“Chief Priests and rulers of the people!”

Luke 23:13-21                                    (ESV)

“13 Pilate then called together the “Chief Priests and the rulers and the people”,

14 and said to them, "You brought me this MAN as one who was misleading the people. And after examining HIM before you, behold, I DID NOT find this MAN GUILTY OF ANY OF YOUR CHARGES against HIM.

15 NEITHER DID HEROD, for he sent HIM back to us. Look, NOTHING deserving death has been done by HIM.

16 I will therefore punish and release HIM."

18 But they (the Chief Priests and rulers of the people) all cried out together, "Away with this MAN, and release to us Barabbas"-

19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder.

20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release JESUS,

21 but THEY (the Chief Priests and rulers of the people) kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify HIM!"

Having a TITLE before one’s name is thought by most to be a sign of respect, maybe even honor. To some, however, the title they have can be a burden, such a any politician these days!  The “Chief Priests and rulers of the people” might have been thought of very highly by some, but having JESUS crucified was not a popular thing according to Luke 23:48. There Scripture records “And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, RETURNED HOME BEATING THEIR BREASTS”!  However, the “Chief Priests and rulers of the people” got their way as GOD IN THE FLESH was sacrificed for the sins of all mankind, including their sins of having HIM crucified!

The “Chief Priests and rulers of the people” thought they were eliminating their nemesis.  But JESUS defeated death, Hell and the grave and turned the tables on them and accomplished the WILL OF THE FATHER, providing Salvation for all Who the FATHER chose to Believe.  Psalms 7:14-16 says “Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.  He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made.  His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.”  Don’t you think the “Chief Priests and rulers of the people” heard that verse ringing in their ears as JESUS rose from the dead on that first Easter morning???

There is no person who can escape the consequences of their actions.  Numbers 32:23 concludes with “....be sure YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT”.  “Chief Priests and rulers of the people” found out about this with an EVERLASTING consequence.  Although “this world” may have seen them as elite, eternity will reveal TRUTH, and that will be more than some want revealed.  

Being a “Chief Priests and rulers of the people” will never be something that I have to contend with, but that is fine with me because the Righteousness of JESUS has been imputed upon me.  Knowing that JESUS paid a tremendous debt for us should cause us to celebrate that we are NOT a “Chief Priests and rulers of the people”!!!