Stupid People

Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” [Luke 23.18]

I just picked randomly one of the scriptures that described this event.

The "crowd" became riotous demanding Jesus' death. It wasn't just the religious leaders.

Why did the crowd turn on Jesus? What had He done to them besides heal their sick and raise their dead?

The fact is, the crowd was persuaded by their leaders:

Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. [Matthew 27.20]

The crowd actually had nothing for which to hate Jesus. They were simply uninformed - or perhaps more correctly, misinformed. They were, what I call, "stupid people."

The thing is, stupid people have always existed. They were there in Jesus' day and they still exist today. I see stupid people every day.

But the scariest thing is this: I am a "stupid people."

Left to myself and my own devices, I am undoubtedly one of the stupid people I have described here. I am just as guilty as Caiaphas (who Jesus told Pilate was guilty of a greater sin: Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” [John 19.11]).

Did no person in the crowd think what was happening was wrong? Well, Pilate did (even though he wasn't in the crowd).

For what it is worth, it was necessary that stupid people prevail in killing the Son of God. It was the only way to prove once and for all that stupid people need salvation. Their demonstration of complete ignorance and unbridled sin would forever confirm and seal the "guilty" verdict of upon mankind. They were the crowd - we are the crowd - stupid, sinful people in need of a Savior.

I am guessing that not a single person of the crowd got out of bed that day intent on participating in the death of an innocent man.

The lessons here are endless.

Father, I confess that, within me, lies the link to the stupid people - the crowd - discussed here. I believe, by faith, that You have taken residence in me by Your Holy Spirit to save me from, among other things, my stupid self. You are good and You are amazing - thank You.