Jesus or Barrabas

But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.  And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
Mark 15:9, 11, 15

Pilate had to release either Jesus or Barrabas.  One had no guilt and the other was a murderer. He really should not have had a hard time deciding who to release but he played a political game. Pilate cleverly asked the people who they wanted released.

Politics can change the outcome of many issues because there are people who have vested interest. It was the chief priests who influenced the people's decision to asked for Barrabas to be released.

Pilate did not want to offend the chief priests so he had no choice than to please the people even though his wife told him to release Jesus.
Jesus was crucified as a result of the people's choice. God used  this crisis even though it was a difficult choice for Jesus. The last enemy- death was destroyed when Jesus rose up from the dead after three days.

When we choose to do good and live by the truth, we will encounter opposition. The enemies will not prevail as long as we hold on to our faith in God.