Bede

And Pilate adjudged that their petition be made. But he released to them the one who had been cast into prison for murder and sedition, whom they requested. Jesus, however, he delivered to their will. The seditious thief and author of murders was released to the Jewish people, that is, the devil, who long ago, due to the guilt of pride, had been expelled from the homeland of light and cast into the prison of darkness, and thus the Jews cannot have peace because they preferred to choose the leader of seditions rather than the Lord. …

On the Gospel of Luke ↗

Bonaventure

But although he wished to free him in so many ways, nevertheless out of fear he failed in the end and turned aside against the dictate of justice, mercy, his own will, and right reason toward the perverse will of the people; therefore he adds: And Pilate adjudged that their petition should be granted; and this against that passage in Exodus 23: "You shall not follow the crowd to do evil, nor in judgment shall you yield to the opinion of the many, so as to deviate from the truth."

Commentary on Luke, Chapter 23 ↗