Mark 15:7

7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising.

Mark 15:7 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 15:7

And there was one named Barabbas
A prisoner of that name at Jerusalem;

which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him:
he had been at the head of a seditious mob, and he and his accomplices were taken and put in prison:

who had committed murder in the insurrection;
which may be connected either with Barabbas, and read in the singular number, as it is in the Vulgate Latin version, "he had committed"; or with the seditious persons he lay bound with, and be read in the plural number, "they had committed murder", as it is in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions; and so in the ancient copies; and the Ethiopic renders it, "he was bound with seditious persons and murderers"; though, no doubt, he was guilty of murder as well as they; and so Peter calls him a murderer, ( Acts 3:14 ) . About this time murders were very frequently committed: the Jews say ^F18 that

``from the time that murderers increased, the slaying of the red heifer ceased; (the reason the commentators ^F19 give, is, because they were known who were accustomed to commit murder;) and that was from the time that Eleazar ben Dinai came, and Techinah ben Perishah he was called; and they called him again the son of a murderer;''

(See Gill on Matthew 27:16).

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Misn. Sota, c. 9. sect. 9. Maimon. Hilch. Rotzeach. c. 9. sect. 12.
F19 Jarchi & Bartienora in ib.

Mark 15:7 In-Context

5 But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.

6 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested.

7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising.

8 The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual.

9 “Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked.