24”So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.” (Matthew 27:24–26 ESV)
“So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15 (ESV)
24 “So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.” (Luke 23:24–25 (ESV)
12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,” (John 19:12–16 (ESV)
In our study of the Gospel of Matthew’s record of the Passion Week of the Lord Jesus Christ, it has been necessary, and insightful, to examine all four Gospel accounts. This discipline provides us understanding of all the events and encounters which took place during those hours and days.
Pontius Pilate was frustrated and faced a personal dilemma. He knew Jesus Christ was innocent. He also knew the Sanhedrin’s charges against Jesus were fabricated at best, and lies at worst. He tried bargaining for Jesus’ life but offering the crowd a choice between the Lord and Barabbas, to no avail. He even had Jesus severely scourged to satisfy the blood lust of the Jews (John 19:1-13). Pilate had declared to all who would listen, “I find no guilt in Him” (John 18:38). Then he said, “Behold your king!” (John 19:14).
“This exclamation must have been uttered with stinging ridicule. It was born of sullen resentment. Such is your king, O Jews, shackled, weak, defenseless, bloody, and sentenced to a horrible death, at your own request! Pilate “rubs it in.” How he hates these people,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
“The priests and the priest-ridden mob felt the sting of Pilate’s plaguing question. So in answer to his spitefully nettling remark they scream back: “Away with him, away with him, crucify him.” The governor jabs them once more with, “Your king shall I crucify?” (Note the order of the words, which is true to the original.) With unabashed, but all too transparent, hypocrisy the chief priests answer, we have no king but the emperor.”
When Pilate realized he was not accomplishing anything, he relented to the crowd’s demands. He also saw a riot was beginning, and he could not politically afford that to occur on his watch. Therefore, he symbolically washed his hands of the whole affair and said to the people, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” (Matthew 27:24 ESV)
4 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4–6 (ESV)
Soli deo Gloria!
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