Matthew 27:20-23
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What's easy to miss here is that the chief priests and elders didn't just suggest asking for Barabbas, they actively persuaded the crowd. This reveals a calculated manipulation of public opinion, using the crowd's desire for a prisoner's release to ensure Jesus' death, rather than a spontaneous outcry. They essentially weaponized the crowd's choice to achieve their own sinister goal.
Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pilate, trying to appease the crowd, offers them a choice between releasing Jesus or the notorious prisoner Barabbas, a choice made more complex by his wife's warning about Jesus' innocence. However, the chief priests and elders actively manipulate the crowd, convincing them to demand Barabbas' release and Jesus' crucifixion. This manipulation solidifies the people's choice, leading to Barabbas being freed and Jesus being condemned to death.
Ever wonder how a crowd can shift so quickly? One minute they're shouting 'Hosanna,' the next it's 'Crucify him!' What’s behind such a drastic turn?
Matthew 27:20 reveals a deliberate manipulation. The chief priests and elders didn't just hope the crowd would turn on Jesus; they actively persuaded them. Think of them as master strategists, knowing exactly how to sway public opinion. They used their influence and the crowd’s existing prejudices to push for Jesus’s death and Barabbas’s release.
This wasn't a spontaneous uprising. It was a coordinated effort to redirect the people's desires. The religious leaders knew the crowd had a choice, and they worked hard to make sure Jesus was not the one chosen. Their goal was clear: destroy Jesus, who they saw as a threat to their authority, and save Barabbas, a criminal, to illustrate how they valued a known rebel over the King of Kings.
Barabbas was no ordinary prisoner. What does choosing him over Jesus say about the human heart?
The stark contrast between Jesus and Barabbas is critical. Barabbas was imprisoned for insurrection and murder – a violent rebel. Jesus was presented as innocent, even by Pilate and his wife. Yet, the crowd, influenced by the priests and elders, chose the murderer.
This wasn't just about letting one prisoner go. It was a profound statement about what people valued. They rejected the 'Holy and Just One' (as Peter later describes Jesus) in favor of a known criminal. This choice mirrors the ongoing human tendency to prefer our own perceived freedoms or desires (represented by the lawless Barabbas) over the true, costly freedom and righteousness found in Christ. It’s a choice between self-rule and God’s rule, and tragically, the crowd chose self-rule.
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Understand the original words
archiereus · Greek Noun
The leaders of the Jewish religious establishment, responsible for temple worship and interpreting the Law. They held significant political and social influence and were the primary instigators in the legal pursuit of Jesus.
presbyteros · Greek Noun
The leaders of the people who held authority in matters of community governance and religious tradition. They were integral to the judicial councils that opposed Jesus' ministry.
apollymi · Greek Verb
To ruin, kill, or bring to an end. Biblically, it often refers to physical death or the spiritual ruin of one's purpose or soul, specifically used here to describe the desire of Jesus' enemies to end His earthly ministry.
hēgemōn · Greek Noun
A title used for regional Roman officials overseeing territories not fully integrated into provinces, reflecting legal and administrative authority.
Barabbas · Greek (derived from Aramaic) Noun
The personal name of the individual released in place of Jesus; literally means 'son of the father,' carrying deep ironic significance as the crowd rejects the true Son of the Father for a human substitute.
Iēsous · Greek (derived from Hebrew) Noun
The central figure of the Gospel; the name means 'YHWH is salvation' and is paired here with the title 'Christ' (Messiah).
Christos · Greek Noun
The Greek translation of the Hebrew 'Messiah' (Anointed One), referring to the King and Savior promised to Israel by God through the prophets.
stauroō · Greek Verb
A form of execution used by the Romans, characterized by extreme physical agony, shame, and public degradation, which became the instrument of Christ's atoning sacrifice.
kakos · Greek Adjective/Noun
General term for moral wickedness, malice, or depravity, often used in legal settings to denote a crime worthy of punishment.
The Passover custom of releasing a prisoner, intended to appease the public, becomes a tragic tool for the religious elite to manipulate the crowd against Jesus and in favor of a known murderer.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus gains a large following throughout Galilee, performing miracles and teaching about the Kingdom of God, which garners attention from religious authorities.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry in Judea
Jesus begins teaching more frequently in Judea, culminating in his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, where he cleanses the Temple.
c. AD 30-33
Plotting Against Jesus
The chief priests and elders, threatened by Jesus' influence and popular support, conspire to arrest and execute him.
c. AD 30-33
The Passover Festival in Jerusalem
The city of Jerusalem swells with pilgrims for the Passover festival, creating a volatile atmosphere ripe for public opinion to be swayed.
c. AD 30-33
Pilate's Wife's Warning
Pilate's wife sends him a message after a disturbing dream, warning him to have nothing to do with Jesus, whom she calls a 'righteous man'.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
The Crowd Demands Barabbas
The chief priests and elders manipulate the crowd, successfully persuading them to demand the release of the murderer Barabbas instead of Jesus.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion
Despite Pilate's attempts to acquit him, Jesus is condemned and crucified under the pressure of the crowd and the Jewish leaders.
Peter directly accuses the crowd, stating they 'denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you.'
John 18:39This passage describes Pilate's attempt to use the Passover custom to release Jesus, highlighting the crowd's choice to prioritize a known criminal over Jesus.
Isaiah 53:7This prophecy beautifully anticipates Jesus' silent suffering, stating 'He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.'
Galatians 3:13Paul explains that Christ 'redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,' underscoring that Jesus took on the condemnation meant for sinners like those choosing Barabbas.
1 Peter 2:22Peter emphasizes Jesus' sinlessness, stating 'He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth,' directly contrasting with the choice 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 27:20: "But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus."
Persuaded the multitude - The release of a prisoner was to be to the people, not to the rulers. The rulers, therefore, in order to secure the condemnation of Jesus, urged on the people to demand Barabbas. The people were greatly under the influence of the priests. Galileans among the citizens of Jerusalem were held in contempt. The priests turned the pretensions of Jesus i…
What's easy to miss here is that the chief priests and elders didn't just suggest asking for Barabbas, they actively persuaded the crowd. This reveals a calculated manipulation of public opinion, using the crowd's desire for a prisoner's release to ensure Jesus' death, rather than a spontaneous outcry. They essentially weaponized the crowd's choice to achieve their own sinister goal.
Pilate, trying to appease the crowd, offers them a choice between releasing Jesus or the notorious prisoner Barabbas, a choice made more complex by his wife's warning about Jesus' innocence. However, the chief priests and elders actively manipulate the crowd, convincing them to demand Barabbas' release and Jesus' crucifixion. This manipulation solidifies the people's choice, leading to Barabbas being freed and Jesus being condemned to death.
Pilate, trying to appease the crowd, offers them a choice between releasing Jesus or the notorious prisoner Barabbas, a choice made more complex by his wife's warning about Jesus' innocence. However, the chief priests and elders actively manipulate the crowd, convincing them to demand Barabbas' release and Jesus' crucifixion. This manipulation solidifies the people's choice, leading to Barabbas being freed and Jesus being condemned to death.
"Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then wh…" — What's easy to miss here is that the chief priests and elders didn't just suggest asking for Barabbas, they actively persuaded the crowd. This reveals a calculated manipulation of public opinion,…
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Last reviewed October 2026
