I’ve mentioned
before that I’ve been reading thru the Chronological One-year Bible. This morning I read the account of Jesus
before Pilate in all four gospels.
All four gospels give a short description of the prisoner,
Barabbas. Anybody who has read the
scripture knows Barabbas is the bad guy here.
He’s already imprisoned by the Roman government doomed to death. Even the bad guys consider him a bad guy. The gospel writers call him “notorious” and
that he committed murder during a riot.
Ellicott writes that the word “insurrectionist” denotes a “unrestrained
violence that often resulted in bloodshed”.
He was a thief as well. It would
appear that Barabbas had NO redeeming qualities and yet the people shouted for
his release.
Think of their choice.
Murderer, thief, Rebel rouser or mild-mannered Jew who healed them,
raised their children from the dead and feed 5000 of them. As I contemplate what they must have been thinking,
I remember Jesus in the garden. Praying
for another way but submitting to the plan.
Jesus had ONE
agenda, to go the cross. God had ONE plan;
to save us through the death of His Son.
Pilate, Barabbas, the Roman Guard, the high priest, the people in the courtyard;
all thought they were making the decisions.
Yet, history records they were just pawns in a sovereign God’s
plan.
Donald, Joe, Kammela, democrats, republicans, NBC, CBS, ABC,
Fox, pawns in a Sovereign God’s plan.
I’m not just thinkin’ about that today, I’m taking comfort
and peace in it.
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