There’s an emerging voice in the world of Christian music that may change the industry forever. Josiah Queen is just 21 years old, but this incredibly introspective musician is already in the Top 10 over at the Christian Billboard charts, and with good reason, as the songs take imaginative and touching views of the Scriptures.
Today we’re listening to “I Am Barabbas,” the first song that this young singer/songwriter ever put to music video. Released in 2023 as a single, the song is featured on Queen’s first full length album The Prodigal, released in 2024. It’s a quiet, somber tune that’s driven by acoustic guitar and vocals, with some extra embellishment thrown in the mix for the chorus sections.
The song is sung in the first-person, with Josiah taking on the character of Barabbas, the criminal who is mentioned in all four Gospel narratives. Prior to the feast of the Passover, the Roman officials would allow the people to pardon the offenses of one prisoner. In the Gospels, the people were given the option between releasing Barabbas (an insurrectionist and murderer) and Jesus, only to choose to release Barabbas.
With a quiet tone that borders on awe, Queen sings in Barabbas’ voice, describing the events unfold as the prisoner would have seen them. He sings of a preacher man who “did something so absurd” that Barabbas’ sentence was passed instead to him. As he watches Jesus be scourged by the whip, he notes that the “lashes should’ve been on my own skin,” until the emotional chorus section when he sings:
I am Barabbas
You took upon my cross
I was that prisoner
Till you bought my bond with blood
I can't run away
From what my accusers say
I am Barabbas your friend
Throughout the piece, as Barabbas sings of Jesus taking his place to be beaten and crucified, the listener slowly realizes that it is not just Josiah who is placed in the position of Barabbas, but each one of us. Jesus took on the sins of the world in order to bring salvation to mankind, and that included Barabbas, a sinner no different than the listener. It is a fascinating line of thought from a songwriter so young, and one that has left us excited for his future releases.
Hear more from Josiah Queen’s first album The Prodigal at Spotify, Apple Music, or your favorite streaming service. Be sure to follow Josiah on YouTube to keep track of all his releases.
