Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Stirred up (aneseisan).
Shook up like an earthquake (seismov). Matthew 27:20 has a weaker word, "persuaded" (epeisan). Effective aorist indicative. The priests and scribes had amazing success. If one wonders why the crowd was fickle, he may recall that this was not yet the same people who followed him in triumphal entry and in the temple. That was the plan of Judas to get the thing over before those Galilean sympathizers waked up. "It was a case of regulars against an irregular, of priests against prophet" (Gould). "But Barabbas, as described by Mark, represented a popular passion, which was stronger than any sympathy they might have for so unworldly a character as Jesus—the passion for political liberty" (Bruce). "What unprincipled characters they were! They accuse Jesus to Pilate of political ambition, and they recommend Barabbas to the people for the same reason" (Bruce). The Sanhedrin would say to the people that Jesus had already abdicated his kingly claims while to Pilate they went on accusing him of treason to Caesar.
Rather (mallon). Rather than Jesus. It was a gambler's choice.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Mark 15:11:
John 18:40
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