In all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) we find the episode when Pilate the Governor of Judea offered to release Jesus or Barabbas in accordance with the yearly custom. Pilate asked the crowd of people who were gathered “who do you want me to release, Jesus the King of the Jews (as Mark’s gospel describes it) or Barabbas?”
The text says that the people spoke as one voice, “give us Barabbas.” Pilate then asked “what shall I do with Jesus?” and the people responded “Crucify him.”
Beloved the people chose Barabbas over Jesus. I have often wondered how did Jesus feel when he heard the crowd shout in one voice “give us Barabbas…” I have often tried to feel the disappointment, the pain and the disbelief that Jesus must have felt when the people shouted to Pilate, “give us Barabbas and crucify Jesus.”
They chose Barabbas who was incarcerated for murder and for participating in an insurrection! They chose Barabbas!
They chose Barabbas despite the fact that there were people in that crowd who either witnessed or knew someone that Jesus had healed when no one else could.
They chose Barabbas despite the reality that there were people in the crowd who either witnessed or had a family member that Jesus raised from the dead.
They chose Barabbas despite the fact that there were those in that crowed who may have been in attendance when Jesus fed five thousand men and another ten thousand women and children with just two fish and five loaves of bread.
They chose Barabbas despite knowing that Jesus had calmed the angry sea and stilled the wild winds with just three words, “Peace Be Still.”
They chose Barabbas despite the reality that Jesus stood up for them when the Priest and Pharisees had rejected them. They chose Barabbas despite the reality that Jesus delivered children in their community from being possessed by demons.
They chose Barabbas beloved despite Jesus’ words “In me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but I have overcome the world.” They chose Barabbas despite Jesus quoting Isaiah for them “The spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to proclaim good news to thepoor. He has sent me to release the oppressed and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
The text says that the chief priest and elders stirred up the people so that they would call for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. The text shows us that far too many people are susceptible to prevaricating persuasion by people who really don’t have their best interest in mind. The text teaches us that far too many people are bamboozled by repetitive lies, toxic masculine posturing and twisted reasoning that teaches them to hate people who are different and to lie on God making people think that God hates people like they hate people. The text says that wealthy privileged religious and political people stirred up the crowd to hate and call for the release of a person convicted of murder and who helped orchestrate an insurrection instead of vote with their voice for an opportunity to overcome the people who profit off the poor. It was a sad moment, a depressing moment and a gut-wrenching moment when people chose Barabbas over Jesus. I have often wondered how Jesus felt when they chose Barabbas.
Yet, as I pondered this, I received some idea when I kept reading Luke’s account of this moment. Luke records that after they chose Barabbas, Jesus was being led out to his crucifixion and there were women who were weeping for him and beating their breast because the crowd of mostly patriarchal, sexist and misogynist men had chosen Barabbas.
When Jesus saw the women weeping for him Luke records that he turned to them and said “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days will come when they will say blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breast that never nursed. They will begin to say to the mountains, fall on us; and to the hills cover us. For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry.”
Jesus warned those who would be negatively impacted by the choices of those who chose Barabbas. Jesus said it is a time of weeping for women who will be dominated as things by confused and cruel men rather than being treated as people to be respected and loved.
Jesus said weep for children who will have school lunch taken away, health coverage taken away, Pell grants taken away and their education privatized for the wealthy.
Beloved they chose Barabbas and Jesus said “don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children,” because hate is hurtful.
Beloved, Jesus was crucified because they chose Barabbas BUT he did not stay dead. Here is the hope. Jesus was resurrected and that tells me that “The Struggle continues,” and that God is still on the side of the poor and working poor.
Yes, we weep now, but we still work while we weep because we possess resurrection reality. And finally, as the late Listervelt Middleton used to say “Sharpen your eye, tune your ear, so that you will know what you see, understand what you hear.”
Be well, Be authentic and Stay Woke. Uhuru Sassa!
Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary, 1276 W. 20th Ave. in Gary. “We are not just another church but we are a culturally conscious, Christ-centered church, committed to the community; we are unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian.” Contact the church by email at [email protected] or by phone at 219-944-0500.
Rev. John E. Jackson
Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary, 1276 W. 20th Ave. in Gary. “We are not just another church but we are a culturally conscious, Christ-centered church, committed to the community; we are unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian.”
They Chose Barabbas
In all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) we find the episode when Pilate the Governor of Judea offered to release Jesus or Barabbas in accordance with the yearly custom. Pilate asked the crowd of people who were gathered “who do you want me to release, Jesus the King of the Jews (as Mark’s gospel describes it) or Barabbas?”
The text says that the people spoke as one voice, “give us Barabbas.” Pilate then asked “what shall I do with Jesus?” and the people responded “Crucify him.”
Beloved the people chose Barabbas over Jesus. I have often wondered how did Jesus feel when he heard the crowd shout in one voice “give us Barabbas…” I have often tried to feel the disappointment, the pain and the disbelief that Jesus must have felt when the people shouted to Pilate, “give us Barabbas and crucify Jesus.”
They chose Barabbas who was incarcerated for murder and for participating in an insurrection! They chose Barabbas!
They chose Barabbas despite the fact that there were people in that crowd who either witnessed or knew someone that Jesus had healed when no one else could.
They chose Barabbas despite the reality that there were people in the crowd who either witnessed or had a family member that Jesus raised from the dead.
They chose Barabbas despite the fact that there were those in that crowed who may have been in attendance when Jesus fed five thousand men and another ten thousand women and children with just two fish and five loaves of bread.
They chose Barabbas despite knowing that Jesus had calmed the angry sea and stilled the wild winds with just three words, “Peace Be Still.”
They chose Barabbas despite the reality that Jesus stood up for them when the Priest and Pharisees had rejected them. They chose Barabbas despite the reality that Jesus delivered children in their community from being possessed by demons.
They chose Barabbas beloved despite Jesus’ words “In me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but I have overcome the world.” They chose Barabbas despite Jesus quoting Isaiah for them “The spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to proclaim good news to thepoor. He has sent me to release the oppressed and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
The text says that the chief priest and elders stirred up the people so that they would call for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. The text shows us that far too many people are susceptible to prevaricating persuasion by people who really don’t have their best interest in mind. The text teaches us that far too many people are bamboozled by repetitive lies, toxic masculine posturing and twisted reasoning that teaches them to hate people who are different and to lie on God making people think that God hates people like they hate people. The text says that wealthy privileged religious and political people stirred up the crowd to hate and call for the release of a person convicted of murder and who helped orchestrate an insurrection instead of vote with their voice for an opportunity to overcome the people who profit off the poor. It was a sad moment, a depressing moment and a gut-wrenching moment when people chose Barabbas over Jesus. I have often wondered how Jesus felt when they chose Barabbas.
Yet, as I pondered this, I received some idea when I kept reading Luke’s account of this moment. Luke records that after they chose Barabbas, Jesus was being led out to his crucifixion and there were women who were weeping for him and beating their breast because the crowd of mostly patriarchal, sexist and misogynist men had chosen Barabbas.
When Jesus saw the women weeping for him Luke records that he turned to them and said “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days will come when they will say blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breast that never nursed. They will begin to say to the mountains, fall on us; and to the hills cover us. For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry.”
Jesus warned those who would be negatively impacted by the choices of those who chose Barabbas. Jesus said it is a time of weeping for women who will be dominated as things by confused and cruel men rather than being treated as people to be respected and loved.
Jesus said weep for children who will have school lunch taken away, health coverage taken away, Pell grants taken away and their education privatized for the wealthy.
Beloved they chose Barabbas and Jesus said “don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children,” because hate is hurtful.
Beloved, Jesus was crucified because they chose Barabbas BUT he did not stay dead. Here is the hope. Jesus was resurrected and that tells me that “The Struggle continues,” and that God is still on the side of the poor and working poor.
Yes, we weep now, but we still work while we weep because we possess resurrection reality. And finally, as the late Listervelt Middleton used to say “Sharpen your eye, tune your ear, so that you will know what you see, understand what you hear.”
Be well, Be authentic and Stay Woke. Uhuru Sassa!
Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary, 1276 W. 20th Ave. in Gary. “We are not just another church but we are a culturally conscious, Christ-centered church, committed to the community; we are unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian.” Contact the church by email at [email protected] or by phone at 219-944-0500.
Rev. John E. Jackson
Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary, 1276 W. 20th Ave. in Gary. “We are not just another church but we are a culturally conscious, Christ-centered church, committed to the community; we are unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian.”