When Jesus was brought before Pilate; something significant happened that many of us overlook and constantly find ourselves in the same predicament throughout our journey in life.

Matthew 27:17-18″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?
18. For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

Here are people; both learned and not learned; coming before the governor of the land to seek solution to a dispute or to a situation they were facing. A situation that tore them between their logic and the spiritual; a situation that they have become tired of going back and forth; arguing between reality and truth. They were tired and came before the authorities to help them resolve the dispute once and for all; in order to rid themselves of the conflicting truths; being the reality of what they hear and see; and the truth of the Word.

Pilate was sitting on the judgement seat; meaning he was to deliver judgement to end the dispute once and for all. The dispute similar to what we face in our daily lives between the flesh and the spirit. He asked them “whom do you want me to release to you”; meaning what manner of judgement do you require from me; or what kind of solution do you want from me. This is the one sitting on the judgement seat asking them to choose between what satisfies their fleshly desires and the Truth. He is asking them to choose between what their logic tells them they deserve or the truth that comes with Christ; just as the One who sits on the judgement seat allows us the free will to choose between the two in our daily lives.

But in response; because of their anger; envy; bitterness; pride ; vengeance; or their desire to remain relevant and honoured; they choose the menace to society whom they had locked away and crucified the Truth. They chose “Barrabas” which means “son of Abba” or “son of the Father”. Both have similar meanings; but one represented the flesh and the other the Spirit or Word. Both are of the father; both created in the likeness of God.

We are all children of God, created in the likeness of God and Barrabas represents the fleshly version of ourselves (Adam); while Jesus who is the Christ represents the Spirit being living inside of us. Many times we are conflicted between the two in our journey of life; especially when situations arise that will bring us before the One who sits on the judgement seat.

We become conflicted and choose to continue with the “flesh” which is the cause of the predicament we are in; although we have tried to lock it away because it has brought no good in our lives, but pain; disappointment; betrayal; disaster and destruction; hoping that the very same flesh will bring us better fortune this time around than the freedom and liberty that the Truth promises us.

Instead through that choice we crucify the Truth; the Word; The Spirit of God that brings us liberty and freedom from our afflictions and situations; hoping that it will remain dead and never rise to prove to us that we were wrong in our beliefs and shame our hope in the flesh. But in actual fact; we come before the seat of judgement because we envy the Truth; hoping that He is truly who He says He is and can do what what He says He can do; but lack the faith to believe and release Him into our lives instead of the flesh which has been a problem in our lives.

However we are witnesses to His word and it only takes faith to allow the Christ to be released into our lives; because even if we chose barrabas and crucify Christ; the Truth will still be resurrected and make a spectacle of our hope in the flesh. Therefore choose the Spirit; for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.

T.W.Moagi