Mark 15:6

Mark 15:6 says, Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. Pilate released one prisoner at the Feast of the Passover every year, and perceiving that Jesus had really done nothing wrong, but was there because of the envy of the priests, he thought he saw a way around executing Jesus.  Verse seven adds, And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. Verse eight states, And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.  The people were demanding that he release one prisoner as he always had.  This was there chance to free Jesus no matter what the chief priests might want. We cannot allow religious leaders to influence us to reject Jesus, no matter what they might offer instead. Verse nine adds, But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?  Verse ten continues, For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. Pilate thought if he gave the people a choice between Barabbas, an insurrectionist and murderer, and Jesus, whom they had so recently been praising, that they would choose to let Jesus go free.  Jesus has still done nothing wrong, but people still choose the sin of this world, and those who commit them over Jesus.  If we choose to believe anyone or anything above believing Jesus, this is really what we are doing.  Verse eleven says, But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. The chief priests, the religious leaders, had convinced the people to ask for Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus.  I pray that we as Christians never get that far away from God's will, and if we truly are following the leadership of the Holy Spirit after accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we never will. Verse twelve adds, And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?  Verse thirteen continues, And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then, Pilate asked the people, God's Chosen People, what to do with Jesus, and they said crucify Him.  We have to accept the fact that we are just as guilty as they were then.  We have all chosen something over Jesus, until we accept Him as our Savior and Lord, and this is only possible because He was crucified for our sins.   Pilate attempted to avoid making a decision about what to do with Jesus, but he couldn't, and neither can we today.  We only have two choices, and that is to accept everlasting life with God by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, or to spend our everlasting life separated from Him by rejecting Jesus Christ. Though the sacrifice is already made, it is no good to us unless we accept it.