The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 580

to have been u. convert to Judaism. Other (ask/or) Ba.ra.bbaa, and destroy leans. By aocounts nfflrm that she ultimately became directing popular favour to Barabbe.e, they a Ohristian; and the Greek Ohnrch ha1 could make the condemnation of Jeana canonized her, and inserted her in tll6 more carte.in. The expreesion in the Greek Menology on October 27. It ie probable implies that they used their persuasive that she W'lS well acquainted with, nnd powers in order that (fva) the people shoulr! favourably disposed towards, the claims of demand the release of Bara.bhas, e.nd com- Obrist; and if she had impressed her pass the death of Jesus. husband in some degree with her own • Ver. 21.-Anewered, to the various cries views, this fact may have influenced him which reached him. Whether of the twain 1 to make some effort to save Jesus. Doubt- Which of the two 1 He repeats the question less she had thought much upon the subject, before e.aked (ver. 17), having given the and talked it over with Pilato; hence her multitude time for deliberation, and offering dream was the natural sequence of that them no alternative but to choose one or with which her mind had been filled in these two prisoners. llarabbas. They pre- her waking moments, though providentially fer a murderer to the Prince of life-a ordered. It speaks for the accuracy of selection on their part gnil ty and malevo- the evangelist's account, that lately the lent, bnt on the part of God necessary for governors had been allowed to take their our salvation (Quesnel). Truly, Jesus "was wives with them into their official districts, despised and rejected of men." If he had a law previously having forbidden this been released now, his liberation would not indulgence (see Taoitus, • .Annal.,' iii. 33, have beon, as it ought to have been, an Bet 84). Have thou nothing to do with that of simple justice, but an im peria.l concession, just Man. Wordsworth well remarks, •• In e.n act of grace, in which the character of the whole history of the Passion of Christ the prisoner was not regarded. no one pleads for him but a woman, the Ver. 22.-It waswithdi.sappointment and wife of a heathen governor, the deputy of indignation that Pile.ta heard the rabble's the emperor of the world." 'fhis was decision. He could not refuse to release another warning given to Pilate to arrest the robber and murderer; but he still enter- him in his criminal cowardice. The ex- tained some hope of a better feeling in the pression need means literally, " Let there crowd which would allow him to e.oquit be nothing to thee and that Righteous One," Jesus. What shall I do then with leans! whioh is equivalent to "Do nothing to him T( 0611 .,,.o,-1,um 'I71uoiiv; What then •hal,l I do for which yon will be hereafter sorry." I to JeaUB f .As you demand the release of have snfferell (l..-0.6011, I trUff"ered) many Barabbas, what run I to do with the other things this day in a dream because of him. prisoner? He dared not act boldly, as his It is useless to inquire the nature of her conscience and the justice of the case dic- dream. From the way in which it is here tated; if the popular voice was not with introdnoed, and from what we know of him, he would take no open step. He added, God's employment of dreams in other oases which is oalled Christ, or, according to to oommunioe.te his will to men, we may Mark, " whom ye call the King of the reasonably oonolude that this was divinely J ewa," in soorn of the title itself, and of the sent to convey a lesson to Pilate through fiokleness which honoured him one day and his wife, who alone, perhaps, was able to now clamoured for his destruction. Let IU'OUse the better feelings of hls heart. The him be ornci.fled ! They have their dreadful mention of her snfferiug shows that she hoo answer ready. He is a political offender; some dreadful experiences to relate in con- he is a mover of sedition again.at the Roman nection with the fate of the righteous J esue. supremo.cy; let him meet the punishment As at the beginning of Christ's life, so at to which Rome dooms her lowest criminahi its olose, such communioations were ad- and rune.gates. This was the death which dressed to strangers. Pilate's superstitious Christ· had foretold for himself (eh. xx. 19), fears would be i,xcited by this mysterious the moat painful, barbaroue,and ignominious dream, but they were not able to overpower punishment which the cruelty of man ever oonnteracting influences. invented. Ver. 20.-But the ohief priests and elders Ver. 23.-Why, what evil bath he done! persuaded the multitude. For a short time Tl -yap 1ea1e~v l1rol71uev ; The particle -yap the people appenr to have wavered in their implies a certain reasoning in tbe question, choice, and Pilate hnd hopes that his the speaker for the nonce putting himself stratagem worked well. But tho Snnhe- in the people's position, and demanding the driste were at hand with their insidious ground of their decision. The authorized suggestions; not a voice was raised for translation ie adequate. Pilate thus showed Christ; all hie friends were scattered or hie pusillanimity nnd irresolution, "hile eileuced; and hie enemies easily swayed exercising no control over the foelinge of the the fickle crowd. That they should aak excited wob, lint they cried out the more 586 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO S'l'. MATTHEW. [en. xxvn. 1-U6,