OUR FATHER WHO GAVE HIS ONLY SON TO PAY FOR OUR SINS

Matthew chapter 27 verses 15 - 26 records the how the Roman court responded the claims being made against Jesus by the religious leaders of Israel.

It was a tradition in Judea at that time for the governor to release one prisoner back to the people on the day of the feast and so, Pontius Pilate, having diserned that it was envy that had motivated the chief priests to bring Jesus before him, wanted to give them a choice between letting Jesus go and releasing a dangerous criminal named Barnabas.

Pilate believed that the priests, even though they felt that Jesus was outclassing them in the eyes of the people of Israel, would rather have Jesus in their midst than have Barnabas released into to their community. Pilate was wrong.

He had not correctly anticipated how verciforous the religious leaders were going to be in their pursuit of Jesusˋ death and even though he knew Jesus was innocent and even his own wife came to him to warn him to leave Jesus alone because she had been disturbed by dreams she had about Him, Pilate ultimately caved to the intense pressure that was brought to bear against Jesus demanding that He be crucified.

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude to one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”

25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

The Roman governor, realizing that the chief priests were going to go to all ends,   including starting a riot in the city get Jesus crucified, yielded to them. He took water and before all of Jesusˋ accusers, washed his hands of the blood of the Jesus and they all accepted the responsibility for the death of an innocent man saying that ˋHis blood would be upon them and their children.ˋ

Having subjected Jesus to a scourging, Pontius Pilate release Jesus into the hands of the priests who then took the  innocent lamb of God and sacrified Him on the cross out side the city walls.

The majestic phrophecy of Isaiah chapter 53 verses 3 - 8 fortold this sequence of events from the rejection of Jesusˋministry, His intense suffering, His bruising and scourging, His unjust sentence of death, His abandonment by His friends and His expulsion from the city and the sacrfice of His life by execution;

3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;

and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?

For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.

Have mercy on us O God.

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