Same way with Judas. We needed all of these guys to “do their job” in order to carry out and fulfill the prophesy.
Pilate could have said I release him; give him amnesty.
And even more, why does only ONE GUY, in all of those bad actors, get 2000 years of weekly "bad press", and nobody else? Especially when he is the ONLY one (other than His followers) getting mentioned as trying to defend Jesus?
(I just kind of empathize with Pilate, I guess, having been in so many no-win scenarios, and being the only one to take heat for events where many participated.)
Exactly on target FRiend. All happened EXACTLY as God willed.