Whom do you want me to release to you?

Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." And while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" But he answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him." But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" Pilate then said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let him be crucified!" Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let him be crucified!"

- Matthew 27:11-23

This week, we have been reading about the various events of the Passion. Yesterday, we read of Judas' remorse at Jesus' condemnation, his attempt to "undo" his act by giving back the silver to the chief priests and elders, and his suicide (see Thirty pieces of silver).. Today, Jesus is brought before Pilate by the temple leadership, after an illegal night trial.

Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." And while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" But he answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. My study bible notes here: " The Jews [meaning the temple leadership] hide their real charge against Jesus, that Jesus claimed to be God (which did not concern the Romans), behind the political threat that he is King of the Jews, which would be a direct attack on Roman rule." As before, Jesus' response, translated "It is as you say," is an abbreviated "You say so" or "you are saying [it]" in the Greek. But we know that this kingship is not the material kingship that would be a serious charge before Caesar: Jesus has not sought this for himself, and his work has not been with a political focus at all. The charge for which the High Priest and the leadership and council ruled Jesus guilty was one of blasphemy. As my study bible notes, this, of course, would not concern the Roman rulers.

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. My study bible notes here: "Barabbas, a popular rebel against the Romans, means 'Son of Abbas.' In Aramaic it sounds like 'Son of the Father,' who is Jesus." We also note that in some texts, Barabbas is called "Jesus Barabbas." So, in the presence of Barabbas we get a kind of interesting mirror effect. Who is the rebel? Who is the teacher? Who is the Son? In all of this, we are asked, really, one important question by this text: Who is Jesus? And another: What does it mean to be the Christ, the Son of the Father? These are the questions we must answer. In the confusion of his trial before the temple leadership, the confusion of the authorities, and the entire story of this man who continues to defy expectations today, who is Jesus? This is what we must answer in our faith, in our hearts.

Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. Pilate is not a stupid man. He understands what is happening: this is a "domestic" kind of problem. The temple leadership feels that Jesus is not just a thorn in their side, but has popular appeal. Envy is an important word to understand. As an archetypal sin - that of the rebellion against God in heaven - it suggests to me the desire to replace another, the deep wish to be the other; and if it cannot be that other, then it will strip the other of all it has which is enviable, it desires murder. Jesus is what they cannot be, what they wish to be and desire to appear to be to others. He has an inborn authority which appeals directly to the people who receive him and listen to him, who welcomed him to Jerusalem. He is considered a prophet. If "Barabbas" is a false sort of mirror for Jesus, a false substitute in some sense, so the leadership with its envy wishes to play the same role and claim Christ's authority for themselves.

While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him." My study bible notes, "Pilate is moved on Jesus' behalf. It is not that he knows who is being judged, but he fears his wife's dream which has been reported to him." So, Pilate has some "extra help" here from a dream; his wife has been disturbed and understands there is something about which to be wary concerning Jesus. He knows the leadership is motivated from envy, and now he has another warning.

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" Pilate then said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let him be crucified!" Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let him be crucified!" We can assume that the chief priests and elders have brought out their own followers among that crowd. It's kind of like the way political meetings happen, when those are brought out to shore support for one side or the other. And we are, indeed, in the realm of politics here. This is all about material power and control. In order to retain their own positions of authority and control, the leadership wishes to be rid of Jesus who has criticized them on spiritual, not political, grounds. The common people, we've been told, take delight in the fact that Jesus has stood up to the leadership, caught them in their own traps and false accusations, and outwitted them in public. Pilate, too, is a political man. As governor of this province, he has a job to do, Roman rule to enforce. Although he knows Jesus is innocent, he leaves this choice to the crowds, who have been stirred up by the leadership. We will see in next week's readings how this plays itself out in Pilate's hands, and how political expediency works to obscure truth, and justice.

So, what do we do with this picture of Jesus before the governor? We know full well his innocence, and so does Pilate. But Pilate has a job to do. The temple leadership, on whom he relies politically in some sense, wants to be rid of Jesus. They have brought a false charge against Jesus - a political charge. But Jesus is not a political man. He is, in the words of Pilate's wife, a "just man." Barabbas appears as a sort of doppelganger, a double (and we recall the "doubling" in Mathew's gospel about which we've previously commented). Who is the leadership here? Who is authentic in terms of spiritual authority? What do the people really respect - and who serves their best interests? These are all the questions we can ask ourselves. In the parable of the Wheat and the Tares (in the commentary of which we also noted the doubling of Matthew's gospel), we see the "weeds" - really, a kind of false wheat, a ryegrass which resembles wheat - as mimicking the wheat. So, we ask ourselves once again, as in the parable, what is the false and what is the true? Which "mirror image" do we believe? In what do we place our faith? In commentary on that parable, my study bible noted: "The devil fashions falsehood and heresy to resemble the true Faith: the weeds look somewhat like the wheat." In this false trial, this false justice system we witness, this false stirred up crowd, we ask ourselves: which is the false and which is the true? Where is the authentic authority and leadership? Who is the true Jesus, the Son of the Father? As with Jesus' explanation of why he spoke in parables, it asks us for the discernment of our hearts, a heart that is open to truth and spiritual reality. How would you choose? We live in a world of many mirrors and images. We still need to think hard about what we choose, and how we choose it. Where does faith come from? In what do you put your trust?

"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." Matthew 13:12-13