¹³ Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. ¹⁵ Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶ I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”¹⁸ Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!” ¹⁹ (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰ Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; ²¹ but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” ²² A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” ²³ But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. ²⁵ He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.” Luke 23:13-25

This is written by Gustav Janouch called “Conversations with Kafka”: 

Kafka suddenly stood still and stretched out his hand.  “Look! There, there! Can you see it?”  Out of the house…ran a small dog looking like a ball of wool, which crossed our path and disappeared around the corner…  “A pretty little dog,” I said.  “A dog?” asked Kafka suspiciously, and slowly we began to move again.  “A small, young dog.  Didn’t you see it?”  “I saw.  But was it a dog?” Kafka asked.  “It was a poodle.” I said.  Kafka said, “A poodle?  It could be a dog, but it could also be a sign.  We Jews often make tragic mistakes.”  “It was only a dog,” I said.  “It would be a good thing if it was,” Kafka nodded.  “But (that) only is true only for him who uses it.  What one person takes to be a bundle of rags, or a dog, is for another a sign…There is always something unaccounted for.”  We walked in silence….I said, “Bloy writes that the tragic guilt of the Jews is that they did not recognize the Messiah.”  “Perhaps that really is so,” said Kafka.  “Perhaps they really did not recognize him.”

It is obvious that most people did not recognize Jesus for who he really was. But could we expect otherwise – he was not the kind of Messiah they were expecting. They were expecting a mighty “beast” who would destroy the enemies of Israel – instead they received a “bundle of rags” who soaked up all of their pain into himself.

Pastor Dave