Luke 23: 18-26
18 But the whole crowd shouted, ‘Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!’ 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ 22 For the third time he spoke to them: ‘Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.’ 23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. 26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
I find myself as part of the crowd shouting but not wanting to. Why do I do what I do? How easily I get caught up into participating in conversation that is petty and unkind. I think specifically of a conversation that I got caught up in gossiping recently. It happens almost unconsciously. Even Pilate who knew Jesus was innocent gave in. His concern was his own gain. Jesus never let himself get swept up with the group. He stood so completely alone that when Jesus fell a stranger had to be forced to help him with the cross because no one else offered to help.
Why couldn’t or didn’t I go to help Jesus then? Is it that I am too much of a conformist? Was it fear? Or was I just confused or in doubt? Am I too caught up in the world and what I want?
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