We are continuing our meditation on what happened on the day of Christ's crucifixion. After the scourging and beating by the Roman soldiers, they brought Jesus before the Jewish crowd gathered outside the Roman fortress Antonia. The scene of the Messiah of Israel’s facial and bodily disfigurement was prophesied more than 500 years earlier by Isaiah.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness (Isaiah 52:14).
The Roman soldiers beat Christ so severely that His form was disfigured to “beyond human likeness.” In other words, He hardly looked human anymore. Pilate presented Jesus to them, "Here is the man!" (John 19:5b). Before them was the most perfect, loving, and compassionate Man the earth has ever witnessed. Here was God in the flesh, showing us what God is like in a way we can understand, yet humanity rejected him. The prophetic scriptures, again more than five hundred years earlier, describe Jesus as “rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).
The Roman governor, Pilate, wanting to free Jesus, suddenly thought of a way out. Since Passover was starting in a few hours, there was a tradition of releasing one prisoner as an act of mercy. Pilate raised his voice to the crowd and offered this act of kindness, believing they would choose Christ. After all, the people had been laying down palm branches for Jesus as He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey just a few days earlier. They had been shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matthew 21:9). Remembering his wife's dream (Matthew 27:19), Pilate was confident the crowd would choose the Son of David over the murderer and insurrectionist Barabbas, who was scheduled to be crucified that same morning (Mark 15:7).
Let’s imagine what it was like for Barabbas in the dungeon beneath the courtyard. He couldn't hear individual conversations, but he probably could hear the crowd shouting. Wanting to obey their leaders against the Romans, the people yelled for Barabbas at the top of their lungs. What must it have been like for Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the apostle John, when the elders manipulated the crowd against Jesus?
20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and have Jesus executed. 21Which of the two do you want me to release to you? asked the governor. Barabbas, they answered. 22What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ? Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23"Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:20-23; emphasis added).
Not knowing everything that was happening in the courtyard with Jesus, perhaps Barabbas heard his name shouted while he was in the dungeon, followed by the words "Crucify Him." His heart likely skipped a beat at the fear of his impending crucifixion alongside two others. Consider what it must have been like for Barabbas moments later to hear a Roman soldier approaching down the hallway with keys in hand. Barabbas probably thought his time was up. He would have been shocked to hear he was being released and that someone else was taking his place. He was free to leave and go wherever he wanted. All charges against him were dropped! I like to imagine that, later that day, as he left Jerusalem, outside the city gate, he saw Jesus crucified in his place as his substitute.
Like Barabbas, we also deserve the just death penalty for our sins and rebellion against the King. Like him, we are also offered a free pardon for our sins. Jesus took our place and offered Himself as the substitute for all sin. This substitutionary death is credited to our spiritual account when we place our faith and trust in His finished work on the cross. Thank God Jesus sets us free. What will you do with God's offer of a free pardon? Will you leave your cell like Barabbas and thank God for sending a Substitute? Keith Thomas
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The YouTube video teaching is at the following link: https://youtu.be/1ZQ637TPnCM
The written study is here: Jesus Before Pilate