A week prior to Jesus finding Himself amongst those crying "crucify Him" these same people were singing "Hosanna", it is said that a herd mentality is rather persuasive and this mentality was reflected in the attitudes of these people in the most abysmal way. Jesus was staring at those who only a week ago were worshipping Him and now they wanted to see Him dead, the hurt He must have experienced at this moment would have been overwhelming for most people, He loved them so much but they despised Him.
Pilate, we read, saw no fault in Him and trying to appease the crowd asked if they wanted Jesus or Barabbas to be released as per a custom that Pilate had initiated (Matthew 27:15) and they yelled out to Pilate to have Barabbas released. There is a deep spiritual significance behind this choice, Barabbas translates to Son of the Father and as we are aware Jesus was also known as the Son of the Father. God utilised a man whose name was of a similar nature to that of His own Son so that the Jews could make a conscious choice as to who they would ultimately serve, God or man. St John Chrysostom writes the following -
He then was unmanly and weak; but the chief priests wicked and criminal. For since he had found out a device, namely, the law of the feast requiring him to release a condemned person, what do they contrive in opposition to that?
They persuaded the multitude,it is said,
that they should ask Barabbas.
2. See how much care he takes for them to relieve them from blame, and how much diligence they employed, so as not to leave to themselves so much as a shadow of an excuse. For which was right? To let go the acknowledged criminal, or Him about whose guilt there was a question? For, if in the case of acknowledged offenders it was fit there should be a liberation, much more in those of whom there was a doubt. For surely this man did not seem to them worse than acknowledged murderers. For on this account, it is not merely said they had a robber; but one noted, that is, who was infamous in wickedness, who had perpetrated countless murders. But nevertheless even him did they prefer to the Saviour of the world, and neither did they reverence the season because it was holy, nor the laws of humanity, nor any other thing of the kind, but envy had once for all blinded them. And besides their own wickedness, they corrupt the people also, that for deceiving them too they might suffer the most extreme punishment.
Since therefore they ask for the other, he says,
What shall I do then with the Christ,in this way desiring to put them to the blush, by giving them the power to choose, that at least out of shame they might ask for Him, and the whole should be of their bountifulness. For though to say, He had not done wrong, made them more contentious, yet to require that He should be saved out of humanity, carries with it persuasion and entreaty that cannot be gainsaid.
But even then they said,
Crucify Him. But he said, why, what evil has He done? But they cried out exceedingly, let Him be crucified. But he, when he saw that he profited nothing, washed his hands, saying, I am innocent.Why then did you deliver Him up? Why did you not rescue Him, as the centurion did Paul. Acts xxi For that man too was aware that he would please the Jews; and a sedition had taken place on his account, and a tumult, nevertheless he stood firm against all. But not so this man, but he was extremely unmanly and weak, and all were corrupt together. For neither did this man stand firm against the multitude, nor the multitude against the Jews, and in every way their excuse was taken away. For they
cried out exceedingly,that is, cried out the more,
Let Him be crucified.For they desired not only to put Him to death, but also that it should be on a charge of wickedness, and though the judge was contradicting them, they continued to cry out the same thing
As the crowds continued to stir up Pilate, he washed his hands from the blood that was to be spilt and ordered Jesus to be scourged and crucified. We read in Isaiah 53:5 "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed". An ancient prophecy written almost 700 years prior to this event taking place was being fulfilled as the entire creation looked upon what sinful man was handing to its Creator.
During the time that Jesus was being tortured by the Roman soldiers, He was also mocked, spat upon and beaten like a common criminal. He was handed over to the heathen to receive His punishment and truly it was a travesty of justice unlike anything known in the history of civilisation. The soldiers whipped Him, beat Him and insulted Him by placing a crown of thorns on His head and bowing before Him, we read in Matthew 27:27 - 31 -
27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. 28They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. 31After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.
Jesus, forced to carry His cross after suffering an extremely torturous night and morning was led away to be crucified, a slow and painful death that restricted His breathing and caused excruciating pain to be felt through the nerves due to the nails being driven into His wrists and feet. His arms were spread out and He was naked upon the Cross, so ashamed was the sun that it hid itself (Matthew 27:45) from the tragedy which was unfolding. Jesus, before breathing His last, asked the Father to forgive those who were responsible for these events, He promised a thief that He would be in paradise with Him and He entrusted His Holy mother into the hands of the disciple John. He also spoke the words "it is finished".
We shall continue with the theme of the Holy week as there is much to discuss regarding these events and those leading up to the resurrection.
Amen.
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