Willing to content the people

Bible Reading: Matthew 27 & Mark 15

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

This truly sounds like a politician. He was willing to content the people. What was right and wrong was hard to determine. Maybe he cared about right and wrong or not - I can't tell. Pilate made his decision based on the squeaking wheel. He listened to the yelling of the crowd. He did not listen to God.

Making decisions needs to be based on hearing and obeying God's Word. Just going along with the crowd is almost always the wrong way to decide.

Let's contrast Pilate's decision with the decision of the disciples.

Acts 4:16-20 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Peter and John did not listen to the crowd or even the threatening of the leaders of Jerusalem. They said they would make their decisions based on what was right in the sight of God.

If Pilate had listened to the wisdom from his wife, he would have reconsidered. Pilate had a problem. He did not know what the truth was. He had lived that long and become a powerful man and still did not know what truth was or where to find it.

As Christians, we know the One who is truth - Jesus Christ. We must feed upon his Word daily and be led by his Spirit. Our decision making is more that just listening to the crowd. We must listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit who leads those who are the sons of God.

Pray for our politicians. The crowd is usually wrong. Pray for men and women who will seek the Lord with all their heart and trust in Jesus.


In Christ,
Rody