Pilate asks the crowd who they wanted to release.
Jesus the King of the Jews or the robber Barabbas?
What have you decided to let reign over your life?
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “You yourself say it.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. 13 Then Pilate *said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor marveled greatly.
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that because of envy they had delivered Him over.
19 Now while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. 21 But the governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate *said to them, “Then, what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Let Him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil did He do?” But they were crying out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
24 Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him over to be crucified. – Matthew 27:11-26
How have you been reading the text of the Bible? Does it make a difference to you to know that the Gospels are based on historical eye witnessed accounts?
There was a real Roman Governor named Pontius Pilate and a real angry crowd of Jews who were being incited by the Religious leaders called the Pharisees, who were fueled by their hatred of Jesus Christ.
There are personal applications and fulfilled prophecy that abound in the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion. If the Pharisees had their choice they would have killed Jesus long before the week of the Passover, but since Jesus ended up betrayed during the Passover holidays, it would not be “clean” for the Jews to execute a criminal during a time of purification. Ironic, isn’t it, they were perpetrating the worst possible crime a man could be guilty of, murdering sinless Son of God.
It was part of God’s sovereign and prophetic plan for His Son, to take the place of the unblemished lamb on the Passover. All sacrifices that Israel had made, particularly of the Passover lamb, all symbolically pointed to this ultimate and final work of saving grace.
Part of the prophecy of Jesus’ execution would be that he would be held up high (as opposed to being stoned to death or thrown off the edge of a cliff),
This rich passage involving a historically significant Roman trial, not only offers the student historical and cultural details, but it can be symbolically applied to our personal resistance to accepting the one who claimed to be God incarnate.
How many times in your life have you chosen the Barabbas-like behavior or decision rather than the one like Christ’s?
This is a historical narrative where Pilates wife warned her husband about Jesus, particularly that Jesus was a righteous man. First, we need to understand the Bible for what it teaches us about God and God’s characteristics, behaviors, glory and His purposes for His Creation and humankind.
Yet, we can alway make personal spiritual connection, but we should never make the mistake believing the Bible exists merely to appease our curiosity about our own behavior. There are spiritual implications we share with that rabid crowd of Jesus haters because we share this common fatal weakness of sin. How many times has your conscious attempted dissuade you from doing wrong? How many times has your conscious tried to get you to do the courageous path rather than taking the easy way, without upright accountability? How many times have you as a husband ignored your wife, to your detriment?
Many churches, like I grew up in, a congregant may walk out of the Sunday Service feeling more spiritually mature, when the fundamentals of the gospel needs to draw us closer to bringing us with contrite hearts, humbly and reverently to the foot of the Cross and before the magnificient heavenly throne in worship of a holy, righteous, judge and Almighty God.
If it were not for God’s mercy and lovingkindness, his willingness to endure a horrible suffering by subjecting Himself with the burden of our disgusting and unholy sin so that we may enjoy a glorified eternal peace in service and fellowship with him forever, we would instead live in an eternity of torment in hell, which is the separation from His graces and blessings.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. All good blessings we all enjoy, whether we recognize the source or not, come from God. The Gospel, another one of God’s divine works, pleads the case that we choose the love of Christ and not bondage of Barabbas as the path for our lives.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. – James 1:16
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel from the late Pastor John MacArthur, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
All quoted excerpts have footnotes removed, usually from Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), sometimes from New International Version (NIV), on rare occasion the Amplified Bible (AMP).
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4-21-2024