What Evil Hath He Done?

Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 2nd October’s service and hymns are below.

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Our verses are:

Mar 15:6  Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

Mar 15:7  And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

Mar 15:8  And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.

Mar 15:9  But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

Mar 15:10  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

Mar 15:11  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

Mar 15:12  And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?

Mar 15:13  And they cried out again, Crucify him.

Mar 15:14  Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

Mar 15:15And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

 What Evil Hath He Done?

Pilate was willing, even determined, at every stage to release the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew Jesus did not deserve death. His own wife was eager for him to have nothing to do with Jesus’ execution. He knew the Jews had delivered Jesus for envy’s sake but hoped the people would be pleased to have ‘their king’ released when offered the choice of a murderer or their Messiah as a Passover feast act of clemency. Yet despite exonerating Jesus repeatedly and declaring he could find no fault in Christ and no cause for Christ’s death, Pilate was helpless to prevent the Saviour’s crucifixion.

Pilate’s weakness

Pilate’s protests do not absolve him from guilt. Indeed, his failure is a sad indication of his weakness, as was his readiness to have Jesus scourged as a mere expediency. Pilate represented the rule of law in Judaea and it was his duty to uphold the laws of Rome and dispense justice fairly and properly. However, a higher justice was at work and a grander law than Rome’s was being fulfilled by the death of Jesus Christ. Utilising the hypocrisy of the Jews and the cowardice of Pilate, this day God’s law would be honoured and divine justice satisfied.

From Messiah to pariah

It is easy to forget it is only a few days since the Lord Jesus was lauded and worshipped as He entered Jerusalem on what we sometimes call palm Sunday. What made the people who praised Jesus as the Messiah on Sunday call for His destruction on Friday? What accounts for the speed with which their minds were swayed and the clamour for Christ’s death became so intense? Mark tells us, “The chief priests moved the people”. Religion is a powerful motivator and rejection and condemnation by the priests was clearly an influence. However, a deeper evil stirred. At the heart of the rejection of Christ was the deceitful heart of man, and man will not be subject to God or willingly accept the Lord of glory to reign over him.

“Crucify him”

Nevertheless, that the chief priests could secure such a U-turn in the minds of the people is notable and suggests this element in the proceedings was again more organised and premeditated than first appears. Matthew tells us, “the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus”. Not only was Barabbas the prisoner of choice but the call to crucify Jesus was loudly insisted upon and repeatedly voiced.

A biased crowd

Remember, it was still early in the morning and it does not appear this ‘multitude’ was altogether a fair representation of the common people present in Jerusalem at the time. The crowd was likely highly biased comprising the priests themselves who came in large numbers and their servants and officers. Others in Jerusalem were more sympathetic. A few hours later as Jesus was led to the cross Luke tells us “there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him”.

Barabbas – a man like us

John calls Barabbas a robber. Mark calls him an insurrectionist and a murderer. These titles have typical significance. Barabbas was released and the Lord went to the cross. In this Barabbas may be likened to all of God’s elect in their state of nature who were released and set free from the condemnation of God’s law when the Lord Jesus Christ, carrying their crimes and bearing their sin, was condemned and killed in their place.

Captives to sin

We have robbed God of His glory, rebelled against His rule and brought death on ourselves by our actions. We are prisoners of Satan, bound to sin and chained to unbelief. Like Barabbas we are convicted by the law and confined to a pit with no means of escape. We are worthy of death, by nature children of wrath under condemnation and deserving punishment.

Adopting grace

Yet the elect are also children of God by adopting grace. Barabbas’s name means, ‘the son of the father’ and those criminals who obtained God’s mercy went free when Christ was taken, condemned and died in their place, suffering as their Substitute, representing them as Surety, according to the will of the Father.

Pilate backs down

The clamour for the death of Jesus Christ was great and loud amongst the people and as they became more and more agitated Pilate began to be concerned about the safety of the city and the potential for trouble beyond his ability to cope. The stakes were high. Pilate tried to distance himself from the judgment by publicly washing his hands as if to say he would not take the blame for this act. He declared, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it”. He then meekly handed Christ into the hands of his soldiers to be scourged again as a prelude to being crucified.

Amen

Our hymns are below.

Hymn 1

Gadsby selection 785

The Crucifixion. Ps. 22. 11-18; 69. 19-21

J. Hart   C.M.

1
Oh! what a sad and doleful night
Preceded that day’s morn,
When darkness seized the Lord of light,
And sin by Christ was borne!

2
When our intolerable load
Upon his soul was laid,
And the vindictive wrath of God
Flamed furious on his head!

3
We in our Conqueror well may boast;
For none but God alone
Can know how dear the victory cost,
How hardly it was won.

4
[Forth from the garden fully tried,
Our bruisèd Champion came,
To suffer what remained beside
Of pain, and grief, and shame.

5
Mocked, spit upon, and crowned with thorn,
A spectacle he stood;
His back with scourges lashed and torn;
A victim bathed in blood.

6
Nailed to the cross through hands and feet,
He hung in open view;
To make his sorrows quite complete,
By God deserted too!]

7
Through nature’s works the woes he felt
With soft infection ran;
The hardest thing could break or melt,
Except the heart of man.

8
This day before thee, Lord, we come;
O melt our hearts, or break;
For, should we now continue dumb,
The very stones would speak.

9
[True, thou hast paid the heavy debt,
And made believers clean,
But he knows nothing of it yet,
Who is not grieved at sin.

10
A faithful friend of grief partakes;
But union can be none
Betwixt a heart like melting wax
And hearts as hard as stone;

11
Betwixt a head diffusing blood
And members sound and whole;
Betwixt an agonising God
And an unfeeling soul.]

12
Lord, my longed happiness is full,
When I can go with thee
To Golgotha; the place of skull
Is heaven on earth to me.

Hymn 2

Gadsby selection 786

 The Crucifixion. 2 Cor. 4. 10; Gal. 6. 17; Col. 1. 27

J. Hart   8.8.6.

1
That day when Christ was crucified,
The mighty God, Jehovah, died
An ignominious death.
He that would keep this solemn day,
And true disciples safely may,
Must keep it firm in faith.

2
For, though the mournful tragedy
May call up tears in every eye,
Yet, brethren, rest not here.
Would you condole your dying Friend?
Let each into his soul descend,
And find his Saviour there.

3
This only can our hearts assure,
And make our outward worship pure
In God’s all-searching sight.
When all we do with love is mixed,
And steadfast faith on Jesus fixed,
My brethren, then we’re right.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was delivered by Pilate to be crucified but Barabbas went free. In today’s passage we see the worthiness and suitability of Christ to save and learn about our own guilt as robbers, rebels and murderers before God. Barabbas is a type of all God’s elect in their natural state.

02 October 2022