The life & Death of Jesus Christ from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 27:15-26)

The Passion of Christ

Questions to be answered in this study

1. Why did Pilate choose a hardened criminal like Barabbas to be released if the crowd decided not to release Jesus?
2. What was the message that Pilate’s wife sent him during the trial of Jesus?
3. What does church tradition say about Claudia, Pilates wife?
4. What was Barabbas’ real name, and how did it relate to Jesus?
5. What are the two types of people in the world?
6. What price did Pilate pay for his involvement in the crucifixion of Jesus?
7. What did Jesus say to Pilate about those who turned Him over to the religious leaders?
8. Israel committed the unpardonable sin when they rejected Jesus as their Messiah and their king. What has been the results of that for Israel?
9. As time goes by, more and more Americans reject the existence of God, and America is drifting farther away from God. What does history say about other nations that have done the same?
10. How would you score your relationship with God on a scale of 1 to 10?

Introduction

Probably the most familiar story in all history is the birth and death of Jesus Christ; these events are clearly recorded in the Gospels. The movies and paintings of Jesus have given plenty of opportunities for most of the world to know about Jesus. However, the details of the life of Jesus are not as well known, and that is what I have attempted to write about in this study of the life & death of Jesus Christ. I hope the details have made just as a big impression on you as they have on me.

So today, as we continue the story of the passion of Christ, I encourage you not to be pleased with what you already know about Jesus but be open to learning what is available to you through the study of the word of God. In our previous study, Jesus stood before Pilate in the Antonian Fortress as the Religious leaders shouted accusations. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent of the charges and dreaded the decision he had to make. Matthew doesn’t record it, but to pass the responsibility on, he sent Jesus to Herod, hoping he would judge Him. But Herod returns Jesus to Pilate without making a decision.

According to Mark, Pilate had figured out that the religious leaders had a false case against Jesus, but he was in a dilemma as to what to do. If he releases Jesus, it could cause a riot during Passover and cost him his job. Finally, Pilate comes up with the idea of including the crowd hoping that they will give him a reason to release Jesus:

Matthew27:15-20, “Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.”

It was a tradition to release a Jewish prisoner during Passover to appease the crowd who was agitated during the Passover because of the Roman occupation. So, Pilate picks Barabbas, a notorious career criminal, hoping the crowd will choose Jesus to be released. Pilate thought this was a way to go around the religious leaders and get the crowd to make the decision. Pilate thought the decision to release Jesus would be likely against such a notorious criminal as Barabbas. At this point, the appearance of Jesus was pitiful. He was bloodied and bruised from abuse, so Pilate thought the people would have piety toward Him.

In verse 17, Pilate executes his plan from the judgment seat at the steps of the Antonian Fortress by bringing the two men out before the crowd and asking who should be released, Barabbas or Jesus. Before the crowd could answer, Pilate received an urgent note from his wife; therefore, Pilate stopped the proceedings and excused himself to read the message. The message says that Pilate’s wife had an upsetting dream about Jesus and warns Pilate to have nothing to do with this righteous man.

According to church tradition, Pilate’s wife’s name was Claudia, and she trusted in Jesus as her savior after the dream and did not want her husband involved in His death. We have no way of knowing for sure that is true, but at any rate, Pilate ignored her warning and continued with the trial. The brief delay in the proceedings gave the religious leaders, as we see in verse 20, an opportunity to mingle through the crowd and influence them to release Barabbas. Matthew does not say what method the religious leaders used to try and influence the crowd; it could have been a bribe or a threat. The events may seem strange to us; however, we must remember that God is in control of even the details that took place leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.

So, after the brief delay from the note sent by Pilate’s wife, he returns to the judgment set to resume proceedings to give the crowd a choice:

Mathew 27:21-25, “The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 22Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.”

To the surprise of Pilate, the crowd answers by requiring the release of Barabbas in a profane way, saying concerning Jesus, “His blood be on us, and our children.” Pilate is amazed and asks the crowd again what evil Jesus had done to require such a painful death? He got no answer, only the crowd shouting to crucify Jesus. Pilate asked the crowd the same question three times, and their response was to crucify Jesus. To try and gain sympathy for Jesus, Pilate had Him taken away, scourged, and brought back before the crowd, but it had no effect. Altogether, Pilate tries to release Jesus five times to no avail. Finally, Pilate realizes that the crowd is becoming increasingly agitated, so he decides to pronounce Jesus guilty and appoint Him to die by crucifixion. Barabbas, the liar, thief, and murderer, was released to the crowd. Barabbas was a title, not a real name. His legal name was Yeshua meaning the son of his father, a common name in those days. So, on that fateful day, two stood before the crowd, both their father’s sons. Jesus was the Son of the Heavenly Father, and Barrabas was the son of Satan. On that day, the crowd was presented with the same choices that we are given to each of us today righteousness or sin, life or death, God or Satan. Today, the world is choosing sin, death, and Satan. The Apostle Paul gives the reason for the world’s condition: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God,” Romans 3:10-11.

           There are two types of people in the world, one is fashioned after Barrabas, the unbeliever, sinner, in rebellion against God, and spiritually dead. Politicians are searching for answers to the shooting and violence in the United States; History has the answer; The farther a nation moves away from God, the more it favors Barrabas and his character. Today we have the same choice as the crowd in the time of Jesus; we choose either Jesus or Barrabas. To choose Barrabas means choosing sin and death, and choosing Jesus means choosing righteousness and eternal life.

           Pilate tried to wash his hands of the charges against Jesus, but it did not work. He paid the price for his involvement. According to history, he lost his position over Judea, was removed from office, and banished to Gaul, France, not a place anyone would want to live. It was a region under the control of Rome but an area known for the constant raids of barbarians, and also plagued with disease. Judas and Pilate got their just reward for their involvement in the death of Jesus, Judas dying by his own hand and Pilate dying in shame and degradation for their actions against God. Both knew the right thing to do but chose the wrong to promote their selfish desires. Sin has its consequences, and you cannot wash your hands of it. We have a choice; we either choose to serve Satan or God. We either pay the price for our sins or trust in Jesus, who paid the price for us. The religious leaders who falsely accused Jesus and crucified Him also paid the price. Rome later annihilated them. That is why there are no scribes and Pharisees today.

           Each of us has a choice; it is either Satan or God. We either pay the price for our sins for all eternity or accept the payment Jesus made for us and receive eternal life. I choose to serve God and let Jesus pay the price. What have you chosen? Jesus told Pilate that those who turned Him over were guilty of a great sin. In verse 25, the crowd makes an awful vow to Pilate that they and their children will accept the responsibility for the death of Jesus, but the truth is that guilt for sins is not to be accepted; it is mandatory. In Israel’s case, the responsibility for the death of Jesus had long-term consequences even until this very day. Israel committed the unpardonable sin when they rejected Jesus as their Messiah and their king and for centuries have died in their sins to spend eternity separated from God. It will only be at the return of Christ that Israel as a nation will turn to Jesus in repentance and accept Him as Lord and King of Israel. We read in Hosea 3:4-5, “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.” And again, in Romans 11:25-27, we read, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins.”

           As time goes by, more and more Americans reject the existence of God and are paying the price in a dramatic increase of violence, crime, and degradation. Throughout history, nations who rejected God paid the price, and judgment fell upon them. Will America face God’s judgment? I think it already is, but the worst is yet to come if there is not a great awakening in this country and a return to the God upon which this nation was founded.

           You reading this today don’t have to wait upon America to repent; you can turn to Jesus today and receive forgiveness for your sins and God’s gift of eternal life. Don’t do as Israel and commit the unpardonable sin by continuing to reject Jesus; for information from the Bible on how to accept Jesus.  CLICK HERE.