The Shadow of Nazareth Jesus. Both Barrabas and Jesus are sentenced to die by crucifixion, but Jewish custom allows the release of a prisoner on the day of the Passover feast. Pontius Pilate, the Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, has the authority to decide whether to free Barabbas or Jesus in honor of the Passover. However, Pilate is unwilling to make the decision himself, so he lets a crowd that has gathered before him choose who is to live. The crowd chooses Barabbas, who is set free, and Jesus, who is innocent of any wrongdoing, dies on the cross. Following the crucifixion,
Chronology of Jesus the Roman historian Tacitus in "The Annals" ("c." AD 116), described the persecution of Christians by Nero and stated () that Jesus had been executed on the orders of Pilate during the reign of Tiberius (Emperor from 18 September AD 14 – 16 March AD 37). According to Flavius Josephus, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea from AD 26 until he was replaced by Marcellus, either in AD 36 or AD 37, establishing the date of the death of Jesus between AD 26 and AD 37. In the Gospel of Luke, while Jesus is in Pilate's court, Pilate realizes that