i.e., son of Abba or of a father, a notorious robber whom Pilate proposed to condemn to death instead of Jesus, whom he wished to release, in accordance with the Roman custom (
John 18:40 ;
Mark 15:7 ;
Luke 23:19 ). But the Jews were so bent on the death of Jesus that they demanded that Barabbas should be pardoned (
Matthew 27:16-26 ;
Acts 3:14 ). This Pilate did.
These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.