Pilate releasing Barabbas was a big deal.
Barabbas (meaning “son of father”) was a Jew. Barabbas had committed crimes against Rome. Barabbas was released in exchange for Christ (Who had entered Jerusalem days earlier to the chants of “Save us!”).
In the eyes of Rome, Barabbas was the lesser of the two evils bc only Christ was claiming to be a King.
When Pilate washed his hands of the issue, he showed that he knew Christ was innocent, but that Pilate understood that the Jews were forcing his hand. (Even Pilate’s wife warned Pilate not to have anything to do with Jesus).
Christ told Pilate that His kingdom was not of the world or else His followers would fight. But they didn’t fight.
The world fights like the world. Christians fight like Christ.
Years later, Paul the apostle would write the letter to the Romans and explain that the government (Rome) was there to do righteousness. Rome, at that time, kept the peace so that the gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout the world peacefully - a loving conquer.
Barabbas, then, was a foretelling of things to come, when, culminating in 70AD, the Jews provoked Rome and got destroyed.
Today, the nation of Israel has nothing to do with the Israel of the Bible. But they are doing the same thing Barabbas did - favoring war instead of Christ.
I pray that Christians follow Christ. Christians are to obey Christ. We don’t advance His kingdom with the sword. We advance His kingdom with the gospel.
Amen.
Now, go to war.
Barabbas (meaning “son of father”) was a Jew. Barabbas had committed crimes against Rome. Barabbas was released in exchange for Christ (Who had entered Jerusalem days earlier to the chants of “Save us!”).
In the eyes of Rome, Barabbas was the lesser of the two evils bc only Christ was claiming to be a King.
When Pilate washed his hands of the issue, he showed that he knew Christ was innocent, but that Pilate understood that the Jews were forcing his hand. (Even Pilate’s wife warned Pilate not to have anything to do with Jesus).
Christ told Pilate that His kingdom was not of the world or else His followers would fight. But they didn’t fight.
The world fights like the world. Christians fight like Christ.
Years later, Paul the apostle would write the letter to the Romans and explain that the government (Rome) was there to do righteousness. Rome, at that time, kept the peace so that the gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout the world peacefully - a loving conquer.
Barabbas, then, was a foretelling of things to come, when, culminating in 70AD, the Jews provoked Rome and got destroyed.
Today, the nation of Israel has nothing to do with the Israel of the Bible. But they are doing the same thing Barabbas did - favoring war instead of Christ.
I pray that Christians follow Christ. Christians are to obey Christ. We don’t advance His kingdom with the sword. We advance His kingdom with the gospel.
Amen.
Now, go to war.