Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
So Pilate let Barabbas go free. But Jesus? He had him beaten with whips, then handed him over to be crucified.
The innocent one took the punishment while the guilty one walked free.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of first-century Judea under Roman rule, Pontius Pilate, the governor, had a custom of releasing a prisoner during the Passover festival to maintain peace among the Jewish people. The crowd, influenced by religious leaders, chose to free Barabbas, a violent insurrectionist, instead of Jesus, who was seen as a threat to their authority. This led to Jesus being scourged, a brutal Roman flogging, and handed over for crucifixion, fulfilling prophecies about the Messiah's suffering.
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