His Trial Before Pilate

["Click here for Matthew's account"]
["Click here for Mark's account"]
["Click here for Luke's account"]
["Click here for John's account"]

It was Friday in the last week in the life of Christ. It started out with Jesus praying in the Garden of Gathsemane, followed by His betrayal by Judas. Then there were three "ecclesiastical" trials before Annas, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, followed by the denial of Peter. Now we have three "legal" trials. One before Pilate, one before Herod and another before Pilate again. Only Luke records all three of these trials so we will use his account, however, John gives more details of the first trial so please read it also.
John speaks of this first trial as being held at the "Praetorium". It was simply a parade ground for the Roman Praetorian Guard. It was constructed of large flat stones carefully laid without mortar, just like Roman roads. It was 2,500 meters square, about one and one half miles. It was used to show off the power of Rome. It was used here as the approach to the "judgment seat" of Pilate.
The Praetorium is believed to have been located in N-W Jerusalem, near the Temple area. Part of this paving was uncovered under the present church called "Dames de Sion (Ladies of Zion). Scratched on one of the large stones was a gambling board where soldiers passed the time waiting on Pilate's bidding. It was considered one of the most valuable archeological finds in Jerusalem. I tell you all of this so that you might appreciate the size and fear compulsion of this scene. The word "Praetorium", is a derivative of the word "Praetor" which was what Pilate was of Jerusalem, it's Roman Governor. The various names used by the Gospel writers, "Hall of Judgment", "Praetor's House", "Pilate's Palace", simply means a plush enclosure in the center of this huge parade ground from which Pilate would review his troops. It was here that Pilate exercised his judicial powers in Jerusalem.
It would appear that it was not "unlawful" for Jews to transverse this parade ground but that it was unlawful to enter Pilate's' Palace or the home of any heathen as this would make the ceremonially unclean and would require them to take the rites of cleansing at the Temple. Until those rites were completed, they would be ineligible to partake in feasts or Temple services. So the Jews would not take Jesus into Pilate's Judgment Hall for this, as you may recall, was the week of the Passover. So Pilate came out to them.
Notice Pilate first addresses the Jews. "What charges do you bring against this man?" From this we see three commendable things about Pilate:

His close attention to the business to which Rome had sent him.
His humbling himself to the tradition of the Jews. He might very well have said to these "pious" Jews, if my home is "unworthy" of your presence, so is my presence. But he didn't, he knew that his presence in Jerusalem was shaky at best and he was a long way from Rome.
His adherence to the rules of justice. He demanded first to know the charges against Jesus. Notice the Jews had not gotten their case against Jesus in order, this was unusual for them, they usually were good at the research and presenting of their cases. I can see them now, squirming and looking at one another, seeking something to say to Pilate of a legal matter as a charge against Jesus.

Finally they blunder out, "Well if He wasn't an evil doer we wouldn't have brought Him before you." Pilate, well seasoned in justice and legal procedure, saw through the falseness of the accusers. Looking over his glasses and not really enjoying their presence any more that they enjoyed his, he said, "Take Him yourself and judge Him by your own law." Well that really got them squirming, "O no, we can't do that, we want Him killed and we do not have the power to put anyone to death in a civil matter. The other Gospel writers record other charges that they laid upon Jesus, "He perverted our nation." "He forbad the giving of tribute to Caesar." We know that neither one of these charges was true but anything dealing with Caesar had to be dealt with by Pilate.
So Pilate took Jesus into his Palace or Judgment Hall, and questioned Him privately. Undoubtedly, Pilate, who was charged with the keeping of the peace in Jerusalem, had already investigated the events of the past Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem and was treated like a king by the people. He was more concerned about any activities of Jesus that might interfere with the status of Rome in Jerusalem than he was about any religious controversy that the Jews might have amongst themselves.
Pilate continued to question Jesus in the privacy of his Palace, "Are you really the King of the Jews." Some think Pilate said this in a scornful way, others think he said it in sincerity seeking to know the truth. He really did not care who ruled Jerusalem as long as they were friendly to Rome. Pilate was puzzled by two things. One was the lack of charges that were made by the accusers of Jesus and the other was the lack of defense made by Jesus.
Notice how Jesus answered Pilate, "Do you ask this for your own information or did you hear others say this about me?" This question by Jesus in answer to his question seemed to anger Pilate. "Man, I am not a Jew." "It is your own people who have handed you over to me." "Speak up, what have you done." "Are you a king or not?"
In answer to this, Jesus attempts to explain to Pilate the Kingdom of God. He knew and the Word of God clearly states that worldly people cannot understand the things of God, but He attempts to explain anyway. Note what he said: "My Kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my servants would fight." Pilate only heard two words that Jesus said, "My Kingdom...." to which he replies, "Ah, so you are a king?" Jesus answered, "If you say so Pilate." "If bearing witness to the truth makes me a king, than I am a king." This seemed to fascinate Pilate who appears to have, like the Greeks, pondered about "truth", and he asked, "Ah, what is truth?" But like most people who ask the question, they very seldom have the time to hear the answer.
Pilate left Jesus and went outside where the Jews were waiting, and delivered his verdict, "I find no fault in this man." This solemn declaration of innocence by the top civil authority of the day was made and recorded for history for three reasons:

To establish the innocence, justification and honor of Jesus. Though He was treated like the worst of criminals, he did not deserve it.
It was done to show that He did not die for any sin of His own, therefore, He must have died for the sins of others.
It was made to place the responsibility for His death where it belonged and aggravate the sins of the Jews that persecuted him and denied Him a fair trial with false accusations.

Pilate declared what he believed to be true, there was no fault in this man. Notice how the Jews would not give up that easy, they continued to make accusations. "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout Judah and Galilee." This accusation gave Pilate a way out of this mess, "Ah, so this man is a Galilean, well, Galileans are under Herod's jurisdiction, take him to Herod." As we learned easier, Herod was one of three rulers that Rome had put over the northern area that had once been Israel and allowed a degree of power in return for their allegiance to Rome and given the responsibility of collecting tribute from the people for Rome. So the Jews take Jesus to Herod.

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