Matthew 27 17

Matthew 27:17 kjv

Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

Matthew 27:17 nkjv

Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"

Matthew 27:17 niv

So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?"

Matthew 27:17 esv

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"

Matthew 27:17 nlt

As the crowds gathered before Pilate's house that morning, he asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you ? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?"

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 17 Meaning

Matthew 27:17 captures a pivotal moment during Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate, recognizing the chief priests' envy and perhaps seeking to release Jesus, offers the gathered crowd a choice between Jesus, whom he refers to as "the Christ" (the Messiah), and Barabbas, a notorious prisoner. This verse sets the stage for the crowd's critical decision, which ultimately leads to Jesus' condemnation and Barabbas' release, highlighting the world's rejection of the true King and Savior.

Matthew 27 17 Context

Matthew 27:17 is embedded within the Passion Narrative, specifically the trial of Jesus before Pilate. Prior to this verse, Jesus has been brought to Pilate by the chief priests and elders (Mt 27:1-2), falsely accused, and subjected to questioning where He affirms His identity as the King of the Jews (Mt 27:11). Pilate's initial assessment finds no guilt in Jesus (Mt 27:13).

The immediate context is the custom of releasing a prisoner during the Passover festival (Mt 27:15-16), a practice not directly commanded in the Law but seemingly established through Roman appeasement or local tradition to foster goodwill during a sensitive time. Pilate sees an opportunity in this custom to leverage the crowd's potential desire to free Jesus, hoping to avoid executing a man he perceives as innocent and to sidestep conflict with the Jewish leaders. By pitting "Barabbas" (a known revolutionary and criminal, as noted in other Gospels: Mk 15:7 identifies him as a murderer involved in an insurrection, Lk 23:19 as someone put in prison for an insurrection and murder) against "Jesus who is called Christ," Pilate likely intends to sway the crowd towards Jesus. This setup underscores the malicious intent of the religious authorities, who actively persuade the crowd against Jesus (Mt 27:20), resulting in a choice that profoundly impacts human history and salvation.

Matthew 27 17 Word analysis

• So when they were gathered together (οὖν συνάχθεντων):

  • οὖν (oun): "So," "Therefore," a transitional particle connecting Pilate's current action to the earlier scene of the crowd's assembly outside the praetorium. It indicates a logical next step in the proceedings.
  • συνάχθεντων (synachthentōn): From the verb synagō, meaning "to gather," "to bring together." This highlights that the crowd's presence was purposeful and consolidated, setting the stage for a collective decision. It could also evoke the imagery of an assembly, akin to a synagoge, emphasizing the community's role.

• Pilate said to them:

  • Πιλᾶτος (Pilatos): Pontius Pilate, the fifth Roman prefect of Judea (c. AD 26–36). His historical role in Judea was often marked by conflicts with Jewish populace. He holds the ultimate legal authority in this setting, yet is presented as somewhat swayed by external pressures. His address underscores his official role in the judgment process.

• Whom do you want me to release for you? (τίνα θέλετε ἀπολύσω ὑμῖν;):

  • τίνα (tina): "Whom," an interrogative pronoun, emphasizing the directness of the choice being offered to the crowd.
  • θέλετε (thelete): "Do you want," from thelō, meaning "to wish, to will, to desire." This word highlights the free will and agency given to the crowd in making their decision, even though their will would be manipulated.
  • ἀπολύσω (apolysō): "I release," from apolyō, meaning "to set free, to discharge, to divorce." This is a key legal term signifying the act of setting a prisoner at liberty, specifically within the context of the established Passover custom. It signifies a grant of freedom.
  • ὑμῖν (hymin): "for you," a dative plural pronoun. It stresses that the release is offered as a personal benefit or gift to the people, invoking their sense of prerogative and interest.

• Barabbas (Βαραββᾶν):

  • Βαραββᾶν (Barabban): Aramaic Bar Abbā, meaning "son of the father." He is universally described as a notable prisoner, insurrectionist, and murderer in other Gospels (Mk 15:7, Lk 23:19, Jn 18:40). His name "Son of the Father" stands in stark ironic contrast to "Jesus, who is called Christ," who is truly the Son of the Father (God).
  • Some ancient manuscripts of Matthew 27:16-17 have "Jesus Barabbas" and "Jesus who is called Christ," thereby presenting an even starker choice between "Jesus, son of the father (the criminal)" and "Jesus, the Christ (God's Son)." While this textual variant is debated, it powerfully underscores the theological confrontation of choosing one "Jesus" over another.

• or Jesus who is called Christ? (ἢ Ἰησοῦν τὸν λεγόμενον Χριστόν;):

  • ἢ (ē): "Or," a disjunctive conjunction, presenting a clear, binary choice between the two figures. There is no third option.
  • Ἰησοῦν (Iēsoun): "Jesus," from the Hebrew/Aramaic Yeshua (Joshua), meaning "Yahweh saves" or "Yahweh is salvation." This name highlights His mission as the one who saves His people from their sins (Mt 1:21).
  • τὸν λεγόμενον (ton legomenon): "who is called" or "the one being called." This phrase is used by Pilate to refer to Jesus' public identity. It reflects common knowledge among the people and might hint at a recognition of Jesus' claims or the popular understanding of Him.
  • Χριστόν (Christon): "Christ," the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah), meaning "Anointed One." This title signifies Jesus' unique role as the promised King, Prophet, and Priest sent by God. Pilate's use of this title indicates his awareness of Jesus' significant claim to messianic identity and potentially to kingship (which would concern a Roman governor). It presents the crowd with a choice between a known rebel and the one claiming to be Israel's Messiah.

Matthew 27 17 Bonus section

The historical presence of the Passover custom for releasing a prisoner is only found in the Gospels. While Roman traditions of abolitio (official pardon) or indulgentia (remission) existed, a systematic, annual release by popular demand at a major Jewish festival is unique to these biblical accounts. This has led to scholarly debate regarding its historicity, though its narrative function within the Gospels powerfully underscores the theological contrast presented by Pilate's offer. The profound irony of the crowd choosing "Barabbas," whose name could be seen as "son of a father," over "Jesus, the Christ," the true Son of God the Father, has long been recognized as central to the crucifixion narrative's theological meaning. This decision symbolizes humanity's deep-seated propensity to choose sin and destruction over God's path to life.

Matthew 27 17 Commentary

Matthew 27:17 presents a pivotal moment, forcing humanity to confront a stark choice with eternal consequences. Pilate, the cynical Roman governor, seeks a political escape, hoping the crowd will favor Jesus and thus diffuse the volatile situation while asserting his limited autonomy from the zealous Jewish leaders. His offer, rooted in a unique Passover custom, highlights his own assessment that Jesus is innocent, contrasting him sharply with Barabbas, a common criminal, insurgent, and murderer.

The contrasting names are deeply significant. "Barabbas," meaning "son of the father," stands as an ironic and tragic parallel to Jesus, the true Son of the Father. The choice offered is not merely between two individuals, but symbolically between rebellion against Rome and divine salvation; between sin and righteousness; between temporal freedom for a criminal and eternal liberation through the Christ. Pilate's specific naming of Jesus as "the one called Christ" shows his awareness of Jesus' claim to be the Messiah, directly presenting the crowd with a choice concerning Israel's promised deliverer. The ultimate choice by the crowd, swayed by their leaders, to condemn the innocent Jesus and free Barabbas, reveals the spiritual blindness and the corrupt heart of a generation that rejected their true Savior for a worldly substitute. This moment foreshadows the larger theological truth that the world often chooses rebellion and death over the life and peace offered by God's Christ, unwittingly fulfilling the divine plan of substitutionary atonement where the innocent would suffer for the guilty.