συνήθεια. Nothing is known of this custom beyond what the Gospels tell us. It may have been a memorial of the deliverance from Egypt. But prisoners were sometimes released at Rome at certain festivals, and it would be quite in harmony with the conciliatory policy of Rome to honour native festivals in this way in the case of subject nations. In Luke 23:17 the custom is said to be an obligation, ἀνάγκην εἶχεν: but the verse is of very doubtful genuineness. For ἵνα comp. John 11:57; John 15:12. Ἐν τ. πάσχα is no evidence that the Passover had been already celebrated: the prisoner would naturally be released in time to share in the Paschal meal. The Synoptists use the less definite expression, κατὰ ἑορτήν (Matthew 27:15; Mark 15:6). For the construction βούλεσθε� comp. θέλεις συλλέξωμεν, ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμεν (Matthew 13:28; Matthew 26:17; Luke 12:9), where in each case the fut. ind. is found as a various reading, perhaps from the LXX. (Hebrews 8:5). Matthew 20:32; Matthew 27:17; Matthew 27:21; Mark 10:51; Mark 15:9; Mark 15:12; Luke 18:41, like this, are ambiguous; but the aor. subj. is much more intelligible (though not as a kind of deliberative subjunctive; comp. 1 Corinthians 3:21) than the fut. ind. Luke 9:54 must be aor. subj. Comp. βούλει φράσω, Arist. Eq. 36. The subj. intensifies the demand: would ye have me release.

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Old Testament