15:8-10 indicates that Pilate knew that the prisoner before him was being falsely accused and ought to be released, but 15: 15 shows Pilate's dilemma and weakness. He did not want any trouble from the Jews at the most important religious festival, with Jerusalem full of pilgrims; so he took the easy way out of the difficulty and handed Jesus over to the soldiers to be executed. Two robbers were due to be executed (15 :27) and Pilate probably thought that the execution of Jesus along with the robbers would be an effective deterrent to anyone else who might try to cause trouble in the over-crowded city. Roman fear of a Jewish uprising was realistic, in view of what eventually happened between A.D. 66--70.