Mark 15:6  Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
7  And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.
8  And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.
9  But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
10  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
11  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
12  And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
13  And they cried out again, Crucify him.
14  Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
15  And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Some of those reading this may have heard reports of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The U.S. was involved in negotiating this event. There have also been reports that almost immediately after the ceasefire was announced, Iran sent a missile into Israeli territory. Israel promised to respond to any further attacks and did send its pilots out to respond. The U.S. told Israel to call its pilots back home. Iran does not know any other language than aggression. In fact Islam does not know any other language but aggression. Canada is witnessing an increasing Muslim presence and they are not here for peace. They are here to overthrow our society and force us into Sharia law. That is their goal and except for God’s intervention, they will succeed in their plans.
The devil will not be satisfied with anything less that the overthrow of God. He will never accomplish that, but that is his goal. God will allow him to exist until the end of the Millennium. Then he will be cast into the lake of fire. Right now, people can turn to God in repentance and be saved. The sad reality is that too many despise the true God and would rather be puppets for the devil to play with.
In our text we see the corrupt nature of the Roman law. The Roman government was not a “democracy” like our government is supposed to be. Canada shows us the major flaw of democracy. In democracy wickedness will prevail. Democracy, while being an anti-God system, proves God to be true. The majority of people are on the broadway that leads to destruction. Thus in a true democracy, evil will be the dominant force. Those who are saved in Canada are not bound by our corrupt system. We live within this system, however we know that God is in charge and we can serve Him even within this corrupt system.
As mentioned, the Roman government was not a democracy. It was an emperor controlled state and the rulers determined what would be done. The people paid their taxes and were told to be quiet and obey. Even in such a system, the ruling party tries to find ways to keep the people somewhat supportive of them. They do not mind killing people that get in their way. However, even wicked people get tired of killing. Thus they try to buy respect by doing certain “favours” for the people. As a gesture of good will, Pilate would release one criminal at the feast of the Passover.
Israel was under Roman occupation at this time. Israel did not have its own government. The religious system in Israel was quite corrupt at this time. The Romans knew this. In fact they had openly interfered in the religious life of the Jews and Pilate had implemented a prisoner release to take place during the feast of Passover. In reality, the Roman government should have had nothing to do with the religious feasts of Israel. Those feasts were designed by God, but they had lost their meaning among the Jews as a whole. A few Jews still walked in the fear of the Lord, but most were just secular Jews.
The Jews had allowed the Romans to add to the corruption of the feasts. The Passover was not a time to release prisoners. It was to be a reminder of the mercy and holiness of God. God required the shed blood of the lamb be sprinkled on the doorposts and lintels of the houses in Egypt. He required that the lamb be roasted and eaten in haste on the night of the Passover. He required there be no leaven in the houses of the people.
The nation of Israel knew of these instructions, but they had to obey them in order to have their firstborn spared. The Egyptians could have asked what was going on and they had opportunity to copy what the Jews were told to do.
That night, there were many dead firstborn in Egypt. There were none among the Jews. The nation of Israel was commanded to keep that feast as a reminder of God’s miraculous deliverance toward them as a nation. It was not to be used as a ploy to release some dangerous prisoner. The Jews had allowed the Romans to help them to corrupt a very important feast of remembrance. The Passover feast was a type that was soon to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Pilate put Barabbas before the people as one of the criminals that could be released on that particular feast. Pilate gave the Jews a choice between Barabbas, a convicted criminal, and the Lord Jesus Christ. A greater contrast could not possibly be found. The people had become accustomed to this corrupt system of the Roman government. By this time the chief priests and their cohorts had already stirred up the people to reject Jesus as their King.
In verse 9 Pilate continued to play with the people a little. Wouldn’t they want him to release the King of the Jews to them? Would they not want Jesus Christ released? In verse 10 we read that he knew the motive of the chief priests. He was no dummy. The chief priests claimed to be the religious leaders of the nation of Israel but they were frauds. Pilate did not respect them with regard to their pretence. He knew they were no different than his own religious system. It was all a sham. Pilate knew what they were really all about.
We have many religions in Canada today. True religion is there to proclaim the Word of God in Truth. The many false religions try to pass themselves off as genuine. A short time ago, I watched a wedding ceremony for an elderly couple in what used to be a conservative type church. It was sad to see how this elderly couple, who should have known better, chose to use CCM music in their ceremony. Of course the preacher, who was also an older man, used a perversion in his message to the couple and the congregation. The service was a sham. That is what passes for mainstream “Christianity” today. The government knows most of religion is a sham. They did an experiment a few years ago and proved that it is just that. Most people are willing to play along with the sham. It is a shame indeed.
In verse 11 we read that the chief priests moved the people to demand that Pilate release Barabbas unto them. Pilate continued to play with them. He asked them what they wanted him to do with Jesus, whom they call the King of the Jews. He knew they did not call Him that. The chief priests, and their friends had intimidated the people to the point they did not dare to admit Jesus was the King of the Jews. The people did not have the conviction needed to stand for truth. That is where many professing Christians are at today. They prove where their hearts are truly at.
In verse 13 we see that the people demanded that Jesus be crucified. Pilate pressed the people further. What evil had Jesus done? Should he consent to the death of an innocent man? The people were now so riled that they demanded Jesus be crucified.
Pilate being the typical politician, wanted to please the people. His conscience was already seared. He would release Barabbas unto them and deliver Jesus into the hands of the Jewish leaders and the vile Roman soldiers. He would enlist his own soldiers to assist in the beating that would be applied to Jesus, prior to His death.
Mark does not give us all the details that we can find in the other Gospels. God did not see fit to address those facts here. Enough is given here to remind us of the corrupt nature of ungodly governments. We are living under a similar situation today. In spite of the massive corruption in our government, God has still seen fit to make it possible for the few true Christians to gather and to proclaim the truth. We need to be reminded that we do not need to be intimidated by ungodly governments. We do not need to play the numbers game and think that we are so small a group that we cannot possibly have much effect on society. It is not we who are the power. The Word of God is that which is powerful. The Holy Spirit is working in the hearts of lost people to create a thirst for truth. It is up to those who are truly saved to live in accordance to the new birth. We do not know when that lost person might be broken and repent toward God and be saved. We need to be careful that we do not put a stumblingblock before them. They do not need to see compromise. They need to see holiness and truth. That is what will help them. Pilate was a hardened lost man. The chief priests had helped him to scoff against the true God. They know better today, but it is too late for them. There are many false teachers today who refuse to learn from the many warnings in the Scriptures. They too walk in defiance of the truth and take great liberties with the sure Word of God. Their day is coming. Wise people humble themselves before God and trust in Him. Wise people take God’s Word as Truth and they build their lives on the truth, not the corruption that is dominant in our society.
We can know the Truth and the Truth will still make us free. Jesus went to the cross and He shed His blood there and died in our place. His sacrifice was necessary for the salvation of man. Those who will trust in His finished work are saved and changed from the heart outward. We have a hope and we have a message that is needed just as much today as it was while Jesus was on this earth. The scoffers are many. The Truth is greater than the scoffers. Trust in the Lord and know His peace today.
Pastor Bartel