Matthew 27. We are continuing to travel with the gospel writers and the narrative that has given to us by the Holy Spirit through them of our beloved Savior, our great high priest, the one with whom we do have fellowship, All of these things have been mentioned already this morning. And here he is. This is him. This is the one that was seen, that was touched, that was related to. This is him. And we need to be knit to him in our hearts. We really do. And even as we're reading of what he went through here, we need to join in fellowshipping with him as we listen to the revelation God has given us of His Son. Beginning in verse 1, when morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. When they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Now skip to verse 11. Now Jesus stood before the governor Pontius Pilate. And the governor asked him, saying, Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus said to him, It is as you say. And while he was being accused by the chief priest and elders, he answered nothing. Then Pilate said to him, Do you not hear how many things they testify against you? But he answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. We know the rest of the story. We know where this thing is going, don't we? But perhaps we would have marveled as well had we been there. I'm thankful that Jesus responded as he as he did. We're going to see that in the message. The fact of the matter is the gospel is here in these words that I'm reading. I hope to be able to show you that. Now, at the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time, They had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Barabbas bar Abba, son of a father. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ. For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy, While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, which of the two do you want me to release to you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate said to them, what then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? They all said to him, let him be crucified. Let him be crucified. Then the governor said, why, what evil has he done? But they cried out all the more, saying, let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, in other words, he took kind of a play out of their own book. That is from the law. And Pilate was not a Jew, but he was doing what they would recognize, washing his hands of the matter, saying, as he did that, I am innocent of the blood of this just person. You see to it. And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children. You can read that more than one way, by the way. I'm not going to delve deeply into that. I'll refer to it later on. But they didn't mean by that His blood be sprinkled on us for cleansing. You could read it that way. But you know what they meant by that. No. We'll bear the guilt. His blood be on us and on our children. Then He released Barabbas. Then he released Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. It is interesting. That in the apostles creed, you know what that is, we don't say that we're not traditionals like that, we're not. What's the other word? There's another word for that. We don't we don't quote ancient creeds like that in our church service. Never have. Baptists historically have not done that. But it is one of the ancient creeds in church history. And it summarizes fundamental Christian truth in 100 Latin words. And in those 100 Latin words, I'm told that 75 of them, I haven't Fact check this, but seventy five of them refer to Jesus Christ. And in those words, there are three names that are mentioned specifically the father and the Holy Ghost is referred to, but Jesus is named, Mary is named and you know who else is named? Y'all probably don't know the Apostles Creed, do you? Pilate. He suffered under Pontius Pilate is in the Apostles Creed. That's how significant in the minds of those who put that together, thought this was he suffered under Pontius Pilate. There's a reason why they put that in there, and it is probably because at that time there was this idea that God really wasn't manifest in the flesh and Jesus really didn't suffer. These were just. Language, sort of imaginary language or symbolic language, we might say. And it represented something, but it wasn't real. But what John read in First John, certainly it was real as it was emphasized, he It's interesting that he picked that portion to read because it fits this particular point here and I think goes with the message. Jesus was truly human and he lived a real life. He suffered a real trial and he suffered a real death on a real cross. And in other words, what happened to him leading up to the cross matters. Pilot. On the other hand, would have been a blip in human history. He was not a major player of his day. Likely, he would have been unknown. But for his part in redemptive history, and so the apostle Paul, you remember, in first Timothy, chapter six and verse 13 actually refers to Jesus witnessing a good profession before Pontius Pilate. This is significant. What goes on here is significant. And so the record of Jesus trial before Pilate is recorded in all four Gospels. On the morning of the day of his crucifixion, Jesus is he's brought before Pilate. Then Herod and then Pilate a final time. Matthew focuses only on the final appearance of Jesus before Pilate. You remember the Jewish Sanhedrin has met already in the very, very early mornings, morning hours. They have unjustly charged him, condemned him to be worthy of death. They made that official charge. We read it in chapter twenty seven in verse one. When the morning came, they assembled themselves together in an official manner. He's been mocked and miserably treated before the sun rose. Having no authority to put him to death, though, they bound him and led him to Pilate, as verse two told us. Now, Luke describes the first and second phases of the civil trial. In chapter twenty three, verses one through twelve. Pilate and then Pilate, hearing that he was a Galilean and knowing that Herod was in Jerusalem at that time, sent him to Herod thinking, I don't want to you know, he didn't want to deal with Jesus. He thought Herod could take care of it, but Herod ultimately really found Jesus to be a joke. And so with his men, they mocked him and they sent him back to Pilate. And that's where Matthew picks up the story. The Jews had to convince Pilate that Jesus was worthy of death, not by their standards, but by by Roman standards. Now, Pilate was in an awkward spot. As I said, he didn't want to deal with the matter. That's why he sent him to Herod. But he ultimately had to deal with the matter. He was no friend of the Jews. In fact, you remember perhaps that Reference in Luke chapter 13 and verse one, there were present at that season, some who told him about the Gout, told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He was a rather ruthless leader, but he was interested in his own. His own fame and his own. position, he was interested in calming any potential squells that would make it back to Rome and to Caesar. He was responsible to Rome for order in his portion of Judea. He was responsible to suppress any insurrection among the Jews. And insurrections against Rome. among the Jews, which happened all the time, by the way. And he was responsible to suppress any chaotic unrest among the Jewish population for any reason, so that that is background material that is important to what is developing here in in our passage. The gospel writers make it clear that Pilate was between a rock and a hard place. The Jewish leaders wanted to eliminate Jesus. Pilate knows this, but he also knows he has to have a just reason to sentence him to death. And at this point, Jesus still had many Jewish sympathizers, especially among the Galileans who had come to the Passover week. But even among you remember when he just a few days earlier came riding into Jerusalem, he he was popularly received and that popularity seemed to still exist at this time. And Pilate knew this. And Pilate repeatedly presses the Jews for a legitimate charge of a capital crime. Let me read Luke chapter 23. So that you hear the charges they brought against Jesus here, they didn't charge him with blaspheming, saying that he was a son of God later on, they will say that. And by the way, that bothered Pilate as well, because, well, there is record that Caesar actually viewed himself as a representative of God, perhaps a son of God. And so when they heard that he said that he was a son of God, that even ratcheted up the concern of of Pilate. But that was later on. Luke 23, then the whole multitude of them arose and led him to Pilate, and they began to accuse him, saying, we found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, a lie. saying that he himself is Christ, a king. So those were the charges and then and then. They were the more fierce when Pilate says, I find a fault in this man. They said he stirs up the people teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place. Pilate sees no legitimacy in their charges. He knows why they want Jesus dead. You notice that verse inserted in verse 18 of Matthew 27, for he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. They were jealous of him, he was popular, there were other things going on, but that was driving them. He was receiving the attention that they wanted the Jews to give to them. They were losing control. Yet Pilate knows that if Jesus is claiming to be the King of the Jews, as they say, he's a threat to Caesar's throne. So he can't just dismiss the charge. He can't risk his position and even his own life by letting an accused insurrectionist go. Therefore, the question, are you? Are you? The emphasis is upon you. You, the King of the Jews. And Jesus says, it is as you say. And so the rest of Matthew's account summarizes Pilate's attempt to let Jesus go free. Peter preached in Jerusalem, I say that, but I think that's significant. Judas did not, excuse me, Pilate did not want. He wanted to let Jesus go free. Acts chapter 3 and verse 13, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is Peter's sermon. The God of our fathers glorified his servant, Jesus, whom you. Speaking to the Jewish leaders here, you delivered him up and denied him the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go. So we know Pilate's desire. But Jesus had to suffer under Pontius Pilate. Pilate could not let him go free. Everything happening here is happening just as God ordained, and Jesus predicted it back in chapter 20, Matthew 20, as they were making their way to Jerusalem from Jericho. Jesus says to them, behold, we're going versus 18 and 19. Behold, we're going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed. He'll be delivered up to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn him to death that's already happened and deliver him to the Gentiles. That's what's happening to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day he will rise again. In John 18, verses 31 and 32, then Pilate said to him, you take him to the Jews, you take him and judge him according to your law. Therefore, the Jews said to him, it is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. And here's the commentary that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what death he would die. Death upon a cross. We'll come back to that later. So there are several important truths that come to light in Matthew's narrative here. As I dwelt upon this portion of scriptures, it was a struggle for me at first. What is here? What's the significance of all of this? And so I want to try to present several thoughts to you today that I hope that you'll see that there is truth in this narrative that is, in fact, very significant. In fact, this is not irrelevant history. In verse eleven. Matthew says now. Jesus stood before the governor. I believe there is the intent as Matthew writes this, and he's writing it 30 plus years after the event. He's looking back upon this. And these to whom he is writing, they know who Jesus is. They know who Jesus claimed to be. They know he is the son of God. And so they're reading this with this in mind. They know who this man called Jesus is. And we are to read this and I think feel the tension. This is a trial here of eternal significance. Jesus stood before a man to be judged. Someone has said it this way, the day that God was judged, the God-man. The fate of the world and the purpose of God to save His people from their sins is dependent upon these proceedings. Jesus is facing one who he said in John chapter 19 and verse 11, he said to him, you have no power but that which my father gives you. But from a human perspective, Pilate did have power. He had power to condemn, he had power to release. What happened? Let's briefly consider several truths. Revealed as Jesus Christ stands in judgment before Pilate, the first is this very obvious, really, Jesus is the king of the Jews. At least properly understood. Pilate's question is really loaded, he says, are you the king of the Jews, you? The king of the Jews. And you'll notice Jesus' answer is not a simple yes. There is a simple yes in the Greek language, but that's not what he says. He says, it is as you say. In some way, sort of avoiding a direct answer, that would have quickly ended the trial as a direct admission from the witness's own mouth. He is saying that he is a king and the trial probably would have been over at that point. Pilate would have had no other alternative but to condemn him as one who was a threat to Caesar's throne. But he answers in a way that says, yes, but not exactly as Pilate or the Jews understood. In other words, it is as you say, but not exactly as you think is perhaps a way We could express it. In other words, he is saying, yes. But I am no political threat to Caesar, I am not the kind of king that you are thinking, and I'm not the kind of thing king that the Jews are wanting or perceive that the Messiah will be. In fact, his kingdom is quite different, isn't it? I don't need to belabor this point. You know this to be so, but you remember earlier on in Jesus ministry when they came to make him a king after he multiplied the fish and the bread and fed five thousand. John, chapter six and verse 15, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he departed again to the mountain by himself alone. It wasn't just that he wasn't ready to be made king. It's just they didn't understand what his kingship really meant or what his kingdom was really. About Jesus, apparently. Had some private interaction with Pilate is recorded in John chapter 18, let me read these verses. We don't know exactly when this interaction took place, but it seems when you put all the gospel writings together, this probably was a private sort of session with Pilate. And he says in verse 33, then Pilate entered the praetorium again. So the crowd is not around. And he said to him, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered him in verse 34, Are you speaking for yourself about this or did others tell you this concerning me? Pilot answered, am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priest have delivered you to me. What have you done? Jesus answered. What was the answer? Y'all know the scripture, my kingdom is not of this world. The origin of my kingdom is not This world, if my kingdom were of this world, if my goal was to raise a kingdom like the kingdoms of this world, what would happen? He says, my servants would fight. He would not have said, Peter, put your sword up. He would have said, men, draw your swords. So that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here, Pilate said to him, are you a king then? He'd never heard of a king. They didn't operate as the kingdoms of this world operate. Jesus answered, you say, and then the translators say rightly here, but you say that I am a king. For this cause, I was born and for this cause, I have come into the world. What is that cause that I should bear witness to the truth? And that includes a lot of things. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice because he is the truth and pilots response, you remember what is true truth was standing before him and he says, what is truth? When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said, I find no fault in him at all. Literally. Pilate asks, you. Are the king of the Jews you? Probably at this point when he's saying these things, Jesus was already bearing some of the marks of abuse. He looks like a defeated person. all outward appeared. There's nothing. His visage was marred, you remember. There was nothing about him that would have recommended him as a king. And what must have been going through Pilate's mind? Even if he were a king of some sort, he was about to lose it all. That's what he was running the risk of. So here was Pilate, an appointed leader under Caesar, in an obscure outpost of the Roman kingdom, standing in judgment of Jesus. You? A king? Really? And of course, as we just read, Jesus clarifies for Pilate, what he meant by King. This was the good confession before Pontius Pilate. And brethren, I'm not going to belabor this point. But Jesus is indeed not only the king of the Jews, but the king of kings, isn't he? who came to establish an everlasting kingdom that does not depend upon might and fight of human power. Oh, how important this is for us Christians today to understand this about the kingdom that we are a part of, the kingdom of our God, the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the kingdom in which He is our King. Unlike the kingdoms of worldly origin, The everlasting kingdom of Christ required. Our kings suffering death and resurrection, you know, every other kingdom of this world, when the king falls, the kingdom falls. And of course, we could insert here that if that death were the end, then the kingdom of God would have ended. Right. And so there is that resurrection and the power and the rest of the story. But this is the process here. And you see, he did not lead his followers to take up arms to advance his kingdom or to Christianize governments. He did not lead or establish an antagonistic following against political powers. He said, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar and to God the things that are God. God, when you read the book of Acts, you see no rebellion, no uprising, no insurrection of the followers of Jesus Christ against the governments of that time. That should say something to us today. Oh, Jesus is king. He's king over a kingdom that will stand with all the kingdoms when all the kingdoms of this world are destroyed. His kingdom and all who make up his kingdom who are his followers will stand forever with him. But but here's here's a point as we seek to transition here, this misunderstanding. Of the nature of his kingdom. I believe helps to explain why the Jewish crowd chose Barabbas over Jesus. It doesn't seem that Pilate viewed Jesus as a threat, but he was contending with Jews who were looking for a Messiah, a king who really looked more like Barabbas than Jesus. Look at verses 15 through 17. Now, at the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time, they had a notorious prisoner. A prisoner of notoriety. Why was he notorious? What had Barabbas done? He had led a rebellion. He had led an insurrection against who? Against Rome. And brethren, you can go all the way back in the history of Israel to the Maccabean period, and anybody who would rise up against those who were trying to be the conquerors of Israel were treated with Messiah-like respect. This is what the Jews were looking for. And Mark Mark says this in chapter 15, verse seven, and there was one named Barabbas who was chained with his fellow rebels, by the way, the two who were crucified with Jesus, they were his fellow rebels. Keep that in mind. We're going to come back to that. They had committed murder in the rebellion. They've been tried, they've been sentenced. To death. So Barabbas was a kind of hero to the Jewish people. And so when Pilate thinking, here's one that's already accused, one that's already judged, one that's already condemned. Well, I'll offer I'll offer a choice here between Jesus and Barabbas. By the way, there is an ancient manuscript that actually says this, Jesus Barabbas. Jesus Barabbas, that's interesting. Most modern translations don't add that. There is, I think, one or two that do because it's not a very verified manuscript. OK, I'll put it that way. But that's interesting, isn't it? So which Jesus do you pick? Jesus Barabbas, Jesus, the son of a father, Barabbas or Jesus, the Christ, the anointed of The father, which do you which do you pick? Barabbas, you see, did what they expected Jesus, the Messiah, to do if he were truly the Messiah and King, if Jesus truly was who? He claimed to be the Christ. And so while Pilate was distracted, you notice notice the wording he says for in verse 18 or verse 17, therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, whom do you want me to release to you, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ? And then this commentary, for he knew that they had handed him over because of envy, so there was no just cause against him. But verse 19, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, So here he was in the process of this trial. His wife sent to him, interrupted the trial saying, and it wasn't her, somebody that she sent. Hey, your wife has had a very disturbing dream and she's got a message for you. Have nothing to do with that just man. For I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him. And in that time frame, while he's engaging with this message from his wife, it was a short period of time. But as that was going on, the chief priest and the elders were doing something. They were persuading the multitudes. They were persuading the crowds. And as I said, because they expected a kind of Messiah like Barabbas, who would lead an insurrection against the Jews, They were easily influenced. The crowd was easily influenced. So verse 20, but the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. And so when the governor finally came back to them in verse 21, the governor answered and said to them, he asked the question. So, OK, which of the two do you want me to release to you? And to his shock. They said, They said Barabbas. And then ultimately they said, crucify him. Crucify him. Not Barabbas. But Jesus. Now. This leads me to this point, and it's a major emphasis in this trial and really Even before this trial, even with the religious trial, but in this civil trial, we pointed it out last week. And the major emphasis is this. Jesus, the righteous one, was convicted and condemned to be crucified as an unrighteous one. I'm saying to you that there is gospel here. that is unveiled even in this trial. Over and over, Jesus is exonerated. This is not a small matter. Innocent of all charges brought against Him. So Pilate offered Barabbas as an alternative. Why? Because he knew that Jesus was innocent. The trial was interrupted by the message from Pilate's distressed wife. This is a just man. This is a righteous man. Don't have anything back away from this thing. I don't know what all she saw in her dream. We're not told all the details, but it must have been extremely, extremely, extremely disturbing. And then Pilate appeals to the crowd after If you compare the various passages, various attempts to release Jesus, he even said on one occasion, I'll scourge him and let him go, trying to satisfy the crowds. But they said, no, let him be crucified. Verse 23, the governor said, why? What evil has he done? Again, another testimony to the innocence of this just man. And then finally, Pilate washes his hands of the matter. In verse 23, declaring that this was a just person, using the same language as his wife, when Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising. Remember, that's one of the things Pilate could not allow to happen because Rome would get involved. And he was there so that Rome didn't have to mess with those things. But rather that a tumult, a riot was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I'm innocent of the blood of this just person. You see to it. Of course, you can't wash away your guilt that simply. Water doesn't wash away guilt, does it? For anyone who is I don't think there's anyone here that thinks of baptismal kind of regeneration or a cleansing of the baptismal waters, but I just make that point. Water does not cleanse. And then in verse 25, the Jewish crowds take full responsibility, his blood, they all all they all of them. Perhaps the point isn't that every single person there, perhaps there were those who didn't say, but all of you collectively, they answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children. As a nation, judgment was being confirmed by this cry of these Jews. Now, let me just pause here before I go any further. Who was responsible? Humanly speaking, who was responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus? There are those who read this, verse 25, and they actually have generated an anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic sentiment over the centuries. Even some Christian leaders that I could name, they have used this verse to point out that the Jews are responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. Is that true? Were the Jews, humanly speaking, were the Jews responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus? The answer has to be yes. Yes. But were they the only ones? Listen to Acts chapter four, verses 27 and 28. Again, Peter speaking for truly against your holy. No, this isn't Peter speaking. This is the prayer. I'm sorry. The prayer. Remember that the Jews that we gather together prayed For truly, against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed both Herod, Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatsoever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done. So, brethren, let's just lay to rest the idea that the Jews were the only responsible parties on a human level for the crucifixion of Jesus. We might say we all were involved. What is the point of the repeated emphasis of Jesus' innocence? I submit to you It is a gospel point that is being emphasized. And that is this, the only just one there that day is judged and treated as if he is the only guilty one. Think about that. This is not just highfalutin theology here. This is that one that could be touched and seen and heard and the one with whom we fellowship even today. The only just one, the only innocent one treated as if he is the only guilty one, and I would suggest Even going a bit further, perhaps we need to hasten on to the cross to say this, but it wasn't just that he was acting like the only guilty one. He was feeling like the only guilty one. He was taking sin upon himself. He was delivered up to a death he did not deserve to die due to his own sins. He was convicted and condemned publicly as if he were the guilty one, the just for the unjust. Someone said this, Pilate's great role in this history is to provide public demonstration of the fact that Christ's death was a death for sin, but not his own sin. It was judgment for crimes, but the crimes were not his. Jesus could not die at the hands of an angry mob. Well, He could have. That could have happened, but yet it couldn't happen. Do you understand what I mean? And He couldn't die by the hands privately murdered by jealous religious leaders. These chief priests and elders, they could have caught him somewhere in the dark somewhere and put him to death in a secluded way, humanly speaking. But that couldn't happen. No, he publicly took the role of a guilty man and an evildoer. And that's what's going on in this trial here. He is being convicted and He is being condemned publicly, even though the testimony of His innocence was repeatedly verified. And why? Because He, the perfectly holy One, must die the cursed death of the cross as if He were guilty. He bore our sin guilt in His body on the tree. But brethren, there's something else that stands out in this narrative, and it's this. Jesus did what he did willingly. And this is huge. Jesus willingly surrendered himself to a death, to die a death he knew he did not deserve. But he must endure. Think about it, when you are unjustly charged, what is the first thing you want to do? to. I mean, in some ways, I read this, it depends on what theological mind I have working at the moment, but in some ways I read this and I'm saying, Jesus, say something. You're not the guilty party here. But to the capital charges brought against him. So verse 12, he answered nothing. Verse 14, but he answered him not one word. He could have. He could have defended himself. Or could he? No, he could not. He could not defend himself, for he was determined to bear in his pure, spotless being the sins of the world, the sins of his people and the world. And so, as Isaiah 53 tells us prophetically, verse 7, he was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before its shears is silent. So he opened not his mouth. Let him be crucified. Let him be crucified. But, but, let him be crucified. But, let him be crucified. That was the chant of the riotous crowd. But had Jesus suffered and died against his will? How could his death be counted as anything other than a miscarriage of justice? Furthermore, we would have probably have to shut our mouths to those critics who say that a father who would send his son to do that, and even according to Isaiah 53, crushed him there on that tree, we'd have a hard time responding to those who say that's cosmic child abuse. But you understand, this is the unfolding of an eternal covenant, an everlasting relationship, love relationship of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. He's doing not what He is forced to do. He is doing what He is willing to do. He desired to do this. Even as we've seen back in the Garden of Gethsemane, there was that conflicting spirit within Him. Yet, His desire to do the will of His Father was greater. He, the Good Shepherd, willingly suffered under Pontius Pilate. By his stripes, we are healed. One final thought. Verse 26 says, Then he released Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Jesus is scourged. and delivered to be crucified instead of Barabbas. You see that, don't you? You see the gospel there, don't you? Barabbas was likely sentenced to hang with his two cohorts in crime on one of those three crosses. And I can imagine Barabbas in his cell awaiting for the carrying out of his sentence and not hearing all that was going on outside, but he could hear the chants of the crowd, crucify him, crucify him. I don't suppose Barabbas knew who they were talking about. Because he deserved to be crucified. He deserved to hang on that tree. And when he heard the The rattling of the chains of the guards coming and the door opening. He knew this is it. I'm done. And they unlock his chains and said. You're released. You're free. Jesus, who is called the Christ. Is going to be crucified instead of you. Wow. Do you hear do you hear what is What has happened? Do you hear the gospel? Do you hear the substitutionary work of Jesus, who is the Christ? He was scourged and he was delivered out to be crucified. Jesus could have objected, but he didn't. He remained silent. And brethren, while I know we don't know how Barabbas was affected, and I'm not trying to read more into this than is revealed. But we do know this, Jesus literally took his place. We do know that. Who should I release to you? Jesus or Barabbas? Barabbas. As you stand before God of heaven and earth, condemned in your sin, guilty Deserving to be the one who hangs upon a cross, we might say, deserving of the curse of the law, deserving of all of that. And the voice from heaven says, who, who should I release? You understand, because Jesus hung upon that cross, it is said of you and me, release him. Release, release me. He who bore my shame, who bore my scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood, sealed my pardon with His blood." Hallelujah! What a Savior! What a Savior! Pilate said, I find no fault in Him. He said it multiple times, actually. And beloved, because that faultless one willingly bore the guilt and punishment for the fault of sinners like you and like me, the one judged that day by Pilate now says, as my judge and the judge of every believer, I find no fault in you. Isn't that good news? I find no fault in you. Hallelujah. What a Savior. Father, thank You.