Do Not Miscalculate Christ – John 18:28-19:16
18 (28) Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s palace. By now it was early morning; so the Jews themselves did not enter into the palace, in order to avoid defiling themselves so that they might eat the Passover. (29) So Pilate went out to them and asked, What charge are you bringing against this man? (30) They replied, If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you. (31) Then Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and judge him by your law. The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. (32) This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating what kind of death he was going to die might be fulfilled.
(33) Pilate went back into the palace, summoned Jesus, and asked him, Are you the King of the Jews? (34) Jesus asked, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others speak to you about me? (35) Pilate replied, Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests handed 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 fight in order to prevent me from being handed over to the Jews. But, the fact is, my kingdom is not from here. (37) Then Pilate said to him, So then, you are a king. Jesus answered, You are right in saying that I am a king. For this reason have I been born, and for this reason have I come into the world, namely, so that I may testify to the truth. Every one who belongs to the truth recognizes my voice. (38) Pilate said to him, What is truth?
After he had spoken with Jesus he again went out to the Jews and said to them, I do not find him guilty of any crime. (39) But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Would you have me release to you the King of the Jews? (40) They shouted back, Not this man; release Barabbas! Now Barabbas was a robber.
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. (2) The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They dressed him in a purple robe (3) and came up to him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they struck him with their hands. (4) Then Pilate went out again and said to the Jews, Look, I am bringing him out to you so that you may know that I do not find him guilty of any crime. (5) So when Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, Here is the man! (6) When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, Crucify him! crucify him! Pilate replied, Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I do not find him to be guilty of any crime. (7) The Jews answered him, We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.
(8) When Pilate heard this, he became even more afraid. (9) He went back into the palace and said to Jesus, Where do you come from? But Jesus gave him no answer. (10) Therefore Pilate asked him, Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not realize that I have the authority to release you, and the authority to crucify you? (11) Jesus replied, You would have no authority against me, unless it had been given to you from above. Therefore, the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin. (12) At this point Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out, If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend; for anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar. (13) When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at the place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew it was called, Gabbatha. (14) Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour of the day. Pilate said to the Jews, Here is your King! (15) But they shouted, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate asked them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. (16) Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
