Luke 23:13–25

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture.

1.         Again the chief priests and the rulers, and now including “the people,” are before Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea.

2.         Pilate declares, that after examining Jesus, he finds no fault in Him, and this for the second time. And Pilate says that in addition, Herod had found no fault either.

3.         Pilate hopes to assuage the Jesus’ accusers by punishing Him, and Matthew, Mark, and John say this is a scourging, which often resulted in the death of the one badly beaten.

4.         The opposers say no to this, they want Him crucified, which is the meaning of “away with this man.”

Instead they want a man named Barabbas, a name that means “son of a father” or could also mean “Rabbi” to be set free instead.

5.         Barabbas had led an insurrection against Rome, many others had done the same, and he would have been crucified had not the tradition of releasing a person sentenced to death on the Feast of Passover been fulfilled by releasing him.

6.         Pilate then for a third time tried to release Jesus, saying again that he could find no fault in Him. But His opponents screamed to have Him crucified.

7.         Pilate gave in, had Barabbas freed, and then gave Jesus over to His enemies. This took place about 8am on Friday morning.