Their religious leaders, all of them, who never agree on anything, agreed that Jesus is going to attract the attention of the Roman Empire, especially during Passover, in which Rome will come down fast and hard on the entire nation. So, when Jesus is accused, brought by Pilate before the angry mobs, there’s much animosity and they anxiously wanted to be rid of him.  Jesus, in their minds, never did what they wanted him to do.  Mindsets from the people’s perspective, he never defeated the Romans, he never dissolved the unfair tax system, he never put common people in charge of the government, and furthermore, he never would. To appease the crowds that swelled the city of Jerusalem, Pilate had the custom of releasing prisoners, many of whom were political prisoners.  But on this last week in the life of Jesus, Pilate offers the crowd a choice between Barabbas, a known robber, and Jesus, a failed Messiah.  

   But for one moment, ask yourself, “If you had been in Jerusalem that day, and had seen both processions passing by, which would you have chosen to follow…what would have been your expectations?” More often than not we tend to look at things only on the surface without going deeper for better interpretive value. Because that is the choice we make each day.  To choose power and might over love.  To choose “the way things are done” over “the way God intends them to be.” There were two processions, two theologies and really, two choices. Again, which would you have chosen?