Pilate hoped the people would choose Jesus. Mark gives the reason in the next verse: "For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy" (Mark 15:10). Pilate saw that the case against Jesus came from jealousy, not from any real crime. Barnes, on the parallel in Matthew 27:18, explains: "This was envy at his popularity. He drew away the people from them." Gill says Pilate was "satisfied of the innocence of Jesus, and being willing to dismiss him." The crowd had come asking for the usual release (Mark 15:8), so he offered them the prisoner he wanted to free. Matthew Henry puts it this way: Pilate "thought that he might appeal from the priests to the people."

The chief priests "moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them" (Mark 15:11). The crowd turned Pilate's offer away from Jesus to a murderer. Pilate's next question shows they had asked for Barabbas, for he then asked what to do with Jesus (Mark 15:12). Matthew records the answer in their own words: "They said, Barabbas" (Matthew 27:21).

At the feast, Pilate followed a custom of releasing "one prisoner, whomsoever they desired" (Mark 15:6). John calls it a custom of the Jews at the passover (John 18:39).

Barabbas was no small offender. He "lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection" (Mark 15:7). So the choice before the crowd was between a man guilty of rebellion and murder, and Jesus, of whom Pilate asked, "Why, what evil hath he done?" (Mark 15:14).

The question set two men side by side, and the people chose the guilty one. Mark lets the irony stand: Barabbas, who had made insurrection and committed murder, went free, while Jesus, who had done no evil that anyone could name (Mark 15:14), was crucified.

Peter later preached this very scene back to the people of Jerusalem: "ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you" (Acts 3:14). The choice made before Pilate became part of the gospel call to repent.