Now at that feast the governor was accustomed to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they desired.
All Commentaries on Matthew 27:15 Go To Matthew 27
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Now at that feast the Governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would. There comes in before this verse Luke 22:5, which records Jesus being sent to Herod, Pilate and Herod being reconciled, and His coming back again in a gorgeous or white robe. This was the dress of candidates for an office, of royal persons, and also of buffoons: Herod mocking in this way at the supposed ambition of Jesus in affecting to be a king.
Symbolically: The white garment represented the innocence, victory, immortality, glory, &c, of Christ, which He purchased by His sufferings and insults. "Let thy garments be always white" (Eccles. ix8). And so S. Ambrose, "He is arrayed in white, in evidence of His immaculate Passion," and that as the spotless Lamb of God He took on Himself the sins of the world. Pilate then saw what was Herod"s object in sending Him back, and said to the Chief Priests (Luke xxiii14), "Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people . . . I will therefore correct Him, and let Him go," that Isaiah , chastise and punish Him, not for His offence (for He is guiltless), but to satiate your rage against Him. Shortly afterwards he proposed another plan for His deliverance, viz, by releasing some one to them at the Passover, having little doubt, if the choice were given them, whom they would prefer. This Paschal custom was introduced in memory of the deliverance from Egypt. But did Pilate really wish to release Christ? Rupertus thinks it was mere pretence, for that he had secretly agreed with the Jews to put Him to death, having given Him up to their will. But S. Augustine and the rest suppose, more correctly, that Pilate was sincere (see Luke 23:20 and Acts 3:13). This is clear also from the many occasions on which he laboured to save Him (see John 18:31,
John 18:38; Luke 23:7, Luke 23:15).
