Matthew 27:15-26 Mark 15:6-15 Luke 23:13-25 John 18:39-40

Matthew 27:15-26 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 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 handed Him over. 19 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 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, “Crucify Him!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!” 24 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 said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Mark 15:6-15 6 Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7 The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13 They shouted back, “Crucify Him!” 14 But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15 Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Luke 23:13-25 13 Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. 15 “No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. 16 “Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” 17 [Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.] 18 But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22 And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” 23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. 24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. 25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.

John 18:39-40  “But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?” 40 So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Jesus returns to be judged by Pilate once again.  It is clear in the passage that Pilate did not consider Jesus to be guilty, but he felt the need to appease the people that were being incited by the religious leaders.  The conscience of Pilate was at work, but he chose to please the people instead.  This was a decision he certainly regrets making and will continue to suffer this regret for eternity.  Any time we chose popularity over what is right, we will regret it.

THE PEOPLE PREFER BARABBAS: Pilate is convinced of the innocence of Jesus and seeks for a way to release Him from this trial.  It was the Roman custom to release one political prisoner per year to the people.  This was a Roman concession to seek to maintain peace.  Pilate suggested that he release Jesus because he considered Jesus to be innocent.  However, the crowd rejected this proposal and requested Barabbas instead.  This was a man clearly convicted of insurrection and had committed murder during the rebellion.  His rebellion against Rome may have made him very popular with the people.  Their expectation of Messiah was that He would be a savior of the people from political bondage.  Jesus did not follow that model, so He was rejected.    Jesus had come to set them free from sin not from Roman oppression.  When we choose our physical well being over our spiritual, we demonstrate the same attitude as the crowd who insisted the Jesus be crucified.

THE CROWD CALLS FOR CRUCIFIXION: The crowd has been whipped up into a frenzy by the leaders.  It was nothing short of a riot demanding that Jesus be crucified.  It would be interesting to know how many of this crowd had been present when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey while the people laid down their clothing and palm branches in His path.  Just days ago, the crowd had been shouting “Hosana, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”  Now they are shouting, “Blasphemy, crucify him who claims to be Lord.”  This is the danger of “circumstantial faith.”  As long as Jesus was healing, performing miracles and pleasing the multitudes, they were pleased, amazed and had hope that Jesus would eliminate their oppression.  As long as their circumstances were favorable, they were agreeable.  However, when He stopped performing as they expected and refused to give them political freedom, they were done with Him and called for His death.    

PILATE APPEASES THE CROWD: Pilate declared Jesus to be innocent.  He was warned by his wife to not have anything to do with Jesus because of a dream she had.  He understood that the Jews were only jealous of Him.  Yet, the crowd was crying out for Him to be crucified.  He had great fear concerning this decision and understood the implications, but his desire to please men was greater than his desire to do what was right.  He symbolically washed his hands in front of the people saying that it was not his fault and that the blood of Jesus would be on their hands and not his.  The people accepted this responsibility and even extended it t their children.  This could explain much of the suffering these people faced in the generations ahead.  Pilate tried to simply punish Jesus and release Him but since the crowd would only be satisfied with crucifixion, he gave in to their desires and turned Jesus over.  We must never allow the desires of people to become more important than doing the right thing.   

APPLICATION: Our choices have eternal consequences.  We must be very careful not to let pragmatism or popularity dictate the choices we make.  The will of the crowd changes from day to day but the will of the Lord stands forever.  Follow His will and not the will of our own heart or the desires of people.  Do what we know to be right no matter how hard it might be.