Replies

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...”

He never denied being the Messiah, he already knew that Pilate suspected that Jesus was more than he appeared. Jesus had been whipped and beaten but he loved Pilate.

As soon as Jesus mentioned that his “Kingdom was not of this world”, Pilate was undone and tried to get Jesus freed as best as he could. John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin and He would have known about King Herod having him beheaded. Pilate was not stupid. The troubles his wife felt and drempt...it was not hatred God was extending...it was love! Yet here was this crowd wanting him killed, yet Pilate(who’s authority came from God whether he fully knew it or not) was confronted with authority he had never in his wildest dreams had any conception of. And this authority was almost sympathizing with him,,,,after all Jesus had spent 3 years dealing with the crafty snakes that had set this situation on fire...that is why he said....”Well Heaven allowed this to go on, so those who delivered me into your hand had the greater sin”... The fact is if Rome hadn’t killed him...Christ would have been sacrificed some other way ...it was the only way that men would have a shot at being reconciled to God.

Being a kind of sarcastic person myself, I do love the delicious discomfiture that Pilate visited upon the Chief Priests and scribes when he had inscribed in several Languages(Hebrew, Latin, and Greek) “The King of The Jews” on his cross. The poor little “leftists of the day” and ever the spin doctors tried to get Pilate to write..”He said he was the king of the jews”...but Pilate told them to take a hike....”What I have written, I have written”!

I’ll posit a more likely scenario: Jesus was accused of claiming to be the Messiah. When accused, Jesus denied any such claim.

Ooops; HE did not.

John 10:22-39

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. (evidently the JEWS were convinced. Why not you?)

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

.....”Jesus was accused of claiming to be the Messiah. When accused, Jesus denied any such claim”.....

Well no actually He didn't deny that.....rather he said, as he stood before Pilot and Pilot asked.... “Are You the King of the Jews?” ...And Jesus said to him,... “It is as you say.” Matt 27:11

Once again we see Jesus getting personal here.....with that same question that always creeps up...”who do you say that I am”. ... Only in this case Jesus is brilliantly putting it directly into Pilots lap that it is he who has framed the question of who he is. One of the reasons I love Jesus is he was a master at creating a situation where one always had to face themselves and where they were standing concerning Him...regardless of the circumstances it was always about who he is.