COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 163
Mark 15:6 “Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him for envy. 11But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.”
(Mark 15:6-11; Matt 27:15-20; Luke 23:14-20; John 18:39-40)
PILATE ATTEMPTS TO FOLLOW A CUSTOM
INTRODUCTION
The death of Christ had been determined by the God of heaven. In fact, that is why He was sent into the world – to lay down His life, and take it up again (John 10:17-18). This was required to extricate men from sin: the sins of humanity had to be placed upon a sinless person, who would absorb not only the responsibility for that sin, but would bear the curse that was due to the sinners. Notwithstanding this Divine determination, it was not carried out independently of human involvement, for not only must God be shown to be just in this salvation, but man must be shown to be wholly in need of it. Men, being moved along by Satan, would demand the death of Jesus in contradiction of all reason – even Gentile reasoning. They will not be casual in demanding the death of Jesus, but will press Pilate to carry it out, even over his objections, as well as the obvious violation of even human rationality. I do not believe men would ordinarily provide all of the details associated with the condemnation of a man to death. Normally, in criminal cases, the spotlight is thrown upon the deeds of the lawbreaker, confirming that justice was being carried out. However, in this case, there were no legitimate charges brought against the one being tried, and even Pilate knew it. The inspired record, therefore, provides the details of the procedure involved in the trying of Jesus, thus highlighting the sinfulness of those who delivered Him to Pilate. This is more than a mere report! It is a confirmation of the fundamental and unalterable sinfulness of men. It justifies God laying the iniquities of us all upon Jesus, for there was no other way to expiate them.
A ROMAN CUSTOM AND BAR ABBAS
“ Mark 15:6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.”
A CUSTOM: HE RELEASED UNTO THEM ONE PRISONER. The feast of reference is the Passover Feast. John declares that Pilate specifically mentioned this fact. “But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover” (John 18:39). The account of Christ’s betrayal, judgment, and death contains at least eighteen references to the Passover Feast. This was the feast mentioned by name, that Jesus observed with His disciples the night before this trial (Matt 26:2,17-19; Mk 14:1,12-16; Lk 22:17-15; John 18:28,39; 19:14). It is as though the Spirit underscores this fact in order to associate the death of Jesus with deliverance. This was the first and most important of three annual feasts of the Jews, the other two feasts being Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. These were feasts where the male population of the Jews appeared before the Lord. The Passover was a single day that was followed by, and closely associated with, the seven day feast of unleavened bread (Lev 23:5-6).
Mark says Pilate released one prisoner, of the people’s choosing, on this day. Matthew says he was “wont,” or accustomed to do this, allowing the choice of the prisoner to be made by the Jews (Matt 27:15). Luke refers to this release as something that was “of necessity” (Lk 23:17). John records Pilate saying it was a “custom” of the Jews themselves (John 18:39). We do not know the source of this custom, but it is assumed that it was allowed by the Romans to keep the Jews peaceable under their rule. Such a practice violated the Law of Moses, which insisted that the transgressor die “without mercy under two or three witnesses” (Heb 10:28). This was apparently a Roman concession to the Jews, with which they were quite willing to live, even though it contradicted the Law that God had given them. This confirms that their appeal to their Law (John 19:7) was nothing more than hypocrisy. They could live with an annual breaking of that Law by a mere “custom,” without the slightest twinge of conscience.
Now, Pilate will attempt to capitalize on this “custom” in order to be released from this most uncomfortable situation. However, he will not be able to escape what is happening.
PILATE CONFIRMS THE INJUSTICE OF IT ALL. Luke records Pilate’s appeal to the people to release Jesus, telling them that their charges could not be supported, and that, after diligent search, both he and Herod found nothing worthy of death in Jesus. “Ye have brought this Man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined Him before you, have found no fault in this Man touching those things whereof ye accuse Him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto Him” (Luke 23:14-15).
It is a sad state of affairs when worldly men, even especially ungodly ones, can see through the illogical nature of false religion! We are seeing something of this in our time, when several Christian leaders are being examined by the government for certain improprities. There is an irreconcilable conflict between the lives and the claims of the pretenders. However, no such contradiction could be found in Jesus – not so much as one. He was, in every sense of the word, “separate from sinners” – not only by claim, but in the light of the most exacting examination (Heb 7:26). Remember that Jesus is, as John states, “that eternal life” (1 John 1:2). That is, He is the embodiment, or incarnation, of the life that we receive through Him. We should expect, therefore, that those who possess eternal life, or the ones in whom Jesus resides, will bear some noticeable resemblance to Him in this regard.
PILATE’S DETERMINATION. Luke tells us that Pilate put forth a resolution, himself making the choice of who should be released. “I will therefore chastise Him, and release Him” (Luke 23:16). As the record will confirm, the chastening was severe enough to have elicited the sympathy of the people. Here, then, was an opportunity for the people to change their minds on the basis of cold and hard logic, and even apearance. As Peter would say to the Jewish leaders some days later, Pilate “was determined to let Him go” (Acts 3:15). This is the first expression of that determination, but it will not be the last.
At its root, sin is fundamentally unreasonable. It is no more possible to justify it than it was to rationalize the death of Jesus as a malefactor. When men attempt to explain sin, they are conducting themselves like the Jews who sought to justify the death of Jesus. There are times when even the worst of the world know the conduct of professing Christians is wrong.
A NOTABLE PRISONER. We are now introduced to Barabbas who was bound in prison together with those who had fomented an insurrection, or revolt against the Roman government. Mark says he had “committed murder in the insurrection.” Matthew refers to him as “a notable prisoner” (Matt 27:16). Luke says he was in prison “for a certain sedition . . . and for murder” (Lk 23:16). John says “Now Barabbas was a robber” (John 18:39). That is, he was a criminal before the uprising, and was not merely a demonstrator against Rome. Unlike Jesus of Nazareth, all of the charges against him had been fully confirmed and justified.
PILATE KNOWS WHY THEY HAVE BROUGHT JESUS TO HIM
“ 8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.”
THE MULTITUDE WANT PILATE TO HONOR THE CUSTOM. The Jews, strictly objected to Roman rule, fearing, as the chief priests and Pharisees had said, that “the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation” (John 11:48). However, now, instead of seeing the Romans as a threat, they sought one of their favors, to which they had grown accustomed. In fact, now the tradition would actually serve their purpose. The merging of a political custom and the Passover feast was quite acceptable – especially now that it would assist the leaders in getting rid of Jesus, who was a thorn in their side.
PILATE BRINGS UP RELEASING JESUS. Pilate is quite willing to content the people, not that he had any regard for them, but because it best served his own purpose. From the lower point of view, it would not look well for the governor to have continued unrest among the Jews, whom he governed. There had already been an insurrection among the people, and he surely thought to remove any possibility of another one arising.
Mark records that Pilate asked the people if they would prefer he release “the King of the Jews” to them. John’s record of this event says precisely the same thing (John 18:39). Luke says that “the third time” he spoke to them, Pilate said he would chasten Jesus and release Him (Lk 23:16). Matthew records some additional details: “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” (Matt 27:17). Although I doubt that these were all said at the same time, they do give us an accurate picture of Pilate’s determination to release Jesus, doing it in strict accord with Law, and not out of any regard for Jesus Himself. First, he took the responsibility for the decision upon himself, and said this is what he would do: chastise Jesus and let him go. That would absolve the people of any responsibility in the matter: he would make the decision about who would go free. Second, he refers to “the King of the Jews,” as though comparing Jesus with an insurrectionist. In this he was pointing out that it was legally their responsibility to handle this case, for Jesus had not aligned himself against Rome, as Barabbas did. Third, as Matthew states, he gave them a choice between Barabbas and Jesus “which is called Christ.” Here the choice was between an insurrectionist and one who was anointed by God Almighty. This was a choice between a murderer, who took life, and one to gave life, even publically raising people from the dead. It was a choice between a thief who took from people, and One who came to give to very same people.
As though unintentionally rubbing salt into their wounds, Pilate said they had of custom, that he should release one of the Jewish prisoners to them “at the Passover” (John 18:39). Thus the Jewish leaders have been subjected to certain facts that should have awakened their conscience, and stirred them to a sober reflection upon what they were doing. First, Pilate has said that their charges could not be proved. Second, he affirmed that both he and Herod could find nothing worthy of death in Jesus. Third, he gave them the choice of releasing someone against whom no charge could be substantiated, over someone who was a convicted robber and murderer. Fourth, he referred to Jesus as “the King of the Jews.” Fifth, he also referred to Jesus as He who “is called Christ.” Sixth, he reminded them that it was the Passover. Behold how hard sin makes a people, so that such things have no effect upon them at all.
HE KNEW WHY THEY HAD DELIVERED JESUS. Both Matthew and Mark record that Pilate “knew that the chief priests had delivered Him for envy” (Matt 27:18; Mk 15:10). Other versions read “out of jealousy,” NRSV and “sheer spite.” WEYMOUTH The meaning of the Greek word that is translated “envy” is “jealousy over the good success of another,” FRIBERG “a state of ill will toward someone because of some real or presumed advantage experienced by such a person.” LOUW-NIDA The definition of the English word “envy” is “a painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage.” MERRIAM-WEBSTER
Pilate knew that the people had not come to him out of any regard for Rome or Caesar. They were not interested in promoting peace, or exposing some threat to the Roman government. It was the spreading popularity of Jesus, and the people’s acceptance of, and preference for, Him that had agitated the chief priests, elders, Pharisees, and scribes. Jesus had taken the attention away from them, and reduced their value in the eyes of the people. They were afraid of losing their position and prominence, and had therefore determined to rid themselves of Jesus of Nazareth.
Now, there is something to be seen here. Jesus does compete against dead and stereotyped religion. He is a threat to empty religious tradition and those who promote their own interests. He exposes charlatans through His presence, teaching, and influence. There is no way to escape this impact. Those who receive Jesus, embracing what He declares, will find a growing disdain for religious sham and pretense. They will not tolerate spiritual deadness, and will withdraw from it in order that they might take hold of eternal life.
THE PEOPLE CHOOSE BARABBAS OVER JESUS
“ 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.”
PILATE’S WIFE WARNS HIM. Matthew alone records the interruption of a messenger from Pilate’s wife. She delivered a word that was like a voice from heaven – one which Pilate would suppress, even though it would be with considerable difficulty. Matthew records, “When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just Man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him” (Matt 27:19). Note that this message was not received until he had assumed the official posture of a judge. The message was to the point, with no introductory frills or rhetoric. “Have nothing to do with that just Man!” Other versions read, “that righteous Man,” NASB “that innocent Man,” NIV “that upright Man,” BBE “that good Man,” LIVING and “just and upright Man.” AMPLIFIED A single Greek word is used here that is translated “just man.” The original word has a strong single meaning, “righteous, observing divine and human laws; one who is such as he ought to be.” THAYER In other words, Jesus was a Person against whom no legitimate charge of any kind could be brought. Personally, socially, politically, or religiously – no charge against Him could possibly be supported. He was impeccably upright in every sense of the word, and in every facet of life. Remember, Jesus is the Divine nature being lived out before men! While no honest person can confess that he perfectly reflects the Master in life, this is their fervent desire, and the objective toward which they are progressing. Furthermore, that progress will be apparent to their peers.
The appeal of Pilate’s wife was not to be indifferent toward Jesus, but to withdraw from any involvement in the prosecution of Him. She was pleading with him not to side with those who were against Jesus, or to assume any posture that required him to render a judgment against Him.
Scripturally, this is all we know about Pilate’s wife. She is not mentioned elsewhere in the Word of God. Ecclesiastical tradition presents her as a convert to Judaism. The Greek Orthodox church has canonized her, making her an officially recognized saint. PULPIT COMMENTARY However, none of those claims can be substantiated.
It is obvious that in some way she had been made aware of Jesus, else her dream would have had no significance. We do not know what she dreamed, only that it was a “painful experience . . . because of Him.” AMPLIFIED In some way that dream had to do with Jesus, for she said it was “because of Him.” Other versions read, “by reason of Him,” GENEVA “about Him,” GWN “concerning Him,” LIVING “through Him,” WEYMOUTH and “caused by Him.” WILLIAMS The language itself can be taken to mean that the dream was concerning Him, was even caused by Him, or that Jesus was the ground or reason for the dream. It seems to me that behind the scenes, this was God Himself providing another confirmation of the absolute uprightness of Jesus. It caused Pilate’s wife to be fearful about opposing Him in any way. It would be a blessed thing if such a wholesome fear was more prominent in our own day, when religious men appear to be more like Pilate than his wife.
PILATE PRESSES THE PEOPLE FOR A CHOICE. Matthew presents Pilate as pressing the people for a choice, offering them only two alternatives: “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?” (Matt 27:17). According to the apparent moving of the Lord Himself, Pilate will make clear that the choice is between very real malefactor, or evildoer, and One who cannot, under any circumstances be so described.
It ought to be noted that the rejection of Jesus is always in order that someone else might be embraced. Refusing to hear His word is always attended by hearing someone else’s word. Rejecting Jesus in any way is never a sign of neutrality or indifference. It always reveals a preference for someone else.
THE PEOPLE PREFER BARABBAS. Mark says that the chief priests moved the people to ask for the release of Barnabas. Matthew, giving a more full account, says that the chief priests and elders did the persuading, adding that they not only sought the release of Barabbas, but the destruction of Jesus as well (Matt 27:20). The chief priests apparently headed up the effort, with the elders joining in the actual persuading of the people. Luke says that the people “cried out all at once, saying, Away with this Man, and release unto us Barabbas” (Luke 23:18). John records that they said, “Not this man, but Barabbas” (John 18:40).
The people had come to Pilate to obtain a judgment against Jesus, and to see to it that He was killed. Now, however, they are forced to make two decisions, not one. They must ask for the release of one man as well as the execution of another. They must side with one man, and against another. One man must be released – that is the custom, and Pilate will see to it that it is honored. The people will not be allowed to deal only with Jesus.
This incident reminds me of the choice that Joshua required of the people: between the true God, or the idols of their fathers (Josh 24:15). Elijah also required such a choice of the people: either the Lord or Baal (1 Kgs 18:21). Such choices must still be bound upon men!