A man is walking. His entire body is covered in blood. He wears a purple robe and a crown of thorns on his head; his face is bruised and swollen. This is the man known as Christ, King of the Jews. He is not a king of this world, but he claims to have come to testify to the truth.
Pilate frowned at the sight. Although he had been handed over for crucifixion, there was no need for such severe flogging. This man was truly innocent; why had he been reduced to such a pitiful state?
In truth, Pilate was neither lenient nor favorable toward sinners. He liked bribes and was notorious for unfair trials and harsh punishments without just cause. He did not hesitate to disregard Judaism, which caused many Jews to resent him. Yet, despite these grievances, he had remained confident thanks to the strong backing of Sejanus in Rome. But that support had recently vanished like a rotten rope, and Pilate now acted cautiously, fearing he might lose everything. The loss of his own support base—so suddenly and completely—made Pilate unusually sensitive to the fate of Jesus, who had once been celebrated by the crowds but was now utterly abandoned. Though their circumstances were different, Pilate couldn’t help but see a troubling parallel between his own precarious situation and the downfall of this man before him. For that reason, more than ever, he decided to try one last time to save Jesus.
* * *
It was just after dawn, as Pilate was waking from sleep, that the high priest and members of the Sanhedrin brought Jesus, bound, to the governor’s residence. Since it was the first day of Passover, Pilate had been hurrying through his morning routine, but even so, these men arrived at daybreak dragging a man they called a criminal. Yet, despite coming to accuse someone, they refused to enter the governor’s headquarters, not wanting to defile themselves. Because of their double standards, Pilate had no choice but to go outside to meet them. In a crisis like this, he couldn’t afford to provoke the people of this land unnecessarily.
At first, Pilate did not want to concern himself with this man. The rebels who had conspired against Rome had already been caught, and preparations for their crucifixion were underway. Since the man had been brought by the high priest, Pilate assumed it was an internal matter among their own people. So, he told them to judge him according to their own laws. However, they insisted that this man must be put to death. The accusation was that he was misleading the people, opposing the taxes paid to the emperor, and claiming to be the Christ, the so-called king. If he was impersonating a king, that was certainly an act tantamount to rebellion. Therefore, Pilate questioned him about this.
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
This was a formal question, but Jesus' response was anything but ordinary. Typically, those accused of claiming to be a king would either deny it to avoid charges or loudly insult Rome. However, Jesus replied calmly:
“So you say.”
Setting aside the unclear meaning of his words, his attitude was strangely unsettling. So, Pilate took him aside and brought him into the governor’s residence to ask again.
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
“Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?”
“I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”
“My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”
“Are you a king then?”
“You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
He said he was a king, but not of a kingdom belonging to this world. Upon hearing those words, Pilate thought of Sejanus, the man he had firmly relied on. Sejanus was of the equestrian class like Pilate, and had risen to the pinnacle of power—starting as the commander of the emperor’s guard and eventually becoming consul. His birthday was officially celebrated, and his statue was placed alongside the emperor's, a testament to the immense power he held. Many people had come to follow him. Pilate, too, had become governor of Judea through Sejanus’s recommendation. If Sejanus prospered, Pilate would prosper; if Sejanus fell, Pilate would fall as well. They were bound together, sharing the same fate.
However, Sejanus was not satisfied with this and, while aiming even for the emperor’s throne, committed various evil deeds. Eventually, his schemes were uncovered by the emperor, and he was executed not long ago. Had the emperor not executed him, it was likely that Sejanus would have removed the emperor first. Although he enjoyed the emperor’s favor, Sejanus conspired to assassinate the emperor’s own son. One might say that the truth he believed in was power and authority. Then what truth did this man claim to testify to by coming into this world? With such thoughts in mind, Pilate questioned him.
“What is truth?”
But from that moment on, Jesus said nothing more. Pilate tried questioning him several more times, but Jesus remained completely silent. With no other choice, Pilate finally brought him back outside and said:
“I find no basis for a charge against this man. But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
Calling him the king of the Jews was just something Pilate said offhand. It could have been a small act of revenge against those who had bothered him since early morning, and it also carried a criticism toward them for bringing someone like this—who wasn’t really a problem—to accuse him. But then, suddenly, they started talking about something completely unexpected.
“Not this man, but Barabbas!”
Who was Barabbas? Wasn’t he the very one who was supposed to be crucified today? He was a man who had caused a riot in the city and committed murder, notorious for his evil deeds—rumors about him had spread everywhere. And yet, the chief priests and the members of the Sanhedrin were demanding that this man be set free. If they were opposing Rome, their demand to release Barabbas might have made sense, but weren’t they supposed to be on Rome’s side? If a riot broke out, their own positions would be in jeopardy, so how could they make such an unreasonable demand? It was impossible to even guess how much they must have hated this man named Jesus.
After that, they listed various charges against him, but what felt truly strange was that he did not respond or defend himself at all while hearing all these unfavorable accusations. On the contrary, Pilate grew impatient and urged him to answer, but Jesus still remained silent.
At that moment, the chief priests’ group happened to mention that he was a Galilean, and Pilate decided to send him to Herod Antipas, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover, hoping to escape this situation. The excuse was that if he was from Galilee, it was procedurally correct for him to be tried by King Herod. Of course, normally Pilate would not have shown such consideration; anyone who caused a riot, whether Jew, Samaritan, or Galilean, would be executed without discrimination. Yet strangely, in this case, he wanted to distance himself from it. So, Jesus was dragged to Herod by the chief priests and their group.
Meanwhile, Pilate learned more about Jesus and discovered that he had entered Jerusalem through the eastern gate to the welcome of many people. Furthermore, he became convinced that Jesus was not hostile to Rome at all and that he had committed no crime. He was simply unpopular with the authorities. Realizing this, Pilate thought it was a good decision to send him to Herod. But then suddenly, Jesus returned—dressed in a splendid purple robe. According to the centurion who accompanied him, Herod was very pleased, asked him many questions, and requested that he perform miracles. When Jesus said nothing, Herod insulted and mocked him before dressing him in that robe and sending him back. Even there, Jesus did not say a word, while the chief priests and the scribes continued their fierce accusations. Pilate could not understand why Jesus behaved this way. If he could perform miracles, wouldn’t it be better for him to show one and be set free? If he was innocent, shouldn’t he confidently testify to his innocence? Yet he made no move and offered no defense. Pilate could not fathom his thoughts.
In any case, it was clear that Herod also had no intention of harming Jesus. Although Herod and Pilate were usually at odds, they seemed to agree on this matter. After Jesus returned, Pilate called together the chief priests, other leaders, and even the people to make his position clear once again.
“You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and behold, having examined him before you, I found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him. Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”
At that moment, several people came forward and requested, as was customary, that one prisoner be released. Pilate had entered Jerusalem with his troops, only to face great difficulties, and he had employed both hardline and conciliatory tactics with the Jews. Releasing a prisoner during a festival was one of these conciliatory measures. Although his previous attempt to suggest this to the chief priests had failed, now that the crowd was gathered, he thought things might be different. So, he called for Barabbas and showed him to the crowd, asking them all once again,
“Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?”
While Pilate was waiting for the people’s answer, his wife sent him a message:
“Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.”
His wife also did not want him to be put to death. So Pilate asked them again,
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you? Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
But the crowd shouted,
“Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!”
“Barabbas!”
He had asked the question, fully expecting them to choose Jesus, but their answer was completely unexpected. It was a serious miscalculation. Only then did it occur to him that most of the people present in the courtroom were likely supporters of the high priest. The crowds who had welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem were poor and powerless—of course, they wouldn’t have been allowed inside.
“What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
“Let him be crucified!”
“Crucify! Crucify him!”
The uproar grew more and more intense.
“Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”
Pilate expected them to understand his intention, but they were obstinate.
“Let him be crucified!”
“Crucify him!”
Seeing the crowd's frenzy, Pilate realized he could do nothing. With Sejanus executed and his own position precarious, if a riot broke out, he would be recalled to Rome and likely killed. He couldn't use force as he once might have, so he decided to step back from the situation, as his wife had suggested. He ordered water to be brought and washed his hands before the crowd, saying:
“I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”
The crowd, who placed great significance on the ritual of washing hands, understood the gesture. They replied:
“May his blood be on us and on our children!”
Was this really an answer that anyone in their right mind could give? They truly were mad—some intoxicated by power, others manipulated by those who held it. They had no idea what they were doing. With that, Pilate decided to give in to their demands: he released Barabbas and handed Jesus over to be flogged.
This was the entirety of the events from early morning to that point. However, seeing Jesus battered and bruised made Pilate want to save him again. Why did Jesus have to suffer so? What had he done wrong to deserve such humiliation? Pilate could no longer restrain his anger.
Pilate went outside and said:
“Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
What appeared before the people was the utterly disfigured form of Jesus. The purple robe was stained red, and the crown of thorns on his head, which had been beaten with reeds, was clearly visible. The skin pierced by the thorns and the areas where his flesh had been torn by the lead balls attached to the whip continued to bleed profusely, with bright red blood flowing incessantly. Even those who had accused him were on the verge of vomiting due to the gruesome sight.
Pilate shouted:
“Behold, the man!”
In Jesus’s silent demeanor, Pilate sensed the frustration of his own helpless reality, and with all the anger he could muster, he shouted out loud. Yet the chief priests and their accomplices continued to expose their own wickedness with their words.
“Crucify! Crucify!”
“Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.”
Despite the risk of rioting, Pilate felt he couldn't back down now. At that moment, the crowd said:
“We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
This was the real reason they wanted him dead—blasphemy. However, to Pilate, a Roman, the term “Son of God” meant something different, like Hercules or Perseus. Killing someone who claimed to be a son of God could provoke divine wrath. Pilate became even more fearful and took Jesus inside, asking:
“Where are you from?”
But Jesus remained silent.
“Aren’t you speaking to me? Don’t you know that I have power to release you and have power to crucify you?”
“You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has greater sin.”
Jesus said that this event was part of God's will. Although Pilate, who played this role, was not entirely blameless, and the guilt of those who handed Jesus over to death was greater, the crucial point was that Jesus possessed the power to forgive all those sins. If one commits a sin, they can repent. If they have wronged their neighbor, they can ask for forgiveness and make amends. It was a simple matter. Therefore, even if someone played a wicked role, they could repent and turn back to the Lord. However, wicked people failed to realize this and continued to expand their evil deeds. Pilate heard God's will and tried to release Jesus, but God used the greater evil of the chief priests to stop Pilate's own evil attempts to thwart God's plan.
“If you release this man, you aren’t Caesar’s friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”
This statement struck Pilate's heart. At a time when Sejanus had recently been executed for treason, if such suspicion fell on Pilate, his death was assured. Pilate sighed and sat down at the judgment seat. The trial, which had begun at six in the morning, was nearing its end. Pilate said to the Jews for the last time:
“Behold, your King!”
But all he heard was their continued malice.
“Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your King?”
The high priest's followers responded to Pilate's weakened voice:
“We have no king but Caesar!”
Pilate bowed his head, waited for a while, and then handed Jesus over to be crucified. As he turned to enter the praetorium, all that remained behind him were Jesus and those who wanted him dead.
As they cheered, Jesus, covered in blood, lifted His head and gazed up at the sky. It was morning, approaching nine o'clock. The sky was crystal clear and blue, filling Jesus' eyes. The world He was seeing for the last time before being nailed to the cross was incredibly beautiful. He could not send the people who lived in this beautiful world to hell; he wanted to bring them to a better heaven. That was why He came to this earth, and He would accomplish it. Jesus was the one who had willingly taken the final cup to fulfill the prayer He had made the previous night:
“I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.”
The soldiers stripped Jesus of his purple robe and put his original clothes back on, then dragged him outside to be crucified. Jesus carried a large cross as he walked to Golgotha.
The passages from Matthew 27:11, 17-25, Mark 15:2, 9-14, Luke 23:3-4, 14-22, John 17:4, 18:33-19:15 quoted in this narrative are taken directly from the World English Bible (WEB) translation. Of the parallel passages, I have combined them into a single version that includes all the content.
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