Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.”
Matthew 27:11
Judicial ideology and its contrasting philosophies are a topic of great conversation where we sit today in 2022. Activism and using the bench to enact social and political change is as old as time itself. Political persuasion in the public square, closed-door meetings of questionable legality, and the blurring of lines between truth and lies all took place in the 1st century. It occurred back in 1st century Judea, and occurs today in democratic societies all across the globe. I think we all can relate, to some degree, when we read Matthew’s account of Jesus standing trial before Pilate and the Jewish leaders of Judea.
It’s important to note this trial before the Sanhedrin and then Pilate, the Roman appointed governor of Judea, first followed an informal and illegal night session to plot a scheme to murder Jesus. False accusations taken before Pilate were determined to be the best option to eliminate the righteous man who claimed to be the Son of God – especially the accusation of revolutionary defiance of Caesar. The Sanhedrin knew that Pilate would convict Jesus with no evidence. Philo, the ancient Jewish scholar from Alexandria, described Pilate in this way: “His corruption, his acts of insolence, his rapine, his habit of insulting people, his cruelty, his continual murders of people untried and uncondemned, and his never-ending gratuitous and most grievous inhumanity…” (Barclay) The Jewish leaders had great cause to believe Pilate would hand Jesus over to be crucified given his history of reckless condemnation and unsubstantiated rulings. Surely, they must have imagined, Pilate will put this Jesus to death. Before the Sanhedrin would send Jesus to Pilate, they would, however, have to determine an indictment not related to religious matters, as Pilate and Rome would not be interested in a charge of blasphemy. Knowing this, all the chief priests and elders brought Jesus to Pilate with three false accusations: that Jesus was a revolutionary; that He incited the people to not pay their taxes; and that He claimed to be a king in opposition to Caesar (Luke 23:2).
In His response to Pilate’s question “Are you the King of the Jews”, we see a gentleness and humility combined with dignity. Christ demonstrated submission blended with innocence. Pilate asks Jesus the simple question to which Jesus replied with a simple answer. Pilate was amazed by Jesus’ response – “You have said so.” Charles Spurgeon describes why Pilate was amazed by His response: “He had seen in captured Jews the fierce courage of fanaticism; but there was no fanaticism in Christ. He had also seen in many prisoners the meanness which will do or say anything to escape from death; but he saw nothing of that about our Lord.” (Spurgeon) Pilate must have believed Jesus was not understanding the accusations clearly. Pilate asks “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” (v.13) Jesus provides no answer, so as to not dignify the accusations devised by the Jewish leaders the night before.
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barrabas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
Matthew 27:15-18
Pilate, believing this trial was unusual, hoped the practice of releasing a prisoner would solve the problem, and that the people would release the righteous man. We know from Mark 15:17 why Barabbas was such a notorious prisoner. He was one of several insurrectionists, who had committed murder in the insurrection. Today, Barabbas would be described as a revolutionary terrorist. Pilate, knowing that Jesus was brought before him because of envy on the part of the Jewish leaders, was almost certain that the people would release the righteous man. As Pilate is on the judgement seat, both his wife and the religious leaders convince him to release Barrabas, the prisoner. He had already declared Jesus an innocent man (I find no fault in this Man, Luke 23:4), yet he washes his hands of innocent blood and hands Jesus over to be crucified. Dave Furman describes the scenario this way: “Jesus had been accused of crimes that could not be proved. Then there was Barabbas who was basically a terrorist. The crowd chose a murderer over the one who brings the dead back to life. They chose evil over the one who loves perfectly. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent, but the crowds roared to free Barabbas and to crucify Jesus. And Pilate caved in to save his job.” (Furman) Jesus took the death Barrabas deserved and Barrabas walked away free.
As we know, this story continues, but I want to pump the brakes for a moment and realize the significance of this moment within the context of the greater Gospel narrative. A convicted prisoner is on death row. Standing beside him is a blameless and righteous man whose been falsely accused. The cross was manufactured and intended for Barrabas, yet it is Jesus who walks up Calvary Hill to be publicly murdered. Jesus became the substitute. We are Barrabas. Barabbas’s name means “son of the father.” Bar means “son” and Abba means “father.” In the book of Matthew we discover that his full name was Jesus Barabbas. Jesus, son of the Father. Tim Keller points out that we have two Jesuses in our story. Both “son of the Father,” and yet they could not be more different. One rules by taking the lives of others, and the other rules by giving his own life. One wants to overthrow the king, and the other is the rightful King of the people. One is guilty and will be set free, and the other is an innocent man who is about to be killed. The real Son of the Father, who is innocent, will go to his death. They freed the wrong son. (King’s Cross: The Gospel of Mark, Part 2: The Journey to the Cross)
I guess God’s plan was ultimately thwarted. Not even in the slightest. From the moment Jesus Christ was born into this world He was walking towards Golgotha to die a substitutionary death. Jesus once said, “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18). Barrabas demonstrates humanity on trial for their sin against God. We have no defense. We are without hope and freedom. Yet King Jesus steps in to take the penalty for our sin. The beauty of the Gospel is found in the ugliness of a crucifixion. Jesus willingly went to the cross in your place and gave up His life so you could live.
Jacob Robertson 
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