Matthew 27:15
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse highlights a subtle but crucial detail: Pilate's choice to offer the crowd a choice between Barabbas and Jesus wasn't just about appeasing them. It was a shrewd, albeit flawed, attempt to leverage a popular custom designed to release a prisoner, knowing the stark contrast between a known criminal and Jesus would surely lead to Jesus' freedom.
As the Passover feast unfolds, the Roman governor, Pilate, is accustomed to releasing a prisoner of the crowd's choosing as a gesture of appeasement. This year, the religious leaders have brought Jesus before Pilate, who, despite recognizing Jesus' innocence and even receiving a warning from his wife, is pressured by the crowd manipulated by the priests. They are given the choice between releasing Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious prisoner involved in an insurrection and murder, setting the stage for a tragic decision.
Every Passover, a prisoner walked free. But who started this tradition, and why?
This verse reveals a fascinating practice: during the Passover feast, the Roman governor would release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. Scholars debate its exact origins. Some suggest it was an old Jewish custom adopted and continued by the Romans to gain favor with the Jewish people, easing the burden of Roman rule. Others believe the Romans introduced it themselves as a political move to appear generous and keep the peace.
Regardless of its precise beginnings, the custom served a purpose: to appease the populace and maintain order. It highlights the tension between Roman authority and Jewish expectations, especially during a feast that celebrated liberation.
What looks like mercy can hide a devastating twist. This Passover custom was used to choose between freedom and condemnation.
The true power of this custom is revealed in its application during Jesus' trial. Pilate, knowing Jesus' innocence, uses this tradition to try and save Him. He presents the crowd with a choice: release Barabbas, a notorious criminal, or release Jesus, the King of the Jews.
This setup exposes the deep-seated envy and malice of the chief priests and elders, who deliberately stirred up the crowd to demand Barabbas. It highlights the tragic irony: a custom meant for mercy becomes a tool for condemning the truly innocent, while a murderer is set free. It’s a stark illustration of how human hearts, when blinded by sin, can twist even seemingly good practices into instruments of injustice.
Understand the original words
heortē · Greek Noun
A recurring holy time established by God for the Israelites to commemorate specific historical redemptive acts and to celebrate covenant faithfulness.
desmios · Greek Noun
A person held in confinement or captivity, often restricted from freedom; biblically, it also functions as a metaphor for those bound by sin or spiritual oppression.
c. 27 BC - AD 37
Pilate Appointed Prefect of Judea
Pontius Pilate, a Roman equestrian, was appointed prefect (later governor) of Judea by Emperor Tiberius. His tenure was marked by attempts to assert Roman authority, often clashing with Jewish religious sensibilities.
During Passover Feast
Passover Feast Tradition
The Jewish Passover feast was a time of remembrance and celebration, commemorating the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian slavery. It was a significant annual pilgrimage for many Jews, drawing large crowds to Jerusalem.
Same Passover Feast— this verse
Custom of Releasing a Prisoner
It was a custom, likely introduced by Roman governors to gain favor, to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd during the Passover feast. This custom was intended to appease the populace under Roman rule.
Same Passover Feast
Barabbas and Jesus Presented
Pilate, seeking to navigate the volatile situation and influenced by his wife's warning, offered the crowd a choice between Jesus and a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
This passage directly parallels the custom mentioned in Matthew 27:15, as John's Gospel records Pilate asking the crowd whether they wanted him to release Jesus or Barabbas, explicitly referencing this Passover tradition.
Luke 23:17Similar to Matthew's account, Luke also highlights the custom of releasing a prisoner at the Passover feast, underscoring the tradition's significance in the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.
Exodus 12:1-14The Passover feast itself, described in Exodus, was a commemoration of God's merciful deliverance of Israel from slavery. The custom of releasing a prisoner at this time can be seen as a secular echo of that divine act of liberation.
Isaiah 53:7This prophetic passage describes the suffering servant being led 'like a lamb to the slaughter' and opening 'not his mouth.' This powerfully contrasts with Barabbas, who was likely a violent insurgent, highlighting the stark choice between innocence and guilt presented to the crowd.
henryMatthew 27:11-25: "And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest."
27:11-25 Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own conscience…
barnesMatthew 27:15: "Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would."
See also the parallel places in Mark 15:6-14 ; Luke 23:17-23 ; John 18:39-40 . Matthew 27:15 At that feast - The feast of the Passover. The governor was wont to release ... - that is, was "accustomed" to release. From what this custom arose, or by whom it was introduced, is not known. It was probably adopted to secure popularity among the Jews, and to render the government of the Rom…
This verse highlights a subtle but crucial detail: Pilate's choice to offer the crowd a choice between Barabbas and Jesus wasn't just about appeasing them. It was a shrewd, albeit flawed, attempt to leverage a popular custom designed to release a prisoner, knowing the stark contrast between a known criminal and Jesus would surely lead to Jesus' freedom.
As the Passover feast unfolds, the Roman governor, Pilate, is accustomed to releasing a prisoner of the crowd's choosing as a gesture of appeasement. This year, the religious leaders have brought Jesus before Pilate, who, despite recognizing Jesus' innocence and even receiving a warning from his wife, is pressured by the crowd manipulated by the priests. They are given the choice between releasing Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious prisoner involved in an insurrection and murder, setting the stage for a tragic decision.
As the Passover feast unfolds, the Roman governor, Pilate, is accustomed to releasing a prisoner of the crowd's choosing as a gesture of appeasement. This year, the religious leaders have brought Jesus before Pilate, who, despite recognizing Jesus' innocence and even receiving a warning from his wife, is pressured by the crowd manipulated by the priests. They are given the choice between releasing Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious prisoner involved in an insurrection and murder, setting the stage for a tragic decision.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Matthew 27:15 is available in the Sola app.
Same Passover Feast
Crowd Demands Barabbas' Release
Incited by the chief priests and elders, the crowd chose to have Barabbas released and Jesus crucified, rejecting Jesus despite Pilate's efforts to find him innocent.
"Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted." — This verse highlights a subtle but crucial detail: Pilate's choice to offer the crowd a choice between Barabbas and Jesus wasn't just about appeasing them. It was a shrewd, albeit flawed, attempt to…
