Jesus stands before the highest government authority in the land, who is very confused about Jesus’ kingship and would rather not be in this situation. Pilate has heard Jesus is king of the Jews, but the Jews seem to hate their king. The Jews want Pilate to judge Jesus. It’s a crazy scene of power and authority that is based in greed, pragmatism, expedience and lies.

In the midst of this situation, Jesus boldly proclaims that His kingship and kingdom are not something the world can give and the world cannot take it away. It is a kingdom based on truth and loving sacrifice.

The first person to truly see Jesus as his substitute? A rebel named Barabbas, whose place Jesus takes.

The old hymn says, “In my place condemned He stood”. That’s the gospel in a nutshell, and it is the King of Kings, whose kingdom has no end, who was condemned in our place.