I don't believe this was a part of Christ's public ministry. I believe it was his obedience to the plan of the Father. It really was conducted before more of the religious establishment and didn't really involve the public at large with the exception of the Jews being offered his or another prisoners release.
Could I ask this question Jesus himself stated that he had called them ALL, yet, one was a devil. It seems to me that this would give the second minister some validity in his point.
I heard a preacher the other day speaking about Jesus public ministry and how he ended it at this time because of the Jews wish to kill him. Did Jesus and his public ministry at this time?