America, the land of the free, and the home of the brave. It is the place where a person is innocent until proven guilty. All of us are aware of our judicial system here in America. However, nowadays guilt or innocence is not determined by truth, but by how clever an attorney we can afford.
None of us enjoy seeing an innocent person go to trial and be convicted for something they didn't do. We occasionally read or hear about that sort of thing, but we have, recorded in Scripture, an account of an innocent individual being tried and convicted for something He never did. He was accused falsely, tried illegally, and convicted unjustly.
That individual was Jesus Christ. Jesus had three trials before Jewish courts, two trials before Pilate, and one trial before Herod Antipas. As we study the Scriptural account of those trials of our Lord, it is possible to miss a very wonderful picture of the redemption of the human race.
I. Notice the Biblical Account:
A. The Governor: Pilate cf Mt. 27:1-2
1. Who was he?
a. He was the Roman governor for the area known as Judea.
b. He was not an elected official, as are governors of our states, but he was appointed by and answerable to the Roman emperor at that time. (Tiberius Caesar)
c. Normally, he resided in Caesarea, but on certain occasions he was required to be in areas where trouble might erupt.
d. Passover was just such an occasion when his presence was needed in Jerusalem, since many Jews would be there to celebrate this feast.
2. What did he know?
a. He knew that Jesus had committed no crime against Rome.
1) Luke 23:4, 'Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, 'I find no fault in this man.'
2) John 18:38, Pilate ... saith unto them, 'I find in him no fault at all.'
b. He knew that the chief priests had brought Jesus there because they were envious of Him.
1) Mt. 27:18, 'For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.'
2) Mk. 15:10, 'For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy'
c. He knew that others knew Jesus was innocent of the charges he was accused.
1) His wife told him, 'Have thou nothing to do with that just man'. cf Mt. 27:19
2) Herod had sent him back without condemnation.
3) 'Having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, not yet Herod: ... nothing worthy of death is done unto him' Luke 23:14-15a
3. What did he do?
a. He allowed the angry mob to make his decision for him.
1) This is not a picture of democracy.
2) It wasn't orderly group of Jews making an intelligent decision.
3) It was a mob.
b. He offered them the choice of who would be released, Jesus or Barabbas.
c. The mob threatened him politically against his releasing Jesus.
d. Note the following:
1) John 19:12, '...the Jews cried out saying, if thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend'
2) At that point Pilate lost any concern he might have had for the injustice being done against Jesus.
3) Now his only concern was for himself, he did not want them to send Tiberius Caesar a bad report about his governorship.
(Mark 15:15) "And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified."
B. The People's Choice: Barabbas cf Mt. 27:15-17
1. The custom.
a. It is not known where this custom originated, but at the time of the Passover one prisoner was to be released from custody.
b. Which prisoner it was to be was up to the Jews.
c. In an attempt to free himself from the burden of condemning Jesus to die, he reminded them.
(John 18:39) "But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?"
2. The choice.
a. The response to that question was apparently not spontaneous.
b. Verse 20 indicates that the chief priests and elders had to persuade the crowd to ask for Barabbas.
(Mat 27:20) "But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus."
(Mark 15:11) "But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them."
c. It didn't take them long to rally to the cry of 'give us Barabbas'!
3. The criminal.
a. From looking at all of the Gospel accounts we can get a pretty good idea of the kind of man Barabbas was.
b. He was not a common criminal, but Mt. 27:16 says that he was a 'notable prisoner'.
c. Mark 15:7, tells us that he was an insurrectionist and a murderer, and Luke agrees.
d. John 18:40 describes him as being a robber.
e. From all indications, we find that he was in prison awaiting his execution.
II. Notice the Beautiful Picture;
A. Barabbas was justly condemned, there was no question as to his guilt.
1. The entire world stands guilty before God.
2. Paul writes in Romans chapter three, that all men stand guilty before a Holy God.
(Rom 3:10) "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"
(Rom 3:19) "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."
(Rom 3:23) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
B. Barabbas' sentence had been past and he was awaiting his execution.
(Rom 5:12) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
(Rom 6:23) "For the wages of sin is death..."
(Rev 20:15) "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
1. In the same manner, all of mankind who are without Christ are guilty.
2. They have already been condemned, and are awaiting the consequences of their sin.
C. Barabbas gained freedom when Jesus took his place on the cross.
(Isa 53:5) "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
(1 Pet 2:24) "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
(John 8:36) "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
(Rom 8:1a) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus ..." (Gal 5:1) "... Christ hath made us free ..."
D. Barabbas did absolutely nothing to merit his gift of freedom... he truly deserved to die.
(Eph 2:8-9) "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast."
(Rom 6:23) "...The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(Rom 3:24) "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
What a wonderful picture of our redemption. Jesus not only took Barabbas' place on that cross, He took yours and mine. Barabbas could never forget what took place that day, nor can we. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. What a beautiful picture of God's love.
"For God commendeth (or showed) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." That includes every man, woman, and child in this auditorium and in this world. He died for us. Would you be willing to live for Him. This morning if you've never been saved, He wants you to come; if you haven't been living for Him, He wants you to come; whatever your need, He wants you to come.