They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
After the Sanhedrin condemned Jesus to death, the priests and leaders brought Him bound to Pilate's judgment hall to have their sentence confirmed and carried out, because they could not carry out a death sentence themselves. When Pilate demanded a specific accusation, they brought no charge and no proof but insisted He must be a criminal and lawbreaker because they had delivered Him up, expecting Pilate to accept their authority and ratify their sentence without inquiry or public examination, but Pilate was not satisfied and told them to judge Him by their own law. Their claim that He was a malefactor stands against His innocence, for no sin was proved against Him, their charges could not be substantiated and their testimony contradicted itself, and Pilate himself found no fault in Him, yet He was treated as unjust. The push to have Him killed came from hatred and prejudice stirred by Satan, even though He had come to redeem the very people He loved, and in submitting to crucifixion under that accusation He submitted as humanity's substitute and surety. He had prepared His disciples beforehand for this betrayal, condemnation, rejection, and humiliation so it would not take them by surprise, and in the proceedings that followed His accusers pressed for death by charging Him with opposing Caesar while Pilate examined Him and declared he found no fault in Him.
Hearing Before Pilate
After the Sanhedrin had condemned Him to death, the priests and leaders brought Jesus bound to Pilate's judgment hall to have their sentence confirmed and carried out. They could not carry out a death sentence themselves, and Pilate's legal confirmation was required before He could be executed. It was in that setting that Pilate was to demand what charge they brought against Him.
When Pilate demanded a specific accusation, they gave no charge but insisted He must be a criminal and lawbreaker because they had delivered Him over. Their answer avoided stating what He had done and offered only their own judgment and decision as proof rather than evidence of wrongdoing. They could not substantiate their charges, and their insistence that handing Him over proved Him a criminal was an unsupported appeal to their own authority. The presentation of Him to Pilate as a lawbreaker therefore rested on their verdict alone, not on any proven act.
By that answer they assumed Pilate would accept their authority and confirm their judgment without inquiry. They wanted him to ratify their sentence and condemn Jesus without a public examination or hearing. But Pilate was not satisfied and challenged them, telling them to judge Jesus according to their own law. The exchange then continued to their reply that they could not put anyone to death.
In the surrounding proceedings they later pressed for His death by accusing Him of opposing Caesar. Pilate examined the accusations and declared that he found no fault in Him. Even as the pressure for condemnation continued, Pilate recognized his own responsibility in condemning Jesus.
Innocent Yet Condemned Substitute
The leaders answered Pilate's demand for a specific accusation with no charge at all, insisting He must be a lawbreaker simply because they had delivered Him over and resting their case on their own judgment and authority. That claim was no evidence of guilt, for they could not substantiate their charges and wanted Pilate to ratify their sentence and condemn Him without public examination or hearing. Their testimony against Him contradicted itself and had no value, no sin was proved against Him, and Pilate after examining the accusations declared that he found no fault in Him, yet He was treated as unjust.
The drive to have Him killed in Pilate's judgment hall, delivering Him into the hands of a lawless mob after the Sanhedrin had condemned Him to death, was driven by hatred and prejudice. That hatred was stirred by Satan, even though He had come to redeem the people He loved. In submitting to crucifixion while thus accused as a criminal, He submitted as humanity's substitute and surety.
His betrayal and condemnation in this coming trial, with the crowd's rejection and His humiliation, was what He had prepared His disciples for beforehand so that it would not take them by surprise.
After the Sanhedrin condemned Jesus to death, the priests and leaders brought Him bound to Pilate's judgment hall to have their sentence confirmed and carried out, because they could not carry out a death sentence themselves.
When Pilate demanded a specific accusation, they brought no charge and no proof but insisted He must be a criminal and lawbreaker because they had delivered Him up, expecting Pilate to accept their authority and ratify their sentence without inquiry or public examination, but Pilate was not satisfied and told them to judge Him by their own law.
Their claim that He was a malefactor stands against His innocence, for no sin was proved against Him, their charges could not be substantiated and their testimony contradicted itself, and Pilate himself found no fault in Him, yet He was treated as unjust.
The push to have Him killed came from hatred and prejudice stirred by Satan, even though He had come to redeem the very people He loved, and in submitting to crucifixion under that accusation He submitted as humanity's substitute and surety.
He had prepared His disciples beforehand for this betrayal, condemnation, rejection, and humiliation so it would not take them by surprise, and in the proceedings that followed His accusers pressed for death by charging Him with opposing Caesar while Pilate examined Him and declared he found no fault in Him.
Hearing Before Pilate
After the Sanhedrin had condemned Him to death, the priests and leaders brought Jesus bound to Pilate's judgment hall to have their sentence confirmed and carried out. They could not carry out a death sentence themselves, and Pilate's legal confirmation was required before He could be executed. It was in that setting that Pilate was to demand what charge they brought against Him.
When Pilate demanded a specific accusation, they gave no charge but insisted He must be a criminal and lawbreaker because they had delivered Him over. Their answer avoided stating what He had done and offered only their own judgment and decision as proof rather than evidence of wrongdoing. They could not substantiate their charges, and their insistence that handing Him over proved Him a criminal was an unsupported appeal to their own authority. The presentation of Him to Pilate as a lawbreaker therefore rested on their verdict alone, not on any proven act.
By that answer they assumed Pilate would accept their authority and confirm their judgment without inquiry. They wanted him to ratify their sentence and condemn Jesus without a public examination or hearing. But Pilate was not satisfied and challenged them, telling them to judge Jesus according to their own law. The exchange then continued to their reply that they could not put anyone to death.
In the surrounding proceedings they later pressed for His death by accusing Him of opposing Caesar. Pilate examined the accusations and declared that he found no fault in Him. Even as the pressure for condemnation continued, Pilate recognized his own responsibility in condemning Jesus.
Innocent Yet Condemned Substitute
The leaders answered Pilate's demand for a specific accusation with no charge at all, insisting He must be a lawbreaker simply because they had delivered Him over and resting their case on their own judgment and authority. That claim was no evidence of guilt, for they could not substantiate their charges and wanted Pilate to ratify their sentence and condemn Him without public examination or hearing. Their testimony against Him contradicted itself and had no value, no sin was proved against Him, and Pilate after examining the accusations declared that he found no fault in Him, yet He was treated as unjust.
The drive to have Him killed in Pilate's judgment hall, delivering Him into the hands of a lawless mob after the Sanhedrin had condemned Him to death, was driven by hatred and prejudice. That hatred was stirred by Satan, even though He had come to redeem the people He loved. In submitting to crucifixion while thus accused as a criminal, He submitted as humanity's substitute and surety.
His betrayal and condemnation in this coming trial, with the crowd's rejection and His humiliation, was what He had prepared His disciples for beforehand so that it would not take them by surprise.