Mark 15:6

Pilate furnished many opportunities for releasing Jesus, in the first place contrasting a robber with the Just One. Wherefore it is said: "Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired."

Which indeed he was accustomed to do, to obtain favour with the people, and above all, on the feast day, when the people of the whole province of the Jews flocked to Jerusalem. And that the wickedness of the Jews might appear the greater, the enormity of the sin of the robber, whom they preferred to Christ, is next described. Wherefore there follows: "And there was one Barabbas, who lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection." In which words their wickedness is shewn both from the heinousness of his signal crime, in that he had committed murder, and from the way in which he did it, because he had in doing it raised a sedition and disturbed the city, and also because his crime was notorious, for he was bound with seditious persons. It goes on: "And the multitude," when it had come up, "began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them."

No one can feel it a difficulty that Matthew is silent as to their asking some one to be released unto them, which Mark here mentions; for it is a thing of no consequence that one should mention a thing which another leaves out. There follows: "But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered Him for envy." Some one may ask, which were the words of which Pilate made use, those which are related by Matthew, or those which Mark relates; for there seems to be a difference between, "Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?" as Matthew has it; and, "Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?" as is here said. But since they gave to kings the name of Christs, he who said this man or that must have asked whether they wished the King of the Jews to be released unto them, that is, Christ. It makes no difference to the sense that Mark has said nothing of Barabbas, wishing only to mention what belonged to the Lord, since by their answer he sufficiently shewed whom they wished to have released to them. For there follows: "But the Chief Priests moved the people that he should rather release unto them Barabbas."

This demand which the Jews made with such toil to themselves still sticks to them. Because, when the choice was given to them, they chose a robber instead of Christ, a murderer instead of the Saviour, they deservedly lost their salvation and their life, and they subjected themselves to such a degree to robbery and sedition, that they lost their country and their kingdom which they preferred to Christ, and never regained their liberty, body or soul. Then Pilate gives another opportunity of releasing the Saviour, when there follows, "And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I should do unto the King of the Jews?"

It now is clear enough that Mark means by "King of the Jews" what Matthew means by the word, "Christ"; for no kings but those of the Jews were called Christs. For in this place according to Matthew it is said, "What then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?" [Matt 27:22] There follows: "And they cried out again, "Crucify him!"

Now see the wickedness of the Jews, and the moderation of Pilate, though he too was worthy of condemnation for not resisting the people. For they cried out, "Crucify"; he faintly tries to save Jesus from their determined sentence, and again puts a question to them. Wherefore there follows: "Then Pilate said unto them, "Why, what evil hath he done?" For he wished in this way to find an opportunity for releasing Christ, who was innocent.

But the Jews giving loose to their madness do not answer the question of the judge. Wherefore it goes on, "And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him!," that those words of the Prophet Jeremiah might be fulfilled, "Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest, it crieth out against me." [Jer 12:8] There follows: "And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified."

He wished indeed to satisfy the people, that is, to do their will, not what was agreeable to justice and to God.

Here are two goats; one is the scape goat, that is, one loosed and sent out into the wilderness of hell with the sin of the people; the other is slain, as a lamb, for the sins of those who are forgiven. The Lord's portion is always slain; the devil's part, (for he is the master of those men, which is the meaning of Barabbas,) when freed, is cast headlong into hell.

We must understand that Jesus was scourged by no other than Pilate himself. For John writes: "Pilate took Jesus, and scourged Him," [John 19:1] which we must suppose that he did, that the Jews might be satisfied with Him pains and insults, and cease from thirsting for His blood.

33. Mark also presents an almost entire identity with the above, both in language and in subject. The words, however, in which Pilate replied to the people when they asked him to release one prisoner according to the custom of the feast, are reported by this evangelist as follows: “But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” On the other hand, Matthew gives them thus: “Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” There need be no difficulty in the circumstance that Matthew says nothing about the people having requested that one should be released unto them. But it may fairly be asked, what were the words which Pilate actually uttered, whether these reported by Matthew, or those recited by Mark. …

Now let us consider again more minutely what has been read out. (Recapitulation.) In the first place, he establishes the point that the miracle was performed by them; saying, “Why marvel ye?” And he will not let the assertion be disbelieved: and to give it more weight, he anticipates their judgment. “Why look ye,” he says, “so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” ( v. 12 .) If this troubles and confounds you, learn Who was the Doer, and be not amazed. And observe how on all occasions when he refers to God, and says that all things are from Him, then he fearlessly chides them: as above where he said, “A man approved of God among you.” ( ch. ii. 22 .) And on all occasions he reminds them of the outrage they had committed, in order that the fact of the Resurrection may be established. …