Exposition of John, Chapter 18 · Verse 21
Verſe 39. But ye have a cuſtome that I ſhould releaſe unto you one at the Paſſeover: will ye therefore that I releaſe unto you the King of the Jewes?
40. Then cried they all again, ſaying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
In the next place, Pilate having abſolved Chriſt, endeavours alſo to releaſe him with the Jewes good liking; And taking occaſion of their cuſtome of having ſome one priſoner releaſed to them at the feaſt of the Paſſeover, he propounds (as is marked, Matth. 27.17.) Barabbas, a murtherer, and Chriſt, to them, inſinuating his deſire that they ſhould chooſe Chriſt; but they generally (both Rulers, and the people perſwaded by them, Matth. 27.20.) do refuſe him, and ſeek Barabbas to be ſet at liberty: As for this cuſtome of the Jewes, it appears not to have been deviſed by the Roman Governours, for gratifying of the Jewes, but a cuſtome of their own, invented in their declining times to honour their feaſt of the Paſſeover, and to be ſome memorial of their redemption from Egypt, and of their ſo much deſired liberty. And now having no power themſelves to releaſe whom they would, they have recourſe to the Governour, who was neceſſitate to yield to their cuſtome, Luke 23. 17. belike, to prevent tumults. And as for the nature of this cuſtom, as it was ſinful of themſelves, to deviſe any thing relating to their ſacred ſolemnities, and to diſpenſe with the Law of God, requiring that juſtice ſhould be execute againſt malefactours; ſo in this particular, they manage it moſt wickedly, in pre…ing a … malefactour to innocent Chriſt. Do…t. 1. Long in… terate cuſtomes do ordinarily prevail much among people, were they never ſo ſinful and abominable, … much the more, as they have any ſpacious pretext: As here, their continues a wicked cuſtome, of releaſing one at the Paſſeover, gilded over with a pretext of reſpect to that feaſt, which yet indeed made it the more abominable before God, that ſuch a courſe ſhould pretend any relation to his Ordinance. 2. If we look on Pilates part in this procedure, it may teach; partly, That humane policie, and carnal friends, and their interpoſing, will readily do Chriſt and his followers little ſucceſſeful ſervice in a ſtrait; for, he doth but deal for Chriſt in a politick way; which did not avail. Partly, that whatever men have of a conſcience of duty, yet that doth not avail before God, ſo long as they put not forth themſelves to the utmoſt, in their ſtations, to ſee that done which is right; for, albeit Pilates endeavors ſerve indeed to clear Chriſts innocencie, and that Pilate in conſcience judged him ſo; yet all that is not enough in him, ſeeing he did not employ his authority and power to reſcue and defend the innocent, but doth only eſſay oratory and policie: and partly, that ſuch as would faithfully follow conſcience and light, had need to hold a looſe g…ip of all other enjoyments and intereſts, and particularly, to avoid affectation of popularity; for, this was Pilates ſnare, that though he judged Chriſt innocent, and that he ought to be delivered, yet not being willing to loſe the people; he only uſeth inſinuations and policies, will ye that I releaſe unto you the King of the Jewes? 3. If we look on the Jewes proceeding in this buſineſs, it may teach, partly, That men obdured and hardned by Gods judicial ſtroak, will neither regard civility, reaſon, nor common ſenſe; light will not convince them, nor equity perſwade them to what is right; for, ſo appeared in theſe obſtinate Jewes: albeit Pilates procedure was very effectual in its kinde; for he propounds to their choice with Chriſt, a man whom common civility might make them aſhamed to own, or ſeek to exempt from puniſhment, and preferre him to Chriſt; He inſinuates his own inclination, and that it ſhould be a courteſie to him, if they would ſeek Jeſus to be releaſed, Will ye that I releaſe him unto you? Withal, he names him the King of the Jewes, inſinuating that his death would tend to the diſcredit of their Nation, being one bearing ſuch a name, (which they afterward reſent, ch. 19. 21.) and accuſing the multitude of levity, who not long ſince had proclaimed him their King and now would have him crucified; And yet all this prevailes not with them, They cried all again, (that is, in anſwer to him, or, again, after that former cry, that he would obſerve their cuſtome, in releaſing ſome one, of which, Mat. 15 8.) ſaying, not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber; partly, it teacheth, That no perſons, how vile ſoever, are ſo odious in the eyes of the enemies of God as Chriſt and his followers and friends; for, ſo much did Chriſt find in his own perſon, Barabbas a robber being preferred to him. 4 If we look to the hand of God and Chriſt in all this (without which nothing was done in this buſineſſe, Acts 4.27, 28) it may teach, 1. Chriſt would have it evidently ſeen by us, that he ſuffered by the appointment of God, and that he loved to do ſo, in that he would not ſuffer any endeavour for his releaſement to ſucceed. 2. He would alſo not be releaſed, but crucified, at the Paſſeover, that he might prove himſelf the true Paſſeover ſacrificed for us, and dying at ſuch a time, the ſmell of his death might ſpread far and near, by reaſon of the great concourſe at this time. 3. Chriſt hath ſanctified unto his people diſappointments in the matter of deliverance, when otherwiſe it might ſeem probable; hereby alſo encouraging them to ſuffer, when by theſe diſappointments it is clear they ſhould ſuffer; for, he in his own perſon is not releaſed, albeit the Governour endeavoured it. 4. While Barabbas a robber is preferred to Chriſt, it may ſerve to put us in minde, that however in himſelf, and as to them who ſought his life, he was moſt innocent; yet conſidering him in his Suretiſhip, he had more to ſuffer for, then ever Barabbas committed, and therefore is arreſted by divine juſtice, while the other is permitted to eſcape; And this ſhould invite every one who claimeth intereſt in his death, to lay to heart his ſhare in theſe provocations and crimes which were then charged upon Chriſt. 5. Chriſt hath ſanctified unto the godly, their being worſe eſteemed of in the world then the worſt of men, and their being held unworthy to live on the earth, where many wicked men are tolerate, (See 1 Cor. 4.9. — 13. Acts 22.22.) and that even by corrupt Church-men; for, they preferred Barabbas a robber to himſelf.