Day 13
John 18: 28-32
28Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
Jesus Before Pilate - 1 (John 18: 28-32)
The Jews hope that Pilate will ratify the death sentence, but the governor, torn between Roman justice and the fear of unrest, looks for a compromise.
John hasn’t really told us anything about the trial before Annas and Caiaphas, apart from the fact that it had taken place. The other writers provide us with some information. We know that Jesus appeared before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish parliament) and they found him guilty of blasphemy, worthy of death (Matthew 26:66; Mark 14:64). The problem was that the Sanhedrin had no authority to carry out such a death penalty.
Think: Why did Jesus have to be tried by Pilate as well as the high priest? If Jesus had been stoned to death by a mob serving the priests, would it make any difference to our Christian beliefs?
