Matthew 27:22

22 Pilate saith to them, `What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all say to him, `Let be crucified!'

Matthew 27:22 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 27:22

Pilate saith unto them
As one astonished at their choice: he could not have thought they would have asked the life of so vile a wretch, that had been guilty of such capital crimes, crimes to be abhorred by all men:

what shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?
Surely you would not have me put him to death, and that for no other reason but this, because he is called either by himself or others, Christ, or the Messiah, or the king of the Jews!

they all say unto him, let him be crucified;
which was a Roman punishment, inflicted on the meanest and worst of men; as wicked servants, thieves, robbers, and cut-throats ^F15; and so was not only a torturing and painful death, but a very shameful and ignominious one; yea, an accursed one: in this they all agreed, being instigated to it by the chief priests and elders.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Lipsius de Cruce, l. 1. c. 12, 13.

Matthew 27:22 In-Context

20 And the chief priests and the elders did persuade the multitudes that they might ask for themselves Barabbas, and might destroy Jesus;

21 and the governor answering said to them, `Which of the two will ye [that] I shall release to you?' And they said, `Barabbas.'

22 Pilate saith to them, `What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all say to him, `Let be crucified!'

23 And the governor said, `Why, what evil did he?' and they were crying out the more, saying, `Let be crucified.'

24 And Pilate having seen that it profiteth nothing, but rather a tumult is made, having taken water, he did wash the hands before the multitude, saying, `I am innocent from the blood of this righteous one; ye -- ye shall see;'