John 19:4, commentary and pictures

Pilate brought Jesus forth from the judgment hall after the scourging, wearing the crown of thorns and mocking purple robe, and publicly declared that he found no fault in him. He set the wounded and patient sufferer before the people in hope that the sight would awaken pity and lead them to spare his life. Though priests, rulers and people were convicted by the contrast with Barabbas, they rejected the innocent one and demanded his crucifixion and the release of the robber and murderer. The thrice-repeated verdict proves that no sin was found in Christ, for he was pure, holy, undefiled and blameless, with even Satan able to find nothing to accuse him of. Yet though innocent, he submitted to public shame and the cruelest death as man's substitute and surety, while Pilate, who condemned one he declared faultless to save his office, brought lasting guilt and infamy upon himself.

Pilate's Declaration of Innocence

Pilate brought Jesus forth in the Roman judgment hall after the scourging, wearing a crown of thorns and a purple, cast-off robe put on Him in mockery, and publicly declared that he found no fault in Him, having seen no sign of guilt and having no substantiated charge or grounds to condemn Him. He presented Jesus wounded and humiliated in this state in hope that the sight of His suffering would satisfy the people and lead them to spare Him. His purpose was that the sight of suffering, patience, forbearance, gentleness and dignity would move the crowd to pity and persuade them that He had suffered enough.

In that presentation Jesus' bleeding, exhausted yet patient dignity stood in contrast beside Barabbas, the robber with hardened criminal character. The contrast moved some onlookers to pity, and even priests and rulers were convicted by what they saw. Yet despite the declaration of innocence, the priests, rulers and people, stirred by hatred, rejected Jesus and demanded His crucifixion. They called for the release of Barabbas, a robber and murderer, while the same crowd that once hailed Jesus as king now reviled Him, deeds witnessed by angels in heaven.

Pilate repeated the finding of innocence three times after the priests failed to find anything in Him worthy of condemnation, affirming he had no grounds to condemn Him. Yet he lacked courage to defend Him, and to appease the accusers and save his office he violated justice and principle, had Him scourged, and surrendered Him to the mob. That wavering and indecision emboldened the crowd and began the chain of choices that left him burdened with guilt. By condemning One he had declared faultless, Pilate burdened himself with a guilty conscience and lasting infamy. He became an example followed by other unjust judges, and for condemning the Son of the infinite God despite that verdict he will have to answer to God in the judgment.

It was appointed that the trial and death unfold publicly, scene by scene and point after point at Passover, with publicity given to the whole transaction. By God's design those who delivered Jesus to death would hear Pilate's oft-repeated testimony to His innocence.

Meaning of Spotless Suffering

Pilate's words prove that not one sin was ever proven against Christ, for he was pure, holy, undefiled, spotless and blameless, without fault and no criminal. His spotless life was without blame, and his blameless life of service, compassion, teaching, healing and devotion to God joined in harmony stands as a perfect example. Yet even while declared spotless and blameless he was delivered to be crucified.

Even Satan could find nothing in him to turn into an accusation. He was persecuted because he taught truth from heaven, having come as the light of the world to save his people, living the law and revealing God's character, yet they would not receive the heavenly truth he brought and rejected him. The verdict exposes the accusations as false and the witnesses as hired by corrupt priests, with truth itself coming to Christ's help against his accusers. It lays bare how base and corrupt the priesthood had become in seeking his condemnation, so that a heathen, irreligious judge spoke for him as plainly as no friend dared.

Though innocent he bore the shame of being treated as unjust, publicly humiliated and put to open shame before scornful, maddened accusers demanding his death, standing as man's substitute and surety. He submitted to death by crucifixion, the most shameful of all deaths, with nails and spikes driven through his hands and his feet and his side pierced through with a spear, while Satan was raging against God. The events of his trial and death were appointed to unfold publicly, scene by scene, witnessed even by angels in heaven.

A blameless life alone was not the whole work of redemption. He also had to shed his blood and die publicly on the cross as the sacrifice for sin so that his death would be witnessed beyond doubt, and his precious blood bought children for God. The innocent one is the Son of the infinite, living God, God disguised by and clothed with humanity, come from the heavenly courts and the foundation of the whole Jewish economy to whom the Jewish sacrifices pointed. In being brought before the people wearing a crown of thorns and a cast-off robe placed on him in mockery, he exchanged his royal crown and robe of majesty for signs of suffering as he bore the consequences of human sin.

By choosing a robber and a heathen king in place of the Prince of Life and crying that they have no king but Caesar, his rejecters withdrew from the divine theocracy and chose a heathen ruler. The public declaration was heard by the condemned, repentant thief and formed part of the evidence that led him to recognize Jesus as the innocent Christ. Because he suffered innocently for the truth, Jesus can understand and stand beside those who suffer for faith.

Telling how Jesus was in the world, was derided, declared faultless by Pilate, and hung on the cruel cross is part of the word of testimony to bear to those in the world, while impurity and sin are to be overcome by the blood of the Lamb.