Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - John 18:39 - 18:39

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Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - John 18:39 - 18:39


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39. συνήθεια. Nothing is known of this custom beyond what the Gospels tell us. It may have been a memorial of the deliverance from Egypt. But prisoners were sometimes released at Rome at certain festivals, and it would be quite in harmony with the conciliatory policy of Rome to honour native festivals in this way in the case of subject nations. In Luk 23:17 the custom is said to be an obligation, ἀνάγκην εἶχεν: but the verse is of very doubtful genuineness. For ἵνα comp. Joh 11:57, Joh 15:12. Ἐν τ. πάσχα is no evidence that the Passover had been already celebrated: the prisoner would naturally be released in time to share in the Paschal meal. The Synoptists use the less definite expression, κατὰ ἑορτήν (Mat 27:15; Mar 15:6). For the construction βούλεσθε ἀπολύσω comp. θέλεις συλλέξωμεν, ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμεν (Mat 13:28; Mat 26:17; Luk 12:9), where in each case the fut. ind. is found as a various reading, perhaps from the LXX. (Heb 8:5). Mat 20:32; Mat 27:17; Mat 27:21; Mar 10:51; Mar 15:9; Mar 15:12; Luk 18:41, like this, are ambiguous; but the aor. subj. is much more intelligible (though not as a kind of deliberative subjunctive; comp. 1Co 3:21) than the fut. ind. Luk 9:54 must be aor. subj. Comp. βούλει φράσω, Arist. Eq. 36. The subj. intensifies the demand: would ye have me release.