In Pilate's judgment-hall the priests, rulers and mob outside repeatedly shouted for the innocent Jesus to be crucified, though Pilate found no fault in Him and was impressed by His calm dignity. Pilate tried to save Him by offering Him against the guilty Barabbas for release and by having Him scourged to excite pity, but the leaders saw weakness in this and stirred the crowd to mad fury until he yielded. The cry was the climax of Satan's effort to turn men against Christ, showing what people do when without God's Spirit and under the powers of darkness. They demanded His death because His pure life and holy teaching exposed and condemned their sin, though many of the same fickle voices had once hailed Him as king. In choosing Barabbas over Christ the crowd chose Satan over the Son of God, a choice every person repeats today by accepting or rejecting Christ, so that rejecting present light leaves one open to join that same cry.
Trial Setting and Demand
The cry, Crucify him, was uttered in the judgment-hall of Pilate the Roman governor, where Christ stood bound as a prisoner with a guard of soldiers around Him while the hall fast filled with spectators and just outside the entrance stood the judges of the Sanhedrim, priests, rulers, elders, and the mob. The council of the Sanhedrim had already condemned Jesus and had come to Pilate to have the sentence confirmed and executed, yet these Jewish officials would not enter the Roman hall lest ceremonial defilement prevent them from the feast of the Passover, though murderous hatred had defiled their hearts. Since they had rejected Christ the real Passover lamb, the great feast had for them lost its significance. Pilate had been called from his bedchamber in haste at an early hour, determined to do his work quickly and with magisterial severity, yet when he looked searchingly on Jesus he found no sign of guilt, no fear, no boldness or defiance, but calm and dignified bearing, goodness and nobility, and the signature of heaven. That sight made a favorable impression and roused his better nature as he recalled what his wife had told him and what he had heard from rumors of the wonderful deeds of the Galilean prophet who cured the sick and raised the dead.
The crowd joined the priests and rulers in demanding Jesus' death amid a lawless uproar that confused Pilate, even though he found no fault in Him and believed Him an innocent victim of the leaders' plot. No charge could be established against Him, yet though convinced of His innocence Pilate yielded to the mob's pressure. The crowd again and repeatedly demanded crucifixion even after Pilate asked what evil Jesus had done and offered to chastise Him and release Him. Their louder, furious demand for an innocent man arose not from evidence of any crime, since nothing could be proved against Him, but from hatred stirred up by the priests and rulers in satanic fury. Pilate's submission of the decision to the mob and his unavailing efforts to appease them showed weakness and failure to uphold justice and could not move them to pity.
The cry belongs to Pilate's attempt to save Jesus by offering Him alongside Barabbas for release at the festival, hoping the contrast between Jesus' innocence and Barabbas' guilt as a hardened ruffian would lead the people to choose Jesus and move them to sympathy. Pilate had Jesus scourged and mocked to excite pity and to satisfy even priestly malice, but the Jews saw weakness in punishing a man declared innocent and knew Pilate was trying to save the prisoner, and they were determined He should not be released. The contrast convicted even priests and rulers and drew tears and pity from spectators and Roman soldiers, and Pilate was amazed at the Saviour's patient, gentle, dignified, uncomplaining suffering. The priests, as darkness exposed by the light of the world, moved the mob to mad fury to raise again the awful cry, Crucify Him, crucify Him, until Pilate in despair over their unreasoning cruelty told them to take Him and crucify Him for he found no fault in Him.
Later that same day that same wicked throng led Jesus from Pilate's hall to Calvary to the place of crucifixion with shouts and jeers. On the way they saw the body of Judas at the foot of a lifeless tree, where the cord he hanged himself with broke under his weight and his falling body was horribly mangled and devoured by dogs before being buried out of sight. That revolting sight lessened mockery, paled faces with inward thought, and showed retribution already visiting those guilty of the blood of Jesus. The frenzied demand was raised only a few years before Herod's death by the same voices that later glorified Herod as a god, showing that the multitude that exalted a vile sinner was the same multitude that called for Jesus to be put to death. His own nation clamored for His blood as He approached the cross and descended into humiliation, with Him in whom the disciples' hopes of eternal life were centered in the hands of wicked men. They chose the murderous Barabbas in place of their beloved Teacher, and the cry joined His scourging as the worst of criminals, the plaiting of the crown of thorns for His sacred brow, the purple robe, the mock bowing and striking Him with the reed placed in His hand, and His being lifted up on the cross to die as a malefactor.
Reasons for the Cry
The cry to crucify Him was the climax of Satan's effort to turn the people against Christ and to lead them to reject His love. It revealed the malice that drove His rejection and helped expose Satan's character before the universe. That revelation stirred the indignation of the loyal universe.
It came from people acting without the control of God's Spirit and inspired by Satan. They raised it after choosing Barabbas, a thief and murderer, instead of Jesus, the innocent and holy Prince of heaven. The scene shows what people under the powers of darkness will do. It represents the spirit of those who will be met in the coming great crisis.
The Jews demanded His crucifixion while He was on trial because His pure life and holy teaching exposed their sin and condemned them. For that same reason many oppose God's word in their hearts. Many may hate the Bible because it convicts them.
It was the cry of a fickle crowd for Him to be crucified after He was betrayed, condemned, and humiliated, though many of them had once hailed Him as king. Jesus prepared His faithful disciples for this reversal so they would not be shocked or have their faith shaken when the crowd and professed followers turned against Him. The rulers' demand in that cry showed their rejection of Him and their part in His cruel death. That decision later stood as evidence against them when the miracles of the apostles confirmed that the crucified Jesus was the Messiah.
Warning and Present Choice
The cry stands as a warning that turning away from light already received leaves a person open to Satan's influence. The proof that one would not have joined in demanding His death is obedience to the light given today. It was the answer of a people rejecting and disowning Him, and disloyalty to Christ now shows that one would have joined that same cry had one lived then. In calling for crucifixion and choosing Barabbas over Christ, the crowd chose Satan, whom Barabbas represents, in preference to Christ, the Son of God and Maker of the world. That same choice is repeated in the world today, with every person revealing whom he chooses by accepting or rejecting Christ.
His own nation clamored for His blood as He approached the cross and went down into the depths of humiliation, while He in whom the disciples' hopes of eternal life were centered was in the hands of wicked men. They chose the murderous Barabbas in place of their beloved Teacher, and the cry went with His scourging as the worst of criminals, the plaiting of the crown of thorns for His sacred brow, the purple robe, the mock bowing before Him and striking Him with the reed placed in His hand, and His being lifted up on the cross to die as a malefactor. This taking away of the Bridegroom gave the children of the bridechamber cause to mourn and fast. For then their faith would be tried and their hope and courage would fail.
In Pilate's judgment-hall the priests, rulers and mob outside repeatedly shouted for the innocent Jesus to be crucified, though Pilate found no fault in Him and was impressed by His calm dignity. Pilate tried to save Him by offering Him against the guilty Barabbas for release and by having Him scourged to excite pity, but the leaders saw weakness in this and stirred the crowd to mad fury until he yielded. The cry was the climax of Satan's effort to turn men against Christ, showing what people do when without God's Spirit and under the powers of darkness. They demanded His death because His pure life and holy teaching exposed and condemned their sin, though many of the same fickle voices had once hailed Him as king. In choosing Barabbas over Christ the crowd chose Satan over the Son of God, a choice every person repeats today by accepting or rejecting Christ, so that rejecting present light leaves one open to join that same cry.
Trial Setting and Demand
The cry, Crucify him, was uttered in the judgment-hall of Pilate the Roman governor, where Christ stood bound as a prisoner with a guard of soldiers around Him while the hall fast filled with spectators and just outside the entrance stood the judges of the Sanhedrim, priests, rulers, elders, and the mob. The council of the Sanhedrim had already condemned Jesus and had come to Pilate to have the sentence confirmed and executed, yet these Jewish officials would not enter the Roman hall lest ceremonial defilement prevent them from the feast of the Passover, though murderous hatred had defiled their hearts. Since they had rejected Christ the real Passover lamb, the great feast had for them lost its significance. Pilate had been called from his bedchamber in haste at an early hour, determined to do his work quickly and with magisterial severity, yet when he looked searchingly on Jesus he found no sign of guilt, no fear, no boldness or defiance, but calm and dignified bearing, goodness and nobility, and the signature of heaven. That sight made a favorable impression and roused his better nature as he recalled what his wife had told him and what he had heard from rumors of the wonderful deeds of the Galilean prophet who cured the sick and raised the dead.
The crowd joined the priests and rulers in demanding Jesus' death amid a lawless uproar that confused Pilate, even though he found no fault in Him and believed Him an innocent victim of the leaders' plot. No charge could be established against Him, yet though convinced of His innocence Pilate yielded to the mob's pressure. The crowd again and repeatedly demanded crucifixion even after Pilate asked what evil Jesus had done and offered to chastise Him and release Him. Their louder, furious demand for an innocent man arose not from evidence of any crime, since nothing could be proved against Him, but from hatred stirred up by the priests and rulers in satanic fury. Pilate's submission of the decision to the mob and his unavailing efforts to appease them showed weakness and failure to uphold justice and could not move them to pity.
The cry belongs to Pilate's attempt to save Jesus by offering Him alongside Barabbas for release at the festival, hoping the contrast between Jesus' innocence and Barabbas' guilt as a hardened ruffian would lead the people to choose Jesus and move them to sympathy. Pilate had Jesus scourged and mocked to excite pity and to satisfy even priestly malice, but the Jews saw weakness in punishing a man declared innocent and knew Pilate was trying to save the prisoner, and they were determined He should not be released. The contrast convicted even priests and rulers and drew tears and pity from spectators and Roman soldiers, and Pilate was amazed at the Saviour's patient, gentle, dignified, uncomplaining suffering. The priests, as darkness exposed by the light of the world, moved the mob to mad fury to raise again the awful cry, Crucify Him, crucify Him, until Pilate in despair over their unreasoning cruelty told them to take Him and crucify Him for he found no fault in Him.
Later that same day that same wicked throng led Jesus from Pilate's hall to Calvary to the place of crucifixion with shouts and jeers. On the way they saw the body of Judas at the foot of a lifeless tree, where the cord he hanged himself with broke under his weight and his falling body was horribly mangled and devoured by dogs before being buried out of sight. That revolting sight lessened mockery, paled faces with inward thought, and showed retribution already visiting those guilty of the blood of Jesus. The frenzied demand was raised only a few years before Herod's death by the same voices that later glorified Herod as a god, showing that the multitude that exalted a vile sinner was the same multitude that called for Jesus to be put to death. His own nation clamored for His blood as He approached the cross and descended into humiliation, with Him in whom the disciples' hopes of eternal life were centered in the hands of wicked men. They chose the murderous Barabbas in place of their beloved Teacher, and the cry joined His scourging as the worst of criminals, the plaiting of the crown of thorns for His sacred brow, the purple robe, the mock bowing and striking Him with the reed placed in His hand, and His being lifted up on the cross to die as a malefactor.
Reasons for the Cry
The cry to crucify Him was the climax of Satan's effort to turn the people against Christ and to lead them to reject His love. It revealed the malice that drove His rejection and helped expose Satan's character before the universe. That revelation stirred the indignation of the loyal universe.
It came from people acting without the control of God's Spirit and inspired by Satan. They raised it after choosing Barabbas, a thief and murderer, instead of Jesus, the innocent and holy Prince of heaven. The scene shows what people under the powers of darkness will do. It represents the spirit of those who will be met in the coming great crisis.
The Jews demanded His crucifixion while He was on trial because His pure life and holy teaching exposed their sin and condemned them. For that same reason many oppose God's word in their hearts. Many may hate the Bible because it convicts them.
It was the cry of a fickle crowd for Him to be crucified after He was betrayed, condemned, and humiliated, though many of them had once hailed Him as king. Jesus prepared His faithful disciples for this reversal so they would not be shocked or have their faith shaken when the crowd and professed followers turned against Him. The rulers' demand in that cry showed their rejection of Him and their part in His cruel death. That decision later stood as evidence against them when the miracles of the apostles confirmed that the crucified Jesus was the Messiah.
Warning and Present Choice
The cry stands as a warning that turning away from light already received leaves a person open to Satan's influence. The proof that one would not have joined in demanding His death is obedience to the light given today. It was the answer of a people rejecting and disowning Him, and disloyalty to Christ now shows that one would have joined that same cry had one lived then. In calling for crucifixion and choosing Barabbas over Christ, the crowd chose Satan, whom Barabbas represents, in preference to Christ, the Son of God and Maker of the world. That same choice is repeated in the world today, with every person revealing whom he chooses by accepting or rejecting Christ.
His own nation clamored for His blood as He approached the cross and went down into the depths of humiliation, while He in whom the disciples' hopes of eternal life were centered was in the hands of wicked men. They chose the murderous Barabbas in place of their beloved Teacher, and the cry went with His scourging as the worst of criminals, the plaiting of the crown of thorns for His sacred brow, the purple robe, the mock bowing before Him and striking Him with the reed placed in His hand, and His being lifted up on the cross to die as a malefactor. This taking away of the Bridegroom gave the children of the bridechamber cause to mourn and fast. For then their faith would be tried and their hope and courage would fail.