What is the meaning of Matthew 27:26? So Pilate released Barabbas to them “ So Pilate released Barabbas to them ” (Matthew 27:26). • Pilate’s decision shows the power of public pressure over justice. Though he had declared Jesus innocent (Luke 23:4, 22; John 18:38), he capitulated to the crowd. • Barabbas, a “notorious prisoner” involved in insurrection and murder (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19), walks free while the sinless Son of God is condemned. This exchange foreshadows the substitutionary atonement—Jesus taking the place of sinners (2 Corinthians 5:21). • The release of Barabbas fulfills the prophetic picture of the scapegoat in Leviticus 16:20-22: guilt transferred, the guilty set free, the innocent bearing the penalty. • Pilate’s gesture of washing his hands (Matthew 27:24) cannot absolve him; personal responsibility before God cannot be delegated or excused (Ezekiel 18:20). But he had Jesus flogged “ But he had Jesus flogged ” (Matthew 27:26). • Roman flogging was brutal, often fatal. Isaiah 50:6 and Isaiah 53:5 prophetically describe Messiah’s back offered to strikes, “by His stripes we are healed.” • The physical torment emphasizes the cost of redemption (1 Peter 2:24). Jesus bears not only sin’s guilt but its punishment in His body. • Pilate’s attempt to satisfy the crowd with a lesser penalty (John 19:1-4) fails. Sin-hardened hearts will not be appeased until righteousness is silenced. • The flogging further underscores Christ’s willing submission; He could have summoned legions of angels (Matthew 26:53) yet chooses the path of suffering love. And handed Him over to be crucified “ and handed Him over to be crucified ” (Matthew 27:26). • Crucifixion fulfilled Psalm 22:16-18 and Deuteronomy 21:23, identifying Jesus with the cursed so He might redeem us from the curse (Galatians 3:13). • The phrase “handed Him over” traces a chain of betrayal: Judas to the priests (Matthew 26:15), priests to Pilate (27:2), Pilate to the soldiers (27:27). Human schemes, yet God’s predetermined plan (Acts 2:23). • Jesus’ path to the cross demonstrates both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The rulers act freely, yet unknowingly carry out God’s redemptive design (Isaiah 53:10; Romans 8:32). • The cross stands as the ultimate revelation of love (John 3:16) and the decisive triumph over sin and death (Colossians 2:14-15). summary Matthew 27:26 captures the great exchange at the heart of the gospel. The guilty man walks away; the innocent Savior is scourged and led to crucifixion. Pilate’s compromise, the crowd’s choice, and the soldiers’ cruelty all serve God’s purpose of redemption. Jesus willingly endures flogging and the cross to bear our sin, fulfill prophecy, and secure our salvation. |
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