Mark tells us that each Passover Pilate was in the habit of releasing one of the Jewish prisoners to the people, whomsoever they desired (Mark 15:6-8). Literally, the text says: “at a feast he released to them one prisoner” (LITV). Young’s Literal Translation has it: “at every feast…” But, why would an anti-Semitic ruler wish to do such a thing for the folks he hated? Moreover, many critics tell us there was never such a custom done for the Passover or any other Jewish Festival. Yet, that Pilate did have such a custom is witnessed to by each of the Gospel narrators (Matthew 27:15; Luke 23:17; John 18:39), and is referred to in Luke’s second work (Acts 3:14). If the custom were not true, why would each of the Gospel narratives refer to it independently, either briefly or with a few details, and why would it be referred to so early in Acts? Certainly, the narrative of Jesus’ crucifixion doesn’t demand a reference to Barabbas. So, why would the custom be mentioned, if it weren’t true?
First, anti-Semitism, as well as other examples of bigotry, doesn’t always overtly appear racist. For example, who hasn’t heard of known or suspected bigots say: “I have a lot of friends who are x” (name the minority group), or he might praise a member of the group he hates by saying something like: “you are a credit to your race!” The fact that Pilate, a known anti-Semitic, would release a known felon to please a group he hates is far from illogical. To begin with, he might do so to frustrate the Jewish authorities. Certainly, he wanted to release Jesus for that reason. Moreover, one has to wonder how releasing a felon, a known murderer, and permitting him to return to society, is a good thing for the public. How many high crime neighborhoods do you know of that are on the top of a realtor’s list of properties for sale?
Secondly, we need to understand that, simply because we have no record of a custom, whereby a Jewish prisoner was released during the Passover or any other feast day, isn’t proof that such a thing wasn’t done by Pilate or any of the other Roman governors of the Jews. Some Roman officials were eager to please the Jews (cp. Acts 24:27; 25:9). All that is certain is, we have no record of such a custom. Nevertheless, we do have similar events that occurred in antiquity that tend to support what the Gospel narratives say about Pilate and Barabbas.
For example, when Archelaus inherited his portion of the estate of his father, Herod the Great, he not only eased the tax burden and the duties the Jews had to pay but also released at least some who were held in prison.[1] Furthermore, when the Roman governor, Albinus, heard he would be replaced by Gessius Florus, he executed the most violent criminals and emptied the prisons of Jewish felons so that Josephus claimed the country was filled with robbers.[2] Titus Livius, known by most as Livy, was a Roman historian, and he wrote: Books from the Foundation of the City, which is better known simply as The History of Rome. He writes:
“The priests who had charge of them appointed for the first time in Rome [6] a lectisternium (feast of the gods). Apollo and Latona, Diana and Hercules, Mercury and Neptune were for eight days propitiated on three couches decked with the most magnificent coverlets that could be obtained. Solemnities were conducted also in [7] private houses. It is stated that throughout the City the front gates of the houses were thrown open and all sorts of things placed for general use in the open courts, all comers, whether acquaintances or strangers, being brought in to share [8] the hospitality. Men who had been enemies held friendly and sociable conversations with each other and abstained from all litigation, the manacles even were removed from prisoners during this period, and afterwards it seemed an act of impiety that men to whom the gods had brought such relief should be put in chains again” (parentheses and emphasis mine).[3]
Therefore, although there are no extant records of Pilate or any other Roman governor of the Jews ever releasing prisoners on special occasions such as the Passover, there is plenty of evidence of a similar nature that we do have that would tend to support the veracity of the Gospel records.
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[1] Josephus: Wars of the Jews 2.1.2 (4)
[2] Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews 20.9.5 (215).
[3] Livy 5.13.5-8
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