27:17Matthew 27:17

Pilate set Jesus which is called Christ beside the notorious robber and murderer Barabbas and asked the gathered multitude to choose which prisoner the Passover custom would release.3SP 141.1–142.1+2 He hoped the visible contrast between innocence and guilt would awaken their sense of justice and lead them to free Jesus, whom he knew to be true and delivered for envy.3SP 141.1–142.1+2 Stirred by the priests and rulers, the people instead demanded Barabbas and called for Christ to be crucified, rejecting the Lord of glory and preferring a murderer's company to the Son of God.COS 148.5–7+2 Set side by side before the whole heavenly universe, the two men stood as a contrast of righteousness and sin, truth and falsehood, and light and darkness that all could see.Ms 40, 1897, par. 3–6+2 That choice still confronts every person, for to refuse Christ and His truth is to choose Barabbas, who personifies Satan the first rebel, while to accept Him is to stand with Christ against the powers of darkness.Ms 25, 1896, par. 17–18+2

At the Passover feast it was the governor's custom to release to the people one prisoner of their choosing, a pagan usage with no foundation in justice yet observed at the great national festival.3SP 141.1–142.1+4 Jesus stood bound as a prisoner before Pilate after the Sanhedrin had condemned Him and sought Roman confirmation of its sentence.DA 723.1–724.1+1 The Jewish priests and rulers forced the governor to act against Him.DA 723.1–724.1+1 The setting exposed the leaders' care for ceremonial purity alongside murderous hatred in their hearts.DA 723.1–724.1 The crowd's part in His death carried guilt for His blood pointing toward retribution, while His trust amid overwhelming human power stands as an example.DA 722.5+1

Pilate knew Jesus was true and innocent, delivered for envy, with the false charges disproved by testimony and evidence.RH Jan 23, 1900+2 He knew His power even bound and under accusation was not that of a common man but of God, and by the warning light given through his wife he knew Him to be a just man.RH Jan 23, 1900+1 Yet in terrible conflict he was too weak to obey the light, daring neither to yield Him to the maddened power nor openly to refuse it.RH Jan 23, 1900+1 He failed to do justice, pronouncing Him innocent and declaring he found no fault in Him, yet having Him scourged, condemned and delivered to crucifixion.Ms 29, 1909, par. 12–17+2 Pilate hoped that presenting Jesus, whom he called Christ, side by side with the notable Barabbas would awaken the people's sense of justice.3SP 141.1–142.1+3 He flattered himself that the visible contrast between innocence and guilt would be so convincing as to move them to choose the release of Jesus of Nazareth.DA 733.1–4+2

Barabbas was a notorious, base thief, robber, rebel, cruel murderer and condemned criminal.COS 148.5–7+4 He claimed to be the Messiah, a pretended Christ who had done great wickedness and wonderful things through satanic agencies.DA 733.1–4+1 Under satanic delusion he claimed religious power and a right to establish a different order of things and to set the world right, claiming as his own whatever he could obtain by theft and robbery and murder.Ms 112, 1897, par. 33–34 The priests, rulers and rabbis stirred up, inflamed and persuaded the poor, ignorant multitude to demand Barabbas.3SP 141.1–142.1+4 They drove the choice despite Pilate's recognition of Jesus' innocence and his questions of what evil He had done.RH Jan 23, 1900+3

Pilate set Jesus, whom he called Christ, beside Barabbas before the gathered multitude, and the whole heavenly universe looked on as the two men stood side by side in a contrast between righteousness and sin, truth and falsehood, and light and darkness that could be seen by all, with the Prince of Life bearing the seal of heaven placed beside Barabbas.Ms 40, 1897, par. 3–6+2 The One so presented was the sinless, innocent, pure and holy Son of God bearing the divine image, the Prince of Heaven and Lord of glory, the King of the Jews and the Galilean who made the world and all things in it, full of goodness, mercy and truth, while Barabbas placed beside Him was a base thief, notorious robber, rebel, cruel and guilty murderer whose appearance bore the marks of Satan's character.Lt 59a, 1895, par. 27–28+4 The criminal and murderer was thus set beside the sinless Son of God, and the choice led to Jesus' condemnation and death.Ms 150, 1899, par. 3–5

The people chose Barabbas and demanded Christ's crucifixion, taking part in the choice that condemned Him, rejecting the Lord of glory and sparing the guilty murderer and robber, preferring a murderer's society and company to the Son of God, so that God was refused and put to open shame in His Son.COS 148.5–7+4 The same people who a few days before had loudly proclaimed His wonderful works and poured forth praise and hosannas as He rode into Jerusalem as king now reviled Him and cried for His crucifixion, showing how fickle the world's favor is.Ms 112, 1897, par. 37–40+2 Their sudden reversal was the hour and the power of darkness, a crisis that tested the disciples, whose faith He had sought to strengthen while still with them so that the cries against Him would not take them wholly by surprise, make them depend on popular opinion, or overthrow them.Ms 112, 1897, par. 37–40+2

Stirred by the priests, rulers and rabbis and led by Satan, once the covering cherub, with his angels in human form among the lawless throng, the people cried with zeal and desperation like the bellowing of wild beasts, Not this man, but Barabbas.Ms 112, 1897, par. 37–40+1 Satan was personified in Barabbas, a murderer from the beginning, and the people acted as children of their father the devil.Ms 112, 1897, par. 37–40 Henceforth Barabbas was the choice of the Jews whose dictation as a nation they would act out, filled with madness at the very name of Christ.Ms 112, 1897, par. 37–40 The choice was driven by envy, with religious prejudice, bigotry and corrupting influences prevailing through the religious element.Ms 40, 1897, par. 3–6+2 It shows how people who claim to know God can reject Christ and side against Him, and it reveals the spirit of man and what humanity will do when not under the control of the Spirit of God, acting inspired by Satan and standing under the black banner of the powers of darkness.Lt 59a, 1895, par. 27–28+2

Though pronounced innocent, Jesus was delivered to crucifixion, the innocent, pure and undefiled Galilean given over though Pilate declared he found no fault in Him.Ms 56, 1894, par. 3–4+1 His death was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.Ms 56, 1894, par. 3–4 By suffering the cruel death of shame on the cross of Calvary, witnessed by angels in heaven, with Satan at the head of those who reviled, abused and crucified Him and led the cruel mob, the Redeemer proved the falsity of Satan's charges against God and vindicated God in the sight of the angels as One willing to make the greatest sacrifice that could be made for man.Lt 132, 1910, par. 4–9

Pilate's question setting Jesus which is called Christ against Barabbas set two opposing sides before the crowd, Christ and the apostate, and stands as a symbol of the final choice between Christ, who is the Truth, and Satan, the first rebel represented and personified by Barabbas.Ms 25, 1896, par. 17–18+3 To choose Barabbas is to reject Christ, to refuse the light and truth presented, and to refuse Christ the only provision for cleansing from sin.19MR 263.2–264.1+2 To choose Christ is to accept the message of mercy concerning God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, while to choose Satan is to accept his falsehoods, to join the disloyal, and to reject the Son of God.RH Jan 30, 1900

That same choice is being made in the world now, when men in effect call for Barabbas and for Christ to be crucified and exalt Satan on that occasion.16MR 259.3–260.1 The crowd's choice is repeated today, and each person shows and demonstrates by his own life and course of action whom he is individually choosing, whether to stand with Christ or against Him.Ms 25, 1896, par. 17–18+3 Near the end of time Satan's deception will lead people who have rejected the truth to choose Barabbas, who represents Satan, and to demand Christ's death.Ms 39, 1894, par. 11–12 Satan who stirred the world to choose a robber and murderer instead of the Son of God holds the same bitter hatred against commandment-keeping people who will not worship the papal institution, stirring the whole world against them, and those today who allow envy, hatred and unbelief to control them will persecute God's people even as the Jews persecuted Christ.RH Aug 20, 1901

The scene is a revelation of what those on that side will do in the great crisis before us, whose cruelty could not be comprehended beforehand.Lt 59a, 1895, par. 27–28 Rejecting light and grieving God's Spirit leaves people open to the prince of darkness, and rejection of Jesus will be brought to account at the final judgment.Ms 10, 1894, par. 24–25+1 To show one would not have joined those who cried for His death one must obey the light given today, live as Christ lived and turn from a wandering, restless disposition.Ms 10, 1894, par. 24–25+1 The responsibility to decide calls for greater faith and prayer to stand the test and trial to come.Lt 59a, 1895, par. 27–28+1 The disciples had been prepared so the cries against Jesus would not take them wholly by surprise, make them depend on popular opinion, or overthrow the faith He had sought to strengthen while still with them.4RED 102.2–103.1+1