Matthew 27:15-17
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What's easy to miss here is the deeply ironic twist of this custom. It was meant to be an act of grace during a feast celebrating deliverance, yet the crowd uses it to demand the death of the true Deliverer, choosing a murderer instead. This highlights how even well-intentioned traditions can be twisted by hearts full of malice.
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage occurs during the Passover feast, a time when the Roman governor, Pilate, had a custom of releasing a prisoner to the crowd. The Jewish leaders, driven by envy and malice, had handed Jesus over to Pilate, who recognized their wicked motives and even received a warning from his wife about Jesus' innocence. Pilate, seeking to appease the crowd and perhaps hoping to save Jesus, offered them a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious prisoner involved in an insurrection and murder.
Ever wondered why the governor would release a prisoner during Passover? It wasn't a divine command, but a political move.
Pilate's practice of releasing a prisoner during the Passover feast was a custom, not a law. Scholars suggest it was a deliberate tactic by the Roman governors to win favor with the Jewish people, easing the burden of Roman rule. By offering this small indulgence, they hoped to appear more gracious and prevent unrest. It was a way to 'keep the peace' and make their oppressive government more palatable, even if it meant overlooking justice.
This custom highlights how human political maneuvering can intersect with divine plans. While the Romans saw it as a tool for control, God was orchestrating a scenario for His ultimate purposes.
In a moment of high drama, the crowd had to choose between a notorious criminal and the Son of God. What does their decision reveal?
The custom presented a stark, unintended choice: release Barabbas or release Jesus. Barabbas was a known rebel and murderer, someone society would typically condemn. Yet, when given the chance, the crowd, swayed by the chief priests, overwhelmingly chose him over Jesus.
This isn't just about a historical crowd; it's a timeless picture of human nature. We often have a choice between the familiar comfort of our sins (represented by Barabbas) and the challenging, transformative path of righteousness with Christ. The choice reveals our deepest desires and what we truly value.
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This passage seems like a legal loophole gone wrong, but look closer – God's plan is unfolding even in the chaos.
The entire scenario – the Passover feast, the custom of release, the presence of a notorious prisoner like Barabbas, and Pilate's attempts to free Jesus – was orchestrated by God's sovereign hand. Even though human hearts were filled with malice, envy, and political expediency, God used these flawed elements to fulfill His redemptive plan.
Pilate, trying to navigate a difficult political situation and convinced of Jesus' innocence, became an unwitting instrument in God's hands. The crowd's clamor and the chief priests' manipulation, rather than thwarting God's will, actually served to reveal the depth of human sin and the necessity of Christ's sacrifice. God allowed this 'custom' to be twisted into a tool for His ultimate salvation.
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.
desmios · Greek Noun
A person held in custody by legal authority, often awaiting trial or punishment. Biblically, it can also metaphorically describe one bound by sin or spiritual captivity.
Christos · Greek Noun
The title 'Christ' is the Greek translation of the Hebrew 'Messiah' (Mashiach), meaning 'the Anointed One.' It refers to the one chosen and empowered by God to be the Savior, Prophet, Priest, and King of His people.
c. 27 AD
Pilate's Governorship in Judea
Pontius Pilate served as the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea from AD 26 to 36. His tenure was marked by tension with the Jewish population due to his insensitivity to their religious customs.
c. 27-33 AD
The Passover Festival
This verse refers to the Feast of the Passover, a major Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. During this time, large numbers of Jews, including pilgrims, would gather in Jerusalem.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Roman Custom of Prisoner Release
It was a custom, likely introduced by the Romans to gain favor, for the governor to release a prisoner of the crowd's choosing during the Passover feast. This practice aimed to appease the populace during Roman rule.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus and Barabbas Trial
During the Passover festival, Jesus was brought before Pilate. Pilate, pressured by the chief priests and the crowd, offered them a choice between releasing Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious prisoner.
This passage parallels Matthew's account, showing Pilate offering the crowd a choice between Jesus and another prisoner, Barabbas, highlighting the custom's function in a pivotal moment of decision.
Mark 15:6Mark also mentions this Passover custom, emphasizing that the governor was accustomed to release any prisoner the crowd wanted, framing the release of Barabbas as a direct response to the people's will.
Luke 23:17Luke further details this tradition, stating that the governor had to release a prisoner to the people at the feast, underscoring the political pressure Pilate was under due to this established practice.
Exodus 12:14While not a direct parallel, the Passover itself was a commemoration of God's mercy and liberation, making the custom of releasing a prisoner during this feast a powerful, albeit perverted, echo of God's own act of deliverance.
Isaiah 53:7This prophecy speaks of the Suffering Servant being led like a lamb to the slaughter, silent and unjustly condemned, which directly mirrors Jesus's situation as he is presented to the crowd instead of the guilty Barabbas.
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…
What's easy to miss here is the deeply ironic twist of this custom. It was meant to be an act of grace during a feast celebrating deliverance, yet the crowd uses it to demand the death of the true Deliverer, choosing a murderer instead. This highlights how even well-intentioned traditions can be twisted by hearts full of malice.
This passage occurs during the Passover feast, a time when the Roman governor, Pilate, had a custom of releasing a prisoner to the crowd. The Jewish leaders, driven by envy and malice, had handed Jesus over to Pilate, who recognized their wicked motives and even received a warning from his wife about Jesus' innocence. Pilate, seeking to appease the crowd and perhaps hoping to save Jesus, offered them a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious prisoner involved in an insurrection and murder.
This passage occurs during the Passover feast, a time when the Roman governor, Pilate, had a custom of releasing a prisoner to the crowd. The Jewish leaders, driven by envy and malice, had handed Jesus over to Pilate, who recognized their wicked motives and even received a warning from his wife about Jesus' innocence. Pilate, seeking to appease the crowd and perhaps hoping to save Jesus, offered them a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious prisoner involved in an insurrection and murder.
"Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to releas…" — What's easy to miss here is the deeply ironic twist of this custom. It was meant to be an act of grace during a feast celebrating deliverance, yet the crowd uses it to demand the death of the true De…
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Last reviewed October 2026
