John 18:39-40
“…But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” [Pilate asked] They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.
Barabbas was the first one to experience Jesus as his “savior.” Barabbas was already slated to die by crucifixion (perhaps even that day). Instead, Jesus died for him. Barabbas went free and an innocent man died in his place.
I remember seeing the old movie (1961) called Barabbas with Anthony Quinn playing the lead. Jesus is never seen directly. But that movie marked me as a child. I remember Barabbas looking out of his cell window and recognizing that Jesus was going to death in his stead. Is it true? Who knows? But it graphically sets before us that opportunity to recognize Jesus as a savior…. a trans-formative power… an advocate… a friend. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
This little story of Barabbas is a word picture of Christ’s sacrifice for us. We are the rebels. He is the lamb.
Meditations from Zion 
I suspect that your (orthodox) view of “[Jesus] Barabbas” and/or “(Jesus) Christ” is not as simple as you suppose. There Is Much more to ‘Barabbas’ than as you posit…
Among other things, His name Was indeed “Jesus”, -written in the original Greek Gospel according or attributed to Matthew (27:17) but removed or omitted from the Latin ‘translation’ of the same text and most of the subsequent ‘translations’ thereafter.
Moreover, ‘Barabbas’ is not a surname (any more so than is “Christ”, -it is What He was called. It actually is an Aramaic appellation, -the meaning of which is: Bar = Son + Abbas = Father (as in ‘the Father of us all’ or ‘God’).
Thus, it was This “Jesus” -who was called (the) “Son of God” who was ‘set free’.
Roland, -a reluctant iconoclast.
I had read some additional information about Barabbas as well and was surprised to find that his name was Jesus … as you say. But I don’t believe he was Jesus as in “Jesus of Nazareth.” Probably, in the Aramaic, it was Joshua anyway.
If it’s orthodox to believe that there was a Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, died, and rose again, then you are correct, I am orthodox. Whether there was a “Barabbas” rebel is more likely in question… and little to support his existence.
In any case, I am intrigued by the juxtaposition of one prisoner set free and another prisoner sacrificed for the sake of other. That is the point. That is what the story speaks to me.
Thanks for taking the time to write a comment.