Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Barabbas, a man who was a violent protester and had been condemned to die, is now set free. In his place Yeshu must suffer punishment for him, the righteous for the unrighteous.

There is a sutra which long before foretold that the Messiah must suffer like this, taking the punishment of ‘the many’, by dying in their place:-   “And the LORD has caused to meet on him the sinfulness of us all … by his knowledge that righteous One, my Servant, will provide righteousness for the many; you see, he shall shoulder their iniquities.”

And so it was that full and perfect liberation ( thar-pa ) from samsara ( ‘khor-ba ) was made available for all mankind.

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” And the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you?” But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. 

‘Are you a king claiming power here in this Roman province where I am governor?’, Pilate asked him.

Yeshu briefly replies, ‘You are saying it.’ But Yeshu’s words show that his meaning of king is altogether different. He was and is King of all kings.

Otherwise the accusations are not worth answering, and it is clear to Pilate that Yeshu is innocent.

And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the cock crowed. And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Peter, the man who had used his sword out of loyalty to Yeshu, and then courageously followed him into the lion’s den as it were, is now recognized.

And panic gripping him, his courage evaporates away.