There's Hope For TodaySample

Pilate should have listened to his wife. I wonder what she dreamed? Did she foresee her proud husband disgraced in Rome? Did she foresee his last tragic act of suicide?

Something shook her up to cause an interruption at the judgment seat. The situation was weighty and multi-faceted. Pilate found himself on the horns of a political and religious dilemma. For a moment he thought he had devised a foolproof plan to diffuse the situation. He would give them the choice of Barabbas or Jesus. Surely they would not suffer the release of the wicked Barabbas for this quiet prophet Jesus? Pilate’s plan is like looking at divine redemption through a mirror ... it’s all backwards. Pilate sought to redeem the life of a sinless man with the life of a scandalous sinner. God sought to redeem the lives of scandalous sinners with the life of a sinless man. Pilate’s quickstep was without effect. The Jewish leaders demanded the freedom of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus.

For our sakes, it’s a good thing that Pilate didn’t listen to his wife that day. It’s a good thing that his political maneuvering came up short. Jesus died so that Barabbas, and every other scandalous sinner might live – forever.