"THEY TOOK" in vs.16 of the KJV, but vs.17 in other versions. (It must be noted these numerical divisions are mechanical divisions later added by man for convenient reference.) "THEY," meaning these Jews with their acting agents of the palace guards: 4 soldiers (quaternion - seen clearly in 19:23 in the "FOUR PARTS...A PART TO EVERY SOLDIER"), and 1 centurion in charge. For this, Peter will later condemn them in his first 3 sermons: (1) on Pentecost, Acts 2:23; (2) in the Temple, 3:15; and (3) when arrested, 4:8-12. Their deed will not go unnoticed! This is the same Peter who stood silent outside their Council in his hour of fear, known to them now, but reassured by His resurrected Saviour. Empowered to witness against them, he no longer fears them.

"LED HIM AWAY" Journey a few weeks forward in time and hear Philip as he explains to the Ethiopian eunuch the subject of Isaiah's prophecy, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a dumb lamb before the shearers."

The very Son of God who could have commanded 12 legions of angels for His release, yet freely bearing His cross, marching toward His appointed rendezvous with the most noble death of all mankind. "It is appointed unto man once to die...so Christ was offered to bear the sins of many." Jesus, a man, suffering the curse of all men! Some men die at their own hand in rebellious suicide, others by "accident," while some quietly slip away in peaceful sleep, and a noble thing it is for a friend to die to save another. But never a man lived like this man whose single death could save all men. What a Friend this Jesus!

The cross of Barabbas, Bar-abbas, "son of fathers" -- all men's, every man's, mine, now "HIS CROSS." As stated above, John does not give the scene in transition from the Judgment Hall to Calvary, as do the Synoptics. With Jesus' physical stamina now ebbing away, He likely stumbles under the strain of His burden, hence Simon is called into service to carry Christ's cross. As Barabbas' cross is representative of every man's crime Christ took to Himself when taking his cross, Simon's taking Christ's cross is representative of every man who comes to Christ being called into service, denying his self-chosen course in life and taking up His cross for daily discipleship. Do you see the transfer here? From Barabbas a criminal to Simon a co-laborer! From a life of sin to one of service. All men must allow Christ to take their cross of sin, but receive the transfer of Christ's cross of service! Our cross too heavy to bear, His burden light and easy to carry. Listen to Paul's testimony to the cross: "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

As Jesus lived among men and men saw His Glory, some receiving and some rejecting, so will He die among men. John has continually contrasted two types of respondents to Jesus as the Light of the world. Here he uncharacteristically depends on the Synoptics to illustrate this contrast seen in the two criminals hanging on either side of Jesus. He will stay with his stated purpose of showing the humanity of Jesus through His sacrificial death that the reader might believe this eyewitness account of the legitimacy of the Atoning death of Christ.

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