{Cried out} (ekraugasan). First aorist active of
kraugaz(935c), old and rare verb from kraug(885c), outcry ( Mt 25:6 ),
as in  Mt 12:19 . {Not this man} (m(8820)touton). Contemptuous use
of houtos. The priests put the crowd up to this choice ( Mr
15:11 ) and Pilate offered the alternative ( Mt 27:17 , one MS.
actually gives Jesus as the name of Barabbas also). The name
Barabbas in Aramaic simply means son of a father. {A robber}
(l(8869)st(8873)). Old word from l(8869)zomai, to plunder, and so a
brigand and possibly the leader of the band to which the two
robbers belonged who were crucified with Jesus. Luke terms him an
insurgent and murderer ( Lu 23:19,25 ). They chose Barabbas in
preference to Jesus and apparently Jesus died on the very cross
planned for Barabbas.