John 18:39

39 Ye have a custome that I shuld delyver you one lowsse at ester. Will ye that I lowse vnto you the kynge of ye Iewes.

John 18:39 Meaning and Commentary

John 18:39

But ye have a custom
Not a law, either of God or man's, but a custom; and which was not originally observed at the feast of the passover, and perhaps was not of any long standing; but what the Roman governors, by the order of Caesar, or of their own pleasure, had introduced to ingratiate themselves into the affections of the people; and being repeated once and again, was now looked for: that I should release unto you one at the passover;
which was at this time; and more than one it seems it was not customary, to release: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
who they had said called himself so, and was so accounted by others, and which Pilate says, in a sneering, sarcastic way; though he was heartily willing to release him, and was in hopes they would have agreed to it, since nothing could be proved against him; however, he proposes it to them, and leaves it to their option.

John 18:39 In-Context

37 Pylate sayde vnto him: Arte thou a kynge then? Iesus answered: Thou sayst yt I am a kynge. For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into ye worlde yt I shuld beare witnes vnto the trueth. And all that are of ye trueth heare my voyce.

38 Pilate sayde vnto him: what thinge is trueth? And when he had sayd yt he went out agayne vnto the Iewes and sayde vnto them: I fynde in him no cause at all.

39 Ye have a custome that I shuld delyver you one lowsse at ester. Will ye that I lowse vnto you the kynge of ye Iewes.

40 Then cryed they all agayne sayinge: Not him but Barrabas that Barrabas was a robber.