It was what Jesus said next to Pilate that really gave him a start....”Heaven allowed me to fall into your hands there fore those who delivered me into your hands have the greater sin!
It was only then that Pilate began to suspect that he was dealing with no ordinary “moron trying to save his own skin”, but in fact with someone quite beyond Pilate’s limited scope and power. The crowd was baying to have Christ killed and Pilate, known in history for his ruthlessness had a dilemma to solve. Christ had come to be our blood offering or he had to be set free. Setting him free might set the whole city on fire...or worse if Christ really was something out the ordinary the whole world and the powers of Rome would be shaken to its core if he were freed. (This sinful world and sinless God in Flesh were incompatible with each other...and one would destroy the other or vice versa.
( To heck with it, Pilate might have thought....I’ll wash my hands of this business give him over to be crucified and punt it back to this “heaven” authority this “yeshua person” talks about...heh I’ll annoy some Jews and Have inscribed on his cross...King of the Jews...I’ll do it in several languages and really blow their minds...threaten me with Caesar? Seriously? Shall I kill your king? ....On the other hand...he’d probably be a pretty good king...maybe even better than TIB....Oh I’d better not phrase the thought...that incestuous bastard even reads minds they say... better the Caesar I can see but block from my soul than a Caesar that causes such a yearning in me to worship and beg for his love that I dare not look at him in his face anymore! ...”AWAY with him!...Servant! bring me a basin, water and towel!
1. Jesus was delivered legally into his hands,
2. Jesus had assured him that this was all Heaven's plan, even Pilate's own part in it,
3. the crowd wanted him killed,
4. and Pilate was known for his ruthlessness...
... what was the dilemma? I can see why he wouldn't set Jesus free, but why would he hesitate to have him killed?
Leaving aside your fanciful notions on Pilates sudden infatuation with the man standing before him, I’ll posit a more likely scenario: Jesus was accused of claiming to be the Messiah. When accused, Jesus denied any such claim. Pilates thought “this is a Jewish issue and not my concern. Damn these irritating locals and their goofy superstitions. How did I get stationed in this backwater...”