Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.” But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

–Parallel verses:
‭‭Mark‬ ‭15‬:‭6‬-‭11‬
Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

When we come face-to-face with the evil in our hearts and the self-preservation instinct that drives us to evil actions, it is terrible! This is what we see here in Jesus’ time, and we see it today: Evil spirits and people use fear and intimidation to drive the mob to do their bidding.

Here we find that the Jewish leaders put pressure on the crowd to demand Jesus be killed. Not only was this a terrible thing to do to an innocent man, but they went a step further. They actually asked for a murderer to be released instead of Jesus. They preferred someone who had committed violent acts to Jesus, who simply loved others well and by this love they were exposed. Three times Pilate pleaded with the crowd to release Jesus, but they insisted on his death. So he caved to the pressure instead of standing for justice.

My takeaways today are: 1) Recognize my propensity to act in sin to save my own bacon. Call it out. Repent of it. And ask the Lord to wash me clean. 2) Be rooted in the truth so I can stand when persecuted, betrayed, treated poorly, beaten, and/or condemned to die. I want to stand with my head held high in honor of my wonderful Savior Jesus Christ. 3) Do not let “the crowd” dictate justice, but as I have position and power granted to me, stand for justice at all times!

Lord, you sacrificed everything to save me from the pits of evil and despair I was heading for. I am so grateful! Create in me a clean heart! Help me to see others and the opportunities in this life from your perspective!