TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers John 19:1–15. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is a further account of the unfair trial which they gave to our Lord Jesus. The prosecutors carrying it on with great confusion among the people, and the judge with great confusion in his own breast, between both the narrative is such as is not easily reduced to method; we must therefore take the parts of it as they lie.
I.The judge abuses the prisoner, though he declares him innocent, and hopes therewith to pacify the prosecutors; wherein his intention, if indeed it was good, will by no means justify his proceedings, which were palpably unjust.
1.He ordered him to be whipped as a criminal, v. 1. Pilate, seeing the people so outrageous, and being disappointed in his project of releasing him upon the people's choice, took Jesus, and scourged him, that is, appointed the lictors that attended him to do it. Bede is of opinion that Pilate scourged Jesus himself with his own hands, because it is said, He took him and scourged him, that it might be done favourably. Matthew and Mark mention his scourging after his condemnation, but here it appears to have been before. Luke speaks of Pilate's offering to chastise him, and let him go, which must be before sentence. This scourging of him was designed only to pacify the Jews, and in it Pilate put a compliment upon them, that he would take their word against his own sentiments so far. The Roman scourgings were ordinarily very severe, not limited, as among the Jews, to forty stripes; yet this pain and shame Christ submitted to for our sakes.
(1.)That the scripture might be fulfilled, which spoke of his being stricken, smitten, and afflicted, and the chastisement of our peace being upon him (Isa. liii. 5), of his giving his back to the smiters (Isa. l. 6), of the ploughers ploughing upon his back, Ps. cxxix. 3. He himself likewise had foretold it, Matt. xx. 19; Mark x. 34; Luke xviii. 33.
(2.)That by his stripes we might be healed, 1 Pet. ii. 4. We deserved to have been chastised with whips and scorpions, and beaten with many stripes, having known our Lord's will and not done it; but Christ underwent the stripes for us, bearing the rod of his Father's wrath, Lam. iii. 1. Pilate's design in scourging him was that he might not be condemned, which did not take effect, but intimated what was God's design, that his being scourged might prevent our being condemned, we having fellowship in his sufferings, and this did take effect: the physician scourged, and so the patient healed.
(3.)That stripes, for his sake, might be sanctified and made easy to his followers; and they might, as they did, rejoice in that shame (Acts v. 41; xvi. 22, 25), as Paul did, who was in stripes above measure, 2 Cor. xi. 23. Christ's stripes take out the sting of theirs, and alter the property of them. We are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. xi. 32.
2.He turned him over to his soldiers, to be ridiculed and made sport with as a fool (v. 2, 3): The soldiers, who were the governor's life-guard, put a crown of thorns upon his head; such a crown they thought fittest for such a king; they put on him a purple robe, some old threadbare coat of that colour, which they thought good enough to be the badge of his royalty; and they complimented him with, Hail, king of the Jews (like people like king), and then smote him with their hands.
(1.)See here the baseness and injustice of Pilate, that he would suffer one whom he believed an innocent person, and if so an excellent person, to be thus abused and trampled on by his own servants. Those who are under the arrest of the law ought to be under the protection of it; and their being secured is to be their security. But Pilate did this,
[1.]To oblige his soldiers' merry humour, and perhaps his own too, notwithstanding the gravity one might have expected in a judge. Herod, as well as his men of war, had just before done the same, Luke xxiii. 11. It was as good as a stage-play to them, now that it was a festival time; as the Philistines made sport with Samson.
[2.]To oblige the Jews' malicious humour, and to gratify them, who desired that all possible disgrace might be done to Christ, and the utmost indignities put upon him.
(2.)See here the rudeness and insolence of the soldiers, how perfectly lost they were to all justice and humanity, who could thus triumph over a man in misery, and one that had been in reputation for wisdom and honour, and never did any thing to forfeit it. But thus hath Christ's holy religion been basely misrepresented, dressed up by bad men at their pleasure, and so exposed to contempt and ridicule, as Christ was here.
[1.]They clothe him with a mock-robe, as if it were a sham and a jest, and nothing but the product of a heated fancy and a crazed imagination. And as Christ is here represented as a king in conceit only, so is his religion as a concern in conceit only, and God and the soul, sin and duty, heaven and hell, are with many all chimeras.
[2.]They crown him with thorns; as if the religion of Christ were a perfect penance, and the greatest pain and hardship in the world; as if to submit to the control of God and conscience were to thrust one's head into a thicket of thorns; but this is an unjust imputation; thorns and snares are in the way of the froward, but roses and laurels in religion's ways.
(3.)See here the wonderful condescension of our Lord Jesus in his sufferings for us. Great and generous minds can bear any thing better than ignominy, any toil, any pain, any loss, rather than reproach; yet this the great and holy Jesus submitted to for us. See and admire,
[1.]The invincible patience of a sufferer, leaving us an example of contentment and courage, evenness, and easiness of spirit, under the greatest hardships we may meet with in the way of duty.
[2.]The invincible love and kindness of a Saviour, who not only cheerfully and resolutely went through all this, but voluntarily undertook it for us and for our salvation. Herein he commended his love, that he would not only die for us, but die as a fool dies. First, He endured the pain; not the pangs of death only, though in the death of the cross these were most exquisite; but, as if these were too little, he submitted to those previous pains. Shall we complain of a thorn in the flesh, and of being buffeted by affliction, because we need it to hide pride from us, when Christ humbled himself to bear those thorns in the head, and those buffetings, to save and teach us? 2 Cor. xii. 7. Secondly, He despised the shame, the shame of a fool's coat, and the mock-respect paid him, with, Hail, king of the Jews. If we be at any time ridiculed for well-doing, let us not be ashamed, but glorify God, for thus we are partakers of Christ's sufferings. He that bore these sham honours was recompensed with real honours, and so shall we, if we patiently suffer shame for him.
II.Pilate, having thus abused the prisoner, presents him to the prosecutors, in hope that they would now be satisfied, and drop the prosecution, v. 4, 5. Here he proposes two things to their consideration:—
1.That he had not found any thing in him which made him obnoxious to the Roman government (v. 4): I find no fault in him; oudemian aitian heurisko—I do not find in him the least fault, or cause of accusation. Upon further enquiry, he repeats the declaration he had made, ch. xviii. 38. Hereby he condemns himself; if he found no fault in him, why did he scourge him, why did he suffer him to be abused? None ought to suffer ill but those that do ill; yet thus many banter and abuse religion, who yet, if they be serious, cannot but own they find no fault in it. If he found no fault in him, why did he bring him out to his prosecutors, and not immediately release him, as he ought to have done? If Pilate had consulted his own conscience only, he would neither have scourged Christ nor crucified him; but, thinking to trim the matter, to please the people by scourging Christ, and save his conscience by not crucifying him, behold he does both; whereas, if he had at first resolved to crucify him, he need not have scourged him. It is common for those who think to keep themselves from greater sins by venturing upon less sins to run into both.
2.That he had done that to him which would make him the less dangerous to them and to their government, v. 5. He brought him out to them, wearing the crown of thorns, his head and face all bloody, and said, "Behold the man whom you are so jealous of," intimating that though his having been so popular might have given them some cause to fear that his interest in the country would lessen theirs, yet he had taken an effectual course to prevent it, by treating him as a slave, and exposing him to contempt, after which he supposed the people would never look upon him with any respect, nor could he ever retrieve his reputation again. Little did Pilate think with what veneration even these sufferings of Christ would in after ages be commemorated by the best and greatest of men, who would glory in that cross and those stripes which he thought would have been to him and his followers a perpetual and indelible reproach.
(1.)Observe here our Lord Jesus shows himself dressed up in all the marks of ignominy. He came forth, willing to be made a spectacle, and to be hooted at, as no doubt he was when he came forth in this garb, knowing that he was set for a sign that should be spoken against, Luke ii. 34. Did he go forth thus bearing our reproach? Let us go forth to him bearing his reproach, Heb. xiii. 13.
(2.)How Pilate shows him: Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man. He saith unto them: so the original is; and, the immediate antecedent being Jesus, I see no inconvenience in supposing these to be Christ's own words; he said, "Behold the man against whom you are so exasperated." But some of the Greek copies, and the generality of the translators, supply it as we do, Pilate saith unto them, with a design to appease them, Behold the man; not so much to move their pity, Behold a man worthy your compassion, as to silence their jealousies, Behold a man not worthy your suspicion, a man from whom you can henceforth fear no danger; his crown is profaned, and cast to the ground, and now all mankind will make a jest of him. The word however is very affecting: Behold the man. It is good for every one of us, with an eye of faith, to behold the man Christ Jesus in his sufferings. Behold this king with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him, the crown of thorns, Cant. iii. 11. "Behold him, and be suitably affected with the sight. Behold him, and mourn because of him. Behold him, and love him; be still looking unto Jesus."
III.The prosecutors, instead of being pacified, were but the more exasperated, v. 6, 7.
1.Observe here their clamour and outrage. The chief priests, who headed the mob, cried out with fury and indignation, and their officers, or servants, who must say as they said, joined with them in crying, Crucify him, crucify him. The common people perhaps would have acquiesced in Pilate's declaration of his innocency, but their leaders, the priests, caused them to err. Now by this it appears that their malice against Christ was,
(1.)Unreasonable and most absurd, in that they offer not to make good their charges against him, nor to object against the judgment of Pilate concerning him; but, though he be innocent, he must be crucified.
(2.)It was insatiable and very cruel. Neither the extremity of his scourging, nor his patience under it, nor the tender expostulations of the judge, could mollify them in the least; no, nor could the jest into which Pilate had turned the cause, put them into a pleasant humour.
(3.)It was violent and exceedingly resolute; they will have it their own way, and hazard the governor's favour, the peace of the city, and their own safety, rather than abate of the utmost of their demands. Were they so violent in running down our Lord Jesus, and in crying, Crucify him, crucify him? and shall not we be vigorous and zealous in advancing his name, and in crying, Crown him, Crown him? Did their hatred of him sharpen their endeavours against him? and shall not our love to him quicken our endeavours for him and his kingdom?
2.The check Pilate gave to their fury, still insisting upon the prisoner's innocency: "Take you him and crucify him, if he must be crucified." This is spoken ironically; he knew they could not, they durst not, crucify him; but it is as if he should say, "You shall not make me a drudge to your malice; I cannot with a safe conscience crucify him." A good resolve, if he would but have stuck to it. He found no fault in him, and therefore should not have continued to parley with the prosecutors. Those that would be safe from sin should be deaf to temptation. Nay, he should have secured the prisoner from their insults. What was he armed with power for, but to protect the injured? The guards of governors ought to be the guards of justice. But Pilate had not courage enough to act according to his conscience; and his cowardice betrayed him into a snare.
3.The further colour which the prosecutors gave to their demand (v. 7): We have a law, and by our law, if it were but in our power to execute it, he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. Now here observe,
(1.)They made their boast of the law, even when through breaking the law they dishonoured God, as is charged upon the Jews, Rom. ii. 23. They had indeed an excellent law, far exceeding the statutes and judgments of other nations; but in vain did they boast of their law, when they abused it to such bad purposes.
(2.)They discover a restless and inveterate malice against our Lord Jesus. When they could not incense Pilate against him by alleging that he pretended himself a king, they urged this, that he pretended himself a God. Thus they turn every stone to take him off.
(3.)They pervert the law, and make that the instrument of their malice. Some think they refer to a law made particularly against Christ, as if, being a law, it must be executed, right or wrong; whereas there is a woe to them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write the grievousness which they have prescribed, Isa. x. 1. See Mic. vi. 16. But it should seem they rather refer to the law of Moses; and if so,
[1.]It was true that blasphemers, idolaters, and false prophets, were to be put to death by that law. Whoever falsely pretended to be the Son of God was guilty of blasphemy, Lev. xxiv. 16. But then,
[2.]It was false that Christ pretended to be the Son of God, for he really was so; and they ought to have enquired into the proofs he produced of his being so. If he said that he was the Son of God, and the scope and tendency of his doctrine were not to draw people from God, but to bring them to him, and if he confirmed his mission and doctrine by miracles, as undoubtedly he did, beyond contradiction, by their law they ought to hearken to him (Deut. xviii. 18, 19), and, if they did not, they were to be cut off. That which was his honour, and might have been their happiness, if they had not stood in their own light, they impute to him as a crime, for which he ought not to be crucified, for this was no death inflicted by their law.
IV.The judge brings the prisoner again to his trial, upon this new suggestion. Observe,
1.The concern Pilate was in, when he heard this alleged (v. 8): When he heard that his prisoner pretended not to royalty only, but to deity, he was the more afraid. This embarrassed him more than ever, and made the case more difficult both ways; for, (1.) There was the more danger of offending the people if he should acquit him, for he knew how jealous that people were for the unity of the Godhead, and what aversion they now had to other gods; and therefore, though he might hope to pacify their rage against a pretended king, he could never reconcile them to a pretended God. "If this be at the bottom of the tumult," thinks Pilate, "it will not be turned off with a jest." (2.) There was the more danger of offending his own conscience if he should condemn him. "Is he one" (thinks Pilate) "that makes himself the Son of God? and what if it should prove that he is so? What will become of me then?" Even natural conscience makes men afraid of being found fighting against God. The heathen had some fabulous traditions of incarnate deities appearing sometimes in mean circumstances, and treated ill by some that paid dearly for their so doing. Pilate fears lest he should thus run himself into a premunire.
2.His further examination of our Lord Jesus thereupon, v. 9. That he might give the prosecutors all the fair play they could desire, he resumed the debate, went into the judgment-hall, and asked Christ, Whence art thou? Observe,
(1.)The place he chose for this examination: He went into the judgment-hall for privacy, that he might be out of the noise and clamour of the crowd, and might examine the thing the more closely. Those that would find out the truth as it is in Jesus must get out of the noise of prejudice, and retire as it were into the judgment-hall, to converse with Christ alone.
(2.)The question he put to him: Whence art thou? Art thou from men or from heaven? From beneath or from above? He had before asked directly, Art thou a King? But here he does not directly ask, Art thou the Son of God? lest he should seem to meddle with divine things too boldly. But in general, "Whence art thou? Where wast thou, and in what world hadst thou a being, before thy coming into this world?"
(3.)The silence of our Lord Jesus when he was examined upon this head; but Jesus gave him no answer. This was not a sullen silence, in contempt of the court, nor was it because he knew not what to say; but,
[1.]It was a patient silence, that the scripture might be fulfilled, as a sheep before the shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth, Isa. liii. 7. This silence loudly bespoke his submission to his Father's will in his present sufferings, which he thus accommodated himself to, and composed himself to bear. He was silent, because he would say nothing to hinder his sufferings. If Christ had avowed himself a God as plainly as he avowed himself a king, it is probable that Pilate would not have condemned him (for he was afraid at the mention of it by the prosecutors); and the Romans, though they triumphed over the kings of the nations they conquered, yet stood in awe of their gods. See 1 Cor. ii. 8. If they had known him to be the Lord of glory, they would not have crucified him; and how then could we have been saved?
[2.]It was a prudent silence. When the chief priests asked him, Art thou the Son of the Blessed? he answered, I am, for he knew they went upon the scriptures of the Old Testament which spoke of the Messiah; but when Pilate asked him he knew he did not understand his own question, having no notion of the Messiah, and of his being the Son of God, and therefore to what purpose should he reply to him whose head was filled with the pagan theology, to which he would have turned his answer?
(4.)The haughty check which Pilate gave him for his silence (v. 10): "Speakest thou not unto me? Dost thou put such an affront upon me as to stand mute? What knowest thou not that, as president of the province, I have power, if I think fit, to crucify thee, and have power, if I think fit, to release thee?" Observe here,
[1.]How Pilate magnified himself, and boasts of his own authority, as not inferior to that of Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is said that whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive. Dan. v. 19. Men in power are apt to be puffed up with their power, and the more absolute and arbitrary it is the more it gratifies and humours their pride. But he magnifies his power to an exorbitant degree when he boasts that he has power to crucify one whom he had declared innocent, for no prince or potentate has authority to do wrong. Id possumus, quod jure possumus—We can do that only which we can do justly.
[2.]How he tramples upon our blessed Saviour: Speakest thou not unto me? He reflects upon him, First, As if he were undutiful and disrespectful to those in authority, not speaking when he was spoken to. Secondly, As if he were ungrateful to one that had been tender of him: "Speakest thou not to me who have laboured to secure thy release?" Thirdly, As if he were unwise for himself: "Wilt thou not speak to clear thyself to one that is willing to clear thee?" If Christ had indeed sought to save his life, now had been his time to have spoken; but that which he had to do was to lay down his life.
(5.)Christ's pertinent answer to this check, v. 11, where,
[1.]He boldly rebukes his arrogance, and rectifies his mistake: "Big as thou lookest and talkest, thou couldest have no power at all against me, no power to scourge, no power to crucify, except it were given thee from above." Though Christ did not think fit to answer him when he was impertinent (then answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like him), yet he did think fit to answer him when he was imperious; then answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit, Prov. xxvi. 4, 5. When Pilate used his power, Christ silently submitted to it; but, when he grew proud of it, he made him know himself: "All the power thou hast is given thee from above," which may be taken two ways:—First, As reminding him that his power in general, as a magistrate, was a limited power, and he could do no more than God would suffer him to do. God is the fountain of power; and the powers that are, as they are ordained by him and derived from him, so they are subject to him. They ought to go no further than his law directs them; they can go no further than his providence permits them. They are God's hand and his sword, Ps. xvii. 13, 14. Though the axe may boast itself against him that heweth therewith, yet still it is but a tool, Isa. x. 5, 15. Let the proud oppressors know that there is a higher than they, to whom they are accountable, Eccl. v. 8. And let this silence the murmurings of the oppressed, It is the Lord. God has bidden Shimei curse David; and let it comfort them that their persecutors can do no more than God will let them. See Isa. li. 12, 13. Secondly, As informing him that his power against him in particular, and all the efforts of that power, were by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, Acts ii. 23. Pilate never fancied himself to look so great as now, when he sat in judgment upon such a prisoner as this, who was looked upon by many as the Son of God and king of Israel, and had the fate of so great a man at his disposal; but Christ lets him know that he was herein but an instrument in God's hand, and could no nothing against him, but by the appointment of Heaven, Acts iv. 27, 28.
[2.]He mildly excuses and extenuates his sin, in comparison with the sin of the ringleaders: "Therefore he that delivered me unto thee lies under greater guilt; for thou as a magistrate hast power from above, and art in thy place, thy sin is less than theirs who, from envy and malice, urge thee to abuse thy power."
First, It is plainly intimated that what Pilate did was sin, a great sin, and that the force which the Jews put upon him, and which he put upon himself in it, would not justify him. Christ hereby intended a hint for the awakening of his conscience and the increase of the fear he was now under. The guilt of others will not acquit us, nor will it avail in the great day to say that others were worse than we, for we are not to be judged by comparison, but must bear our own burden.
Secondly, Yet theirs that delivered him to Pilate was the greater sin. By this it appears that all sins are not equal, but some more heinous than others; some comparatively as gnats, others as camels; some as motes in the eyes, others as beams; some as pence, others as pounds. He that delivered Christ to Pilate was either, 1. The people of the Jews, who cried out, Crucify him, crucify him. They had seen Christ's miracles, which Pilate had not; to them the Messiah was first sent; they were his own; and to them, who were now enslaved, a Redeemer should have been most welcome, and therefore it was much worse in them to appear against him than in Pilate. 2. Or rather he means Caiaphas in particular, who was at the head of the conspiracy against Christ, and first advised his death, ch. xi. 49, 50. The sin of Caiaphas was abundantly greater than the sin of Pilate. Caiaphas prosecuted Christ from pure enmity to him and his doctrine, deliberately and of malice prepense. Pilate condemned him purely for fear of the people, and it was a hasty resolution which he had not time to cool upon. 3. Some think Christ means Judas; for, though he did not immediately deliver him into the hands of Pilate, yet he betrayed him to those that did. The sin of Judas was, upon many accounts, greater than the sin of Pilate. Pilate was a stranger to Christ; Judas was his friend and follower. Pilate found no fault in him, but Judas knew a great deal of good of him. Pilate, though biassed, was not bribed, but Judas took a reward against the innocent; the sin of Judas was a leading sin, and let in all that followed. He was a guide to them that took Jesus. So great was the sin of Judas that vengeance suffered him not to live; but when Christ said this, or soon after, he was gone to his own place.
V.Pilate struggles with the Jews to deliver Jesus out of their hands, but in vain.
We hear no more after this of any thing that passed between Pilate and the prisoner; what remains lay between him and the prosecutors.
1.Pilate seems more zealous than before to get Jesus discharged (v. 12): Thenceforth, from this time, and for this reason, because Christ had given him that answer (v. 11), which, though it had a rebuke in it, yet he took kindly; and, though Christ found fault with him, he still continued to find no fault in Christ, but sought to release him, desired it, endeavoured it. He sought to release him; he contrived how to do it handsomely and safely, and so as not to disoblige the priests. It never does well when our resolutions to do our duty are swallowed up in projects how to do it plausibly and conveniently. If Pilate's policy had not prevailed above his justice, he would not have been long seeking to release him, but would have done it. Fiat justitia, ruat cœlum—Let justice be done, though heaven itself should fall.
2.The Jews were more furious than ever, and more violent to get Jesus crucified. Still they carry on their design with noise and clamour as before; so now they cried out. They would have it thought that the commonalty was against him, and therefore laboured to get him cried down by a multitude, and it is no hard matter to pack a mob; whereas, if a fair poll had been granted, I doubt not but it would have been carried by a great majority for the releasing of him. A few madmen may out-shout many wise men, and then fancy themselves to speak the sense (when it is but the nonsense) of a nation, or of all mankind; but it is not so easy a thing to change the sense of the people as it is to misrepresent it, and to change their cry. Now that Christ was in the hands of his enemies his friends were shy and silent, and disappeared, and those that were against him were forward to show themselves so; and this gave the chief priests an opportunity to represent it as the concurring vote of all the Jews that he should be crucified. In this outcry they sought two things:—(1.) To blacken the prisoner as an enemy to Cæsar. He had refused the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them, had declared his kingdom not to be of this world, and yet they will have it that he speaks against Cæsar; antilegei—he opposes Cæsar, invades his dignity and sovereignty. It has always been the artifice of the enemies of religion to represent it as hurtful to kings and provinces, when it would be highly beneficial to both. (2.) To frighten the judge, as no friend to Cæsar: "If thou let this man go unpunished, and let him go on, thou art not Cæsar's friend, and therefore false to thy trust and the duty of thy place, obnoxious to the emperor's displeasure, and liable to be turned out." They intimate a threatening that they would inform against him, and get him displaced; and here they touched him in a sensible and very tender part. But, of all people, these Jews should not have pretended a concern for Cæsar, who were themselves so ill affected to him and his government. They should not talk of being friends to Cæsar, who were themselves such back friends to him; yet thus a pretended zeal for that which is good often serves to cover a real malice against that which is better.
3.When other expedients had been tried in vain, Pilate slightly endeavoured to banter them out of their fury, and yet, in doing this, betrayed himself to them, and yielded to the rapid stream, v. 13-15. After he had stood it out a great while, and seemed now as if he would have made a vigorous resistance upon this attack (v. 12), he basely surrendered. Observe here,
(1.)What it was that shocked Pilate (v. 13): When he heard that saying, that he could not be true to Cæsar's honour, nor sure of Cæsar's favour, if he did not put Jesus to death, then he thought it was time to look about him. All they had said to prove Christ a malefactor, and that therefore it was Pilate's duty to condemn him, did not move him, but he still kept to his conviction of Christ's innocency; but, when they urged that it was his interest to condemn him, then he began to yield. Note, Those that bind up their happiness in the favour of men make themselves an easy prey to the temptations of Satan.
(2.)What preparation was made for a definitive sentence upon this matter: Pilate brought Jesus forth, and he himself in great state took the chair. We may suppose that he called for his robes, that he might look big, and then sat down in the judgment-seat.
[1.]Christ was condemned with all the ceremony that could be. First, To bring us off at God's bar, and that all believers through Christ, being judged here, might be acquitted in the court of heaven. Secondly, To take off the terror of pompous trials, which his followers would be brought to for his sake. Paul might the better stand at Cæsar's judgment-seat when his Master had stood there before him.
[2.]Notice is here taken of the place and time.
First, The place where Christ was condemned: in a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha, probably the place where he used to sit to try causes or criminals. Some make Gabbatha to signify an enclosed place, fenced against the insults of the people, whom therefore he did the less need to fear; others an elevated place, raised that all might see him.
Secondly, The time, v. 14. It was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour. Observe, 1. The day: It was the preparation of the passover, that is, for the passover-sabbath, and the solemnities of that and the rest of the days of the feast of unleavened bread. This is plain from Luke xxiii. 54, It was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. So that this preparation was for the sabbath. Note, Before the passover there ought to be preparation. This is mentioned as an aggravation of their sin, in persecuting Christ with so much malice and fury, that it was when they should have been purging out the old leaven, to get ready for the passover; but the better the day the worse the deed. 2. The hour: It was about the sixth hour. Some ancient Greek and Latin manuscripts read it about the third hour, which agrees with Mark xv. 25. And it appears by Matt. xxvii. 45 that he was upon the cross before the sixth hour. But it should seem to come in here, not as a precise determination of the time, but as an additional aggravation of the sin of his prosecutors, that they were pushing on the prosecution, not only on a solemn day, the day of the preparation, but, from the third to the sixth hour (which was, as we call it, church-time) on that day, they were employed in this wickedness; so that for this day, though they were priests, they dropped the temple-service, for they did not leave Christ till the sixth hour, when the darkness began, which frightened them away. Some think that the sixth hour, with this evangelist, is, according to the Roman reckoning and ours, six of the clock in the morning, answering to the Jews' first hour of the day; this is very probable, that Christ's trial before Pilate was at the height about six in the morning, which was then a little after sun-rising.
(3.)The rencounter Pilate had with the Jews, both priests and people, before he proceeded to give judgment, endeavouring in vain to stem the tide of their rage.
[1.]He saith unto the Jews, Behold your king. This is a reproof to them for the absurdity and malice of their insinuating that this Jesus made himself a king: "Behold your king, that is, him whom you accuse as a pretender to the crown. Is this a man likely to be dangerous to the government? I am satisfied he is not, and you may be so too, and let him alone." Some think he hereby upbraids them with their secret disaffection to Cæsar: "You would have this man to be your king, if he would but have headed a rebellion against Cæsar." But Pilate, though he was far from meaning so, seems as if he were the voice of God to them. Christ, now crowned with thorns, is, as a king at his coronation, offered to the people: "Behold your king, the king whom God hath set upon his holy hill of Zion;" but they, instead of entering into it with acclamations of joyful consent, protest against him; they will not have a king of God's choosing.
[2.]They cried out with the greatest indignation, Away with him, away with him, which speaks disdain as well as malice, aron, aron—"Take him, he is none of ours; we disown him for our kinsman, much more for our king; we have not only no veneration for him, but no compassion; away with him out of our sight:" for so it was written of him, he is one whom the nation abhors (Isa. xlix. 7), and they hid as it were their faces from him Isa. liii. 2, 3. Away with him from the earth, Acts xxii. 22. This shows, First, How we deserved to have been treated at God's tribunal. We were by sin become odious to God's holiness, which cried, Away with them, away with them, for God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. We were also become obnoxious to God's justice, which cried against us, "Crucify them, crucify them, let the sentence of the law be executed." Had not Christ interposed, and been thus rejected of men, we had been for ever rejected of God. Secondly, It shows how we ought to treat our sins. We are often in scripture said to crucify sin, in conformity to Christ's death. Now they that crucified Christ did it with detestation. With a pious indignation we should run down sin in us, as they with an impious indignation ran him down who was made sin for us. The true penitent casts away from him his transgressions, Away with them, away with them (Isa. ii. 20; xxx. 22), crucify them, crucify them; it is not fit that they should live in my soul, Hos. xiv. 8.
[3.]Pilate, willing to have Jesus released, and yet that it should be their doing, asks them, Shall I crucify your king? In saying this, he designed either, First, To stop their mouths, by showing them how absurd it was for them to reject one who offered himself to them to be their king at a time when they needed one more than ever. Have they no sense of slavery? No desire of liberty? No value for a deliverer? Though he saw no cause to fear him, they might see cause to hope for something from him; since crushed and sinking interests are ready to catch at any thing. Or, Secondly, To stop the mouth of his own conscience. "If this Jesus be a king" (thinks Pilate), "he is only kin of the Jews, and therefore I have nothing to do but to make a fair tender of him to them; if they refuse him, and will have their king crucified, what is that to me?" He banters them for their folly in expecting a Messiah, and yet running down one that bade so fair to be he.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
For Him it behoved to be made a sacrifice on behalf of all Gentiles, who "was led as a sheep for a victim, and, like a lamb voiceless before his shearer, so opened not His mouth" (for He, when Pilate interrogated Him, spake nothing ); for "in humility His judgment was taken away: His nativity, moreover, who shall declare? "Because no one at all of human beings was conscious of the nativity of Christ at His conception, when as the Virgin Mary was found pregnant by the word of God; and because "His life was to be taken from the land.
See in how many ways the judge makes His defense, continually acquitting Him of the charges; but none of these things shamed the dogs from their purpose. For the, "Take ye him and crucify him," is the expression of one clearing himself of the guilt, and thrusting them forward to an action not permitted to them. They therefore had brought Him, in order that the thing might be done by the decision of the governor; but the contrary fell out, that He was rather acquitted than condemned by the governor's decision. Then, because they were ashamed, "We have," they said, "a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God."
"How then when the judge said, 'Take ye him, and judge him according to your law,' did ye reply, 'It is not lawful for us to put any man to death,' while here ye fly to the law? And consider the charge, 'He made himself the Son of God.' Tell me, is this a ground of accusation, that He who performed the deeds of the Son of God should call Himself the Son of God?" What then doth Christ? While they held this dialogue one with the other, He held His peace, fulfilling that saying of the Prophet, that "He openeth not his mouth: in His humiliation His judgment was taken away." (Isa. liii. 7, 8 LXX.)
Then Pilate is alarmed when he hears from them, that He made Himself the Son of God, and dreads lest the assertion may possibly be true, and he should seem to transgress; but these men who had learnt this, both by His deeds and words, did not shudder, but are putting Him to death for the very reasons for which they ought to have worshiped Him.
(Hom. lxxxiv. 2) Pilate saw then that it was all in vain: Pilate saith unto them, Take ye Him, and crucify Him. This is the speech of a man abhorring (ἀφοσιούμενον) the deed, and urging others to do a deed which he abhors himself. They had brought our Lord indeed to him that He might be put to death by his sentence, but the very contrary was the result; the governor acquitted Him: For I find no fault in Him. He clears Him immediately from all charges: which shows that he had only permitted the former outrages, to humour the madness of the Jews. But nothing could shame the Jewish hounds: The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.
(Hom. lxxxiv) While they disputed with each other, He was silent, fulfilling the prophecy, He openeth not His mouth; He was taken from prison and from judgment. (Is. 53:7, 8)
(Hom. lxxxiv. 2) Then Pilate begins to fear that what had been said might be true, and that he might appear to be administering justice improperly: When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid.
They were not afraid to say this, that He made Himself the Son of God: but they kill Him for the very reasons for which they ought to have worshipped Him.
The malicious design of the Jews had a result they little expected. They wanted to build up an indictment against Christ by saying that he had ventured to sin against the person of God himself. But the weighty character of the accusation itself increased Pilate’s caution, and he was more alarmed and more careful concerning Christ than before. He became more particular in his questions: what Jesus was and where he came from. I think he believed that, though Jesus was a man, he might also be the Son of God. This idea and belief of his was not derived from holy Scripture but the mistaken notions of the Greeks. Greek fables call many men demi-gods and sons of gods. The Romans, too, who in such matters were still more superstitious, gave the name of god to the more distinguished of their own monarchs, and set up altars to them, and allotted them shrines and put them on pedestals. Therefore Pilate was more earnest and anxious than before in his inquiry of who Christ was and where he came from.
It was not the law that he was afraid of, as he was a stranger: but he was more afraid, lest he should slay the Son of God.
Continue studying John 19:8 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
John 19:8 describes a pivotal moment in the trial of Jesus, where Pontius Pilate's apprehension intensifies significantly upon hearing the Jewish leaders' accusation that Jesus "made himself the Son of God." This statement, which transcended mere political or religious charges, introduced a profound spiritual dimension that deeply unsettled the Roman governor, forcing him to confront a claim of divine authority that challenged his earthly power and understanding.
Context
Literary Context
This verse immediately follows the Jewish leaders' declaration in John 19:7 that "we have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." Pilate had previously sought to release Jesus, finding no fault in Him (John 18:38), and even attempted to appeal to the custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover (John 18:39). The new accusation of divine sonship shifts the nature of the trial from a political or seditious charge to a theological one, profoundly impacting Pilate's already conflicted state. The narrative then proceeds to Pilate's further interrogation of Jesus (John 19:9-11) and his continued attempts to release Him, culminating in his ultimate capitulation to the crowd's demands (John 19:12-16).
Historical & Cultural Context
Pontius Pilate served as the Roman prefect of Judea from 26-36 AD. His tenure was marked by a series of clashes with the Jewish population, making him acutely aware of the need to maintain order and avoid any actions that could be perceived as a challenge to Roman authority or that might provoke a riot, which could lead to his recall by Caesar. For Romans, the concept of "sons of gods" was familiar, as emperors like Augustus were deified and referred to as divi filius (son of the divine). However, a claim of divine sonship by a Jewish man, especially one presented as a king, could be interpreted as a dangerous form of sedition or a challenge to the emperor's unique divine status. The Jewish leaders, on the other hand, viewed Jesus' claim as blasphemy, punishable by death under their Mosaic Law (Leviticus 24:16). Pilate was caught between the volatile religious demands of the Jewish Sanhedrin and the political imperatives of maintaining Roman peace, all while confronting a claim that resonated with both Roman superstition and imperial ideology.
Key Themes
This verse contributes to several overarching themes in John's Gospel. It highlights the clash between earthly power and divine authority, as Pilate, representing the might of Rome, finds himself unnerved by the spiritual claim of a seemingly powerless prisoner. It further underscores the divine identity of Jesus, which is a central theme throughout John, from the Logos in John 1 to Jesus' "I AM" statements. Pilate's escalating fear also exemplifies the moral dilemma of human leaders when confronted with truth, revealing the tension between personal conviction and external political pressure. This moment is a microcosm of the world's reaction to Christ, where the light of truth exposes the darkness of human sin and the inadequacy of worldly systems to comprehend or contain divine reality.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, translated as "saying" in John 19:8, refers to "something said (including the thought)." In this specific context, it denotes the profound and provocative statement made by the Jewish leaders in John 19:7: "he made himself the Son of God." This was not a mere word or casual statement, but a loaded theological claim that carried immense weight and implications for both Jewish law and Roman authority.
Translated as "the more," this adverb indicates an increased degree or intensity. Pilate was already uneasy and seeking to release Jesus, suggesting a pre-existing state of apprehension. The addition of "the more" signifies that the accusation of Jesus claiming to be the "Son of God" significantly amplified his existing fear, pushing him into a deeper state of dread or concern than he had previously experienced.
This verb, translated as "afraid," means "to frighten, i.e. (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. revere." Pilate's fear here is likely multifaceted. It encompasses a pragmatic fear of political repercussions from Rome if he mishandled a case involving a claim to divine kingship, which could be seen as sedition. More profoundly, it suggests a superstitious awe or dread, a common Roman reaction to potential divine power or a claimant to deity, which could invoke the wrath of unknown gods. This fear goes beyond mere political calculation, touching upon a deeper, perhaps spiritual, unease.
Verse Breakdown
"When Pilate therefore heard that saying"
This clause emphasizes the immediate cause of Pilate's intensified fear. The "saying" refers specifically to the Jewish leaders' charge that Jesus "made himself the Son of God" (John 19:7). Pilate had previously dismissed other charges as baseless or irrelevant to Roman law. However, this particular claim, touching upon divine identity, resonated with his Roman worldview, which included concepts of divine beings and deified emperors, and introduced a new, unsettling dimension to the trial. The word "therefore" (oûn) links this reaction directly to the preceding statement, highlighting the cause-and-effect relationship.
"he was the more afraid;"
This phrase reveals Pilate's internal state. His fear was not new, but it was significantly amplified. This escalation suggests a combination of factors: a superstitious dread of offending a potential divine being, a pragmatic fear of political repercussions from Rome for mishandling a case with such grave implications, and perhaps a growing moral unease as he confronted the profound nature of Jesus' identity. The fear indicates that Jesus' claim transcended Pilate's political calculations, touching upon a realm beyond his control and understanding, compelling him to take the prisoner's claims more seriously.
Literary Devices
John employs Dramatic Irony in this verse, as Pilate, the representative of the world's greatest earthly power, is filled with fear by a bound, seemingly powerless prisoner. The irony lies in the fact that Pilate's fear stems from a partial, perhaps superstitious, grasp of the truth of Jesus' divine identity, a truth that the Jewish leaders, despite their religious zeal, largely reject or misunderstand. There is also an element of Foreshadowing, as Pilate's increasing apprehension hints at the profound, unsettling reality of who Jesus truly is—a reality that would ultimately bring down the very powers Pilate represented. The Contrast between Pilate's worldly authority and Jesus' divine authority is starkly highlighted, demonstrating the inadequacy of human systems to comprehend or control the divine.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Pilate's fear in John 19:8 serves as a profound theological statement about the inherent power and truth of Jesus' divine identity. Even a pagan Roman governor, steeped in a different religious and political system, is unnerved by the declaration of Jesus as the "Son of God." This fear is not merely political; it hints at a deeper, almost instinctual recognition of something beyond the ordinary, something sacred and potentially dangerous to human authority. It underscores the universal impact of Christ's claim to divinity, demonstrating that His truth transcends cultural and religious boundaries, provoking a reaction even from those who do not fully comprehend it. This moment highlights the tension between the world's systems of power and the kingdom of God, revealing how the divine presence can expose and unsettle the foundations of human authority.
Reflection and Application
Pilate's escalating fear in John 19:8 offers a powerful mirror for our own responses to divine truth. Confronted with the profound claim of Jesus' divine sonship, Pilate found himself in a moral and spiritual quandary. His fear, a mix of superstition, political calculation, and perhaps a nascent recognition of truth, ultimately led to a tragic compromise. This challenges us to examine our own hearts: When confronted with the demanding truths of God's Word, do we respond with fear of what it might cost us, or with humble submission and courageous obedience? Are we willing to prioritize worldly comfort, reputation, or security over the clear call of Christ? Pilate's story reminds us that avoiding difficult truths or compromising our convictions under pressure can lead to grave spiritual consequences. It calls believers to stand firm in the knowledge of Jesus' true identity, recognizing that His divine authority is far greater than any earthly power, and to embrace the "fear of the Lord" that leads to wisdom and life, rather than the fear of man that leads to compromise.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Pilate "the more afraid" when he heard Jesus made himself the Son of God?
Pilate's fear intensified for several reasons. Firstly, as a Roman, he would have been familiar with the concept of divine beings and deified emperors (like Caesar, who was called divi filius, "son of the divine"). A claim of divine sonship by a Jewish man, especially one accused of sedition, could be deeply unsettling, hinting at supernatural power or a challenge to the established order that resonated with Roman superstition. Secondly, such a claim could be interpreted as treason against Caesar if Jesus was seen as claiming a rival divine kingship, posing a grave political risk to Pilate's own position. He was already under pressure and wary of provoking unrest that could lead to his recall. Thus, the "Son of God" claim elevated the trial from a mere local religious dispute to one with potentially cosmic and imperial implications, genuinely unnerving him (John 19:7).
What does "the more afraid" imply about Pilate's state of mind before this moment?
The phrase "the more afraid" (Greek: mâllon phobéō) implies that Pilate was already experiencing a degree of fear or apprehension before hearing the "Son of God" accusation. Throughout the trial, Pilate had shown reluctance to condemn Jesus, repeatedly declaring Him innocent (John 18:38, John 19:4, John 19:6). This suggests an existing moral unease, perhaps a sense of injustice, or a political fear of the volatile Jewish crowd. The new charge, however, pushed his existing discomfort to a significantly higher level, adding a layer of spiritual dread or profound political concern that he had not previously felt.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Pilate's fear in John 19:8 serves as an unwitting testament to the profound truth of Jesus' identity, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in His messianic role. The very claim that terrified Pilate—that Jesus "made himself the Son of God"—is the core truth of the Gospel. While Pilate's fear was rooted in superstition and political anxiety, it inadvertently acknowledged the transcendent reality of Jesus' divine nature. This fear foreshadows the universal acknowledgment of Christ's supreme authority, where every knee will one day bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The "Son of God" who stood before Pilate, seemingly powerless, is the one through whom all things were created (John 1:3) and who, through His death and resurrection, ultimately triumphed over all earthly powers and principalities (Colossians 2:15). Pilate's fear, therefore, is a poignant, if misguided, recognition of the King of Kings, whose kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), yet before whom all earthly authority must ultimately yield.