[Main Scripture John 18:38-40]

Day 20

John 18 (NKJV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
³⁸ Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.
³⁹ "But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"
⁴⁰ Then they all cried again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.

Jesus is the man who was traded over for a man who was guilty. The Bible says, "Now Barabbas was a robber"

Studying this portion of Scripture is quite emotional. Pilate found no fault in Jesus. But that had always been the case. Jesus was never guilty. That is the reason why His one sacrifice was enough!

When you study the entire potion of John 18, you'll also discover that Jesus was delivered to Pilate by his own people. Well, at least people He shared a cultural background with on Earth.

And when you make further studies, you'll also discover that it's in this very chapter  that Peter denies Jesus. If Jesus was human, which he was, can you imagine the amount of pain He must have gone through?

Maybe being turned over to Pilate by the Jews wasn't painful enough but I think being denied by Peter was quite a huge blow to the face.

Jesus literally just finished praying for His disciples before this event took place.

"When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered."
- John 18:1 (NKJV)

Which words had Jesus finished speaking? If you go back a chapter, you'll read about the wonderful prayers that Jesus prayed over His disciples.

Then in the next chapter, they denied Him. Jesus is amazing and when we study more about Him, we'll see first hand that we truly don't even deserve salvation, and yet Jesus was more than happy to die for us.

"So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?""
- John 18:11 (NKJV)

Here was Peter trying to stop the inevitable from happening. But Jesus's response is so beautiful. Jesus says: "Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"

John 18 is quite a remarkable portion of Scripture. We are literally in the last days of our master before resurrection. He still seems very calm and still the true lamb of God that would take away our sins.

Lets think about how absurd it is to release a guilty man for an innocent person to suffer shame, disgrace and torture. Let's think about it for a second.

May we be filled with the love Jesus had. A love that sees no condition.  Jesus never changed one bit even when He knew that Judas would betray Him.

May we be filled with His kind of love. Love that is warm and love that reaches out to all.

Father we thank you. We glorify your name. We magnify you. Lord, may you help us to see Jesus as the true Son of the most High God. Help us to see His sacrifices. Help us to see His pain. Help us to see the real revelation of what He did in order for us to be saved. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ. We pray. Amen.