Pilate's plan had failed. He offered Jesus, and the crowd asked for Barabbas (Mark 15:9-11). Now he asked what they wanted done with Jesus, as if the decision were theirs. His words "whom ye call" speak of the title as theirs, though he had used it himself moments before (Mark 15:9). Gill describes Pilate as "astonished that they should ask the release of such an infamous person," and still "very desirous of saving Jesus." Gill also hears in it a possible alternative: "some slight punishment on him, as scourging him, and so dismiss him." In effect, the judge put the decision to the crowd.

"And they cried out again, Crucify him" (Mark 15:13). Pilate tried once more, asking, "Why, what evil hath he done?" but they "cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him" (Mark 15:14). In the end Pilate, "willing to content the people," released Barabbas and delivered Jesus to be crucified (Mark 15:15).

The council had condemned Jesus (Mark 14:64), but it brought Him to Pilate for the sentence (Mark 15:1). John records the leaders telling Pilate, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death" (John 18:31). So the decision the crowd shouted for had to come from the governor. Before the crucifixion Jesus was scourged and then handed to the soldiers (Mark 15:15-16).

The crowd's cry, "Crucify him," came after the chief priests "moved the people" (Mark 15:11). Matthew says the chief priests and elders "persuaded the multitude" (Matthew 27:20). Matthew Henry notes that the people "were more and more urged by the priests."

Pilate put the question to the crowd. But the choice was still his, and Mark records that he "delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified" (Mark 15:15).

Yet behind human choices God's purpose was at work. Jesus had told His disciples that the Son of man would be delivered to the Gentiles, who would "mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again" (Mark 10:33-34). Peter later preached that Jesus was "delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," and still held his hearers responsible for crucifying Him (Acts 2:23). God's plan does not erase human guilt, and human guilt does not defeat God's plan.