"Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would; and they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude, crying aloud, began to desire Pilate to do as he had ever done unto them. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)"
"Therefore, when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? Will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered him for envy."
The Roman governor saw truly that it was to gratify private passions alone, that the Chief Priests had brought Jesus before him; and, hoping that the people might be more just, he offered them a choice between Jesus and one of the greatest criminals then in prison: a man who had committed the very crime, which the Priests pretended that Christ was trying to stir up the people to commit; who, in the prosecution of his designs, had committed the murder; and who was also a robber: his evil deeds had been many; and many must have suffered from his wickedness and violence. Well might Pilate hope, that the contrast between such a man and Jesus, Whose whole life had been spent in going about doing good, would have inclined the people to demand His liberty, and leave Barabbas to the fate he had so justly deserved. But no; "the Chief Priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus. And they cried out all at once saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas."
One reason why Pilate strove anxiously to release Jesus was, that during the night his own wife had some remarkable dreams concerning our Lord: what they were, we are not told; but they had convinced her that He was an innocent and righteous man, and that it would be a sin to allow any harm to befall Him. Therefore, "when Pilate was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man": nothing, that is, in the way of punishing or harming Him; "for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him."
"Pilate the governor therefore, willing to release Jesus, answered and spake again to them, and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do with Jesus which is called Christ? unto him whom ye call King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him; they all say unto him, Crucify him, Crucify him, Let him be crucified." Pilate made another effort to save Jesus, by reminding the people of His innocence; and in answer to their savage cry, "Crucify him, Crucify him," he "said unto them the third time, Why? what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and let him go. And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the Chief Priests prevailed." Pilate could stand out no longer; the people showed symptoms of breaking out into a riot, which at that moment would have been a serious matter; as there were an unusual number of Jews assembled for the Passover, and Pilate had not soldiers enough to keep order, if the people should make a disturbance. If anything like a riot had occurred, the Emperor Tiberius would probably have considered Pilate to blame; and would certainly have deprived him of his office, and most likely of his life also. Pilate had not that fear of God, which admits no fear of man; neither was his wish to save Jesus strong enough to make him risk his life to deliver Him. As a heathen, the life of one man would seem to him of little consequence; but whilst he gave way to the clamours of the Jews, he performed a symbolical action, whereby he testified that Jesus was innocent, and that he, Pilate, did not consent to His death, though forced to allow it. For "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. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children." Fearful words in the sense in which they uttered them! meaning, that if Jesus was innocent, they were quite willing that the punishment for putting him to death should rest upon them and upon their children. Little did they foresee how dreadful would be that punishment; and how severely they and their descendants would suffer, in consequence of the crime they were wilfully committing. In one sense, we may all pray that "His blood may be on us and on our children"; even as the blood of the paschal lamb upon the door-posts turned aside the visit of the destroying angel.
In regard to Pilate's action on this occasion, we must recollect that it was ordered by the Law of Moses, that if a man were found dead in a field, and it was not known who or what had killed him, the elders of the nearest city should sacrifice a heifer, or young cow, with particular ceremonies: after which they should wash their hands over the slain beast, and declare solemnly before God, that they had had no hand in the death of the man, and that they knew not by what means he had met his death. In imitation of this custom, Pilate now washed his hands; meaning thereby to show that, if Jesus were put to death, he was no party to His death. But even in this Pilate was mistaken; for to allow a bad action to be committed, when we can prevent it, is to incur the guilt of it. As governor, Pilate might have refused to allow Jesus to be slain, and it was his duty to do so: had a riot followed, he could have been in no way guilty in the sight of God: but Pilate, being a heathen, did not consider the matter in this light. Do not many Christians, who should know better, act upon the same principles as those which influenced the Roman governor? They know some particular act to be wrong, and yet it seems so expedient, so likely to be useful in some way or other, that they do it. Then, again, they perceive that they ought to do something which may bring trouble upon themselves, or displease some one whose favour they wish to gain, and therefore they leave such action undone.
"Pilate, willing to content the people," and put an end to the tumult, "gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired."
Chapter XL.—JESUS CONDEMNED BY PILATE.
"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him." This was a very unnecessary piece of cruelty practised by the Romans; whose custom it was to scourge, or whip with cords, every criminal condemned to death. We must now think of our blessed Lord, with His back all cut and bleeding from the stripes laid upon Him, aching and smarting all over; then we must remember that this was the punishment of our sins, which He bore, and that, "with his stripes we are healed." Shall not such thoughts stir us up to show our love for Him, Who, out of His wondrous love for us, bore all these tortures? "And when Pilate had scourged him, he delivered Jesus to their will, to be crucified."