MANIPULATION OF THE CROWDS

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. —Mark 15:15

 

Unruly crowds seek to force their ways on others. These crowds cannot get their way through communication of words and ideas, so instead they use stirring up crowds to actions that many times the crowd doesn’t even know why they are doing what they are doing. They have been manipulated. This is how riots occur which we have seen in our own country and around the world.

 

Yes, Pilate wanted to release Jesus, “knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead” (Mark 15:10-11). And so, Pilate caved to the crowd. He “released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.” Pilate set a known murderer free and condemned the innocent Jesus to be crucified. Beware of the mob mentality! They only seek their interests and are destructive, even deadly, in the process.

 

Dear Father, may I never follow the mob mentality, but instead may I seek to follow Your ways. Oh, that I would mature in Your ways by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, may this be so. (12) ps 94 sons of korah – YouTube