John 18:39-40

“But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover.  So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?  They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas.”  

It’s likely that before the entire show trial commenced that the Jews had gone to Pilate.  They’d already sent their temple guards out to arrest Him (John 7) and had come up empty.  The guards were dazzled and awestruck by the Lord and told the Pharisees “no one has ever spoken like this man.”  

Well!  

That must have rankled their arrogant feathers something terrible.  The religious leaders were all talk – that’s who they were and what they did.  To hear that no one has ever spoken like this cretin from Galilee was, no doubt, a mortal insult to them.  The Sanhedrin thought the people of Galilee to be a mongrel, mutt race of law-ignoring simpletons.  

So, they likely went to Pilate first and regaled him with stories of how Jesus was an insurrectionist like Barabbas.  Assuredly, that would get the Romans jumping and it explains why 600 soldiers trekked up the Mount of Olives in the dark of night to arrest a traveling preacher who had no home.  Pilate was anticipating bloodshed and revolution.  That’s why he asks Jesus if He was the King of the Jews.  

But Pilate investigated the whole matter and couldn’t help but see the folly of it all.  Jesus is no revolutionary.  He gives no fiery oratory against Rome and Caesar.  He’s literally a lamb led to slaughter and Pilate perceives this and, perhaps, assumes that there’s some mistake here.  Thus, he offers the logical trade:  the innocent for the guilty; Jesus for Barabbas.  The Jews will have none of it.  They want Christ dead.  

Christians today should take note.  What Pilate offered them was the same choice we see around us today.  It cuts to the heart of the issue – is our problem sin or something else?  Is our bondage to sin or to politics?  Is our trouble spiritual/moral rebellion or social/political oppression?  The questions strike to the heart of the Christian life.  A Christian that believes in his heart that it’s the wrong party in Washington that’s his life’s great inhibitor, rather than his own sin is lost.  Such a Christian and such a church will seek a savior up to the task they figure is needed.  And spiritually sick men running to politicians and revolutionaries for healing are like men dying of cancer going to a personal trainer.  

In his divine wisdom, God sees to it that this is the choice given the Jews that day.  It echoes throughout history and it’s instructive – so instructive – for us today.  The Pharisees thought they were justified by their adherence to the Law so Jesus’ message perplexed and even enraged them. Rejecting him, they embraced Barabbas.  Likewise, when we fail to see the sin in our lives, fail to comprehend how deep is our spiritual poverty and how this alone accounts for our diverse and voluminous trials, we will also be left holding this political thing or that in a cold, pathetic embrace.  The halls of Congress won’t save.  The Presidency won’t save.  Only the Cross saves.  

Here’s the question: do we spend more time thinking of our need of a new man or policy in the capital than we do of our great need of Jesus?  What we think our true problem is in life will determine to whom and where we look for our salvation.