Were You There?

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Luke 23:18-25 
18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” 22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.” 23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand.25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

 In a bizarre scene Pilate cannot find anything convincing to arrest Jesus, so he wants to let Jesus go.  Not only do the chief priests and rulers call for Jesus' to be crucified, but the people now join in as well.  Just a few days ago the people were shouting, "Hosanna in the highest", waving their palm branches in jubiliant celebration.  Now they were shouting "crucify him". 

So what changed their mind so quickly?  Maybe they realized that Jesus was not the Messiah they had been looking for and wanted.  Maybe they just went along with the mob mentality.  Pilate tried to dissuade them a third time but they shouted all the more vehemently, "Crucify, crucify him".  John 1:11 says this, "He came to his own but his own received him not." 

We know it was meant to be as Jesus' destiny was to go to the cross.  As much as Jesus had fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies, the people's hearts were turned against him.  One can't come up with a good reason why they would want to crucify and honest and decent man, especially one of their rabbis. 

We sing the song during Lent, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble." Sometimes it makes me think if I was there when they crucified my Lord.  Though I would like to think I would be different than the angry mob calling for his crucifixion, chances are I might have joined the crowds.  After all, even his closest friends deserted him. 

At this moment Jesus is all alone with no one to defend him except his Heavenly Father. And His Father is silent for this was His will. Jesus is crucified, and a known murderer named Barabbas is released.  Jesus died in Barabbas' place.  By application though we were are guilty like Barabbas, Jesus took our place on the cross so we could be set free.  Sometimes it causes me to tremble. 

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