Passage 📖: Matthew 27:11-26

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👋 Introduction to Today’s Lesson

Sometimes the loudest voices… aren’t the wisest ones.

And the easiest choice… isn’t the right one.

We’ve all felt it — the pressure to go along with the crowd.

To protect our image.

To keep the peace.

To choose what’s practical over what’s principled.

But what happens when doing nothing… becomes the thing we’re responsible for?

Today’s story is full of tension.

Not just political — but personal.

Because it forces us to ask:

What do I do when the truth costs something?

And who do I become… when it’s easier to stay silent?

Let’s dive in.

Last week, we watched Judas return the thirty silver coins — gripped with remorse for betraying Jesus.

But instead of turning to Jesus… he turned back to the very system that enabled his sin.

The priests refused him.

The temple rejected him.

And Judas was left carrying a weight he was never meant to bear alone.

It was a heartbreaking scene — not just because of what Judas did…

but because of how close he came to grace.

He confessed. He grieved.

But he didn’t surrender.

We were reminded:

Conviction is not the enemy.

It’s a gift — when it leads us home.

Because the real difference between Judas and his ancestor Judah wasn’t what they did…

It’s what they did next.

Judah’s remorse led to repentance.

Judas’ led to isolation.

And the invitation for us is the same:

Don’t run from conviction.

Let it draw you to the One who still offers mercy.

Even now.

Even for you.

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Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[a] Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

📍 Where Are We?

After being condemned by the Sanhedrin in the early morning hours, Jesus is now brought before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, for a final sentencing. The religious leaders needed Pilate’s authority to carry out an execution, since under Roman rule, Jews did not have the power to impose capital punishment.

This trial takes place sometime between 6:00–8:00 AM on Friday morning, just hours before the crucifixion. The setting is most likely Pilate’s Jerusalem headquarters, possibly at the Antonia Fortress near the Temple.

🧑🏽‍⚖️ Who Was Pontius Pilate?

Pilate was the Roman prefect (or governor) of Judea from 26–36 AD. Known for his harshness and political insecurity, he often clashed with Jewish leaders. But in this scene, he’s caught in a bind:

🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏽 Who Was Barabbas?

Barabbas was a notorious prisoner (Matthew 27:16), described in other Gospels as a murderous insurrectionist (Mark 15:7, Luke 23:19, John 18:40). He wasn’t a petty thief — he was a political rebel and a violent one.

The name Barabbas means “son of the father” (Bar = son, Abba = father) — a dark irony in contrast to Jesus, the true Son of the Father.

💬 What Was the Custom?

Pilate offers to release one prisoner during Passover as a gesture of goodwill to the Jewish people (v. 15). It was a Roman tradition intended to pacify the population — likely not law, but a localized political habit.

This becomes the backdrop for one of the most dramatic public choices in the Gospels:

Jesus or Barabbas?

💭 Why Is Pilate Reluctant?

Several clues show Pilate isn’t comfortable with condemning Jesus:

📢 What About the Crowd?

The crowd, stirred up by the chief priests and elders (v. 20), demands Barabbas be released and Jesus crucified.

Their cry — “His blood be on us and our children!” (v. 25) — is both shocking and tragic. It reflects the blindness of mob justice… and the chilling legacy of rejecting the very One sent to save them.

🧾 Why This Moment Matters

This scene is thick with irony:

But none of this catches God by surprise.

This isn’t just a collapse of justice — it’s the plan of redemption unfolding.

Jesus doesn’t resist. He doesn’t defend Himself.

Because this isn’t a courtroom failure.

It’s a divine exchange.

Barabbas wasn’t a petty thief.

He was a convicted insurrectionist — a violent revolutionary with blood on his hands (Mark 15:7, Luke 23:19).

A known rebel.

A man who stood for everything Rome feared… and everything religion condemned.

So when Pilate gave the people a choice —

Jesus or Barabbas?

It should’ve been obvious.

One had healed lepers.

One had harmed civilians.

One fed the hungry.

The other fueled rebellion.

One calmed storms.

The other stirred riots.

And yet — the crowd shouted: “Give us Barabbas.”

The guilty man walked free.

The innocent man was condemned.

It’s one of the most jarring moments of injustice in history.

How could they choose a murderer over a Messiah?

How could they trade peace for violence?

A healer for a killer?

But here’s the truth:

We’ve done the same.

Because Jesus had already told us, in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment…”

“Anyone who looks at someone with lust has already committed adultery…”

“If you only love those who love you — what reward is there in that?”

(Matthew 5:22, 28, 46)

Barabbas may have been guilty of public rebellion…

But we’ve all been guilty of private revolt.

Against God’s holiness.

Against His love.

Against His mercy.

And suddenly — the story isn’t just about Barabbas.

It’s about us.

We are the ones who deserved to stand trial.

And yet… we were set free.

Not because we were innocent.

But because Jesus stood in our place.

Barabbas walked free that day — because Jesus took the cross meant for him.

And that wasn’t just a political decision.

It was a prophetic declaration.

This was the Gospel:

The innocent Son condemned.

The guilty rebel released.

Justice absorbed by mercy.

Grace standing silent — so love could speak louder than judgment.

💬 So what do we do with this?

We stop pretending we’re clean on our own.

We stop pointing fingers like we’re not also standing in Barabbas’s sandals.

And we fall to our knees in gratitude that the cross that should’ve been ours — wasn’t.

Because the Gospel is not about being better than Barabbas.

It’s about realizing you are Barabbas.

And still — Jesus traded places with you.

Pilate knew the truth.

Three times he declared it:

“I find no fault in this man.”

Jesus was innocent — and Pilate knew it.

But knowing what’s right… is not the same as doing it.

History tells us Pilate was a Roman governor known for cruelty and arrogance.

But on this day, he’s backed into a corner —

by politics,

by pressure,

by a crowd that threatens to riot if he releases Jesus.

So he does something tragically familiar:

He tries to take the middle ground.

He calls for a bowl of water…

And in front of the crowd, he washes his hands.

A public performance.

A symbolic shrug.

As if ritual could remove responsibility.

But water doesn’t cleanse a compromised conscience.

And evasion isn’t the same as innocence.

Pilate didn’t crucify Jesus with nails —

He did it with neutrality.

He thought silence would absolve him.

But in the Kingdom, silence still speaks.

To know the truth and not act on it… is to reject it.

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” — James 4:17

It’s a warning for all of us:

Because we’ve all stood where Pilate stood.

Faced with hard conversations we avoided.

Witnessed injustice and stayed quiet.

Heard the Spirit convict us… and did nothing.

We’d rather appear clean… than get involved.

But passivity doesn’t make you innocent.

It just makes you complicit in slow motion.

So here’s the call:

Don’t wash your hands when God is calling you to use them.

Don’t play neutral when someone’s dignity is on the line.

Don’t let fear of the fallout keep you from standing for what’s right.

We’re not judged by the moments we knew the truth.

We’re judged by whether we acted on it.

At the start of the week, they cried “Hosanna!”

By the end, they shouted “Crucify Him!”

What changed?

Not Jesus — their expectations.

They wanted revolution.

He brought repentance.

They wanted someone to overthrow Rome.

He came to overturn hearts.

They expected Him to confront Caesar —

But He confronted them.

When Jesus cleansed the temple instead of the palace,

They realized His Kingdom wasn’t here to serve their agenda.

So when Pilate gave them a choice, they picked Barabbas.

Not because he was good —

But because he was useful.

This is how injustice often thrives:

Not by people choosing evil,

But by choosing what’s practical over what’s right.

And we do the same.

We still choose convenience over conviction.

We still want a Jesus who fights for our side —

Not one who questions why we’re fighting at all.

We want quick fixes, not heart change.

So don’t follow the crowd.

Don’t confuse consensus with clarity.

Don’t trade your Redeemer for the idol of what makes sense.

Because real faith doesn’t settle for what’s easy.

It chooses truth — even when it costs something.

And when that moment comes…

Don’t reach for what’s loudest.

Reach for what’s true.

Even if it’s slower.

Even if it hurts.

Because what you choose in that moment

Reveals the Kingdom you actually want.

This scene isn’t just the breakdown of a justice system.

It’s the unveiling of our own hearts.

Pilate knew Jesus was innocent — and stayed silent.

The people knew Barabbas was guilty — and set him free.

And we… we’re often not that different.

We know what’s right.

But when it’s inconvenient, unpopular, or uncomfortable —

We hesitate.

That’s why this moment still speaks:

The cross wasn’t just punishment.

It was substitution.

The Son of God condemned…

So rebels like us could walk free.

And when the crowd grows loud,

When silence feels safer,

When compromise seems easier —

Remember this:

Truth isn’t found in popularity.

Courage doesn’t grow in comfort.

And grace didn’t come cheap.

Jesus didn’t die so we could stay the same.

He died to set us free —

Not just from judgment…

But from the fear that keeps us from standing with Him.

So let truth be more than a belief we carry.

Let it become the life we live.

Blessings,

Michael