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Jesus Freed Us From Sin
Luke 23:18 'And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:'
What happened to Barabbas is a picture of what happens when a person is born again. Barabbas was guilty; Jesus was innocent. Yet Jesus suffered the death that Barabbas should have experienced, and Barabbas went free.
Likewise, we were all guilty (Rom. 3:23) and condemned to death (Rom. 6:23), yet Jesus suffered our punishment so that we may go free (2 Cor. 5:21). Just as Barabbas didn't ask for this substitution, so 'God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (Rom. 5:8).
Barabbas was freed, but he had to choose whether or not to accept this new start and remain free, or go back...
Pilate Condemns Jesus
Matthew 27:24 'When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.'
This washing of the hands was not only a symbolic custom of the day that showed innocence, but was also a ritual prescribed in the Jewish law (Dt. 21:6-7; Ps. 26:6).
Matthew is the only writer to record Pilate washing his hands of guilt, just as he was the only writer to record Pilate's wife coming to him with the details of the dream she had about Jesus. Secular accounts record her name as Claudia. She is the only one who spoke for, instead of against Jesus' life during the trial.
This dream, no doubt came...
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One In Spirit
Matthew 27:18 'For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.'
Many problems arise from envy. James said, 'For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work' (Jas. 3:16). Envy and strife go hand in hand and open the door to the devil to do anything he desires, in our life. Some people would never give place to the devil through confessing the wrong things, yet through envy, they give the enemy freedom to do his worst. God's kind of love is not envious or jealous because it doesn't seek it's own, but seeks the welfare of others. Envy is an indication of self-centeredness.
The Apostle Paul had some opponents who were just like many people who sow strife today. They are against everything and critical of the way those in...
Religious Pride Brings Dissension
Mark 15:10 'For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.'
The Jews were God's chosen people and therefore, God's representatives on earth. Yet, they lied and condemned an innocent man to death. Pilate could see that their real motivation for wanting Jesus dead was envy. They were doing all their religious works to be seen of men, and were upset that Jesus was getting more recognition than they were. If these Jews would have thought about what type of witness they were giving, even they would have known that their actions were not inspired by God.
We should remember that we are God's witnesses on earth, or as Paul said, 'We are epistles... known and read of all men' (2 Cor. 3:2). Judging our actions in the...
Pilate Violates The Truth
Matthew 27:17 'Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, 'Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ''?
Although Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, he looked for some diplomatic way to release Jesus that would not cause him to lose popularity with the Jewish leaders. This is why he sent Jesus to Herod. He hoped that Herod would pass judgment on Jesus and save him the trouble.
When that scheme failed, Pilate drew on an old custom of releasing a prisoner to the people at the feast. He gave them a choice between Jesus, who he knew was innocent, and Barabbas, who was a murderer. Pilate thought that the crowd would certainly choose Jesus. However, through the insistence of...