“[Pilate] knew that it was out of envy that [the religious leaders] had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Matt. 27: 18-21
The religious leaders needed the power of the crowd to accomplish their purposes. They “persuaded” them.
In churches in which there are credible allegations of wrongdoing by one or more leaders, members of the congregation have a duty to discern what is going on. Once the congregation is persuaded to see truth-tellers as the ones disturbing the peace– whether those truth-tellers are victims or whistleblowers–they often turn their backs on the innocent.
Victims frequently say this betrayal by those they believed were “family” is more painful than any abuse they experienced.
