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Author: Stephen Weller
641 words, 3 minutes read time

The Demands of the People

Scripture: Matthew 27:17, 19, 20-21; Mark 15:9-10; Luke 23:18, 20

In the previous lesson we found Jesus again with Pilate who announced to those gathered before him that both he and Herod did not find Jesus guilty as charged and he planned to have Jesus punished and released to the people. In this lesson we will see that his plan is not going to work.

^{Mt 27:20} Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

We mentioned in the previous lesson that there was a mood shift taking place with the people. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem at the beginning of Passion week, the people had shouted “Hosanna!” and in a very short time they will cry out, “Let him be crucified!” Since the chief priests and the elders were not able to persuade Pilate and Herod to condemn Jesus to death, they are now going to try using mob pressure against Pilate to carry out their evil plans. Their plan now is to persuade the crowds to have Pilate release to them Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

^{Lk 23:18} But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!” ^{Lk 23:20} Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, [for] M^{t 27:19} while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”

The people are now worked up and as a unified body they shout out their request to Pilate. Pilate pleads his case before the people explaining that he finds no guilt with Jesus. Pilate is really in a stressful spot. The chief priest and the elders are pressuring him to condemn Jesus, the crowds have been worked up and could riot and want Jesus destroyed, and now he receives word from his wife not to punish Jesus as she has suffered much with dreams about him.

^{Mt 27:17} Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ, ^{Mk 15:9} the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. ^{Mt 27:21} “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

Pilate continues to speak to the people and asks them who they want released, Barabbas or Jesus? Pilate is still hoping that the people would make the right choice and have Jesus released, but what is the right choice? Legally there was no reason to hold Jesus as he was not found guilty of any crime, but he must die in order to purchase our salvation. Therefore, evil must be allowed to run its course and nail Jesus to a cross. Out of weakness, Pilate allowed the chief priests and the elders to gather a crowd and then gave them a choice of who to release to them. In doing so, Pilate will give up his protection of the innocent and allow the people to carry out their evil desired. The devil has a plan that seems to be headed for victory for him, but little does he know that it is God’s will that Jesus die to provide us with salvation and in the end defeat for the devil.

Conclusion

Out of weakness, Pilate allows evil to continue its growth as it infects the people with the evil desires of the Jewish leadership. Their pressure against Pilate is going to break him and he will yield to the crowds’ demand to have Jesus crucified as a means of maintaining peace in Jerusalem during this popular celebration.