The Suffering King

There are a lot of characters in this passage, and I wonder, which ones in this scene might we identify best with this morning? Are we like Pilate, and just want to pragmatically serve our own interests? Are we like the crowd, easily swayed by deceptive people? Are we like the self-righteous chief priests? Are we like the soldiers who just pretend to worship Jesus? Perhaps there's a little of each of them in us, but if we really want to see ourselves in this passage, look no further than Barabbas: the guilty sinner who goes free while the righteous Son stands condemned. We are Barabbas, and oh what mercy has been shown to us here, so that we might by faith in our suffering king be sinners saved by grace. In his great hymn, "Man of Sorrows," P.P. Bliss writes: Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood; Sealed my pardon with His blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!