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Why the Death of Christ Was Unique "And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them and delivered Jesus when he had scourged him, to be crucified." --- Mark 15:15 Jesus taking Barabbas's place and going to the cross is a picture of what He did for us. The guilty criminal Barabbas deserved to die but was let go by the instigation of the chief priests. Pilate sent Jesus to the cross in our place to die as our Saviour, although Pilate thought he was washing his hands of him and giving into the crowd. Barabbas deserved to die, but Jesus took the punishment that he should have taken. There was nothing that Barabbas could do to save himself from his fate, but Jesus took His place, and he was free with his sentence canceled. We, like Barabbas, deserve to be punished for our sin and we die because of sin and the effect we deserve. For there is no way we can go to heaven and have our sin be forgiven with the curse it brings Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5. Because Jesus did what He did for Barabbas, He has done for us worldwide. He died, so if we believe He took our place there and paid the price of debt we owe by His perfect life and sacrifice, we can have the sin debt we owe forgiven and be free from its effects in this life and glory. That is why Jesus is like no other in being a substitute for us II Cor. 5:21 Is He yours? --- Dan Nelson