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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Cyril of Alexandria
And as I was considering and meditating in my mind how the custom arose for the Jews to ask for one man to be released to them (a robber, it might be, or a murderer), the idea occurred to me that they no longer regulated their actions altogether according to the Law, but, choosing rather to use their own customs, they fell into a decayed state of manners not altogether in accordance with the Mosaic dispensation. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
It is worthy of investigation on what occasion the custom arose among the Jews of releasing one prisoner for Passover. To this one may say, first, that those who teach "as doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7) introduced very much from their own reasoning, yet did not keep the commandments of God. So too they introduced this without any rational basis, while in other matters they neglected the rites prescribed by the law. …
Western Saints
Bede
This custom was not commanded in the law, but had been handed down by tradition from the old fathers, viz. that in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt, they should release a prisoner at the passover. Pilate tries to persuade them: Will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews.
Thomas Aquinas
2368 Accordingly he says, But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. First, he offers to release Christ; secondly, the Evangelist gives the reply of the Jews. 2369 This practice was started by Pilate or some other Roman governor as a favor to the people. Wishing to free Christ using this custom Pilate said, Will you have me release for you the King of the Jews? He did not call him this as if this were a crime, but to heighten their malice. …
Bonaventure
And because it was not sufficient to allege innocence, therefore secondly clemency is recalled: "But you have a custom that I should release one to you at the Passover." Victor: "Because at the Passover they were freed from servitude, at the Passover this custom of releasing was theirs." "Do you wish that I release to you the King of the Jews?" Augustine: "It could not be torn from his heart that Christ was the King of the Jews, as though truth itself had fixed this there, as on the title, concerning which he had asked what it was."
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