They Wanted The Thief Instead of Jesus
Jesus commanded His followers to go into all the world and teach the truth. But throughout Scripture, we see that not everyone wants to hear that truth.
Jesus was rejected in His own hometown of Nazareth. Pilate stood face-to-face with Jesus and asked, “What is truth?” And when given the opportunity to release Jesus, the crowd demanded that Barabbas—a thief and criminal—be released instead.
Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when people would not endure sound doctrine. Instead, they would look for teachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear.
In this episode, we explore why people reject truth, why they sometimes prefer what is wrong over what is right, and why our responsibility isn’t to change the truth to make people comfortable.
We are called to proclaim the truth—even when people don’t want to hear it.
There is something uncomfortable about the story of Barabbas.
The crowd had a choice.
Jesus or Barabbas.
Truth or rebellion.
The innocent Son of God or a guilty criminal.
And they chose Barabbas.
But this wasn’t an isolated example of people rejecting truth. In Luke 4, Jesus was rejected by the people of Nazareth—people who knew Him and knew where He came from. In John 18, Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Yet truth was standing right in front of him.
Paul later warned Timothy that people would reach a point where they would not want sound doctrine. They would turn away from truth and seek messages that made them feel comfortable.
That’s why Jesus gave His followers the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. We aren’t commanded to make the Gospel more acceptable. We’re commanded to go, teach, and make disciples.
The response to truth belongs to the hearer.
Our responsibility is to faithfully proclaim it.
Scriptures
- Matthew 28:19-20
- Luke 4
- Luke 23:16-25
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4
- John 18:38
Application Questions
- Am I willing to hear God’s truth even when it challenges me?
- Have I ever rejected something simply because it wasn’t what I wanted to hear?
- Do I value truth more than comfort?
- Am I more concerned with being accepted by people or being faithful to God’s Word?
- When I share the Gospel, am I trying to make the message acceptable—or am I faithfully proclaiming the truth?
- What does the choice between Jesus and Barabbas teach me about the human heart?
Short Prayer
Lord, help us to love Your truth even when it challenges us. Give us courage to hear Your Word with an open heart and humility to change when Your truth shows us that we are wrong. Help us never to compromise the Gospel simply because people don’t want to hear it. Give us boldness to proclaim Jesus faithfully and wisdom to do it with grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Key Verse
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV)
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
