Matthew 27:15-18 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 27:11-25

We have here an account of what passed in Pilate's judgment?hall, when the blessed Jesus was brought thither betimes in the morning. Though it was no court?day, Pilate immediately took his case before him. We have there, I. The trial Christ had before Pilate. 1. His arraignment; Jesus stood before the governor, as the prisoner before the judge. We could not stand before God because of our sins, nor lift up our face in his presence, if Christ had not been thus made sin for us. He was arraigned... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:15

Now at that feast ,.... The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "at every feast": which looks as if the authors of these versions thought the sense was, that the following custom was used at each feast in the year, at the feasts of pentecost, and tabernacles, and passover; whereas it was only at the feast of the passover; and which is meant by the feast here, as is clear from John 18:39 . It was but once a year that this was done; at every returning passover; and so the Persic... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:16

And they had then a notable prisoner ,.... The Vulgate Latin reads, "he had"; that is, Pilate, who had committed him to prison, and under whose power he was: for the Jews had lost all authority of this kind, at least in capital cases. This prisoner is called a "notable" one; that is, a famous, or rather an infamous one: he was a thief, and a robber, and had been guilty of sedition; had made, or joined with others in an insurrection, and had committed murder in it; and so, on more accounts... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:17

Therefore when they were gathered together ,.... Meaning not the chief priests and elders; for these were together before, but the common people; and so the Persic version renders the words, when the people increased into a multitude: for it was to them the release of a prisoner was to be made, and so the proposal of one; and it was at their option, who should be the person; for it was "whom they would", as in Matthew 27:15 , and where the Ethiopic version adds, "and should choose". ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:18

For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. He saw in their countenances, and by their charges against him, and by the whole of their conduct, that it was not out of any regard to Caesar, or to the peace and tranquillity of the civil government, or to strict justice; but from envy, at his popularity, at his fame and credit, the honour, glory, and applause he had among the people, on account of his doctrine, and miracles, that they had delivered him up into his hands; and therefore... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:15

The governor was wont to release - Whence this custom originated among the Jews is not known, - probably it was introduced by the Romans themselves, or by Pilate, merely to oblige the Jews, by showing them this public token of respect; but if it originated with him, he must have had the authority of Augustus; for the Roman laws never gave such discretionary power to any governor. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:16

A notable prisoner - Barabbas - This person had, a short time before, raised an insurrection in Jerusalem, in which it appears, from Mark 15:7 , some lives were lost. In some MSS., and in the Armenian and Syriac Hieros., this man has the surname of Jesus. Professor Birch has discovered this reading in a Vatican MS., written in 949, and numbered 354, in which is a marginal note which has been attributed to Anastasius, bishop of Antioch, and to Chrysostom, which asserts that in the most... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:18

For envy - Δια φθονον , through malice. Then it was his business, as an upright judge, to have dispersed this mob, and immediately released Jesus. Seeing malice is capable of putting even Christ himself to death, how careful should we be not to let the least spark of it harbor in our breast. Let it be remembered that malice as often originates from envy as it does from anger. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:15

Verse 15 Matthew 27:15.Now the governor was wont at the festival Here is described to us, on the one hand, the insatiable cruelty of the priests, and, on the other, the furious obstinacy of the people; for both must have been seized with astonishing madness, when they were not satisfied with conspiring to put to death an innocent man, if they did not also, through hatred of him, release a robber. Thus wicked men after having once begun to fall, are driven headlong by Satan, so that they shrink... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 27:11-25

Christ before Pilate. I. THE ACCUSATION . 1 . Pilate ' s question. Pilate was proud and cruel; he despised and hated the Jews. But he had something of the old Roman love of justice—he would not condemn the Lord unheard, as the Jews at first desired ( John 18:30 , John 18:31 ). He rejected their request contemptuously, "Take ye him, and judge him according to your Law." They kept back at first the charge of blasphemy, which they knew Pilate would dismiss at once, as Gallio... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 27:11-25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:18

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 27:11-25

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