‘Crucify Him, Crucify Him’

As we remember Jesus and His sufferings, let us remember why He suffered. It was for all of us, our sin!. “But God demon strates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8) Pilate’s Court Continues

“Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”…Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”…Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”…Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all (John 18:33-38).

Barabbas

“But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” …Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber (John 18:3940).

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him… And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe…Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”

Pilate’s Decision

Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”..Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”… Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”

Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,.. and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer…Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” …Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”…When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha… Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”

But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!”…Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”…The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away (John 19:1-16).

Remembering

Christian, are you much like Peter, when pressed to acknowledge Jesus as your Savior? We all were represented before the trials, during the trials, and at the Cross. May we never forget that He died in our place. We were represented by Barabbas.

Unbeliever, believe in Jesus today (John 3:16)!