Matthew 27:16

“And they had then a notable prisoner, etc.] The Vulgate Latin reads, “he had”; that is, Pilate, who had committed him to prison, and under whose power he was: for the Jews had lost all authority of this kind, at least in capital cases. This prisoner is called a “notable” one; that is, a famous, or rather an infamous one: he was a thief, and a robber, and had been guilty of sedition; had made, or joined with others in an insurrection, and had committed murder in it; and so, on more accounts than one, was deserving of death: nor could it be otherwise expected by himself, or others, but that he should die: his name was called Barabbas; that is, as the Syriac version reads it, aba rb, which…”

“See also the parallel places in Mark 15:6-14; Luke 23:17-23; John 18:39-40. Matthew 27:15 At that feast - The feast of the Passover. The governor was wont to release ... - that is, was “accustomed” to release. From what this custom arose, or by whom it was introduced, is not known. It was probably adopted to secure popularity among the Jews, and to render the government of the Romans less odious. Any little indulgence granted to the Jews during the heavy oppression of the Romans would serve to conciliate their favor, and to keep the nation from sedition. It might happen often that when persons were arraigned before the Romans on charge of sedition, some special favorite of the people, or…”

“27:16 notorious prisoner . . . named Barabbas: Elsewhere he is called a “revolutionary” (Mark 15:7; John 18:40), a term that also denotes a robber or insurrectionist (see Luke 23:19). To the zealots, Barabbas was a hero.”

“a: Mar 15:7; Luk 23:18, Luk 23:19, Luk 23:25; Joh 18:40; Act 3:14; Rom 1:32 Matthew 27:17”