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William Burkitt's Expository Notes

Matthew 27:15

Now at the feast, that is, the feast of the passover, which by way of eminency is called the feast, the governor used to release. prisoner (possibly by way of memorial of their deliverance out of Egypt); accordingly Pilate makes. motion to them, that Christ may be the prisoner set at liberty in honour of the feast; for he was sensible that what they did was out of envy and malice. As covetousness sold Christ, so envy delivered him. Envy is. killing and murdering passion: Envy slayeth the silly one, Job 5:2, that is, It slays the silly person who harbours this pestilent lust in his bosom, and is like. fire in his bones, continually preying upon him, causing him to pine away, and die miserably, because another lives happily.

To envy another man's prosperity, is an argument of the worst simplicity: yea, farther, as envy slayeth the silly one, so it prompts and provokes the sinner to seek the slaying of simple and innocent ones. Envy wishes the envied person out of the way, yea, our of the world; and if need be, will not only wish it, but lend. lift towards it too; witness the chief priests here, whose envy was so conspicuous, that Pilate himself takes notice of it, and says, He knew that for envy they had delivered him.

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See also Matthew 27:15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 27:15. _THE GOVERNOR WAS WONT TO RELEASE_] Whence this custom originated among the Jews is not known, - probably it was introduced by the Romans themselves, or by Pilate, merely to obli...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    See also the parallel places in Mark 15:6; Luke 23:17; John 18:39. Matthew 27:15...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 27 1. Delivered unto Pilate.(Matthew 27:1 .) 2. The Suicide of Judas.(Matthew 27:3 .) 3. Before Pilate. (Matthew 27:11 .) 4. The Awful Choice....

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JESUS BEFORE PILATE (Mark 15:1 *, Luke 23:1; Luke 23:18). Mt. follows Mk. closely, but has an additional source of information on which he draws for Pilate's wife's dream and Pilate's handwashing. Thi...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE MAN WHO SENTENCED JESUS TO DEATH (Matthew 27:1-2 ; Matthew 27:11-26)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    PEOPLE. crowd. WOULD. Greek. _thelo_. App-102....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner_ The origin of this custom is quite unknown; St Mark says, "as he had ever done unto them," as if the custom originated with Pilate; St Luk...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Trial before Pontius Pilate St Mark 15:2-15; St Luke 23:2-7; Luke 23:13-24; St John 18:29 to...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE TRIAL BEFORE PONTIUS PILATE St Mark 15:2-15; St Luke 23:2-5; Luke 23:13-24; St John 18:29 to...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἈΠΟΛΎΕΙΝ Κ.Τ.Λ. The origin of this custom is quite unknown; St Mark says, ‘as he had ever done unto them,’ as if the custom originated with Pilate; St Luke has, ‘of necessity he must release;’ St John...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 15. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17. Therefore when they were gathered...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JESUS WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY PILATE MATTHEW 27:11-26:_ Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus did not reply to the false charges made by the chief priests and elders. This cause...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΕΊΏΘΕΙ _plperf. ind. act. от_ формы perf. от ε’ΊΩΘΑ (G1486) быть приученным (BAGD). ΆΠΟΛΎΕΙΝ _aor. inf. act. от_ ΑΠΟΛΎΩ (G67) отпускать. Освобождение, вероятно, было царской привилегией после пригово...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    NOW AT THAT FEAST, &C.— Pilate had already sent Jesus to Herod, having learned that he belonged to Galilee; and Herod had sent him back to him. Luke 23:6. At former passovers the governor had courted...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    SECTION 73 JESUS IS TRIED BY PILATE, CONDEMNED AND SCOURGED (Parallels: Mark 15:2-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28 to John 19:16) TEXT: 27:

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. For the exposition, see the notes at Luke 23:1, and at...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BEFORE PILATE. THE CRUCIFIXION 1, 2. Jesus delivered to Pilate (Mark 15:1; Luke 23:1; John 18:28 : see on Jn)....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AT THAT FEAST] This is the only evidence of such a custom, which is, however, appropriate to the season of the Passover, which commemorates a deliverance....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    TRIAL BEFORE PILATE] (Mark 15:2; Luke 23:1; Luke 23:13; John 18:28 to John 19:16)

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 27 JUDAS KILLS HIMSELF 27:1-10 V1 It was very early in the morning. All the chief *priests and the other leaders decided that Jesus...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE GOVERNOR WAS WONT TO RELEASE. — It is not known when the practice began, nor whether it was primarily a Jewish or a Roman one. The fact that the release of criminals was a common incident of a Lat...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Chapter 19 The Great Atonement Day - Matthew 26:1 - Matthew 27:1 WE enter now on the story of the last day of the mortal life of our Lord and Saviour. We have already noticed the large proportionate...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    κατὰ ἑορτὴν, at feast time (_singulis festis_, Hermann, _Viger_, p. 633), not all feasts, but the passover meant. εἰώθει, was accustomed; time and circumstances of the origin of this custom unknown; a...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Jesus before Pilate_ (Mark 15:2-15; Luke 23:2-7; Luke 23:13-25)....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Appeal to the people_. Pilate, not inexperienced in Jewish affairs, nor without insight into the ways of the ruling class, suspects that there are two sides to this matter. The very accusation sugges...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    BARABBAS OR CHRIST? Matthew 27:11-21 The vacillation of Pilate made him a criminal. Weakness becomes sin. At first he evidently meant to release Jesus, but instead of saying so outright, he strove t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The morning saw the plot hatched in the night carried into effect. This is chronicled in the first two verses of the chapter. The picture of Judas in his remorse is very terrible. Pilate stands out as...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (3) Now at [that] feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. (3) Christ is first acquitted by the same judge who condemns him, that we might see how the just...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Upon the solemn day of the paschal feast, (which began the evening before) it was a custom for the governor to pardon and release to the people any one criminal whose life they should petition for: an...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    PILATE SEEKS TO RELEASE HIM IN LIEU OF BARABBAS Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; John 18:39-40; Luke 23:13-25. “ An

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    "And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. (12) And when he was accused of the chief priests and eld...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We now enter on the Lord's final presentation of Himself to Jerusalem, traced, however, from Jericho; that is, from the city which had once been the stronghold of the power of the Canaanite. The Lord...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 27:15._Now the governor was wont at the festival _Here is described to us, on the one hand, the insatiable cruelty of the priests, and, on the other, the furious obstinacy of the people; for b...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    After this (chapter 27), the unhappy priests and heads of the people deliver up their Messiah to the Gentiles, as He had told His disciples. Judas, in despair under Satan's power, hangs himself, havin...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    NOW AT [THAT] FEAST,.... The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "at every feast": which looks as if the authors of these versions thought the sense was, that the following custom was used at...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Now at _that_ feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. Ver. 15. _The governor was wont_] In remembrance, say some, of their deliverance from the Egyptian bo...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Now at that feast_, &c. It had become a custom with the Roman governors, at the feast of the passover, to gratify the people with the pardon and release of any one prisoner they pleased. There was no...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    NOW, AT THE FEAST THE GOVERNOR WAS WONT TO RELEASE UNTO THE PEOPLE A PRISONER WHOM THEY WOULD....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The offer to release Jesus:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    All night the Lord Jesus had been subjected to the persecution of the Jewish council. Now early in the morning, determined that He might be put to death as soon as possible, they bring Him bound to th...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    11-25 Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 27:18"....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Gospel of Nicodemus I The Acts of Pilate And others said: Thou art no friend of Caesar's if thou release this man, because he called himself Son of God and king. You wish, then, this man to be king,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 27:15 Now G1161 at G2596 feast G1859 governor G2232 accustomed G1486 (G5715) releasing G630 (G5721) multit

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    PILATE TRIES THE WAY OF COMPROMISE AND ENDS UP HAVING TO GIVE WAY BY WASHING HIS HANDS OF THE WHOLE SITUATION IN DECLARATION OF JESUS' INNOCENCE (27:15-26). Matthew now confirms that the Chief Priests...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Now at the feast the governor was in the habit of releasing (was wont to release) to the crowd one prisoner, whom they would.' Unsure what to do next Pilate then took advantage of a local custom in o...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CHIEF PRIEST AND ELDERS BRING ABOUT THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS BY MANIPULATION: THE REMORSE OF JUDAS AND THE TRIAL OF JESUS BEFORE PILATE (27:1-26). In this new subsection Matthew lays great stress...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    The account of Matthew is least detailed, but contains two incidents (Matthew 27:19; Matthew 27:24) peculiar to itself. The Jews first attempted to obtain Pilate's consent to the death of Jesus, witho...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Matthew 27:15. NOW AT THE FEAST, or ‘a feast' Annually at the Passover. WAS WONT. Expressly mentioned by three Evangelists. When the custom arose is unknown, but it was undoubtedly designed to softe...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    We are now to read about our Lord before Pontius Pilate. Matthew 27:15. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable pri...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jesus delivered to Pilate. Judas' remorse. Barabbas released in Jesus' place. The crucifixion of Christ. The entombment and sealing of the tomb. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Pilate, Judas, Jerem...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The redemption of man is comprised in many scenes. The last supper of our Lord his agony in the garden, for there man first offended the treason of Judas the apprehension of Christ his appearance befo...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    IN THE HABIT OF SETTING FREE. Pilate may suspect that Jesus is innocent, and that the Jewish leaders have brought him here out of jealousy. A custom gives him a chance to test this....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ._ THE RELEASE OF BARABBAS I. It illustrates the evasion of personal responsibility. We always admire courage in the abstract. Look at the position of Pilat...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 27:15 RELEASE FOR THE CROWD. Pilate had apparently begun this custom to win favor with the people. BARABBAS. A notorious criminal who had committed robbery (see note on...

  • The Gospels Compared

    PILATE HANDS JESUS OVER TO BE CRUCIFIED MATTHEW 27:15-26; MARK 15:6-15; LUKE 23:13-25; JOHN 18:38-40...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    1-66 CHAPTER 27 Ver. 1. _But when the morning was come_ (Syr. _when it was dawn_), _all the chief priests_, &c. "See here," says S. Jerome, "the eagerness of the Priests for evil," _their feet were s...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 27:11. TIE GOVERNOR ASKED HIM.—Pilate, true to the Roman sense of justice, refused merely to confirm the sentence of the Sanhedrin (_Carr_). Matthew 27:16. BARABBAS.—“Son of...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 27:1, MATTHEW 27:2 _Jesus brought to Pilate. _(Mark 15:1; Luke 2

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This time shall we turn in our Bibles to Matthew's gospel chapter twenty-seven? In the twenty-sixth chapter we left Jesus before the high priest, the Sanhedrin, and Peter had just outside of this grou...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Acts 24:27; Acts 25:9; John 18:38; John 18:39; Luke 23:16;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    At every feast — Every year, at the feast of the passover. Mark 15:6; Luke 23:17; John 18:39....

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Old Testament