The word ―thou‖ is forceful. As Pilate looked at Y‘shua, he was surprised that anyone should be suggesting
that he was a king. Certainly He did not look like one! Y‘shua replied:
―Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?‖ (John 18:34)
This question makes a vital distinction. There were two ways in which the word ―king‖ might be understood. It
could refer to a political king uprising against Caesar – a resistance leader. If this was what Pilate meant, the
answer was ̳no‘. But it could refer to a Messianic King of the Jews, in which case the answer was ̳yes‘.
Pilate replied angrily, ―Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what
hast thou done?‖ (John 18:35.) Pilate realises that the accusation had come from the Jewish authorities. He
then asked Y‘shua what he had done to arouse their hostility. He wanted to find out whether Y‘shua had
committed an offence against Roman law.
The defense:
Y‘shua had now to answer the charge made against him. Instead of pleading ̳not guilty‘, He made a plea
known in English law as ̳confession and avoidance‘. This is a common defense. Y‘shua said in effect:
―In answer to the charge, I ̳confess and avoid‘; that is to say, I admit I made and do make a claim alleged
against me, I assert that that claim, in the sense in which I made it, is true in substance and in fact. I do not;
however make the claim in the sense alleged by my accusers. I admit that I claim to be a king, but not the
sort of a king, alleged by the chief priest. I make no claim to be a king, a rival to Caesar. I am not guilty of
treason against the emperor. I admit and assert that I have come to found a kingdom but not an earthly one,
my kingdom is out of this world: If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should
not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.‖ Translated from John 18:36.
Pilate took the point and replied, ―Art thou a king then?‖ Y‘shua answered, ―Thou sayest that I am a king. To
this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every
one that is of the truth heareth my voice.‖ (John 18:37.)
Pilate must have been startled when he heard these words. Here was a king who was different. Y‘shua
claimed to be a king in a unique sense; a king as no earthly ruler had ever been or could be. Pilate replied
with his famous words: ―What is truth?‖ (John 18:38)
Some suggest that Pilate was not serious when he asked this: ̳What is truth?‘ said jesting Pilate, and would
not stay for an answer. But this could have been a serious question. Certainly, Pilate re-membered Y‘shua‘s
words. When the Chief Priest and the Jewish authorities protested about the notice over the crucifixion stake
of Y‘shua, ―Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews‖ (John 19:19-22), he refused to change it.
Whoever Y‘shua was, it was clear that he was no rebel.
The release:
In Roman law, three forms of verdict were possible;
Not guilty (absolvo),
Guilty (condemno) and
Doubtful (non-liquest).
Scots law still has these three possible verdicts. Pilate could have given in to the Jewish authorities and
condemned Y‘shua to death because he was a revolutionary against Rome. But Pilate realised that this was
not the case. Then he could have given a verdict of doubtful ( ̳not proven‘). This would have had the effect of
referring the case back for a new trial on another day. There could have been justification for this because of
the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence. But Pilate, whatever his other faults, acted with justice and gave a
just sentence.
Descending from this judgment seat and taking Y‘shua with him, he went out to the Chief Priest and the
crowd (who had been waiting impatiently) and gave his final decision, ―I find in him no fault at all.‖ (John
18:38)
The trial was at an end and the prosecution had failed. The court ought to have then been cleared and the
prisoner set free. But Pilate‘s words, far from ending the case, made matters worse and stirred up the crowd
into frenzy. They shouted out,
―He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.‖ (Luke 23:5)