This post covers research concerning a comparison between the gospel event of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, ruler of Judea. The written text between the synoptic gospels and the book of John offers various perspectives of the same event to fully communicate what took place at the beginning of the trial, prosecution, and execution of Jesus. The familiar story of Jesus, God incarnate before Pilate, was the beginning of an epic nonfictional set of circumstances that cascaded into an irony surrounding Jesus’ status and position. Jesus stood before Pilate with certitude about His intentions there, and He was entirely in control of what was to befall Him. Regardless of what contradictory interests there were at this event, the overriding concern of prophetic fulfillment and what Jesus was there to accomplish weighed on their conversation between each other.
Introduction
Contents
The confrontation of Jesus and Pilate was a sovereign appointment (Jn 19:11) as Pilate’s authority over Jesus was given by God to accomplish His purposes. As the written gospel accounts present their historical coverage of what occurred, they together offer a precise whole as they piece together a mosaic image of what took place. As one might look through a prism, the gospels’ reader comes to view a compilation of narrative events that offer synergistic focus. To arrive at an accurate and clear view of what was to occur, the reader gets at a fuller meaning because of preceding foretold predictions involving the kingship of Christ. His authority and rule were not what stood before Pilate, but instead, the person of Jesus who was offered as an inevitable sacrifice against the interests of those who opposed Him (1 Cor. 2:8, cf. Jn 12:31, Jn 14:30).
The momentum of prophetic events leading up to the confrontation between Jesus and Pilate was inexorable. As a lamb led to its slaughter, and under duress, Jesus presented Himself before Pilate through circumstances. In an appearance before His spiritual adversaries, which led them to believe He was captive against His will. Paradoxically, He was in control while He began His suffering (Jn 10:18, Is 52:13-53:12) immediately before His arrest while in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mk 14:32-42) and as a witness to His followers (Matt 26:2). Jesus offered no protest before Pilate. And as the procurator of Judea, Pilate had come to recognize the rulership and authority of Christ by His testimony. Pilate was informed about the kingdom and the Messianic King who stood before him to make clear His innocence in contradiction to His accusers’ lies.
Background & Occasion
Whether in AD 30 or AD 33, the setting of Jesus’ trial, death by crucifixion, and resurrection were under Roman authoritarian rule. In Judea, a Jewish state and Roman province, Judaism culturally governed the prevailing way of life with widespread Greek influence throughout Jerusalem and surrounding areas. Socially, the time of Jesus’ ministry at the time of His trial was mixed with interpersonal apprehension, political instabilities, and religious corruption. As such, Jewish religious leaders leveraged Roman law to accuse Jesus of behaviors tantamount to insurrection. It was where Roman charges against Jesus were a proxy for Sanhedrin’s claims of blasphemy against Him. Pax Romana was violated in their view, and something had to be done about it (Jn 11:50). Jesus, their Messianic King, had to die. Not for blasphemy, but for making himself a king disruptive to Rome (Lk 23:2). Not as the God of their forefathers as Jesus claimed, but as a king in betrayal of their convictions and messiah.
Comparative Gospel Accounts
| Matt. 27:2, 11-14 | Mark 15:1–5 | Luke 23:1–5 | John 18:28–37 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus Before Pilate 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. …. 11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. | Jesus Before Pilate 1And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. | Jesus Before Pilate 1Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.” | Jesus Before Pilate 28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose, I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” |
Contextual Review
Already operating with authority, servant-leadership, and work in covenant subrogation over the Mosaic law, Jesus posed a threat to the Jewish religious leaders and their interests. Judaism was the traditional way of life that fueled the Jewish people’s cultural norms at the time. Jesus, who often operated outside of tedious and erroneous Jewish application of the law, drew the attention of multitudes of people. While His following and impact upon Jewish society was deep and widespread, He had a significant effect upon people’s religious lives who attended the temple and synagogues; what He accomplished through His miracles and ministry produced continued contradictions of interest between Him and Jewish religious leaders. The teachings of Jesus did not center around their imposed details of the law and requirements as stipulated by burdensome efforts among common people.
Inevitably, open and ongoing hostilities developed from the Sanhedrin and other religious leaders toward Jesus. Leading to a constant mess about how they sought to capture and prosecute Him, their historical confrontations with Jesus were a series of befuddled efforts to seize Him on grounds contradictory to their religious interests. Matters escalated over time as Jesus continued to minister to people, perform miracles, develop followers, and speak before thousands throughout Israel. The adverse circumstances between Jesus and hostile Jews escalated until finally, they sought to take His life by whatever legal means they could. Accordingly, it became necessary for them to find a way to condemn Jesus according to Jewish law and take His life. Through both religious and political maneuvering, their efforts concentrated on removing Him from the public through false pretenses as asserted by the Jewish chief priests, Pharisees, and Caiaphas, the high priest at the time (Jn 11:47-52).
The first ones at the Roman praetorian court at dawn were the Jews who condemned Jesus.1 Their messiah was to appear before Governor Pilate, where they would petition the death of Jesus stemming from their false accusations that constitute a profane miscarriage of justice. Jesus, who substantiated and proved His standing as the messianic king of the Jews, stood accused from the bloodthirst of the Jewish religious leaders who held an illegal and mock court under the cloak of night. Ultimately to deliver Jesus over to a Gentile ruler for trial, judgment, and execution, the trial began to run its course as an interrogation directed at Jesus to find Him either innocent or guilty by Roman law. Here in the gospels, it is definitively revealed to the Gentiles that Jesus is, in fact, a king. The king of the Kingdom He references to reinforce further His innocence, rule, and authority of a different kind.
Comparisons, Distinctions & Divergences
The passages of explicit interest are outlined in the table above. Specifically, Matt 27:2, 11-14, Mark 15:1-5, Luke 23:1-5, and John 18:33-37 were set in a side-by-side comparison to recognize their unique perspectives about what occurred while Jesus was before Pilate. The common message among all gospels was a question posed by the ruler of Judea. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Among all four gospels presented this question to reserve in the mind of readers an assertion that Jesus was cast as a make-believe king.
Whether falsely accused by Jewish religious authorities or not, Pilate asked this question of Jesus to get an answer concerning His view and status. Yet of significant interest to Pilate was the interrogation of Jesus to determine guilt by insurrection or disruptive opposition to Rome.
Pontius Pilate knew the history of Herod the Great as King of the Jews as appointed by the Roman senate. Much later, during the time of Jesus’ ministry, Galilee’s Herodian kingdom was under Herod Antipas, a ruler of Northern Israel.2 Yet while Pilate served as procurator of Judea, he knew the context by which he posed this question to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” For Pilate to ask Jesus if He was king of the Jews was a test and form of cynicism and condescension. Knowing that Herod Antipas was a successor of Herod the Great, Pilate transferred Jesus to him in an effort to judge Him on the same claim of rulership as asserted by the Jews. Seemingly oblivious to the objections of the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, both Pilate and Antipas separately recognized Jesus as innocent of false charges of insurrection made against Him.
All four gospels present, as a pattern, an account about the delivery or appearance of Jesus before Pilate while under arrest. Both Mathew and Mark specify that He was bound, but the other two do not indicate as much within these analyzed passages. While each is not mutually exclusive of one another, Matthew and Mark give a fuller indication of what occurred with this detail. The absence of Jesus’ restraints in Luke or John while delivered before Pilate does not indicate He was unrestrained, respectively. Accordingly, what is unique about each passage does not present a contradiction as an unresolved matter, but instead a different perspective inherent from each biblical author’s background and concern for relevant detail. While all four gospels share common facts to recount the trial event, separate details are filled in to serve as a complementary view of another.
While the Luke account appears to draw some details from Mark, the verbiage from His accusers as follows: “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king (Lk 23:2)” is unique. As all four gospels specify Pilate’s inquiry to Jesus about being King of the Jews, it is a result of this reference that Luke originates the Governor’s interest in asking such a question. Jesus does not validate how Pilate posed this question from hostile intent but only acknowledged the Governor’s inquiry that He is, in fact, a king. Only a King of a kingdom that was not of this world (Jn 18:36), much less what Pilate could comprehend or accept fully. The passage itself does not contradict what occurs elsewhere within scripture. Still, it simply illuminates it to give further depth and substance as to why Kingly authority’s claim was before Pilate as a potential source of treachery and insurrection.
The significance of what the chief priests and crowds said about Jesus “stirring up the people” (Lk 23:5) throughout Judea, Galilee, and Jerusalem correspond to the weight of their accusations. Disturbing the peace whereas rebellion, insurrection, and malcontent among the population was an offense against Roman law that violated Rome’s Pax Romana policy (27 BC – 180 AD).3 To stir up trouble draws unwanted attention and resources to the province where social instabilities were otherwise expected as managed if not suppressed and put to rest. This account of “stirring up the people” is also absent from among the other gospel accounts.
From among all four gospels, the book of John provides a more detailed and comprehensive view of what transpired during Pilate’s interrogation of Jesus. Pilate and Jesus’ interaction included the accusers who were adamant and persistent about what they expected and wanted. Since they were unable to execute Jesus (Jn 18:31), they pressed upon the highest Roman authority to put Him to death.4 Pilate, as the Roman Governor, had the power to take the life of Jesus and had the sole authority to take the life of all individuals condemned within Israel. Therefore, as they were in a Roman province, the Jewish religious leaders found it necessary to bring their case against Jesus to settle their grievances according to their law. – These relevant details are not present within the synoptic gospel accounts. However, the facts surrounding Jewish and Roman authority to execute individuals do not present a contradiction, only another absence from the corresponding gospel records adjacent to John 18:28-37.
Testimony of Christ as King
In getting to the heart of the matter within these corresponding passages, the gospel writers were together to highlight Christ Jesus as King. More specifically, He was recognized as having ruling authority over a Kingdom that He built over the course of His ministry. His Kingdom is among believers on Earth who belong to a spiritual realm governed and ruled by Him for their security, prosperity, and well-being, where their dwelling consists of fellowship and belonging with God and Christ with and through the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus informed Pilate that His Kingdom was not of this world, the Governor is assured that Jesus was of no threat and violated no Roman laws concerning insurrection or rebellion over government authorities. As Pilate assumed that Jesus had done something wrong because he was “delivered over” (Jn 18:35) to him by His own nation and chief priests, his line of inquiry persisted to determine the guilt or innocence of Jesus. At least with respect to the Jewish people’s claims and their objections to Jesus’ conduct or teachings. In any respect, the testimony of Jesus as a King of a kingdom brought about Pilate’s acknowledgment with the question, “So you are a king?” Without regard to the meaning or implications of what Jesus meant concerning a Kingdom that was not of this world (i.e., outside the realm of the Roman empire).
Here it is in John 18:37 that Jesus attests to His messianic rule. Whether Pilate took His assertion seriously or not, the Governor held before the Jewish people the innocence of Jesus. There were no charges of substance to indicate Jesus had violated Roman law. To continue any further with the trial of Jesus within the Gentile court would compound the guilt of His accusers and those who stood in false judgment of Jesus for political and social purposes. Pilate knew that Jesus committed no crimes against Rome or within Judea that led to His condemnation where the praetorian court recognize His royal status even if through mockery, ridicule, and eventual torture.
Between all synoptic gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke, each one references the silence of Jesus during Pilate’s efforts to get Him to answer to His accusers. Matthew and Mark refer to the amazement of Pilate while Luke and John do not. The presence of this reference in Matthew appears to indicate that the source originated from the gospel of Mark. While Luke only uses portions of Mark’s text to give an account of what occurred. While Pilate was amazed that Jesus “gave no answer” concerning the accusations, the references of Matthew and Mark are significant because of the reference by the prophet Isaiah concerning the Jewish messiah (Isaiah 53:7).
Specifically,
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth.
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So, He did not open His mouth.
The work of Christ at the encounter between Pilate and Him was in fulfillment of this prophecy from Isaiah. Jesus knew full well that this was to occur by His actions and by withholding His objections or comments concerning His accusers and condemnation. Moreover, the revealing of Christ as the messianic King who rules over the Kingdom of God was also of significant and profound relevance that would stand over all kingdoms both then and in the future.
Conclusion
The confrontation and encounter all written about by the gospel authors were of significant relevance surrounding the circumstances of Jesus’ capture, trial, and following sacrificial death. The work of Christ right up to even into His interrogation speaks to His status and overall identity as prophesied messiah and King over the Kingdom of God. With a close correlation between all gospel accounts, each book’s authors were in unison about the meaning and details of events about Christ before Pilate.
Citations
- Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Praetorium, Praetorian Guard,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1743–1744.
- Francisco O. Garcia-Treto, “Herod,” ed. Mark Allan Powell, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated) (New York: HarperCollins, 2011), 378.
- Nathan P. Feldmeth, Pocket Dictionary of Church History (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008), 120.
- John Peter Lange and Philip Schaff, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008), 564.
Bibliography
Feldmeth, Nathan P. Pocket Dictionary of Church History. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2008.
Garcia-Treto, Francisco O. Herod, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2008.
Lange, John Peter, Phillip Schaff, G.F.C. Fronmüller, and J. Isidor Mombert. A Commentary of the Holy Scriptures: John. Bellingham: Logos Bible Software, 2008.
Walter A. Elwell, Barry J. Beitzel. Praetorium, Praetorian Guard. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988.
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