Barabbas
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 (Matt.
27:16-26; Acts 3:14). This Pilate did.