Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 27].
or seeking any loophole to escape condemning a harmless lunatic
or exponent of a superstitious cult such as he deemed Jesus to
be, certainly in no political sense a rival of Caesar. The Jews
interpreted "Christ" for Pilate to be a claim to be King of the
Jews in opposition to Caesar, "a most unprincipled proceeding"
(Bruce). So he bethought him of the time-honoured custom at the
passover of releasing to the people "a prisoner whom they wished"
(\desmion hon •thelon\). No parallel case has been found, but
Josephus mentions the custom (_Ant_. xx. 9,3). Barabbas was for
some reason a popular hero, a notable (\epis•mon\), if not
notorious, prisoner, leader of an insurrection or revolution (Mr
15:7) probably against Rome, and so guilty of the very crime
that they tried to fasten on Jesus who only claimed to be king in
the spiritual sense of the spiritual kingdom. So Pilate
unwittingly pitted against each other two prisoners who
represented the antagonistic forces of all time. It is an
elliptical structure in the question, "whom do you wish that I
release?" (\tina thelete apolus•;\), either two questions in one
(asyndeton) or the ellipse of \hina\ before \apolus•\. See the
same idiom in verse 21. But Pilate's question tested the Jews
as well as himself. It tests all men today. Some manuscripts add
the name Jesus to Barabbas and that makes it all the sharper.
Jesus Barabbas or Jesus Christ?
27:18 {For envy} (\dia phthonon\). Pilate was dense about many
things, but he knew that the Jewish leaders were jealous of the
power of Jesus with the people. He may have heard of the events
of the Triumphal Entry and the Temple Teaching. The envy, of
course, came primarily from the leaders.
27:19 {His wife} (\h• gun• autou\). Poor Pilate was getting more
entangled every moment as he hesitated to set Jesus free whom he
knew to be free of any crime against Caesar. Just at the moment
when he was trying to enlist the people in behalf of Jesus
against the schemes of the Jewish leaders, his wife sent a
message about her dream concerning Jesus. She calls Jesus "that
righteous man" (\t•i dikai•i ekein•i\) and her psychical
sufferings increased Pilate's superstitious fears. Tradition
names her Procla and even calls her a Christian which is not
probable. But it was enough to unnerve the weak Pilate as he sat
on the judgment-seat (\epi tou b•matos\) up over the pavement.
27:20 {Persuaded} (\epeisan\). The chief priests (Sadducees) and
elders (Pharisees) saw the peril of the situation and took no
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