“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.” Mark 15:15 NIV
When you find out that you’re expecting a child, one of the first inexpensive purchases will most likely make is a pacifier. And if you did not purchase one before your child’s birth, you will most certainly buy one soon after. When your little one is crying uncontrollably and nothing else works, you turn to the pacifier. So much so, that as soon as the pacifier falls from their little mouth, you are just as quick to put it back in.
In the NLT version, it replaces the word “satisfy” with “pacify”. Pilate wanted to pacify the crowd as a parent will for their child. His way of silencing the crowd from their shouting and uproar was to offer Jesus as their pacifier.
What I find interesting is that for the believer in Christ, He is our pacifier even today. He calms the storms. He provides direction when we seek Him. He answers our prayers. He is our comforter, our counsellor, and our provider. And above all things, He humbly gave his life as a sacrifice for all our sins – He is our Saviour.
We have within our sinful nature the desire to please others. Pilate was no different, even to the point of having Christ crucified on the cross. Instead of trying to please others, may we remember to look unto the Lord as our pacifier and begin to please Him – the one who took our place on that cross.
Lock Your Wings 
My prayer is that I seek to please Him above and beyond all others, no matter the cost now…for my reward will come later when I leave this earth!
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Amen Alan!
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Great analogy!
This stood out for me: “But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.”
Mark 15:5 NLT
We often plead our case (especially when we’re right but often when we’re wrong too) and for Jesus to be silent would have been curious to Pilate. The fact that Pilate was surprised could have so many interpretations: Did Pilate feel Jesus’ silence made him appear guilty? Did Pilate feel slighted that as someone who had the power to release or condemn him that Jesus essentially shunned him? Was Pilate impressed with Jesus’ ability to ignore the present circumstances and allow whatever happened to happen? I think I would have felt in awe that Jesus didn’t even try to plead his case.
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