34 lines
1.7 KiB
Markdown
34 lines
1.7 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Luke 23:13–25"
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date = "2023-02-16"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk23.13-25)
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Seeing that Herod had not punished Jesus, Pilate again asserts His innocence
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and his intention to let Him go.Clearly Jesus has done something to upset the
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Sanhedrin, but it hasn't been misleading the people or trying to set Himself up
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as their king. In an attempt to appease the Jewish leaders, he says he will
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punish Jesus, which probably means flogging Him.
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The Council members will have none of it. They want Jesus dead and they want it
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done today. It was Pilate's custom to release a prisoner for the Passover
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feast, and they demand Pilate release Barabbas. This might be the greatest
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irony of the whole story, for Luke tells us that Barabbas was actually guilty
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of the things they accuesd Jesus of: insurrection. On top of that, he was a
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murderer as well. It's the perfect example of what Jesus's crucifixion is all
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about. A guilty man goes free and the innocent man takes his place and his
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punishment. Justice is served because Jesus chose to do this, and by His
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perfectly righteous life, He is qualified to take the punishment as a
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substitute for all of us and atone for the sins of everyone.
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Eventually, Pilate gives in to the mob's demands. As might be expected, he was
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not a popular ruler, and the Jews were fractious under his harsh rule. He
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likely felt that he couldn't afford a riot or any other fallout caused by the
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Sanhedrin whipping up the people if they didn't get the blood they were
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clamoring for. A man makes his decision, and God's plan is fulfilled through it
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as was promised long ago.
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* * *
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Only You, O Lord, can take what was meant for evil and use it for good.
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