If Pilate thought he was letting himself off the hook by trying to substitute Jesus for a known violent criminal, he had another thing coming. The crowd wasn't having it. The religious leaders were able to drive the fury of the crowd against him. In the midst of this scene, they say something pretty poignant. "Let his blood be on us and on our children." Indeed it was, but not in the way they imagined. It was the blood of a forgiving savior, cleansing his enemies.