him as a “notorious prisoner,” while Mark 15:7 states he was imprisoned with rebels who committed murder during an insurrection.

Context: His release was part of a Passover custom in which a prisoner was pardoned.

Why did they choose to release him rather than Jesus? Jesus was a threat to their way of life. He revealed their utter sinfulness and called upon all to repent and look to Him in faith for pardon and forgiveness (Mark 15:10-14; cf. John 3:19-20).

Even today, people defending their sinful ways, rabidly reject the truth and will listen to no reason or instruction. They stop their ears to the truth and shout, “Crucify Him.”

If you were in the crowd outside the Praetorium on that first Good Friday and you heard these words from Pontius Pilate, offering to release unto you either Jesus or Barabbas, what would you say? Would you ask that Jesus, who was innocent and without sin, who claimed to be the very Son of God, be released unto you? Or would you join the crowd in asking for Barabbas?

And, what would you say after the crowd asked for Barabbas and Pilate asked what he should do with Jesus, who is called Christ? Would you join the crowd in crying out of Jesus, “Crucify Him!”?

Why was Barabbas released and Jesus condemned? The Scriptures answer this for us in Isaiah 53:6: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

We are guilty before God and deserving of death for our transgressions against his commandments. We may claim God as our Father, but our lives show otherwise. Jesus is the innocent, holy, and righteous Son of God who loved the Lord God with all His heart, soul, and mind. He kept God’s commands perfectly and without sin in His thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. He deserved to be released, but the LORD God laid on Him the guilt of all our sins and punished Him in our stead that we might be released and pardoned through faith in His name.

What happened to Barabbas after his release, we do not know. We do know that Jesus, God’s own dear Son, died in His stead and paid for the crimes of Barabbas, as well as for the sins of the whole world (cf. 1 John 2:2). Barabbas may ignored the price Jesus paid for sin and gone on in his sinful ways, only to be condemned again by God, if not also by the Romans. But, if he was penitent and looked to Jesus and His death on the cross in faith, he was also pardoned by God Himself and has eternal life (cf. John 3:16, 18).

And, what about you? You also are deserving of eternal death and damnation. The Bible plainly says, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).

But Jesus, the righteous and holy Son of God, died in our stead and suffered our punishment that we might look to Him in faith and be pardoned and forgiven. The Bible tells us: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Galatians 4:4-5; John 3:16,18).

Again, the Bible says, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:21-26).

It is true that we, by our sins, are guilty of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. With the crowd on Good Friday, we by our sins say of Jesus, “Let Him be crucified!”

But because Jesus went to the cross for us, we, who are guilty like Barabbas, have God’s gracious offer of pardon and forgiveness through faith in Christ Jesus! When we trust in Christ, God graciously forgives our sins against Him, and He offers and gives us everlasting life with Him in heaven.

It is as the old hymn verse states: “The sinless Son of God must die in sadness; the sinful child of man may live in gladness; Man forfeited his life and is acquitted — God is committed.” (O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken, Johann Heermann, 1630. Tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1863.)

Let us give thanks to our Savior for bearing upon the cross the guilt and punishment for our sins that we might be acquitted and partake of the everlasting blessings of heaven through faith in Jesus’ name. And let us use our lives here in this world to the praise and glory of Him who has redeemed us and set us free.

Oh, dearest Jesus, we thank and praise You for bearing on the cross the guilt and punishment for all our sins that we might look to You in faith and be pardoned and forgiven. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are taken from the Barbour Simplified KJV, copyright 2022, 2025. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc. Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved.]

“But he kept silent and answered nothing. Again, the high priest asked him, saying, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am: and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; what is your verdict?’ And they all condemned him as being worthy of death.” (Mark 14:61-64)

Jesus warned His enemies — the high priests, elders, and scribes — that though they rejected Him then, they would one day see Him seated at the right hand of God the Father and coming in the clouds of glory to be their Judge. Now is the time to repent and look to Him in faith for mercy and forgiveness before it is too late (cf. Psalm 2:10-12).

Why was Jesus condemned? What were the charges against Him? It was because He told them the truth, that He is God’s own dear Son and that they would, on the Last Day, see Him as prophesied by Daniel: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, glory, and a kingdom, so that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

Jesus’ enemies accused Him of “blasphemy” for claiming to be the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, and declared Him “guilty of death.” This truth — that Jesus is the Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, and their Judge — was distressing to them. It revealed their total sinfulness and their need to repent and trust in Him for salvation; yet they were unwilling to face their own sin or their need for a Savior.

Today, many also reject Jesus and the Christian faith for the same reason. They are unsettled by the truth that Jesus is the Son of God and shall judge the living and the dead on the Last Day. They are unwilling to acknowledge their sinfulness before the LORD God or turn to Christ Jesus for mercy. Instead of accepting the guilt of their own wickedness, they attempt to justify themselves and cover up their failures.

The Scripture says: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins — and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:7–2:2).

The Bible also says: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not count iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew frail through my groaning all day long. For day and night, your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:1-5).

If we hide and cover our sins, we deceive ourselves; but if we acknowledge and confess them to the LORD, He will have mercy and forgive us for the sake of the holy life and innocent sufferings of Jesus Christ.

As it is written: “Whoever conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will find mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Dear LORD God, we acknowledge our sinfulness to You and ask You to graciously forgive and cleanse us for the sake of the holy and precious blood which Jesus Christ, Your only-begotten Son, shed for us on the cross. Amen.

“Now the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin requested testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.” Mark 15:55-56 (Read Mark 14:55-65)

In the dark of night, the highest court of the land scrambled for a lie that would stick. Mark 14:55-65 captures a moment of profound injustice where Truth itself stood on trial, surrounded by a cacophony of contradictions.

The Chaos of Falsehood

The chief priests and the council were desperate. They needed a legal reason to execute Jesus, but even with paid witnesses, they couldn’t get their stories straight.

“Many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree” (Mark 14:56).

There is a powerful lesson here: Lies are fragmented, but Truth is a person. While the world around Jesus spun a web of confusion and misinterpreted metaphors about temples made without hands, Jesus remained the calm center of the storm.

The Power of Silence

When the high priest demanded a defense, Jesus did something unexpected — He said nothing.

“But He kept silent and answered nothing” (Mark 14:61).

In our world, we often feel the need to defend our reputation, correct every slight, and win every argument. Yet, Jesus modeled a “holy silence.” He knew that those committed to a lie are rarely interested in the truth. His silence wasn’t weakness; it was the ultimate display of confidence in the Father’s plan, fulfilling the prophetic image of the “Suffering Servant” found in Isaiah: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

The Clarity of “I Am”

The silence ended only when the question shifted from what He had done to who He was. When asked if He was the Christ, Jesus didn’t hedge. He spoke the truth!

“I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62).

By claiming the title “I Am” and referencing the “Son of man,” Jesus signed His own death warrant by identifying Himself with two specific Old Testament revelations of God’s power and presence:

• The Divine Name: When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He identified Himself as “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). By using this phrase, Jesus claimed equality with God.

• The Heavenly King: Jesus referenced the vision of the prophet Daniel: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like a Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. There was given to Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

His critics didn’t want to hear the truth — and many still reject it today — but Jesus is the great I Am, the eternal Son of God! And He rules over an eternal kingdom made up of all who trust in Him. He will judge all nations and peoples. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord! (cf. Philippians 2:9-11).

Reflection and Application

Are you looking for reasons to reject Jesus and the truth He proclaimed? It would be far wiser to humble yourself before Him, acknowledge the truth, and look to Him in faith for pardon and forgiveness.

Are you facing criticism or persecution for confessing the truth? Take comfort in knowing that Jesus stood exactly where you are. You don’t have to win the shouting match; sometimes, your character and a humble confession of your faith in Jesus is your best defense.

Jesus spoke up when it mattered most, even though it cost Him His life. Where is God calling you to speak the truth with boldness this week?

Verse 65 describes the physical and emotional abuse Jesus endured — spitting, hitting, and mockery. We, too, may suffer for the truth. Jesus endured the shame that belongs to us so that we could share in His glory.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for Your strength in the face of injustice. Help me to know when to hold my peace and when to speak Your truth with courage. When the world feels chaotic, and the testimonies against the truth don’t agree, let me find my identity solely in You, the great “I Am.” Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version, Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.]

“He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.’” Mark 14:35-36 (Read Mark 14:26-42)

In Mark 14:16-42, we are invited into the most profound tension of the Christian life: the battle between our self-centered desires and the holy will of God. As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded that prayer is not about bending God to our will, but about our will being broken and reshaped by His.

Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). It is a simple, beautiful petition, but one that carries immense weight. As Martin Luther explains in his Small Catechism: “The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end.”

Instead of praying that God’s will be done in our lives, we often pray that He would grant our will rather than His. We pray for comfort, pleasure, and security in this life, but God’s will may involve suffering, ridicule, or the loss of worldly goods and status for the sake of the Gospel. Are we truly ready for what we ask? We are prone to live as though we are praying, “Not Your will but mine be done,” as the flesh within us rebels against the crosses we must bear in following Christ.

Look at the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter, confident in his own strength, swore he would never stumble, never deny Jesus. The others said the same. Yet, Jesus knew better. He knew that their spirit was willing, but their flesh was weak.

Like the disciples, we often think we are ready to stand for Jesus, but when conflict arises, our sin-corrupted nature tends to shrink back. We fear the shame, the loss, and the difficulty, and are quick to deny Him, not necessarily with our lips, but by our silence or our flight from the demands of His Word. We think we are strong, but we so easily fail Him.

When Jesus told His disciples to “watch and pray,” He was warning them — and us, too — that we cannot resist temptation or survive the trials of this world in our own strength. We are prone to wander; we are prone to flee.

If anyone had a reason to shrink back, it was Jesus. In the Garden, He faced the weight of the sins of all mankind. He knew the cup of suffering that lay before Him — the very wrath of God that we deserved. In agony, He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Mark 14:36).

And Jesus did not just pray that God’s will be done; He lived it. He fully submitted to the Father’s will. As the Scriptures tell us:

• “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

• “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

Christ suffered and died for us, ungodly sinners, to wash away our sins and reconcile us to God. His obedience to God’s holy will made our salvation possible.

The Gospel is the good news that even when we fail — when our flesh is weak, and we stumble — we are not cast away. We are invited to look in faith to Christ Jesus and His perfect obedience to God’s will — even to the point of death on the cross — and partake of His mercy and forgiveness for the sake of Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead.

Our salvation does not rest on our ability to perfectly follow Him, but on His perfect sacrifice for our sins.

And the Holy Spirit works through the promises of God’s Word to create faith, comfort our hearts, and give us the strength to hold fast to Christ. Like St. Paul, who was forsaken by men but stood firm because “the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Timothy 4:17), we too can endure in our Lord’s strength.

May we continue to watch and pray, not trusting in ourselves, but clinging to Him who submitted fully to God’s will and won for us the victory.

Lord, break our selfish wills and hinder the counsel of the world. Strengthen us by Your Spirit so that we do not shrink back in fear, but hold fast to Your Word until the end. May Your good and gracious will be done in our lives. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]