Pilate and the crowd (Mk 15:8-15:8)

“The crowd came.

They began

To ask Pilate,

To do for them

According to his custom.”

7

καὶ ἀναβὰς ὁ ὄχλος ἤρξατο αἰτεῖσθαι καθὼς ἐποίει αὐτοῖς.

 

This is something like this in Matthew, chapter 27:17.  There is nothing like this in John or Luke.  Mark said that after the crowd had gathered together (καὶ ἀναβὰς ὁ ὄχλος), they began to ask Pilate to follow his usual custom of releasing a prisoner for them (ἤρξατο αἰτεῖσθαι καθὼς ἐποίει αὐτοῖς) at the festival time.  This crowd seemed to be very demanding, since this was a Roman ruler in a Jewish country.  How demanding are as regards your government?