SEV Biblia, Chapter 27:24
Y viendo Pilato que nada adelantaba, antes se hacía ms alboroto, tomando agua se lav las manos delante del pueblo, diciendo: Inocente soy yo de la sangre de este justo; verislo vosotros.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:24
Verse 24. Pilate-took water, and washed his hands] Thus signifying his innocence. It was a custom among the Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins, to wash the hands in token of innocence, and to show that they were pure from any imputed guilt. In case of an undiscovered murder, the elders of that city which was nearest to the place where the dead body was found, were required by the law, Deut. xxi. 1-10, to wash their hands over the victim which was offered to expiate the crime, and thus make public protestation of their own innocence. David says, I will wash my hands in innocence, so shall I compass thine altar, Psa. xxvi. 6. As Pilate knew Christ was innocent, he should have prevented his death: he had the armed force at his command, and should have dispersed this infamous mob. Had he been charged with countenancing a seditious person, he could have easily cleared himself, had the matter been brought before the emperor. He, therefore, was inexcusable.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 24. When Pilate saw he could prevail nothing , etc.] That it was to no purpose to talk to them, and in favour of Jesus; he saw they were determined upon his crucifixion, and that nothing else would satisfy them: but that rather a tumult was made ; there was an uproar among the people, and he might fear the consequences of it, should he not grant their request; otherwise, as Philo the Jew says of him, he was, thn fusin akamphv kai meta tou anyadouv ameiliktov , naturally inflexible, rigid, and self-willed: but he knew the temper of these people, and had had experience of their resoluteness, when they were determined on any thing; as in the case of his introducing the golden shields into the holy city, of which the same author speaks: and was then obliged, though sore against his will, as now, to yield unto them: He took water, and washed his hands before the multitude ; either in conformity to a custom among the Jews, whereby they testified their innocence as to the commission of murder; (see Deuteronomy 21:6,7 Psalm 26:6), or to a Gentile one, used when murder was committed, for the lustration or expiation of it f1657 : saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person ; though this did not clear him from all guilt in this matter: he ought to have acted the part of an upright judge, and not have yielded to the unrighteous requests of the people; he ought not to have scourged an innocent man, and much less have condemned and delivered him to be crucified, as he did; though in this he bore a testimony to the innocence of Christ, and which is somewhat remarkable in him; who was, as Philo says f1658 , notoriously guilty of receiving bribes, of injuries, rapine, and frequent murders of persons uncondemned: see ye [to it] ; you must be answerable for this action, and all the consequences of it. The Syriac version renders it, you have known; and the Persic version, you know: and the Arabic version, you know better; (see Gill on Matthew 27:4).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-25 - Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, an laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinfu pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence from faithful friends, and from our own consciences. O do not thi abominable thing which the Lord hates! is what we may hear said to us when we are entering into temptation, if we will but regard it. Being overruled by the priests, the people made choice of Barabbas Multitudes who choose the world, rather than God, for their ruler an portion, thus choose their own delusions. The Jews were so bent upo the death of Christ, that Pilate thought it would be dangerous to refuse. And this struggle shows the power of conscience even on the worst men. Yet all was so ordered to make it evident that Chris suffered for no fault of his own, but for the sins of his people. Ho vain for Pilate to expect to free himself from the guilt of the innocent blood of a righteous person, whom he was by his office boun to protect! The Jews' curse upon themselves has been awfully answere in the sufferings of their nation. None could bear the sin of others except Him that had no sin of his own to answer for. And are we not all concerned? Is not Barabbas preferred to Jesus, when sinners rejec salvation that they may retain their darling sins, which rob God of his glory, and murder their souls? The blood of Christ is now upon us for good, through mercy, by the Jews' rejection of it. O let us flee to it for refuge!
Greek Textus Receptus
ιδων 1492 5631 V-2AAP-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM πιλατος 4091 N-NSM οτι 3754 CONJ ουδεν 3762 A-ASN ωφελει 5623 5719 V-PAI-3S αλλα 235 CONJ μαλλον 3123 ADV θορυβος 2351 N-NSM γινεται 1096 5736 V-PNI-3S λαβων 2983 5631 V-2AAP-NSM υδωρ 5204 N-ASN απενιψατο 633 5668 V-AMI-3S τας 3588 T-APF χειρας 5495 N-APF απεναντι 561 ADV του 3588 T-GSM οχλου 3793 N-GSM λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM αθωος 121 A-NSM ειμι 1510 5748 V-PXI-1S απο 575 PREP του 3588 T-GSN αιματος 129 N-GSN του 3588 T-GSM δικαιου 1342 A-GSM τουτου 5127 D-GSM υμεις 5210 P-2NP οψεσθε 3700 5695 V-FDI-2P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
27:24 {Washed his hands} (apenipsato tas ceiras). As a last resort since the hubbub (qorubos) increased because of his vacillation. The verb aponipt" means to wash off and the middle voice means that he washed off his hands for himself as a common symbol of cleanliness and added his pious claim with a slap at them. {I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man} (or { this blood}); {see ye to it}. (Ath"ios eimi apo tou haimatos tou dikaiou toutou or tou haimatos toutou as some manuscripts have it, humeis oyesqe.) The Jews used this symbol (#De 21:6; Ps 26:6; 73:13). Plummer doubts if Pilate said these words with a direct reference to his wife's message (#26:19), but I fail to see the ground for that scepticism. The so-called _Gospel of Peter_ says that Pilate washed his hands because the Jews refused to do so.
