Matthew 27:26

Matthew 27:26

ESV: Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

KJV: Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

NIV: Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

NKJV: Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

NLT: So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Meaning

Matthew 27:26 narrates Pilate's decisive actions following the crowd's clamor for Jesus' crucifixion. It details Pilate's release of Barabbas, a rebel and murderer, to appease the people, and subsequently, his order for Jesus to be severely flogged before handing Him over to be executed by crucifixion. This verse marks a pivotal moment where the Roman authority formally delivers Jesus to His crucifixion, a direct outcome of intense political pressure and the Jewish leaders' demands, signifying the turning point from judicial proceedings to the path of brutal suffering and death.

Cross References

Context

Matthew 27:26 is the culmination of Pilate's judicial interrogation of Jesus (Matt 27:11-14) and the ensuing dilemma regarding the custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover (Matt 27:15-23). The preceding verses detail the chief priests and elders inciting the crowd to demand Barabbas' release and Jesus' crucifixion. Despite Pilate's efforts to find a justifiable reason to release Jesus and even symbolically washing his hands to declare his innocence in the matter (Matt 27:24), the verse signifies his ultimate yielding to the political pressure and the will of the enraged populace. Historically, Roman scourging (flagellation) was a brutal preliminary punishment, often causing death, designed to weaken victims before crucifixion. Crucifixion itself was reserved for the worst criminals, especially non-Roman citizens, used to deter rebellion and assert Roman power. This verse encapsulates the moment when Jesus is officially condemned and committed to the horrific suffering and death He had predicted.

Word analysis

• Then (Τότε - Tote): Denotes a chronological sequence, indicating that these actions immediately followed Pilate's concession to the crowd's demands and his hand-washing gesture (Matt 27:24-25). It marks the transition to the direct fulfillment of prophecy regarding Jesus' suffering.
• released (ἀπέλυσεν - apelusen): From the Greek apolyo, meaning "to set free," "send away," or "release a prisoner." Here, it signifies Pilate's formal act of releasing Barabbas, fulfilling the custom but demonstrating a profound failure of justice concerning Jesus.
• he Barabbas (τὸν Βαραββᾶν - ton Barabban): Barabbas, a common name possibly meaning "son of the father" or "son of a teacher/master" in Aramaic (Bar Abba). Identified in other Gospels as an insurgent and murderer (Mk 15:7, Lk 23:19). His release highlights a profound irony: the crowd chooses a violent rebel over the Prince of Peace, symbolically choosing humanity's sin over God's perfect sacrifice. This choice starkly reveals the blindness and fallen nature of humanity.
• unto them (αὐτοῖς - autois): "To the crowd" or "to the people," indicating that the release was specifically directed towards and for the satisfaction of the demanding multitude, reflecting Pilate's primary concern with crowd control and maintaining Roman order.
• and when he had scourged (φραγελλώσας - phragellōsas): From the Greek verb phragelloo, derived from the Latin flagellare, meaning "to whip," "to flog." This act of scourging (flagellation) was an extremely brutal form of Roman corporal punishment, performed with a multi-thonged whip (flagellum) tipped with lead balls or pieces of bone designed to tear the flesh. It typically preceded crucifixion, weakening the victim and accelerating death. The severity of the scourging often resulted in disfigurement, shock, or death. It emphasizes the profound physical suffering Jesus endured even before the cross.
• Jesus (τὸν Ἰησοῦν - ton Iesoun): The Messiah, God incarnate, the innocent Son of God, now subjected to extreme brutality and injustice by human authority. The contrast with Barabbas' freedom is stark.
• he delivered him (παρέδωκεν - paredōken): From the Greek paradidomi, meaning "to hand over," "deliver up," or "betray." Here, it signifies Pilate's formal act of relinquishing judicial authority over Jesus to the Roman soldiers or executioners who would carry out the sentence. This act officially sanctions the execution. This term is also significantly used elsewhere to describe Judas' betrayal of Jesus (Matt 26:15) and God's sovereign act of delivering Jesus over for humanity's sins (Rom 8:32), linking human culpability with divine purpose.
• to be crucified (ἵνα σταυρωθῇ - hina staurōthē): Expresses the purpose or intention of the delivery. From stauroo, "to impale on a stake," "to crucify." Crucifixion was one of the most agonizing and humiliating forms of execution, reserved by the Romans primarily for slaves, pirates, and traitors (non-Roman citizens), used as a public deterrent. This indicates the definitive Roman sentence for Jesus.

Commentary

Matthew 27:26 illustrates the depth of human injustice and divine purpose. Pilate, driven by political expediency and fear of unrest rather than a pursuit of truth or justice, caved to the crowd's clamor, exchanging an innocent man for a criminal. The scourging was a merciless act of torture, a prelude to crucifixion designed to maximize suffering, inflicting severe physical wounds on the Son of God. Pilate's "delivery" marks the official transfer of Jesus to the executioners, formalizing His condemnation to the cross. This verse is a somber reminder of humanity's sin and its ultimate expression in rejecting and crucifying Christ. Yet, within this act of profound evil, God's redemptive plan for humanity's salvation unfolds precisely as ordained. It highlights that the suffering Jesus endured was a deliberate path to atonement for our transgressions, allowing grace to triumph over grave injustice.

Bonus section

The narrative of Barabbas' release offers a poignant spiritual parallel: humanity chose "Barabbas" (sin, rebellion, worldly liberation) over "Jesus" (salvation, righteousness, true freedom). Barabbas, the "son of the father" (Bar-Abba), ironically represented a false freedom tied to political insurrection, while Jesus, the true Son of the Father, offered spiritual liberation from sin and death. This choice illuminates the human tendency to reject spiritual truth in favor of immediate, often flawed, desires. The profound brutality of Roman scourging was not merely punishment but a deeply significant part of Jesus' atoning work. His wounds, foretold in Isa 53:5, directly contribute to the healing of believers, embodying the concept of propitiatory suffering. The term paradidomi (delivered up) used in this verse connects seamlessly with prophecies of betrayal and ultimately, God the Father delivering His own Son for the ultimate sacrifice (Rom 8:32). This interconnectedness shows how human sin and divine will tragically and triumphantly intertwined at the cross.

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