Chapter Nineteen
Jn. 19:1. Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged.
Pilate scourges Him, wishing at least by this to calm and subdue their fury. Since he could not free Him from their hands by words, he scourges Him, hoping by this to restrain their madness.
Jn. 19:2. And the soldiers, having woven a crown of thorns, placed it on His head, and clothed Him in a purple robe,
Allow them to put a cloak on Him and place a crown on Him, also with the purpose of appeasing their anger.
Jn. 19:3. And they said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they struck Him on the cheeks.
But the soldiers do everything to please the Jews. They had heard Pilate say, "I will release the King of the Jews"; therefore they mock Him as a king. For it was not by Pilate's order that they did this, nor did those who went against Jesus at night do so with the governor's knowledge, but to please the Jews, for the sake of money.
Jn. 19:4. Pilate went out again and said to them: Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.
Pilate is faint-hearted and unvindictive in relation to the Jews. He brings Jesus out, once again wishing to extinguish their fury.
Jn. 19:5. Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them: Behold, the Man!
Jn. 19:6. When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him! Pilate says to them: Take Him yourselves, and crucify Him; for I find no fault in Him.
But they were not tamed even by this, and cry out: "Crucify, crucify Him!" Pilate, seeing that everything he was doing remained in vain, says: "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him." He says this, urging them toward an act not permitted to them, so that Jesus might be released. "I," he says, "who have the authority to crucify, find no fault; but you, who have no authority to crucify, say that He is guilty. So take Him and crucify Him. But you have no authority." Therefore, this Man ought to be released. Such is Pilate's aim. He is more merciful, yet not steadfast for the truth.
Jn. 19:7. The Jews answered him: We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.
And they, having been put to shame by this, say: "By our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God."
See how wickedness is inconsistent with itself. Previously Pilate said to them: "Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law"; they did not agree to this. But now they say that according to our law He ought to die. Before they accused Him of making Himself a King, but now, when that lie has been exposed, they accuse Him of making Himself the Son of God. And what is the crime in this? If He does the works of God, then what prevents Him from being the Son of God?
Behold the Divine economy. They handed the Lord over to many tribunals in order to disgrace Him and obscure His glory; but this dishonor turns back upon their own heads, for with the most thorough investigation of the case, His innocence was proven all the more. How many times even Pilate declared that he found nothing in Him worthy of death.
Jn. 19:8. Pilate, having heard this word, was more afraid.
Pilate, having heard only the one word that He is the Son of God, was afraid. But they saw His divine works, and yet they put Him to death for the very thing for which they ought to have worshipped Him.
Jn. 19:9. And he went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus: Where are You from?
He asks Him not as before – "What have You done?" – but "Who are You?" Then they were accusing Him as a king, so naturally he asked "What have You done?" But now, when they slander that He makes Himself out to be the Son of God, he asks: "Where are You from?"
Jn. 19:9. But Jesus gave him no answer.
Jesus is silent, for He had already declared to Pilate: "For this I was born," and "My Kingdom is not from here." However, Pilate did not make any use of this and did not stand for the truth, but yielded to the demand of the people. Therefore the Lord, disdaining his questions as being asked in vain, answers nothing.
Jn. 19:10. Pilate says to Him: Do You not answer me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You and power to release You?
It turns out that Pilate has no firmness whatsoever, but any chance danger can shake him. He feared the Jews; he also trembled before Jesus, as the Son of God. Let us see, then, how he condemns himself by his own words: "I have power to crucify You and I have power to release You." If everything depended on you, why then did you not release Him whom you found innocent?
Jn. 19:11. Jesus answered: you would have no power over Me, if it had not been given to you from above;