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“The governor [Pilate] answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain [two] will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas” (Matthew 27:21).
When the Jews brought the Lord Jesus to Pilate, they asked that He be crucified. But Pilate knew that the Lord Jesus had not done anything wrong, and he badly wanted to let Him go. It was the custom at the Passover feast for the governor to release a prisoner, and Pilate proposed that he release either Barabbas or the Lord Jesus. When he asked the crowd whom they wanted, they immediately chose Barabbas.
This world made its choice on that day long ago and has suffered for it ever since. Barabbas had done just about everything criminal that could be done, yet the people would rather have him released than have the Lord Jesus set free. No wonder this world is full of crime and terrorism today!
We know that this was the natural heart of man, but God was in it, for we also read, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20). When man did his worst, and asked for a murderer instead of the Lord Jesus, the Lord Jesus went to the cross, and provided a way that you and I could be saved.
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