It was a Friday morning. The whole city was in commotion. Everyone ran towards the palace to see what was happening. Among the masses were those who had once been lepers, blind, deaf, crippled, dead, hungry, disappointed, outcast, demon-possessed…or whose relative has been healed, resurrected, revived, fed, exorcised of demons…
The priests, Levites, Pharisees, Sadducees, teachers, lawyers, soldiers, and ruling classes, were all there, mingled with the poor and uneducated masses. As it was the festive season of Passover, all Jews around the world were there. Pilate came out with the victim, beaten and tormented…he pronounced Him innocent and not worthy to die.
In the throng were thousands who had been blessed by His work and ministry. Yet, as the priests and rulers went among the people and convinced them to choose Barabbas, they gullibly agreed. Forgetting all that He had done for them and the nation. How can we exchange such a national asset for a worthless criminal? Someone who can resurrect the dead, feed the hungry, cleanse the leper, open the eyes of the blind, make the lame walk, and the deaf to hear, for a murderer!?
Good grief! I was stunned beyond reason! Yet they joined the chorus of the priests and chanted “We have no King but Caesar… Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” Pilate himself was stunned! He could not believe his ears: “What has he done?” He asked. Sensing that he wanted to release Jesus, they shouted “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend.” Wow, even the Roman soldiers could not believe it…
Pilate brought him to the people, with thorns on His head…should I crucify your King? He looked beaten. He was bleeding profusely, His back was marred with canes. Pilate hoped this will move the people to mercy, yet their frenzy intensified:
“Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate washed his hands from His death, but they responded
“His blood be on us and on our children”!!
Slowly, He was marched away with a cross towards Golgotha. Why could not Pilate release him if He was innocent? Why should the people determine His fate if He was innocent? Why should Pilate do the bidding of the masses against justice? Where were His disciples? Of all the people He helped, no one could stand in for Him, and plead His cause.
He was deserted and left alone to suffer and die! What a sorrowful day… that such an innocent man with so much blessings could have no one to support Him or plead His cause. He was despised, hated, rejected: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief! He died for those He came to heal and save. He was numbered among sinners and of the people, there were none with him; no one stood in for Him. He was so shattered that on the cross, He cried, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani”. For he felt betrayed. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted (Isaiah 53:4).
On a Friday, He died for an ungrateful world. The LORD laid on Him, the iniquities of us all! Shall we remember His sacrifice and amend our ways? A Happy peaceful Sabbath to all!
