John Calvin Commentary Matthew 27:15

"Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, whom they would." — Matthew 27:15 (ASV)

Now the governor was wont at the festival. This describes 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, not being satisfied with conspiring to put an innocent man to death unless, through hatred of him, they also released a robber. Thus, wicked men, after having once begun to fall, are driven headlong by Satan, so that they shrink from no crime, however detestable, but, blinded and stupefied, add sin to sin.

There can be no doubt that Pilate, in order to prevail upon them through shame, selected a very wicked man, by contrast with whom Christ might be set free. The very atrocity of the crime of which Barabbas was guilty should justly have caused the people's resentment to fall on him, so that, by comparison with him, Christ at least might be released. But no disgrace makes either the priests or the whole nation afraid to ask that a seditious man and a murderer should be granted to them.

Meanwhile, we ought to consider the purpose of God, by which Christ was appointed to be crucified, as if he had been the most vile of men. The Jews, indeed, rage against him with blinded fury; but as God had appointed him to be a sacrifice (κάθαρμα) to atone for the sins of the world,²⁵⁹ he permitted him to be placed even below a robber and murderer. No one can properly remember that the Son of God was reduced so low without the deepest horror, displeasure with themselves, and detestation of their own crimes. But from this also arises no ordinary ground for confidence: for Christ was sunk into the depths of ignominy so that by his humiliation he might obtain for us an ascent to heavenly glory; he was counted worse than a robber so that he might admit us to the society of God's angels. If this advantage is justly estimated, it will be more than sufficient to remove the offense of the cross.

The custom of having one of the prisoners released by the governor on the festival, to gratify the people, was a foolish and improper practice and, indeed, was an open abuse of the worship of God. For nothing could be more unreasonable than that festivals should be honored by allowing crimes to go unpunished. God has armed magistrates with the sword so that they may severely punish those crimes that cannot be tolerated without public injury; and from this it is evident that he does not wish to be worshipped by a violation of laws and punishments. But since nothing ought to be attempted except by the rule of his word, all that people gain by methods of worshipping God which they have rashly contrived by themselves is that, under the pretense of honoring Him, they often throw dishonor upon Him. We ought, therefore, to preserve such moderation as not to offer to God anything but what he requires; for he is so far from taking pleasure in profane gifts that they provoke his anger all the more.

²⁵⁹ “D’autant que Dieu l’avoit ordonné pour estre celuy sur lequel seroyent mis tousles pechez du monde,, à fin que l’expiation et purgation en fust faite;” — “because God had appointed him to be the person on whom should be laid the sins of the world, in order that the expiation and cleansing of them might be accomplished.”;” — “because God had appointed him to be the person on whom should be laid the sins of the world, in order that the expiation and cleansing of them might be accomplished.”