Luke 23:25 He Gave Them What They Wanted
“And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will” (NKJV).
Jesus had been brought to Pilate because the religious leaders wanted Jesus killed. He was interfering with their plans, making the people doubt their biblical accuracy. They were afraid that the Romans would take their power away, so they incited the gathering crowd to cry for the crucifixion of Jesus. So the crowd cried, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” These are the same people who threw palm branches and even their cloaks on the path the donkey carrying Jesus into Jerusalem was following. Just a few days before, they hailed Jesus with the words, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in God’s name! Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Mark 13:9b-10 (MSG). How soon they forgot. How easily they were persuaded by the religious leaders.
Why were they shouting? What did they want? What was the choice they made? They shouted because, like many a mob, there were instigators shouting those hateful words at first. But it didn’t take long before the crowd took up the chant. “Crucify Him!” Pilate tried three time to release Jesus because he found no fault in Him, but as the crowd increased their clamor, he gave in to their wishes. They wanted Barabbas, the rioter and murderer released. They chose chaos and murder over the pure love of God. Wow! What a choice they made! We would never do that today, right? Well, maybe we would. Church attendance is down, and many churches have closed. More and more of our entertainment features murder and mayhem. A former President of the United States announced that the USA is no longer a Christian nation. Many college campuses are inflamed today with riots to the extent that graduation ceremonies have been cancelled, and the cries of the rioters are calling for the eradication of the nation of Israel.
We haven’t changed as much as we might think. Mankind is not getting better and better no matter what the claims are of those opposed to our God, Jehovah, and His Son Jesus Christ. But wait. Later in Luke, chapter three, we learn that after Jesus had committed His spirit to His Father, a great darkness fell for three hours in the middle of the day. In verse 48, we are told, “All who had come around as spectators to watch the show, when they saw what actually happened, were overcome with grief and headed home” (MSG). The NIV uses the words, “…they beat their breasts and went away.” Was repentance beginning? Might repentance begin and grow into a mighty move of God today? We can pray for that to happen.