Matthew 27:15-19: Peer Pressure and Pilate

“Who do you want me to release for you?” Pilate to the crowd, Matthew 27:17

“I'm putting tinfoil up on the windows, lying down in the dark to dream.  I don't want to see their faces; I don't want to hear them scream.” (Warren Zevon, “Splendid Isolation”)

“When a million people believe in a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”  (Anatole France, 1844-1924, French Author)

There is a break in the timeline between Matthew 27:14 and 15.  In between these two verses, Jesus appeared before Herod, who, after mocking Jesus, sent Him back to Pilate, finding nothing in Him deserving death (see Luke23:6-16).    

Now is the time of the Passover feast in Jerusalem and Jerusalem was overflowing with Jewish pilgrims wanting to observe the Passover.   It was also a time when nationalistic fervor ran high and riots against the occupying Roman government were always a possibility.  As governor, one of Pilate’s chief responsibilities was to keep the peace.  One way the governor was accustomed to accomplishing this was to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted (v. 15).  Perhaps, thought Pilate, this was a way to release this Jesus in whom he found no guilt.

And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas (v. 16), “who had committed murder in the insurrection,” (Mark 15:17).    So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (v. 17).    Some older manuscripts of Matthew have the name “Jesus” in front of “Barabbas” in verses 16 and 17.  So literally Pilate was asking, “Whom shall I release: Jesus Barabbas or Jesus Christ?”

For Pilate knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him up (v. 18).   It was envy that had “the chief priests and elders of the people gathered…together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him,” (26:3-4).  It was envy that made the chief priests and the Pharisees seek to arrest Him but could not because of the crowds (see 21:46).   It was envy that demanded from Jesus a sign (see 16:1).  They were jealous of Jesus and His popularity; Jesus was a threat to their power and comfort.  Not even God Himself can find space between man and his worship of self.

 Besides, while Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream,” (v. 19).  The NIV translation refers to Jesus in this verse as that “innocent man.”   Church father Origen, in his 2^nd century document Homilies on Matthew, suggests that Pilate’s wife became a Christian.   Some say she is the “Claudia” of 2 Timothy 4:21.  Some churches (i.e., Eastern Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) go as far as naming her a saint. 

Pilate now finds himself between a Rock and a hard crowd.   Pilate must choose.  He knows Jesus is innocent.  But if the crowd riots, Pilate fears Caesar’s response since it will show he is unable to control Jerusalem.    The crowd knows this and manipulates Pilate by proclaiming, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend,” (John 19:12). Reluctantly, Pilate makes his choice.  “Wishing to satisfy the crowd,” (Mark 15:15) Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified.

Like most of us men, Pilate should have listened to his wife.   More importantly, Pilate should have listened and believed Jesus’ own testimony (see John 18:36-37).    But other peoples’ opinions were more important to Pilate than Jesus.   We all have known people like this.  We may even be like this.  The seed of the gospel may spring up but “the cares of the world…and the desire for other things enter in and choke the word and it proves unfaithful “(Mark 4:19).  

What seed are you?   Do you want to please men or be a servant of Christ?  (see Galatians 1:10).  May we learn from Pilate: one cannot simultaneously serve two masters; for he will love one and will crucify the other.