Mar 15:7 | KingComments | STEP | Pilate seeks a compromise. He wants to please the Jews and yet not condemn an innocent one. By seeking this compromise, he proves his injustice and condemns himself, for he should have released the Innocent without bargaining. Pilate does, in his opinion, have an acceptable candidate to place next to Jesus. It is Barabbas. Mark describes this man in more detail than the other evangelists. Barabbas means ‘son of the father’. So is the Lord Jesus. But what a world of difference. Barabbas has the devil as his father. This has been proven by his actions. He is an insurrectionist, like his ‘father’, and a murderer, like that same ‘father’ was from the beginning ( ). At the same time, he is a representative of the people who also rebel against God and are about to kill the Son of God in that insurrection. By placing Barabbas next to Jesus, Pilate lets the people choose between a murderer, someone who takes the life of another, and Someone Who will give His own life and give life to others. The crowd insists that he will do to them, as he used to do. That gave amusement and discussion. They like it. In this Gospel, the initiative for this comes from the Jews. Pilate tries to influence the choice of the people by proposing to them to release Christ Whom he calls “the King of the Jews”. God controls things so that the Jews must choose between the murderer and the One Who gives life, between the riot maker and the perfect Servant of God. Today the choice is between the same people and every day the same choice is made massively for Barabbas. Pilate is aware of the envy of the chief priests of the Lord Jesus. He knows that they hate Him because He does not submit to their authority and because He has great influence on the people. Envy is one of the worst and most common sins among believers. It is the origin of all sins. It is the first sin in creation, both among the angels – the devil – and among men – Adam and Eve. The chief priests do their pernicious work and stir up the crowds to ask for the release of Barabbas. In this Gospel it is especially the priests in whom hatred and enmity against Christ are found. We see how fickle the popular favor is when there is no faith in Christ. Masses of people took advantage of Him when He was among them while blessing them. Now that it seems His blessing role has been played out and they can no longer benefit from Him, they are open to the suggestions of the chief priests. So they call for the release of Barabbas. They choose death instead of life. That is the state of man. Pilate tries again and now with another question. If they choose Barabbas, what do they want him to do to their King? With all his diplomacy, Pilate is working more and more to help the enemies of the Lord. He thinks he’s clever, but he’s just an instrument of satan. He seeks only his own interests, while trying to keep all parties happy. He is a weak and corrupt man, someone who loves the people’s favor more than the law. A judge who asks the people what should happen to a prisoner for fear of rebellion and, as a result, quarrels with his superiors, is a corrupt and characterless judge. With his question Pilate puts the decision in the hands of the crowd. In doing so, he loses his grip on the people and on the exercise of justice. With his question he puts the demand in their mouths to crucify Him. That is what they want and nothing else! Pilate makes a last attempt to bring the people to reason. He asks them what evil He would have done. He wants a reason to condemn Him. But the crowd is frantic. They want to see blood, His blood. Every attempt to release Jesus is answered with an even more determined cry for His death. Man’s anger and depravity are revealed in all their terrible facets in what is happening here. In expressions of hatred and corruption, the Lord Jesus is spared nothing. This whole spectacle is about Him. The behavior of each person involved is determined by Who He is. He sheds light on every person ( ). Then Pilate gives in to the will of the people and releases Barabbas for them. The man convicted of murder is allowed to go free. Thus even at this event – the trial against Him – the Lord delivers another at the expense of Himself. Never has He saved Himself, always delivered, blessed, and saved others at the expense of Himself. All of Pilate’s expressions and every act testify to the inertia of this man who is the representative of the authority of Rome. Here he is concerned only with and for himself and does not concern himself with truth and justice according to God’s standards. Pilate hands over the Lord because it suits him best. He even scourges Him. Even if it is literally done by soldiers, he is responsible, because he gives the order.

‏ Mark 15:7

Jesus or Barabbas

Pilate seeks a compromise. He wants to please the Jews and yet not condemn an innocent one. By seeking this compromise, he proves his injustice and condemns himself, for he should have released the Innocent without bargaining.

Pilate does, in his opinion, have an acceptable candidate to place next to Jesus. It is Barabbas. Mark describes this man in more detail than the other evangelists. Barabbas means ‘son of the father’. So is the Lord Jesus. But what a world of difference. Barabbas has the devil as his father. This has been proven by his actions.

He is an insurrectionist, like his ‘father’, and a murderer, like that same ‘father’ was from the beginning (Jn 8:44). At the same time, he is a representative of the people who also rebel against God and are about to kill the Son of God in that insurrection. By placing Barabbas next to Jesus, Pilate lets the people choose between a murderer, someone who takes the life of another, and Someone Who will give His own life and give life to others.

The crowd insists that he will do to them, as he used to do. That gave amusement and discussion. They like it. In this Gospel, the initiative for this comes from the Jews.

Pilate tries to influence the choice of the people by proposing to them to release Christ Whom he calls “the King of the Jews”. God controls things so that the Jews must choose between the murderer and the One Who gives life, between the riot maker and the perfect Servant of God. Today the choice is between the same people and every day the same choice is made massively for Barabbas.

Pilate is aware of the envy of the chief priests of the Lord Jesus. He knows that they hate Him because He does not submit to their authority and because He has great influence on the people. Envy is one of the worst and most common sins among believers. It is the origin of all sins. It is the first sin in creation, both among the angels – the devil – and among men – Adam and Eve.

The chief priests do their pernicious work and stir up the crowds to ask for the release of Barabbas. In this Gospel it is especially the priests in whom hatred and enmity against Christ are found. We see how fickle the popular favor is when there is no faith in Christ. Masses of people took advantage of Him when He was among them while blessing them. Now that it seems His blessing role has been played out and they can no longer benefit from Him, they are open to the suggestions of the chief priests. So they call for the release of Barabbas. They choose death instead of life. That is the state of man.

Pilate tries again and now with another question. If they choose Barabbas, what do they want him to do to their King? With all his diplomacy, Pilate is working more and more to help the enemies of the Lord. He thinks he’s clever, but he’s just an instrument of satan. He seeks only his own interests, while trying to keep all parties happy. He is a weak and corrupt man, someone who loves the people’s favor more than the law. A judge who asks the people what should happen to a prisoner for fear of rebellion and, as a result, quarrels with his superiors, is a corrupt and characterless judge.

With his question Pilate puts the decision in the hands of the crowd. In doing so, he loses his grip on the people and on the exercise of justice. With his question he puts the demand in their mouths to crucify Him. That is what they want and nothing else!

Pilate makes a last attempt to bring the people to reason. He asks them what evil He would have done. He wants a reason to condemn Him. But the crowd is frantic. They want to see blood, His blood. Every attempt to release Jesus is answered with an even more determined cry for His death.

Man’s anger and depravity are revealed in all their terrible facets in what is happening here. In expressions of hatred and corruption, the Lord Jesus is spared nothing. This whole spectacle is about Him. The behavior of each person involved is determined by Who He is. He sheds light on every person (Jn 1:9).

Then Pilate gives in to the will of the people and releases Barabbas for them. The man convicted of murder is allowed to go free. Thus even at this event – the trial against Him – the Lord delivers another at the expense of Himself. Never has He saved Himself, always delivered, blessed, and saved others at the expense of Himself.

All of Pilate’s expressions and every act testify to the inertia of this man who is the representative of the authority of Rome. Here he is concerned only with and for himself and does not concern himself with truth and justice according to God’s standards. Pilate hands over the Lord because it suits him best. He even scourges Him. Even if it is literally done by soldiers, he is responsible, because he gives the order.