Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 27:15-18

"Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him up." — Matthew 27:15-18 (ASV)

Pilate was really anxious to deliver Christ from His cruel enemies, but like most wicked men, he was a great coward, so he attempted to achieve his goal by a crafty scheme. He knew that they had delivered Him out of envy, and he may have hoped that Jesus was so popular among the people that an appeal to the masses would result in a verdict in Christ’s favor, especially as the choice of one to be released lay between “the King of the Jews” and a notoriously wicked man, Barabbas.

Surely they would ask for their King to be set free! Pilate little knew the influence the chief priests had over the populace, nor the fickleness of the crowds, whose jubilant cry of “Hosanna!” would so soon be changed to hoarse shouts of “Away with him! Crucify him!”