Show Don't Tell: Mark 15:1-15

Instead of saying "Jesus appeared before Pilate," watch justice buckle. Very early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, teachers of the law, and the whole Sanhedrin make their plans. Binding Jesus, they lead him away and hand him over to Pilate. "Are you the king of the Jews?" "You have said so." The chief priests accuse him of many things. Pilate asks again: "Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of." But Jesus still makes no reply—Pilate is amazed. At the festival, Pilate customarily releases a prisoner the people request. A man called Barabbas is in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd asks Pilate to do for them what he usually does. "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" He knows the chief priests handed Jesus over out of envy. But the chief priests stir up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. "What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" "Crucify him!" "Why? What crime has he committed?" They shout all the louder: "Crucify him!" Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate releases Barabbas. He has Jesus flogged and hands him over to be crucified. A murderer goes free; the innocent man faces the cross.