Said to them: You have presented unto me this man as one that perverteth the people. And behold I, having examined him before you, find no cause in this man, in those things wherein you accuse him.
ειπεν προς αυτους προσηνεγκατε μοι τον ανθρωπον τουτον ως αποστρεφοντα τον λαον και ιδου εγω ενωπιον υμων ανακρινας ουδεν ευρον εν τω ανθρωπω τουτω αιτιον ων κατηγορειτε κατ αυτου
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
When Christ was returned to Pilate, observe how the truth is once again revealed. Pilate remarked, "You have presented this man to me as one who misleads the people; however, I discover no fault in him deserving of death, nor does Herod."
The innocent was brought before Herod and then sent to Pilate. While neither ruler renders a verdict, they both succumb to an unusual ruthlessness. Although Pilate has metaphorically cleansed his hands (Matthew 27:24), he cannot erase his actions. A judge should not yield to jealousy or fear, for doing so risks the betrayal of the righteous one's blood. Pilate's wife urged him (Matthew 27:19), and divine grace illuminated the darkness, revealing the presence of the Divine. Nonetheless, he did not reverse the unjust decree.
Many have faced crucifixion throughout history, yet the forces of darkness hold no fear for those individuals. However, upon witnessing the crucifixion of Christ, the demons tremble in fear. While they perished for their own transgressions, Jesus sacrificed Himself for the sins of humanity. He committed no wrongdoing, nor was deceit found in His words, as it is written: “He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22). This testimony does not solely come from Peter, who may be seen as biased in his admiration for the Lord, but from Isaiah, who foresaw the coming of Christ long before it occurred.
To solidify this truth, we can consider the testimony of Pontius Pilate, the one who condemned Jesus, affirming, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:14). Following his judgment, Pilate ceremoniously washed his hands, declaring before all, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man” (Matthew 27:24). Another powerful witness to Jesus' innocence is the thief who entered paradise ahead of the others. In chastising his companion, he proclaimed, “We indeed suffer justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:41), acknowledging their own guilt in contrast to Christ's purity.
The Sanhedrin approached Pilate after Jesus had been sent by Herod. Pilate realized that his cleverness had done little to alleviate his predicament, as he remained ensnared in the same troubles. What was he to do about the haughty Sanhedrin? How could he reconcile their stance with the purity of Jesus? He informed the Sanhedrin that his investigation, conducted in their presence, concluded that Jesus Christ was innocent, and that Herod's court had also found no cause for death; thus, Pilate stated, he had the option to release Jesus. The Sanhedrin fell silent, and Pilate understood that this outcome was far from what they had anticipated (Luke 23:13-16). Thus, Pilate found himself entwined in a conflict between his frailty and his conscience. He sought a different approach.
The crowd expected him to pardon a criminal during the Passover celebration (Mark 15:8). In response, Pilate presented the choice between two men: Barabbas or Christ Jesus. It was clear that Pilate wished to set Jesus free, convinced that envy was the sole reason for the trial against Him (Mark 15:10). Why did Pilate desire what was good yet fail to act? Why did he possess an awareness of the truth without defending it? Because there was no genuine love for truth in his heart—his affection for worldly matters drowned out the voice of his conscience. Pilate, in declaring the innocence of Jesus to the Sanhedrin while promising to punish Him contrary to his own beliefs, betrayed the truth. He further descended into deception as he equated the innocent Jesus with Barabbas. Who was Barabbas? A rebel and thief (Luke 23:15), imprisoned with other insurrectionists who had committed murder during the uprising (Mark 15:7). Pilate dared to compare the sinless Jesus to such a wretch! What was Pilate's reasoning? Did he genuinely believe that an obvious villain could be chosen over the innocent Jesus? He did. But was he acting as a true judge or a representative of Caesar? No. He relinquished his own authority, transferring it to others. To whom did he yield his rights? To those consumed by their own ambitions! The once-proud Roman sank further into moral decay. It is becoming apparent that Pilate will align himself with Caiaphas, just as he did with Herod. It is clear that various factions of sinners are uniting against Jesus Christ—hypocritical evildoers, shameless Sadducees, both strong and weakened personalities, representatives of powerful Rome alongside weak figures of authority, the educated and the unlearned, soldiers and servants. Tragically, the same crowd that had once joyfully proclaimed Hosanna to Him now stands with His adversaries.
Pilate, noticing the determination of the high priests, proposes the idea of granting Jesus his freedom, following the tradition of releasing a prisoner during Passover. This approach would allow the Sanhedrin's verdict to stand while ensuring the accused remained alive. To appease their animosity towards Jesus, Pilate ordered Him to be scourged. However, the crowd shouted as directed by the chief priests, demanding the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. As Pilate grappled with the situation, his wife sent him a message, having just experienced a dream that deeply concerned her about the Righteous One. Though she did not mention His name, she urged Pilate not to condemn Him, which he understood to be a warning (Matt. 27:19).
This led Pilate to lean more toward releasing Jesus, as the idea of condemning someone who was divine to death troubled even a Roman official. Nonetheless, the high priests intensified their efforts, directly accusing Jesus of inciting disorder among the people and discouraging them from paying taxes to Caesar. They further claimed that Jesus had spread this doctrine upon His arrival from Galilee (Luke 23:2).
Upon discovering that Herod had only mocked Jesus and had not issued a judgment against Him, Pilate went out to the pavement and, addressing the chief priests, the leaders of the people, and the crowd, declared: ‘You have presented this man to me as one who misleads the people; however, after examining Him in your presence, I find no fault in Him regarding any of the accusations you bring against Him, nor has Herod found any grounds for a death sentence, as I sent Him to him. Thus, I am compelled to release Him. Yet, if you believe He deserves punishment for any wrongdoing, I will administer discipline as you see fit, but afterwards, I shall release Him.’ What kind of justice is that?
To conclude the accused is innocent of the charges yet readily appease the malevolent accusers by inflicting punishment?! He aimed, as it is said, to satisfy both parties, but he misjudged the situation: the chief priests, recognizing his indecision, intensified their demands; no compromises could quench their thirst for violence; only the demise of Jesus would suffice for them.
The Lord Jesus Christ makes His way from Herod's palace through the streets of the northern part of the Upper City to Pilate's Praetorium, with an ever-growing throng gathering around Him during these two transitions. The Gospel narrative reveals that the procurator's court was likely a distinctive structure, built to some elevation, featuring a stone slab-covered platform at its entrance, referred to by the Evangelist as ‘a place called Lyphostroton, and in Hebrew Gabbatha,’ where Λιθόστροτον signifies a stone platform and גבעתא refers to a high platform.
Concerned about ritual impurity, the Jews refrain from entering the Praetorium itself—a practice they would normally engage in—but instead remain at the entrance, presumably in a spacious area located before the building, below Gabbatha. Upon discovering that the situation with Herod had not reached a favorable resolution, Pilate approaches Gabbatha. A glance at the crowd below provides him with immediate insight into their sentiments and expectations at that moment. Pilate instinctively perceives that he cannot evade making a decisive judgment in a grave matter where his personal beliefs clash with the pressing demands of the populace. It takes a resolute character deeply rooted in moral law to withstand the coercive influence exerted by a large group driven by zealous leaders, and Pilate noticeably lacks this fortitude. He begins his address to the crowd by publicly declaring the innocence of the accused before him and references Herod Antipas's judgment (Luke 23:14-15). However, he makes a concession to the demands of the accusers: he will release the Defendant but agrees to ‘punish him’ (Luke 23:15-16), which entails inflicting severe bodily torment through Roman scourging to appease the frenzied mob.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 29 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS