Matthew 27:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

'Barabbas' means 'the son of the father,' with 'bar' denoting son, and 'abba' meaning father. The Jewish leaders thus requested the son belonging to their father, the devil, and condemned Jesus. Even now, they continue to uphold the son of their father, the Antichrist, while rejecting Christ.

However, Christ, even in the face of condemnation, triumphs; when He stands trial, He prevails—as the psalmist declares, “So Thou art just in Thy judgment, and pure in Thy judgment” (Psalms 50:6). Therefore, why would He need to engage in speech prior to the trial, if the trial itself constituted a complete victory for Him?

Jesus' silence was appropriate, as the allegations from the Jews lacked substantiation and were unworthy of a response, particularly in light of what both His accusers and Pilate knew about Him (John 18:20). Pilate recognized the weight of Jesus' silence, marveling at His tranquility and clarity even amidst the tempest of indignation.

Had He spoken, it might have led to the revelation of His innocence and the deep-seated animosity harbored by His enemies, or it might have drawn Pilate’s attention to His miracles, compelling a thorough investigation, something the enemies of Jesus greatly wished to avoid. They were quite aware that Pilate doubted their fidelity to Caesar and looked down on their duplicitous facade. They could see that Jesus' serene demeanor and the majestic calm in His countenance was entirely in favor of the defendant. This only served to stir their determination and obstinacy in their accusations, leading them to press Pilate for a swift resolution—an immediate condemnation of Jesus. Pilate sought a way, not necessarily to spare the prisoner from execution, but at least to avert His condemnation. The cunning Roman found a solution. According to the account of the holy Evangelist Luke, he posed this question to the accusers: “You say that He began to incite the people in Galilee: is He a Galilean?” “Galilean!” the accusers shouted in unison, believing this fact would sway Pilate, who held a particular disdain for Galileans and was at odds with their ruler, Herod Antipas. However, the procurator had something else in mind. “Under the guise of avoiding interference in matters outside his jurisdiction, Pilate decided to send Jesus to Herod, who happened to be in Jerusalem for the Passover. Pilate hoped this unexpected act would foster goodwill with the line of Herod the Great.” Consequently, the divine prisoner was sent to Herod in the same manner as He had arrived from the Sanhedrin—bound and under guard. The chief priests and members of the Sanhedrin were forced to follow, having no right to protest against this shift of trial from one court to another. For Herod Antipas, who had previously rewarded a dancer with the head of the Forerunner, the sight of Jesus in his palace was both delightful and surprising. “Herod,” as Luke recounts, “was very glad to see Jesus, for he had long desired to meet Him, having heard much about Him.” But if this was truly the case, what had stopped him from seeking an audience sooner? Hadn’t the Savior journeyed through Galilee, visiting towns and villages? Who there did not know of Him? Who among those eager to see Him had not approached Him? In three years, Herod had never made any effort to draw near to the great Miracle Worker. Thus, one can infer the nature of his desire and joy upon seeing Jesus. The Great Miracle Worker’s presence in Herod's palace was a consolation to his vanity. Moreover, Pilate had sent him the Wonderworker of whom so much had been spoken, now within his power. Those dispatched by Pilate must have detailed the situation to Herod, yet he was not inclined to investigate, recognizing the matter as trivial just as Pilate had. Herod’s interest lay in the hope that the Wonderworking Defendant would reveal His divine powers under the threat of torture and death: "Herod hoped to see some miracle from Him.” Consequently, a torrent of inquiries poured forth from the curious ruler. While the Evangelist does not specify Herod’s questions, the Lord’s silence suggests they did not pertain to the charges at hand. Likely, Herod's inquiries were regarding the past miracles of the Lord. Yet, the Lord appeared in the same majestic manner seen at the outset of His ministry when He disdainfully rejected Satan’s temptation to use His miraculous gifts for personal gain. Without a doubt, had Herod witnessed a miracle, he would have released the Wonderworker from the peril surrounding Him; however, to perform miracles to gratify Herod would have been to grieve the Holy Spirit, by whose power they were performed. Frustrated by the lack of answers, Herod grew increasingly irritated. The chief priests seized the opportunity, capitalizing on his aggravation to accuse Jesus of being disobedient to authority and a disruptor of peace, deeming Him deserving of death. Yet, Herod, just like Pilate, recognized the nature of the Sanhedrin members and likely dismissed their opinions on Jesus as unreliable. He may have rationalized the Lord's silence in response to his queries as an indication that Jesus could not perform a miracle that would befit royal scrutiny. “He had scarcely given credence to the stories surrounding Jesus' miracles, attributing them possibly to trickery. Now, fully convinced that the Prisoner would have miraculously showcased His power if He could,” the Archbishop Innocent notes, “Herod regarded Him as an unimpressive magician, revered among the common folk but too intimidated to act before enlightened officials, posing no threat to the governing powers. Men such as these,” thought Herod, “merit not death but scorn,” leading him to mock the Lord first. The surrounding monarchs quickly joined in the mockery. Sharp taunts, scornful jibes, and coarse jokes erupted from all sides. The Son of Man faced derision, insulted as much as a righteous person can be in the court of Antipas. To cap the mockery, Herod adorned Jesus with a long, gleaming robe, reminiscent of those worn by Roman generals and political aspirants. “Thus,” he thought, “must He, who foolishly claims to be the King of the Jews, be attired.” In this garb, Jesus was returned to Pilate for further judgment. Herod likely had no intention of releasing Him, probably to avoid incurring the displeasure of the chief priests; nevertheless, he sought to reciprocate Pilate’s courtesy, signaling that he was no longer an adversary. From this moment on, as St. Luke remarks, Herod and Pilate became friends once more.

This revelation further inclined Pilate to favor Jesus’ release. The idea of sentencing an innocent One, particularly a divine figure, to death unsettled even a Roman ruler. Yet the chief priests intensified their efforts, accusing Jesus of inciting rebellion. They claimed He was misleading the populace by instructing them not to pay taxes to Caesar, drawing conclusions from their initial charges (Luke 23:2). They emphasized that Jesus propagated this teaching as He traveled from Galilee.

This silence likely served to gratify His opponents, who may have feared that the Defendant's remarkable eloquence could easily dismantle the intricate lies they had constructed to ensnare the Roman governor. If He had spoken, their plan for a swift resolution might have required further efforts and a delay of the proceedings, which they sought to avoid by hastily solidifying their unfounded claims. Pilate, convinced of the Lord’s righteousness, understood that envy was the true motive behind the accusations (Matthew 27:18) and recognized that the accused had substantial grounds for His defense. Thus, he questioned Him in confusion: “Do you answer nothing? - Hear not how many testify against Thee?” Yet, the Lord responded not a word, which left the governor astonished at what he perceived to be the Defendant's curious silence and apparent disregard for His own defense.