Luke 23:13-35 The Wrong Choice
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: December 16, 2018 Luke 23:13-25
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.
(Understanding the Text) First of all, I just have no understanding of the concept of punishing and releasing an innocent man. If He was innocent, He should have been released freely. If He was guilty, then punishment seems logical. Pilate is saying that since they thought that he was a criminal, he would go ahead and punish Jesus. I guess since the Sanhedrin had powers to whip/punish people, their decision in their court might carry over to Pilate’s court; however, they had no power to execute people, so Pilate’s decision was necessary, and Pilate was saying that there was no basis for a death judgment in the case of Jesus.
Pilate hoped that by adding Herod’s judgment into the mix that it would give his own decision more authority, but he underestimated the Jewish leaders’ determination to get rid of Jesus permanently. Of course, he also had no idea of the Satanic power that was driving events at this point.
Pilate was addressing not only the Jewish leaders but also a group of people gathered before his judgment seat. These people demanded Barabbas be released and that Jesus be crucified. Edersheim speaks of this mob when he discusses the contrast between the triumphal entry and the angry mob before Pilate. “It has already been suggested, that the multitude which went to meet Jesus must have consisted chiefly of pilgrim-strangers. The overwhelming majority of the citizens of Jerusalem were bitterly and determinately hostile to Christ. But we know that, even so, the Pharisees dreaded to take the final steps against Christ during the presence of these pilgrims at the Feast, apprehending a movement in His favour. It proved, indeed, otherwise; for these country-people were but ill-informed; they dared not resist the combined authority of their own Sanhedrin and of the Romans. Besides, the prejudices of the populace, and especially of an Eastern populace, are easily raised, and they readily sway from one extreme to the opposite. Lastly, the very suddenness and completeness of the blow, which the Jewish authorities delivered, would have stunned even those who had deeper knowledge, more cohesion, and greater independence than most of them who, on that Palm-Sunday, had gone forth from the City.” In other words, the crowd of people who gathered before Pilate’s judgment seat were not the innocent pilgrims who came to the city with hopes of spiritual blessing. They were cynical residents who profited off of the pilgrims and had their own non-spiritual agenda.
(Revelation of God) There is a lot of symbolism in the release of Barabbas. Jesus was innocent and received the death sentence even though His judge said that He did not deserve to die. Barabbas was an enemy of the judge and his government and deserved to die even by the Jewish standards; he was set free by a judge who he would have gladly stabbed in the back. Jesus died in our place. We constantly betray and rebel against God, yet He has judged us free from death and gave that sentence to Himself. Our rescuer is the very one we have rebelled against.
(Application) My application for myself is that even though there are evil, hardened people out there who would call out for my death in an instant if it suited their own personal goals, I have to treat each one as if they are open to the love of God because I do not know their hearts. On the other hand, I have to be aware that there are some like Herod and Pilate and the Jewish leaders who are so deeply enmeshed in Satan’s power that they will do horrible things in the name of goodness. Why do I need to consider this? So that I will not be discouraged and defeated when I run into them. Jesus faced these people, and He is my example in this. He has gone before me and knows what I will face. He can give me strength. It’s not my job to try to determine who is open to God’s love or not. It is my job to treat each person as if they were open. In Peter’s speech at Pentecost, Acts implies that some of the mob and Jewish leaders came to repentance after Jesus’ death. “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:36-37). Thus, unless the Spirit informs me otherwise, I will not be able to tell even by their actions if people are open to repentance. Their actions may abuse me and threaten me, but Jesus requires me to trust Him to give me strength and power to deal with them and follow His guidance in how to treat these people.
(Prayer) I don’t have the power to love people who are gracious to me, much less those who I do not trust or those who are hostile. Only You can give me that kind of gracious love towards others. I ask for the love that You have told me that I need to have. I know that You do not expect anything from me that You are not willing to supply so that I can live up to that expectation, so I claim the promise of Your love and Your mercy.