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Luke

Luke 
Day 
Day 313

Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-40; 19:1-16 "BACK TO PILATE AGAIN!"

Day 313 – Luke 23

Text: Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-40; 19:1-16

BACK TO PILATE AGAIN!

Herod could get nothing out of Jesus! He had hoped that Jesus might entertain him by performing a miracle or two, but of course he waited in vain. He was much mistaken as to who Jesus really was.

Herod had also tried interrogating Jesus. He plied Him with many questions. The chief priests and scribes joined him in accusing him vehemently. Jesus refused to dignify their questions with an answer. He chose silence.

Perhaps in exasperation, perhaps in a display of vaunted power, Herod and his men mocked Jesus and put on him a gorgeous robe. Did Jesus think that he was a king, like Herod? Then why wasn’t he dressed like one? Herod sought to humiliate Jesus where he had failed to get a rise out of Him.

Finally, Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. The Roman governor had not been on good terms with Herod before, and yet through a strange twist of events, they became friends again – all because of the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:12).

Once again, Pilate opened up the case filed against Jesus. He had already done his part in examining Jesus. He really wanted to release Him. Luke noted this.

“Then Pilate, when he had called together
the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,
said to them,
‘You have brought this Man to me,
as one who misleads the people.
And indeed, having examined him in your presence,
I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things
Of which you accuse Him;
No, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him;
And indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.
I will therefore chastise Him and release Him’
(For it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).”
Luke 23:13-17

Pilate must have hoped that the Jews would listen to his appeal for reason to prevail. If not reason, then fair play. According to Roman law, Jesus had done nothing wrong. No fault worthy of death was found in Jesus!

The Roman governor should have stopped there and then and released Jesus. That was within his power as the governor of the land! Instead of exercising his authority as the powerful Roman governor, he sought to placate the wrath of the Jews. He even offered to chastise Jesus and then release Him. Surely that would satisfy the blood lust of the Jews! Pilate couldn’t be more wrong!

Pilate did not know or understand the depth of hatred that the Jews nursed against Jesus. He knew enough however to note one thing.

“He knew that the chief priests had handed
Him over because of envy.”
Mark 15: 10 (Cf. Matthew 27:18)

THE CUSTOM OF RELEASING A PRISONER AT THE PASSOVER

Pilate figured that if he were to offer to release a prisoner, perhaps the Jews would say, “Jesus”. He was much mistaken again.

In Mark’s Gospel, we have a more vivid account of the custom of releasing a prisoner from jail.

“Now at the feast, he was accustomed to releasing
one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.
And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained
With his fellow rebels; they had committed murder
In the rebellion.
Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do
Just as he had always done for them”
Mark 15:6-8 (Cf. Luke 23:19)

Matthew gave his perception of Barabbas.

“And at that time they had a notorious prisoner
called Barabbas.”
Matthew 27:16

John added another note about Barabbas.

“Now Barabbas was a robber.”
John 18:40

NO REASONING WITH WICKED PEOPLE!

How can we understand such anger and hatred? Why were the Jews so riled? Yes, there were conflicts between Jesus and the chief priests and scribes! But this vehemence displayed by the Jews!

This was the height of all things wicked and evil. Such was the power of sin gripping the hearts of the Jews. Such was the power of Satan overcoming all human reasoning! There was no reasoning with a mob that had lost control of their senses!

The Jews had instigated the crowd to shout out their request to release Barabbas to them.

“And they all cried out at once, saying,
‘Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas’ “
Luke 23:18

Pilate must have been taken aback when the people chose Barabbas! These were the Jews he governed! He still hadn’t understood them though he was their governor for some years now!

How powerfully sin and Satan worked in the hearts of people given to wickedness. How we must guard our hearts ever so carefully against the inroads of sin!