Luke 23:18–25 (ESV)
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring
to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were
urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but
he delivered Jesus over to their will.
Pilate does not see Jesus as being guilty. Believing that Jesus is innocent, he wants to let Jesus go. There had been a practice of setting a guilty man
free during Passover. This custom of releasing a prisoner goes back to the times of the Maccabees and underscores the meaning of Passover: freedom in exchange for bondage. Pilate wanted to release Barabbas, a many truly guilty of stirring up the
people as they falsely claimed Jesus was doing. The people chose Barabbas instead. The innocent was to suffer and the guilty walked away. Wow, what a foreshadowing of Jesus on the cross... a innocent man dying for the sins of mankind and
setting the guilty free. Pilate gives in and releases Barabbas and delivers Jesus over to be crucified. We are the Barabbas’s of the world and Jesus is the sacrificial lamb.
I pray: O
Lord, I know that I should rightfully be nailed to my cross for the sins I have committed. Through your love, you took upon yourself my cross, my sins, and let me walk away. You died and I lived. You set me free and I am forever grateful.
I repent of all my sins and want to do better. Not only did you let me walk away, but you forgave me, and gave me eternal life. What more do I need, you have given me your all. Thank you. Amen.