"Passover: Jubilee for One Prisoner"

Matthew 27:15-18: Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that timethey had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 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? For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

Assured in his own mind that Jesus was innocent of any crime, and yet knowing the implacable character of His accusers, Pilate sought for some way whereby he might release Jesus and yet not displease these wily and unscrupulous religious leaders. In the Old Testament, there was supposed to be a time every fifty years when the slaves were set free, land returned back to its original owner, and all this was at God's direction. As far as we know, the Jewish nation never really observed the Jubilee. Reading this passage gave me the thought that the Romans were perhaps trying to make their Jewish captives feel good on their holiest day.

Pilate uses this occasion to try to free Jesus, but the Jewish leaders already had only one goal in mind--have the Romans execute Jesus. Pilate knew that the motive of Jesus' accusers was to get Pilate to do their work in executing Jesus, and of course take the blame. Barabbas was awaiting execution for leading an insurrection against the government. Books and movies have been made about Barabbas, and yet the Scripture is silent as to what happened to him after his release. The two names are there--the just and holy Son of God and a common criminal. The Jewish nation had their one last chance offered them by Pilate to choose the ""Christ" (anointed one), and be brought into the kingdom of God. But the course of the nation had already been cast, and there was no reversal that the Scripture might be fulfilled.