Commentary on the Gospel of John

                                  Chapter Nineteen

                                                                                                                                              Verses 1-11

Pilate must have thought that if he had Jesus tortured, had a soldier beat Him with a whip, had a crown of thorns pressed onto His head, had his soldiers beat Him with their fists, put a purple robe on Him, and bring Him out in a bloody condition for the mob to see, then maybe the mob would be satisfied and Pilate could then let Jesus go.

Pilate went out to the mob and announced to them that he had found Jesus to be an innocent man. Pilate then brought Jesus out to the mob in His bloody condition and announced to them, "Behold, the man!" In other words, Pilate said to them that they should look at the tortured Jesus and be satisfied that He had paid a heavy price for whatever crimes the mob had against Him. Pilate evidently did not know about the Jewish law that a man should be stoned to death for blasphemy. But the mob was not satisfied. They became even more enraged and screamed that Jesus should be crucified.

Pilate had no desire to crucify a man he knew to be innocent. But Pilate also wanted to placate these Jews who wanted him to crucify a man who they said claimed to be their king because to do so would demonstrate their submission to Roman rule. Pilate then thought he could relieve himself from this decision if he simply gave permission to the Jews that they could crucify Jesus themselves. The Jews had court soldiers, and they had wood to make a cross. They could crucify Jesus themselves. But the mob would have no part of that. They declared to Pilate that by their own law, Jesus should be put to death because He claimed to be the Son of God. This declaration by the Jews changed everything. They now declared to Pilate the exact reason why they wanted Jesus crucified. The Jews used a very clever tactic when they said that because they knew that that accusation would have a strong effect on Pilate's mind. Pilate had been afraid, but he became even more afraid when he heard that accusation. In Roman mythology, some men were sons of the gods. In Pilate's mind, if Jesus were a son of the gods, then He would have tremendous power over the Romans.

Pilate went back into the judgment hall and asked Jesus where He came from. Jesus did not answer him because He did not desire to defend Himself because to do so would mean that He would have to go against His Father's Will that He be crucified. Pilate became angry that Jesus would not defend Himself, and He reminded Jesus that he had the power to crucify Jesus or let Him go. Jesus did not defend Himself when He did answer Pilate. Jesus did not give Pilate any reason why Pilate should let Him go. Jesus just told Pilate the simple truth. Pilate could have no power at all against Jesus if God had not allowed him to have that power. Jesus may have said that to assuage Pilate's fear of Him. Pilate must have been relieved to hear Jesus say that Pilate had power over Him.

Jesus then told Pilate that those Jews who delivered Him to Pilate committed a greater sin than Pilate had, and would, commit. By saying this, Jesus proved the Old Testament teaching that there are greater sins and lesser sins. Sins of ignorance or weakness that happen because a person becomes overwhelmed by temptation are not as bad as deliberate and willful sins against God's Law. The former sins need cleansing and forgiveness, but the latter sins happen to be downright evil and stem directly from the pride that the Devil has put into the hearts of humans that expresses itself in a desire to murder God and get rid of Him. Numbers 15:24-41. All living humans will eventually repent and believe that Christ can save them from their sins of weakness, and some living humans will repent and believe that Christ can save them from the evil sins that they have committed because of His Love and compassion for them. John 5:24; Revelation 5:11-14. But that evil, spiritual death itself which never repents, that the Devil has put into the hearts of every living human, Christ will separate that evil nature from every repentant, living human by the use of His fiery wrath against evil for Him to cast into an eternal lake of fire. Matthew 12:31-32; Matthew 13:36-43; I Corinthians 3:11-15; Revelation 5:11-14; II Peter 3:9-13; Revelation 20:5; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-5; Revelation 22:11-12. Being ignorant of God's Law, Pilate could not have sinned as great as the Jewish rulers did. Nevertheless, Pilate, and all living humans have participated in that evil desire to murder God and get rid of Him. Acts 4:25-28.