Ben Wilson

who do you want me to release? The innocent Jesus or the obviously criminal Barabbas? And remember, the crowds had been wildly in favor of Jesus just a few days before. N.T. Wright actually suggests that the reason that this crowd is so opposed to Jesus is that this is not an organic crowd or mob.

who do you want me to release? The innocent Jesus or the obviously criminal Barabbas? And remember, the crowds had been wildly in favor of Jesus just a few days before. N.T. Wright actually suggests that the reason that this crowd is so opposed to Jesus is that this is not an organic crowd or mob.

This is a picked crowd of supporters from the Pharisees who are brought there for the specific purpose of pressuring Pilate into executing him. And so he says, look, who do you want me to let go? Jesus, in whom I find no fault, or Barabbas? And they all cry out, Barabbas. And so Pilate ceremonially washes his hands to try and clear himself of any guilt in this execution.

This is a picked crowd of supporters from the Pharisees who are brought there for the specific purpose of pressuring Pilate into executing him. And so he says, look, who do you want me to let go? Jesus, in whom I find no fault, or Barabbas? And they all cry out, Barabbas. And so Pilate ceremonially washes his hands to try and clear himself of any guilt in this execution.

But ultimately he does free Barabbas and hand Jesus to his soldiers to be killed. So, you know, this has been a miscarriage of justice from start to finish. He's apprehended under one charge, tried under another. He's found innocent and is still sent to be executed. He is first scourged, which is to be severely whipped. And then he is humiliated.

But ultimately he does free Barabbas and hand Jesus to his soldiers to be killed. So, you know, this has been a miscarriage of justice from start to finish. He's apprehended under one charge, tried under another. He's found innocent and is still sent to be executed. He is first scourged, which is to be severely whipped. And then he is humiliated.

He is given mock regal regalia, a crown of thorns, a scarlet robe, and a reed to hold as a scepter. After being humiliated and tortured in this way, he is taken to a hill called Golgotha, where he is crucified. In the New Testament in its world, N.T. Wright kind of explains crucifixion. He says, crucifixion was a brutal and barbaric form of execution.

He is given mock regal regalia, a crown of thorns, a scarlet robe, and a reed to hold as a scepter. After being humiliated and tortured in this way, he is taken to a hill called Golgotha, where he is crucified. In the New Testament in its world, N.T. Wright kind of explains crucifixion. He says, crucifixion was a brutal and barbaric form of execution.

If you had ever seen a crucifixion, and they were common in places like Judea and Galilee, the experience would have been terrifying.

If you had ever seen a crucifixion, and they were common in places like Judea and Galilee, the experience would have been terrifying.

It would leave you with irrepressible memories of naked half-dead men dying a protracted death for days on end, covered in blood and flies, their flesh gnawed at by rats, their members ripped at by wild dogs, their faces pecked by crows, the victims mocked and jeered by sadistic torturers and other bystanders, while relatives nearby, weeping uncontrollably, would be helpless to do anything for them.

It would leave you with irrepressible memories of naked half-dead men dying a protracted death for days on end, covered in blood and flies, their flesh gnawed at by rats, their members ripped at by wild dogs, their faces pecked by crows, the victims mocked and jeered by sadistic torturers and other bystanders, while relatives nearby, weeping uncontrollably, would be helpless to do anything for them.

Crucifixion was a powerful symbol throughout the Roman world. It was not just a means of liquidating undesirables. It did so with maximum degradation and humiliation. It said loud and clear, we are in charge here. You are our property. We can do what we like with you. It insisted coldly and brutally on the absolute sovereignty of Rome and of Caesar.

Crucifixion was a powerful symbol throughout the Roman world. It was not just a means of liquidating undesirables. It did so with maximum degradation and humiliation. It said loud and clear, we are in charge here. You are our property. We can do what we like with you. It insisted coldly and brutally on the absolute sovereignty of Rome and of Caesar.

It told an implicit story of the uselessness of rebel recalcitrants and the ruthlessness of imperial power. It said in particular, this is what happens to rebel leaders. Crucifixion was a symbolic act with a clear and frightening meaning. Okay, so you can just imagine, right? Crucifixion is really meant to rub your nose in your own powerlessness.

It told an implicit story of the uselessness of rebel recalcitrants and the ruthlessness of imperial power. It said in particular, this is what happens to rebel leaders. Crucifixion was a symbolic act with a clear and frightening meaning. Okay, so you can just imagine, right? Crucifixion is really meant to rub your nose in your own powerlessness.

Not only are we going to execute this person, but we're going to do it publicly and slowly so that you have time to think about how much you just can't stop us from doing this. The physical process of crucifixion is that a person has their hands and feet nailed to a wooden structure, which is then raised to display the dying criminal.

Not only are we going to execute this person, but we're going to do it publicly and slowly so that you have time to think about how much you just can't stop us from doing this. The physical process of crucifixion is that a person has their hands and feet nailed to a wooden structure, which is then raised to display the dying criminal.

Actually, usually this is done on a cross like you think of, but sometimes this was done on a single stake. So the person would have their hands nailed together above their head and their feet down below. Actually, Jehovah's Witness insists that Christ was not crucified on an actual cross, but on a single stake like this. The sources I've seen say No one really knows.

Actually, usually this is done on a cross like you think of, but sometimes this was done on a single stake. So the person would have their hands nailed together above their head and their feet down below. Actually, Jehovah's Witness insists that Christ was not crucified on an actual cross, but on a single stake like this. The sources I've seen say No one really knows.