The death of Jesus barrels down the tracks like a train with no brakes from the human perspective in John 19. The Jews kept pushing the gas and Pilate couldn’t slow it down. Even though Jesus was innocent of all charges, the will of the people prevailed. In doing so, they disowned their deliverer.

Jesus just told Pilate that “he who delivered me over to you as the greater sin” (John 19:11). Jesus was referring to Ciaphas, a man who should have known better. By the end of this paragraph (verses 12-16) we’ll hear from the chief priests, those who represented the people of Israel, those who were supposed to go between men and God. Just as Ciaphas deserved greater judgement because of the revelation he dismissed, so will the Jews deserve greater judgment—and are in a more pathetic situation—because of the deliverance they disowned.

Pilate has gone out-in-out-in-out since John 18:28 when the Jews brought Jesus from the Sanhedrin to the Governor’s headquarters. Even though Pilate made the Jews work for it, declared Jesus not-guilty multiple times, and even beat Jesus in an attempt to pacify the crowd, the Jews were more committed than ever to executing Jesus. Hard hearts do not soften naturally. Hard hearts require grace to change and the Jews run from it.

Pilate continues to try to release Jesus but he can’t overcome their final political maneuver. It’s either him or Jesus, so Jesus must go.

The Threat against Pilate (verse 12)

Pilate faced the threat that no politician can endure.

From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” (John 19:12, ESV)

When Pilate heard Jesus say that his authority came from above, Pilate made no reply. From then on Pilate sought to release him. John gives the impression (based on the imperfect tense of the verb) that this was an ongoing attempt due to repeated failure. He already declared Jesus’ innocence three times but now he seems more invested in passing this political hot potato out of his hands.

But the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend.” Now they are playing dirty, escalating their statesmanship to new lows.

A few decades later under the Emperor Vespasian, “friend of Caesar” was an official term (Carson, 607), maybe like we talk about Diamond Level donors or those who are “friends” of such-and-such organization or candidate. Though it wasn’t a formal designation in Pilate’s day, it was an important idea in Pilate’s mind. There are probably two reasons why this arrow struck and stuck the target.

First, a man like Pilate wanted in. He wanted to be included. He was part of the equestrian class, meaning that he was in the group of Roman citizens with wealth and political importance. His post in Judea was something, but not the best. If he wanted to move up in the Empire then he needed to impress Caesar, certainly not annoy him. The Jews had already sent reports about Pilate’s behavior and he couldn’t afford another bad mark in his file.

Second, a man like Caesar couldn’t be trusted. Tiberius was consistent in his inconsistency. The Caesars had so much power that they ruled by whim not by law. Initially, Tiberius was “unperturbed by abuse, slander, or lampoons on himself and his family,” but after the first couple years he started to indulge his lusts.

One of the satires written against him in his own day:

He is not thirsty for neat wine
As he was thirsty then,
But warms him up a tastier cup,
The blood of murdered men.

And it got to the point where:

Special awards were voted to the informers who had denounced them, and in certain circumstances to the witnesses too. An informer’s word was always believed. Every crime became a capital one, even the utterance of a few careless words. (Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars)

Tiberius didn’t need proof; he reacted to whispers. What if Tiberius heard that Pilate allowed a rival king to live?

Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar. Ironic, right? Who opposed Caesar in this scene? Not Pilate. Not Jesus. The Jews did. But they argue as if loyalty to the Emperor is on their side. Everything is unfair in affairs of state.

How would Pilate explain—to an already suspicious, if not angry Caesar—that Jesus said He was a King? Read the transcripts: He said ‘Yes’ to being a king.” Out of context before Caesar, what argument could Pilate make? “That’s not what He meant”? Tiberius probably wouldn’t appreciate nuance or Pilate’s gut feeling that this was no big deal. Even if Tiberius wouldn’t execute Pilate, he would at least take away his position. That’s what the Jews insinuate, playing against his worst fear. And it works. It was either Pilate or Jesus. Someone would be sacrificed.

The Renunciation of Jesus (verses 13-15)

The proceedings take their most formal form as Pilate shows much pomp and circumstance, and tries to poke his enemies in the eye even as he gives in to their desire.

So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” (John 19:13–15, ESV)

Jesus comes to the center of judgment. Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement. It was a broad place where a crowd could gather. The judgment seat is the bema seat, the place where verdict comes from. The Aramaic name was Gabbatha preparing the way to Golgotha.

Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. This was not preparation for the Passover, but preparation for the Sabbath during the Passover feast week. The word preparation only applies to the Friday before the Sabbath evening. Extra work had to be done for the Sabbath, especially this special Sabbath, since no work was allowed on the Sabbath itself. There were no days off required/allowed for other feast days; meal making was permitted. That makes this day Friday.

The time is a little more difficult because the other gospels say that Jesus was crucified at the sixth hour and John claims this judgment was given at the sixth hour, noon by Jewish calculations. In a time without clocks or watches or portable sundials, a man might guess to the nearest three (third hour, sixth hour, ninth hour). Maybe it seems later in the morning from John’s perspective since it’s taken so much time in the back and forth and beating.

Pilate now says, Behold your King! He hasn’t communicated his decision about Jesus, but he is at least going down getting in as many digs as possible. Jesus is in no majestic form, still bruised and bloody from being beaten. Ironic, right? Pilate didn’t think Jesus was a king, but he says it. And Jesus actually was the King of the Jews, but they deny it. The Jews used it only as a charge that Jesus claimed He was, but they made no claim on Jesus.

They cried out, “Away with him, crucify him!” It’s what they’ve been saying all along (see also John 18:40; 19:6).

Unlike before, the chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” They don’t mean it, but they do. With their assertion they disown their deliverance.

God Himself was the King of Israel until the people wanted Samuel to give them a king. They wanted to be like the surrounding nations, having someone to lead them, protect them. Samuel fought them, but the Lord told Samuel to give them what they wanted as part of judgment. “Let us suppose that Jesus Christ was not the Christ; still they have no excuse for acknowledging no other king but Cesar” (Calvin, 224).

Even in judgment, the Lord promised a future king, a Davidic king, one who would save His people. This is the one, the Messiah, the deliverer. Jesus is the fulfillment, their King. And they disown Him.

Further ironic is that they claimed never to have been enslaved to anyone in John 8. They have always been free. No doubt that they would claim both now, servants of Caesar but free. It doesn’t fit, it’s not rational. And this is what sin does: make slavery look like freedom.

The Decision against Jesus (verse 16a)

The decision has been made.

So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. (John 19:16, ESV)

Pilate delivered Jesus over to the Jews. He didn’t give them power to crucify Jesus, He gave them their wish for Jesus to be crucified. Certainly the Roman soldiers took Jesus and we’ll see John’s record of the crucifixion through the rest of Friday through the rest of chapter 19.

Conclusion

What stands above this passage is that Jesus is not guilty. His death was a result of wickedness and weakness. Those without power couldn’t handle Jesus’ authority. The one with authority was powerless to fulfill his will. Our Savior was a perfect, spotless sacrificial lamb. He can take away the sin of the world because He was without sin.

Jesus is the deliverer. He didn’t look the part, but the Jews were so enslaved to sin that they couldn’t see the one who offered true freedom.

Often it comes down to sacrifice. Sacrifice friendship with the world or fellowship with Jesus. Sacrifice what we think to be a position of power or the one who controls chairs and Caesars and more. There are Pilate’s in every generation, not re-crucifying Jesus but sacrificing His values and His people for personal protection.