No one can feel it a difficulty that Matthew is silent as to their asking some one to be released unto them, which Mark here mentions; for it is a thing of no consequence that one should mention a thing which another leaves out.
There follows: “But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered Him for envy.”
Some one may ask, which were the words of which Pilate made use, those which are related by Matthew, or those which Mark relates; for there seems to be a difference between, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” as Matthew has it; and, “Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” as is here said. But since they gave to kings the name of Christs, he who said this man or that must have asked whether they wished the King of the Jews to be released unto them, that is, Christ. It makes no difference to the sense that Mark has said nothing of Barabbas, wishing only to mention what belonged to the Lord, since by their answer he sufficiently shewed whom they wished to have released to them.
For there follows: “But the Chief Priests moved the people that he should rather release unto them Barabbas.”
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).