13. AND JESUS Mark 15:6-15 (Matthew 27:15-26; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-40) 6 Now at the feast he used to release unto them one prisoner, whom they asked of him.--This was a humane and beneficent usage, but it was terribly abused on this occasion when wicked men made it tributary to their diabolical hatred, killing the Prince of life and desiring a murderer to be granted unto them. (Acts 3:14.) [The Passover feast was the most sacred of the Jewish feasts. Pilate was the Roman ruler of the Jews. They were restive under the rule of foreigners, and he was disposed to show personal kindness and favor to them as a people, that he might as far as possible reconcile them to their condition. On their great feast day he was accustomed to let them select one of their prisoners, whom he would release to them.] 7 And there was one called Barabbas, lying bound with them--He, together with other notorious characters, was bound in some way, in addition to being in prison. This, of course, was to keep them from escaping prison. that had made insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed murder.--He was "a robber" (John 8:40), and had excited insurrection in the city (John 8:40), and as we here learn a murderer. So he was a robber, an insurgent, and a murderer. These facts account for Matthew's statement that he was a "notable prisoner." 8 And the multitude went up and began to ask him to do as he was wont to do unto them.--This suggested to Pilate another way out of the difficulty, for he plainly saw the motives of the Sanhedrin, and that Jesus had committed no crime. When, therefore, they came marching back with Jesus, he addressed them with the people, declaring that he found no political fault in Jesus worthy of death, and neither had Herod. 9 And Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?--This was to the people. [Pilate seized the request to again press on them that they should agree to the release of Jesus. He thought this was an opportunity to be just to Jesus.] 10 For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up.--[Yes, the chief priests had through envy made him a prisoner, but as the release of one prisoner was to be left to the voice of the people and not alone to the priests, it was hoped on the part of Pilate that the people who had been so greatly benefited by Christ and whose safety had been imperiled by Barabbas would certainly give Jesus the advantage, but these people like many others could be influenced by designing politicians. It was apparent from the many false charges made, and from the bitter feeling shown, that there were no good grounds for his arrest; that he was guilty of no treason against Caesar, and that he was not a disturber of the peace of the country. They knew the charges they made were groundless. They knew he exercised divine power, and that he was a man of goodness and mercy to the afflicted; but he condemned them in their course, so that his success would be the overturning of the order of things of which they were the head, and would strip them of their power and authority. It so infuriated them that nothing short of his death would satisfy them. Pilate was disposed to let him go free. His judgment was that way, and he wanted to be just if it did not cost him too much. "While he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." (Matthew 27:19.) She knew something of Jesus doubtless, and had learned to respect him. Then supernatural influences were exerted. She had a dream that troubled her, and she sent and asked her husband not to have anything to do with punishing that righteous man. "And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said unto them, Ye brought unto me this man as one that perverteth the people and: behold, I, having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death bath been done by him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him." (Luke 23:13-16.) This was the formal, official decision of the case by Pilate on the charges and the testimony presented by his accusers. It is a strange and inconsistent sentence: I find no fault in him, yet will chastise him. Why chastise a man without fault? It was a proposition to wrongly inflict degrading punishment on Jesus to please the Jews. It was an effort to compromise with sin and wickedness. It was one step in the path of conscious wrong on the part of Pilate as judge, and one step taken opens the way for and necessitates another and another. This does not mean a man must not be kind and forbearing with those who do not fully see the truth, and encourage and lead them kindly in the right way; but he must be firm for that truth, and uncompromising in holding to the right.] 11 But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.--As the people were to choose which one should be released, these malicious priests in ceaseless efforts plead with them to choose Barabbas instead of Jesus. [The people seem to have been willing to listen to Pilate in his proposition. They were more just than the leaders. But the chief priests and scribes stirred them up, and encouraged and excited them to demand of Pilate that he release Barabbas (the robber) and leave Jesus in prison, trusting yet to induce Pilate to sign his death warrant. To compromise with wrong is to betray God--is to serve the evil one.] Rather the devil than Christ. Bad enough to thus choose, but how frightful the character of him who influences others to choose thus. 12 And Pilate again answered and said unto them, What then shall I do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? --[Knowing Jesus was innocent, he asked this question. This was half yielding to their cries. He showed it was against his will, in that he taunted them, "Ye call [him] the King of the Jews." But he surrendered his prerogative to decide, gave up what was his duty, and pandered to what he knew to be unjust demands to follow them.] 13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.--They were fully determined to put him to death; to call their attention to Jesus was but an occasion to cry again, "Crucify him." They had by this time influenced the people to join them in their request. 14 And Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done?--This was a hard question. The most effective answer they could give is one reported in John's account: "If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend." These Jews knew exactly how to reach the governor. It was to intimate that he would lose his governorship if he did not condemn Jesus. The hour for argument or reasoning was gone by. They were determined to achieve their deadly purpose by clamor. But they cried out exceedingly, Crucify him.--When the evil spirit takes possession of a human heart, the tendency is to wax worse and worse. As the matter was again and again referred to them, they grew more vehement and boisterous each time. There is nothing more terrible than the fierce outcry of an infuriated mob. Pilate now performed a symbolic action. This was a Jewish custom, which he adopted, the better to impress them that they must take the whole responsibility. He had water brought and washed his hands, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see ye to it. And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children," the awful self-imprecation that has been so terribly filled in the history of the Jewish nation. 15 And Pilate, wishing to content the multitude,--It was no love of the people but a desire to have the support of the people to his office that caused Pilate to please them in this instance. What was one poor lowly man by the side of the rage and clamor of a whole populace, which might reach the ears of the Roman authorities? released unto them Barabbas,--The bloodstained robber, who had opposed the Roman government, who was an enemy to Caesar. These hypocritical chief priests, who had "no king but Caesar," were demanding the release of Caesar's enemy. and delivered Jesus,--By delivering Jesus to the Sanhedrin, Pilate sacrificed his lofty and independent position, as a secular judge and representative of Roman law, to the religious fanaticism of the Jewish hierarchy. The state became a tool in the hands of an apostate and bloodthirsty religious institution. How often has this fact been repeated in the history of religious persecution! By this act Pilate condemned himself and gave additional force to his previous testimony to the innocence of Christ, showing that this was dictated neither by fear nor favor, but was the involuntary expression of his remaining sense of justice from the judgment seat. when he had scourged him, to be crucified.--The scourging was preparatory to the crucifixion, but was not an essential part of it. Washing his hands in water in the presence of the accusers, indicating that he was innocent of Jesus' death, did not exonerate Pilate from blame, but his act and deed had clothed his name with infamy and shame that will endure to eternity. A timeserver, a cowardly spirit that would deliver to death the innocent Lamb of God rather than run the risk of losing his office. His name should in itself be an everlasting warning to office seekers and panderers to public favor who will sacrifice truth and justice for self-aggrandizement. Politicians today are just as ready to please the people by releasing wrong and scourging right as in the days of Jesus. Religious politicians are no better. The Roman scourging was much more severe than the Jewish. The Jews numbered the lashes, the Romans laid them on without number or mercy. [When a man for the sake of popularity, worldly honor, and ease turns from the truth of God and leaves it to be abused by its enemies, what differs his course and character from that of Pontius Pilate? If his course and character are the same, his destiny must be the same. Often now are the same scenes reenacted with reference to the spiritual, more sacred body that were enacted with reference to the fleshly body by Judas and Pilate. It is often done unconsciously, because we do not see the elements of character that are condemned in them.]