Crucifixion as an Insurrectionist, In the Place of an Insurrectionist - Luke 23 – Jesus' Final Week part 5

(Click here to read Luke 23)

Luke 23:18-25 (ESV)
18  But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

Jesus was tried and crucified as an insurrectionist by the empire of Rome. Luke records his short ministry before his crucifixion as beginning in his hometown of Galilee, followed by choosing twelve disciples to carry on his ministry after he is gone. He called them apostles, which means “sent ones”. From Galilee he traveled toward Jerusalem with the apostles gathering crowds of followers who would listen to him teach, and receive miraculous healing and provision.

The crowds grew and began to follow him across the country toward Jerusalem. He preached about the Kingdom of God, announcing the coming of a Great Reversal toward true justice that would begin with the Living Spirit of God planted inside a human spirit, resulting in a change in their very being, toward a change in their actions, and a change in the world. In this Great Reversal rulers and kings would come down, and be replaced by the meek and humble. The last will be first, and the first last. The oppressed will be set free. Scoundrels would be forgiven.

His message was revolutionary both in action and consequence, yet he never spoke a word of insurrection or violence. In fact, his method of resistance was peaceful and active. He taught and practiced love for enemies, offering a cup of cold water to one set fire by hatred.

His teaching and his life turned religion and politics both on their head, removing the possibility of control and corruption. All become equal in this new Kingdom in both their skullduggery and their salvation. There is only one King, and he sets his people free.

The religious and political elite of his realm of influence were both threatened by his message. Still, the true power of oppression, the empire of Rome, took very little notice. Jesus was arrested and tried as a heretic by his own people, but if he was going to receive any punishment for these crimes, it would have to be at the hand of Rome.

Rome executed criminals who they perceived as a threat to the empire. Crucifixion in particular was reserved for non-citizens of Rome who participated in or conspired toward insurrection. Jesus' life and teaching may have been revolutionary in a certain sense, but to die at Rome's hands, Rome would have to be

convinced he was a threat.

Luke 23:1-5 (ESV)

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3  And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

This “King of the Jews” as Jesus willingly identified himself was a rural, working class man of little education and no credentials by the standards of Rome. The empire couldn't have possibly conceived of such a man being an actual threat, no matter how popular he may have been to the discontented crowds. With a short term and practical vision, Pilate may have appreciated this mystic who taught the crowds not to become violent. The very values of the empire that Jesus preached against were the things that made them blind to Jesus as any threat.

So Jesus was sent to the Roman authority in charge of Galileans, mocked and abused, and similarly excused to return to Pilate. He was then presented back to the crowd by an incredulous Pilate, who was certain that this man was innocent.

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16  I will therefore punish and release him.”

Luke 23:18-25 (ESV)

18  But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

Pilate was a shrewd leader. Like every oppressive empire that wishes to stay in power, an image of compliance with the will of the people is necessary to keep the forces of discontent at bay. Pilate had a practice of granting amnesty to a prisoner every Passover, the religious holiday the people were celebrating at the time of Jesus' trial.

But the people did not want the “King” released to them. They called for Barabbas, the insurrectionist. Barabbas was likely a Zealot – one of the Jews who wanted to overthrow the Roman empire. Zealots attacked Roman travelers and stole from them to redistribute wealth, like Robin Hood, or a pirate. He probably wasn't a drooling, crazy idiot as popular movies (such as Passion of the Christ) suggest. He was probably very intelligent, and maybe even a folk hero.

Barabbas' Freedom = Freedom to decide for yourself what is right or wrong outside of any authority, and do as you please. You are your own Lord and King. You are Master of your domain.

Barabbas sought to be free from the yoke of Rome by the very same values and methods by which Rome oppressed.

Jesus' freedom was different. Jesus taught a freedom that lived for others, that loved enemies, that gave from one's abundance for those who had less. Jesus taught to give to all who ask, even those who would never repay. He taught mercy for those that would betray us. Jesus' freedom was one that began inside a person, and was then offered to everyone with whom that person came to interact. This was a freedom that took no control of another by violence or manipulation, whether that person was an equal, an oppressor, or a vulnerable person in need.

Jesus sought, lived, and offered freedom of the entire person, physically, mentally, spiritually, politically, and otherwise, by the exact opposite values and methods of the corrupt and violent Roman empire.

Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)

18  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
     to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19  to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.”

Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

So, if Jesus is King offering freedom, how is it that he is about to die?

Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV)

5  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Barabbas' is the temptation of the fruit in the garden of Eden, that we get to decide good and evil for ourselves. We decide for ourselves what’s right and wrong for us with no outside authority. We are our own Lord and King. We can be like God.

And when we seek such “freedom” at the expense of others, we are Barabbas. And we are not truly free. We want to fight for our freedom. We are terrorists in our own world, fighting for our rights, fighting to get all that is owed to us, scrambling to be God. This is everything that religion is about, from Buddhism to Moralism to Atheistic Naturalism.

The Kingdom of Heaven requires us to say, as Douglas Coupland:

My secret is that I need God--that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.

-Life after God

Jesus was perfect, and he was made sin for us. We can ONLY receive freedom as a gift. It isn’t owed to us. We don’t need to ask for our wages earned. God is dispensing a gift. All it costs is everything, but Christ already paid for it.

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Jesus was executed that day between to other insurrectionists. Three men hung on crosses, each with a hope that the world could be different than it was. Two received the consequences of their violence., and would never see the changed they hoped for. Jesus' went to the grave to plant the seed of the Kingdom and true change in the world.

Jesus died on the cross as he had lived, resisting the power of the empire within and without as he spoke forgiveness for all the injustice he was served, and submitted his life to his Father in heaven.

Luke 23:34, 46 (ESV)

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

Luke 23:26-56 (ESV)

26  And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30  Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’, and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32  Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33  And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38  There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39  One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44  It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.



50  Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55  The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

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v3 – Jesus claims to be King of the Jews.

v14 – Jesus was not inciting a rebellion.

v19 – Barabbas had been sentenced for insurrection, and the people wanted his release.

v46 – His last prayer is submission and surrender.