"Release for us Barabbas!"

Today (3/29/05), in an Associated Press story, the "Colorado Supreme Court threw out the death penalty for a convicted murderer [and kidnapper, and rapist] because jurors discussed verses from Scripture."[1] Why should we be surprised? The God of the Bible, Who's Word is the basis for all Law (both in actuality and historically in the US), has not only been abandoned by our legal system, but now cases are being thrown out and right convictions overturned because His Word is discussed among professing believer jurors.[2]

How fitting that on the heals of the Terri Schiavo case, where the innocent is being sentenced to death, that the murderer should be allowed to live. This sounds very similar to Jesus' trial before the Roman Governor, Pilate in Luke chapter 23, verses 14-25:

. . . I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. 15 "No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. 16 "Therefore I will punish Him and release Him." 17 [Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.] 18 But they cried out all together, saying, "Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!" 19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept on calling out, saying, "Crucify, crucify Him!" 22 And he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him." 23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. 24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. 25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Only in this case it is the people who are insisting that the innocent [3] be set free (Terri Schiavo) and the murder (Robert Harlan) be put to death, but the governing bodies will not hear of it.

Notes:
[1] http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=621862
[2] This information was gathered while watching a ABC News interview with the juror who brought the Bible to the deliberations. She said that one of the jurors, who professed to be a Christian, felt that giving the death penalty would be a violation of the 6th Commandment: "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). Certain Bible verses were discussed between believers to see what saith the Lord.
[3] By "innocent" I mean she has broken no civil law which is punishable by death. Whether or not she is innocent in God's eyes, that is, if she has been given the righteousness of Christ through faith, God only knows. "[F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).