Pilate didn't have the fortitude to buck the crowd's will. Instead, he read the poll numbers and followed the will of the crowd rather than doing the right thing. So Pilate "turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished." They had insisted that a murderer be released and Jesus be crucified. As insane as this insistence seems, that type of thing is what often happens when a crowd determines the agenda. All throughout Jesus' ministry, the crowd had sought to possess him and make him into what they wanted him to be. Jesus didn't let them. Now the crowd called for his death because they couldn't make Jesus do their bidding and because the religious leaders had incited the crowd against Jesus. The crowd got its wish with Pilate. Will the crowd get its wish with us and with our lives? Or will we choose Jesus and the way of the Lord? Let's remember that the way of Christ is quite often unacceptable to the crowd. If we ever doubt this truth, all we have to do is to be reminded of the cross and the Savior.