"Ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be
granted unto you."--_Acts 3:14._
PILATE thought he had found a way of saving the Lord Jesus without
offending the Romans. It was the custom that at the feast of the
Passover he should set some prisoner free, whomsoever the Jews asked
for. And he thought, as the people loved our Lord, that they would ask
for Him.
[Illustration: JESUS CROWNED WITH THORNS.--Mark 15:16-19.]
But there was a robber and murderer in prison named Barabbas, and the
enemies of our Lord went about among the people, stirring them up to
ask for him to be set free; so that the poor, foolish people all broke
out with a great shout to ask that this murderer Barabbas might be set
free.
Pilate asked them what he was to do with JESUS, and then there was a
great roar from all the people, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!"
Now, crucifying was a very horrible and painful punishment, that had
never been allowed among the Jews, but was chiefly used by the Romans
themselves for slaves and for robbers; so that their savage cry was for
JESUS to have the punishment that belonged to Barabbas.
[Illustration: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE.--John 19:14-16.]
Pilate's soldiers were very cruel, and they laughed at a poor man being
called a king; so when they had beaten the blessed JESUS till He was
bleeding all over, they took one of their old red soldiers' cloaks and
threw it over Him; and they platted a crown of sharp thorns, and forced
it upon His head; and they put a reed in his right hand, instead of a
sceptre; and they bowed their knees, mocking Him by pretending to do
Him honor.
He never spoke one word of anger all this time; and when Pilate saw His
meek, brave, patient face, pale and faint with pain, and streaming with
blood, he thought the people would pity Him; so he led Him out once
more to the top of the steps of the judgment hall, and said, "Behold
the man!" But the people were too mad to have any pity or feeling, and
they only cried louder and louder still, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!"
Pilate was not brave enough to go against them all, even to save an
innocent man; so all he did was to take water and wash his hands before
them all, to show that he was clear of wishing it, and he said, "I am
innocent of the blood of this just person." But the chief priests made
the dreadful answer, "His blood be on us, and on our children!" meaning
that they would take the guilt and punishment.
[Illustration: THE END OF JUDAS ISCARIOT.--Matt. 27:3-5.]