Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 18:39

"But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?" — John 18:39 (ASV)

Now, Pilate may have thought, if Christ was their King, they would certainly prefer him to a thief and a robber; so he was putting before himself an opportunity of escaping from judging Christ, and before them a test as to whether there really was in them any liking for the Christ, or any possibility of his becoming their King.