Matthew 27 Barabbas or Jesus

[seekeroftruth]

Matthew 27:15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus (b) Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.​

This is how one commentary explains what happened.

At the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished: Judging there was something different - and innocent - about Jesus, Pilate hoped this custom of releasing a prisoner might help solve the problem.

A notorious prisoner called Barabbas: Mark 15:7 tells us what made Barabbas notorious. He was one of several insurrectionists, who had committed murder in the insurrection. We would today regard a man like Barabbas as something like a revolutionary terrorist.

For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy: Pilate saw through the manipulative words of the religious leaders. He knew their motive was envy, not any other concern.

Because of envy: "Let it be remembered that malice as often originates from envy as it does from anger."​

The easy english commentary makes it a little more understandable.

Pilate thought that he could escape from his problem. It was the custom to free one prisoner as a sign of Roman kindness. He would offer a choice to the crowd. Barabbas was in prison because he had attacked the Romans. He had murdered people during the attack. But the Jewish people probably thought that he was a hero. He had opposed the Romans. Barabbas means ‘a father’s son’, so he may have come from a good family. Perhaps not to use the father’s name protected the family from their son’s wrong actions. Or his character may have been similar to his father’s character. Jesus was the ‘the Father’s Son’. He was like his Father because he loved other people. Some writers record Barabbas’s first name as ‘Jesus’. Other writers may have left the name out on purpose.​

So Pilate offered the choice between Jesus and Barabbas. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. He should have freed him at once, but he was afraid of the Jewish people. They had complained to his superior officers about his actions several times:

1. When he first went to the Judea region, he brought the Roman flags into Jerusalem. But they had the image of the great king in Rome on them. The Romans considered their king to be a god. So this was against what the Jews believed. Pilate had to remove the flags. The Jews were prepared to die rather than to allow pictures of any other god in their city.
2. Pilate improved the water supply to Jerusalem. But he used money that the Jews had given for the Temple.
3. He had ordered his soldiers to kill some people from Galilee in the Temple (Luke 13:1-4). It was against Jewish Law for foreigners to enter the Temple. It was also against the Law to kill people like that, especially in that holy place.
4. Pilate wanted to free Jesus. But the Jews accused him of not being loyal to Caesar, the great king (John 19:12).​

So the leaders of the Temple knew that they had boxed Pilate in.
Pilate hoped that offering to free Jesus rather than Barabbas would work him out of the corner.

Jesus knew what was going to happen.

 

[cheezgrits]

Excellent commentary! Lays out the manipulative ways of the Jewish leaders at the time and how it played into the politics. To me personally, it is another example of how man screws up organized religion.

 

[seekeroftruth]

Excellent commentary! Lays out the manipulative ways of the Jewish leaders at the time and how it played into the politics. To me personally, it is another example of how man screws up organized religion.

That's what I was thinking.