John 19:4

Joh_19:4

I find no fault in Him

Pilates confession

Alas! it was discoursing to wolves about the innocence of the lamb.

(W. H. Van Doren, D. D.)

It is very noteworthy that this expression is used three times by Pilate in the same Greek words in St. Johns account of the passion (chap. 18:38; 19:4-6). It was meet and right that he who had the chief hand in slaying the Lamb of God, the Sacrifice for our sins, should three times publicly declare that he found no spot or blemish in Him. He was proclaimed a Lamb without spot or fault, after a searching examination, by him that slew Him. (Bp. Ryle.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 19:4-7. Pilate went forth again — Although he had given sentence that it should be as the Jews desired, and had delivered Jesus to the soldiers, to be scourged and crucified, he thought, if he were shown to the people in the condition in which he now was, covered with blood and wounds through the scourges, spit upon, crowned with thorns, &c., they might yet relent and let him go. And that the impression might be stronger, he went out himself and spoke to them, saying, Behold, I bring him forth, &c. — Though I have sentenced him to die, and have scourged him as one that is to be crucified, I bring him forth to you this once, that I may testify to you again how fully I am persuaded of his innocence, and that you may have an opportunity to save his life. Upon this Jesus appeared on the pavement, having his face, hair, and shoulders all clotted with blood, and the purple robe bedaubed with spittle: when Pilate said, Behold the man! But all was to no purpose. The priests, whose rage and malice had extinguished, not only the sentiments of justice and feelings of pity natural to the human heart, but that love which countrymen usually bear to one another, no sooner saw Jesus than, fearing, perhaps, lest the fickle populace might relent, they cried out with all their might, Crucify him! Crucify him! Pilate saith, Take ye him and crucify him — He seems to have uttered these words in anger, vexed at finding the chief priests and rulers thus obstinately bent on the destruction of a person from whom they had nothing to fear that was dangerous either to the church or state. But they refused this offer also, perhaps “thinking it dishonourable to receive permission to punish one who had been more than once publicly declared innocent by his judge. Besides, they considered with themselves that the governor afterward might have called it sedition, as the permission had been extorted from him. Wherefore they told him, that though none of the things alleged against the prisoner were true, he had committed such a crime in the presence of the council itself, as by their law (Lev 24:16) deserved the most ignominious death. He had spoken blasphemy, calling himself the Son of God, a title which no mortal could assume without the highest degree of guilt. And therefore, said they, since by our law blasphemy merits death, and though Cesar is our ruler, he governs us by our own laws, you ought by all means to crucify this blasphemer.” It is evident they must have understood our Lord as using the title, Son of God, in the highest sense, otherwise they could not have accounted his applying it to himself blasphemy.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

FINAL EFFORT OF PILATE FOR HIS RELEASE

Joh 19:4-16. “Then Pilate again came out, and spake to them, Behold, I lead Him out to you, that you may know that I find nothing criminal in Him. Then Jesus came out, bearing the thorny crown, and the purple robe. And he says to them, Behold the Man!” Now recognize the scene. Pilate leads Him out, lacerated and bleeding because of the cruel scourging; the cruel thorns at the same time interpenetrating His flesh, the blood issuing from every thorn point! He is now an object of indescribable pity. So Pilate thinks to arouse their sympathies and produce a merciful reaction in His favor, and that they would relent and say, “He has suffered enough, release Him; and if He can survive all of those cruel wounds, let Him live.” But in this, Pilate is mistaken. He finds them as cruel as the grave and as merciless as the pandemonium. In the old judgment-hall in Jerusalem they point out to us travelers the door out of which Pilate led Him when he said, “Behold the Man!” There is now a life-size effigy on the wall above the door, exhibiting Him as He stood before His persecutors, led out by Pilate.

“Then, when the high priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, Crucify Him! crucify Him!” Having already suffered death over and over in the cruel scourging, and now the bleeding, smarting wounds excruciating Him unutterably, yet those demonized preachers and officers, as destitute of sympathy, pity, and mercy as the fiends of the pit, on sight of Him, instead of being moved to commiseration, give way to the volcano of diabolical cruelty ‘heaving and surging in the deep interior of their fallen spirits, screaming vociferously, “Crucify Him! crucify Him!”

“Pilate says to them, You take Him, and crucify Him; for I find nothing criminal in Him.” Pilate awfully fears his responsibility in the case, and resorted to every conceivable stratagem to evade it; but signally and finally failed, as he was dealing with incarnate demons, though standing at the head of the fallen Church.

“The Jews responded to him, We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” You find the law against blasphemy to which they here refer in Lev 24:16. You see the dilemma in which their blind and wicked misconstruction of the law would necessarily place the Messiah. He must be true, and consequently testify to His Divine Sonship. Whereas it would be blasphemy for any of us to claim to be the Son of God in that high Messianic sense, it was not blasphemy for the real Christ to thus publicly proclaim Himself. You see the Jews had no trouble to find a law in the Bible for the condemnation and execution of Christ. Hence they boldly, and even boastingly, certify that they are acting according to the law. How wonderfully history repeats itself! The denominations have no trouble now to find a law for the decapitation and excommunication of their most godly members and ministers. But what about the law? They utterly misconstrue and misapply it, precisely as these fallen preachers and Church officers when they found a law in God’s Book which required them to kill His Son. You see demonstratively, as illustrated in the martyrdom of Jesus and millions of His followers, that when the devil gets into preachers and ruling elders they have no trouble to find a law in the Bible justifying them in the most diabolical treatment of God’s saints. God says for us to go everywhere and preach. Who dares say “No?” Satan and the people actuated by him are all who could possibly antagonize the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, as all of God’s true and intelligent people want the gospel preached to “every creature.” So on the law questions, so much agitated by ecclesiastical tyrants at the present day, just remember Joh 19:7, where the murderers of Jesus boldly claimed to be acting in harmony with the law of God.

“Then when Pilate heard this word, he feared the more.” The Roman mythology claims that Jupiter, Apollo, Neptune, and other gods, have their sons upon the earth, invested in mortal flesh. Now, Pilate becomes terribly alarmed, lest he may be dealing with the son of some one of the gods — a most dangerous affair, as Jupiter might strike him with a thunderbolt, Apollo with an arrow, or Neptune engulf him in the sea if he ever sailed again. Under this alarm, Pilate puts forth every feasible effort (in his own estimation) to save His life.

“And again he went into the judgment-hall, and says to Jesus, Whence art Thou? And Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate says m Him, Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to crucify you, and I have authority to release you?” Exousia, “power,” in E. V., is better translated “authority,” which Pilate did have; while at least he felt that he lacked the power (dunarnis), which he would have used if at that time at his command, his military forces being too weak to protect Jesus.

“Jesus responded, Thou hast no authority against Me, unless it were given to thee from above; consequently the one having delivered Me to thee [the high priest] hath the greater sin. From this, Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews continued to cry out, saying, If you release Him, you are not Caesar’s friend. Every one making himself a king speaketh against Caesar.” Now you see the Jews come out and boldly threaten Pilate with prosecution for high treason against the Roman emperor, because of the favor he was extending to Jesus, whom they claimed to be an enemy and a rival of Caesar. This was a delicate point. Pilate, a corrupt, intriguing politician, had held the proconsulate of Judea seven years with difficulty. He is very anxious to remain in office; for at that time all the world was subject to the Roman despotism, and many a king, as well as subordinate ruler, when charged with treason, had been summoned to Rome, where he laid down his head on the executioner’s block or submitted to lonely exile. This really turned out to be Pilate’s final destiny as three years subsequently, deposed from his governorship and ordered to Rome to answer charges for maladministration, the Emperor Caligula, an awful tyrant, not only dethroned him, but banished him to Vienne, in Gaul (France), then a lonely retreat in the wild West, there to spend the remnant of his days in solitary exile. It is said that he was haunted by the form of Jesus — pale, feeble, and bleeding at many wounds, as he saw Him those several hours at his bar and on the cross — and was so affrighted and tormented by the awful specter, which his guilty conscience would likely portray, that he finally committed suicide, A. D. 41, thus surviving the dark tragedy of Calvary only eight miserable years. Like other corrupt, ambitious politicians, Pilate was appalled at the threat of the Jews to report him to the emperor for high treason if he dared to release Jesus, whom they claimed to be a rival of Caesar. In this way, Pilate was intimidated into acquiescence.

“Then, Pilate hearing this word, led out Jesus, and sat upon his tribunal in the place called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. And he says to the Jews, Behold your King!” This is the last resort of Pilate to effect the release of Jesus by an effort to arouse their national pride. Already Judea had been a Roman province thirty-three years. Yet those high priests, elders, and Pharisees remembered well the halcyon days of their former freedom, and so loathed the despotic yoke of Rome that they sighed and cried for the good time coming, when God would break the yoke, set them free, and give them a king of their own. As they charged Jesus with claiming to be their King, Pilate, recognizing that fact, led Him out to them, saying: “Behold your King! Shall I crucify your King? Will not that be an ineffaceable disgrace upon your national escutcheon?” thus endeavoring to rekindle the lingering spark of their patriotic zeal, which in olden time was a rolling flame. But this, like all preceding efforts, signally failed, as we see from their response, “And they cried out, Take Him away! take Him away! crucify Him! Pilate says to them, Shall I crucify your King? The high priests responded, We have no king but Caesar.” Thus you see they utterly rejected Pilate’s appeal to their national pride and patriotism. Much as they hated Roman rule, and longed to regain their independence and have their own king, now, that they may sweep away every excuse of the governor and force him to crucify Jesus, they surrender forever all hopes of regaining their freedom, and acquiesce in their fate as the vassals of imperial Rome. How strikingly significant! They have never had a king from that day to this, and never will have till Jesus comes in His glory, gathers the elect remnant back to the Holy Land, and, pursuant to the prophecies, ascends the throne of David, King of the Jews forever.

“Therefore he then delivered Him up to them, that He may be crucified.” Pilate, though awfully opposed to the crucifixion of Jesus, and terribly suspicious that He might turn out to be one of the Roman gods, yet, upon the whole, displayed the coward from beginning to end. If he had been a true man, finding Jesus utterly innocent, as he certified all the time, as governor of Judea he would have defended him with the last drop of his blood. When Martin Cozta, a Hungarian, having been imprisoned by the Austrian authorities at Smyrna, sent for Captain Ingram, of the United States war-sloop St. Louis, and showed him his naturalization papers, satisfying him that, though far away in Asia, he was a United States citizen, and the captain demanded of the Austrian general, in command of one hundred thousand soldiers, the release of the prisoner, and upon receiving a haughty denial, prepared immediately to open fire on the Austrian fleet, though he had but one hundred men and was five thousand miles from home, the Austrian general, seeing that he would have to kill every one of them, at once released the prisoner. If Pilate had done his duty, and shown up the hero; releasing Jesus and taking the consequences, he would neither have died an exile nor a suicide; and, best of all he might have saved his soul. But did not Jesus come into the world to die? Certainly He did; but that was no apology for either the cowardice of Pilate or the treason of Judas. God makes no provision for sin. Jesus would have died in some way if neither of these men had lost their souls by serving the devil, either in His betrayal or crucifixion.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19:4-6 Pilate’s intention was to bring Jesus out to display the marks of his punishment to sway the crowd to let him go. After being flogged with a lead-tipped whip, Jesus was bleeding profusely. • Pilate announced his verdict of not guilty a second time, but he was met with a strident call for Jesus’ death (19:6).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 19:4. Ἴδε ἄγω, Behold, I bring Him forth) as though he were not about again to bring Him before them. Pilate wishes to appear to act deliberately.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_19:4-5. Πάλιν] For, according to Joh_18:40, Pilate has returned into the praetorium, and has caused Jesus to be scourged, Joh_19:1. The scourging was certainly carried out so that the Jews could see it. The prisoner, scourged and arrayed like the caricature of a king, he causes to be led forth in his train.

ὑμῖν] Vobis; what follows gives the more exact explanation of this reference.

ἵνα γνῶτε, κ.τ.λ.] For had he found Him guilty, he would certainly not make the repeated attempt, implied in this leading forth and presentation of Jesus to them, to change the mind of the Jews, but would dispose of the matter by ordering execution.

Joh_19:5. ἐξῆλθεν … ἱμάτιον is not a parenthesis, but the narrative, according to which Jesus comes forth in the train of Pilate, proceeds without interruption, in such a manner, however, that with λέγει (Pilate) the subject suddenly changes; see Heindorf, ad Plat. Euthyd. p. 275 B; Kühner, ad Xen. Mem. ii. 1. 8.

φορῶν] Not φέρων; for the kingly attire is now to the close of the proceedings His permanent garb (Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 585).

The short significant ecce homo! behold the man, whose case we are condemning! has its eloquent commentary in the entire manifestation of suffering in which the ill-treated and derided one was set forth. This suffering form cannot be the usurper of a throne! The words are gently and compassionately spoken, and ought to excite compassion (comp. already Chrysostom); it is in Joh_19:14 that he first says with bitterness: ἴδε ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑμῶν.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 19:4 . Pilate, judging that this will content the Jews, brings Jesus out that they may see Him and ἵνα γνῶτε … εὑρίσκω , that Pilate may have another opportunity of pronouncing Him guiltless.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vv. 4-6. “Pilate went out again and says to them, Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him. 5. Jesus therefore went out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And he says to them, Behold the man! 6. When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out:Crucify, crucify! Pilate says to them, Take him yourselves and crucify him; for, as for me, I find no crime in him.”

The scourging had taken place in the court of the Praetorium (Mar 15:15-16), as had also the maltreatment which had followed. As soon as this scene is ended, Pilate goes out with Jesus. This spectacle, as he thought, could not fail to call forth a favorable interference of the people and furnish him the means of resisting the hatred of the priests. A strange way, however, of proving that he finds no fault in Jesus—to inflict on Him such a punishment! In Joh 19:4, Pilate means to say: “Well, you must understand; there is enough of it now. I have consented to this in the way of compliance with your requests; I will go no farther!” The term φορεῖν is more grave than the simple φέρειν; comp. Rom 13:4.

In the expression: Behold the man! there is a mingling of respect and pity for Jesus and a bitter sarcasm with reference to the absurd part which the Jews impute to Him: “There is the wretched being against whom you are enraged!” But once again Pilate is baffled; no voice rises from the multitude on behalf of the victim, and he finds himself face to face with the will of the rulers, who persist in pushing matters to extremity, without being satisfied with this half-way punishment. The previous concessions have only emboldened them. Full of indignation and vexation, Pilate then said to them: Take Him yourselves, and crucify Him!—words which, in this context, can only mean: “Do it yourselves, if you will! I leave you free; for myself, it is impossible for me to take part in such a murder!” This emotion was noble; but it was nevertheless fated to remain barren; for three times already Pilate had abandoned the ground of strict right, on which alone he could have resisted the violent pressure which was exerted upon him.

Of course, the Jews could not think of using the impunity which Pilate offered them. How could they have themselves provided for the execution? When once the people were delivered from the fear which the Roman power inspired, the rulers clearly perceived that they could not themselves successfully conduct this great affair. By a sudden reaction, the partisans of Jesus might turn violently against them and, drawing on the common mass of the people, might wreck everything. Measuring the dangers of this offer, therefore, they have recourse to a third expedient:

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Christ is again acquitted by the same mouth wherewith he is afterward condemned.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Pilate . . . went forth again, and saith . . . Behold, I bring him forth to you--am bringing, that is, going to bring him forth to you.

that ye may know I find no fault in him--and, by scourging Him and allowing the soldiers to make sport of Him, have gone as far to meet your exasperation as can be expected from a judge.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(4) Pilate therefore went forth again.—He had returned to the palace, and had ordered the scourging in the courtyard (Mar_15:15-16). He now goes forth again with Jesus wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and hopes by the spectacle to move the sympathy of the people, and to prevent the design of the rulers.

That ye may know that I find no fault in him.—Comp. Note on Joh_18:38. Had he found proof of a legal crime he would have ordered His execution, and not have led Him forth in this mock royal attitude to move the feelings of the people.

(4) That the third, sixth, and ninth hours (comp. Mat_20:3; Mat_20:5) seem to have been, in common life, rough divisions of the day, corresponding to the watches of the night. An event occurring at ten o’clock might have been spoken of roughly as about the third hour, while it might, on the other hand, be thought of as within the division called the sixth hour.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. Pilate therefore] The true text gives, and Pilate. What follows is a continuance rather than a consequence of what has preceded.

I find no fault in him] There is a slight change from Joh_19:38, the emphasis here being on ‘crime’ instead of on ‘I’; ground of accusation I find none in Him.

4–7. Outside the Praetorium; Pilate’s appeal, ‘Behold the man;’ the Jews’ rejoinder ‘He made Himself Son of God.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pilate therefore went forth again,.... When all this was done to Jesus, Pilate went again out of the judgment hall, or however from the place where Jesus had been scourged, and ill used in the manner he was: he went a little before him unto the Jews that stood without,

and saith unto them, behold I bring him forth unto you; that is, he had ordered him to be brought forth by the soldiers, and they were just bringing him in the sad miserable condition in which he was, that the Jews might see, with their own eyes, how he had been used:

that ye may know that I find no fault in him; for by seeing what was done to him, how severely he had been scourged, and in what derision and contempt he had been had, and what barbarity had been exercised on him, they might know and believe, that if Pilate did all this, or allowed of it to be done to a man whom he judged innocent, purely to gratify the Jews; that had he found anything in him worthy of death, he would not have stopped here, but would have ordered the execution of him; of this they might assure themselves by his present conduct. Pilate, by his own confession, in treating, or suffering to be treated in so cruel and ignominious a manner, one that he himself could find no fault in, or cause of accusation against, was guilty of great injustice.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

Ver. 4. That ye may know that I find no fault] But why did he not then deliver him out of their hands? Pusillanimity (cowardliness) and popularity would not suffer him; but howsoever he shall give testimony to his innocence. So when Dr Weston was gone from Mr Bradford, martyr (with whom he previously had conference), the keeper told Bradford that the doctor spoke openly that he saw no cause why they should burn him. This Weston being prolocutor (spokesman) in the divinity schools at Oxford, when Cranmer was brought forth to dispute, thus began the disputation, Convenistis hodie, fratres, profligaturi detestandam illam haeresin de veritate corporis Christi in Sacramento, &c. You are assembled today brothren, to overthrow that destable heresy conceriing the body of Christ in the sacrament. At which various learned men burst out into a great laughter, as though even in the entrance of the disputation he had bewrayed himself and his religion. God will have such words fall sometimes from the mouths of persecutors, either wittingly, or by mistake, as shall one day rise up in judgment, and out of their own mouths condemn them.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold, I bring him forth ... - Pilate, after examining Jesus, had gone forth and declared to the Jews that he found no fault in him, Joh 18:38. At that time Jesus remained in the judgment hall. The Jews were not satisfied with that, but demanded still that he should be put to death, Joh 19:39-40. Pilate, disposed to gratify the Jews, returned to Jesus and ordered him to be scourged, as if preparatory to death, Joh 19:1. The patience and meekness with which Jesus bore this seem to have convinced him still more that he was innocent, and he again went forth to declare his conviction of this; and, to do it more effectually, he said, “Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know,” etc. - that they might themselves see, and be satisfied, as he had been, of his innocence. All this shows his anxiety to release him, and also shows that the meekness, purity, and sincerity of Jesus had power to convince a Roman governor that he was not guilty. Thus, the highest evidence was given that the charges were false, even when he was condemned to die.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Pilate appeareth convinced in his own conscience that Christ had done nothing worthy either of death or bonds, and a great while resisted that strong temptation which he was under to please the people, and to secure his own station, lest any complaint made to the Roman emperor against him should have prejudiced him.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Went forth again—After Jesus returned from Herod, Pilate again took him into the inner apartments where the scourging took place, and the multitudes still stood in the front court of the palace. Pilate now brings forth Jesus in his most piteous plight, and, probably, mounting the gallery or balustrade slightly projecting over the court, presents him in an elevated position to their view.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 4-7. (e) Without the Praetorium. Further protestations by Pilate of Christ"s innocence bring out the hitherto-concealed Jewish verdict that he had claimed to be the Son of God.

And Pilate, with grim insouciance, allows the mockery to take place, and then, with his poor derided sham-king at his side, he went forth again from the Praetorium to the public seat, where he kept up the conflict with the accusers and the ever-gathering crowd, and saith to them, with more of passion than before, imagining that this pitiable caricature of a king would reduce the cry of "Crucify him!" into some more moderate and less preposterous demand. Behold, I lead him forth to you, crowned, but bleeding, robed as a king, but humiliated to a condition worse than a slave, that ye may know that I find no crime in him; literally, no charge; i.e. no "crime." Pilate rims renews and varies his testimony to the character of the Holy One! He makes another fruitless appeal to the humanity and justice of the maddened mob. But what a revelation of Pilate"s own weakness and shame! He can find no fault, but has connived at, nay, ordered, the worst part of this atrocious punishment. Keim would have us think that Pilate"s anxiety to save a Jew is a mere invention made by the second-century fabricator. There is however, nothing incompatible with a Roman official"s anxiety not to commit a judicial murder, for his own sake, and perhaps for the honor of his order. The hypothesis is irrational that the entire representation of Pilate"s desire to screen or save Jesus from the malice of the Jews was a device of the author, due to his Gentile nationality and proclivities, anxious to put even the Roman officials in the best possible light. Surely Christians had no temptation to mitigate their judgments upon Rome at the time of the persecution under Marcus Antoninus. Thoma, like Strauss, finds the basis of the representation in the prophetic types of Isa 53 and Ps 22.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Observe here, 1. The great variety of our Saviour’s sufferings: he is made the foot-ball of all cruelty and scorn; his sacred body is stript of his garments, and his back disguised with purple robes; his tender temples wounded with a thorny crown; his face spit upon, his cheeks buffeted, his head smitten, his hand sceptred with a reed. By his wearing a crown of thorns, he took away the bitterness of that curse which our sins brought upon the earth. Thorns and briars shall it bring forth. Gen 3:18. Christ by his bitter and bloody suffering, has turned all the curses of his people into crowns and blessings.

Observe, 2. The noble testimony given of Christ’s innocency, by the mouth of Pilate: I find in him no fault at all. He doth not say, I find him not guilty of what is laid to his charge; but gives and universal testimony of our Lord’s innocency: I find no fault at all in him. In spite of all malice, innocency shall find some friends and abetors. Rather than Christ shall want witnesses, Pilate’s mouth was open for his justification: how fain would he have freed Jesus, whom he found fautless! Our Lord found more compassion from Pilate, a heathen, than he did from them of his own nation. Pilate would have saved him, but they cry out for his blood. Hypocrites within the visible church may be guilty of such monstrous acts of wickedness, as the consciences of heathens without the church may boggle at, and protest against. Pilate, a pagan, pronounces Christ innocent; whilst the hypocritical Jews, who had heard his doctrine and seen his miracles, do condemn him.

Observe, 3. Who influenced the main body of the Jews to desire Pilate to put Jesus to death; it was the chief priests and elders: They persuaded the multitude. Woe be to the common people, when their guides and leaders are corrupt; and woe be unto them much more, if they follow their wicked and pernicious counsels. The Jews here followed their guides, the chief priests; but it was their own destruction, as well as their leaders: when the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I find no guilt in him

Pilate states this twice to say he does not believe Jesus is not guilty of any crime. He does not want to punish him. AT: "I see no reason to punish him" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

crown of thorns ... purple garment

The crown and the purple robe are things only kings wear. The soldiers dressed Jesus in this manner to mock him. See John 19:2.

translationWords

Pilate

guilt

chief priests

crucify

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

4–7. Outside the Praetorium; Pilate’s appeal, ‘Behold the Man;’ the Jews’ rejoinder, ‘He made Himself Son of God.’

4. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν (אABKLX) for ἐξῆλθεν οὖν (Δ).

4. ἄγω. On the previous occasion (Joh 18:38) Pilate left Jesus within, while he pronounced Him innocent. Note the absence of ἐγώ and the change of order.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4.] The unjust and cruel conduct of Pilate appears to have had for its object to satisfy the multitude by the mockery and degradation of the so-called King of the Jews: and with that view he now brings forth Jesus. His speech is equivalent to—‘See what I have done purely to please you—for I believe Him innocent.’

Ver. 5 is the accurate and graphic delineation of an eye-witness, and intimately connected with the speech of Pilate which follows. For the ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄνθ. is to move their contempt and pity;—‘See this man who submits to and has suffered these indignities—how can He ever stir up the people, or set Himself up for King? Now cease to persecute Him; your malice surely ought to be satisfied.’

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. Pilate had gone into the Prætorium to order the scourging, and he now comes out again to make another appeal to the pity of the Jews The exact reading is not certain. ABL give καὶ ἐξῆλθεν, אDsuppΓ omit καί; and NWΘ have ἐξῆλθεν οὖν (as at 18:29: see 18:38 and cf. v. 5).

Pilate says to the Jews that He is bringing Jesus out to them, that they may understand that, as he said before (18:38), he can find no fault in Him. Up to this Jesus had been inside the Prætorium, and the scourging and mockery were probably not visible to the waiting Jews.

Ἴδε, a favourite word in Jn.; see on 1:29.

ὅτι οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ. א* has the shorter form ὅτι αἰτίαν οὐκ εὑρίσκω. The phrase has occurred 18:38, and appears again 19:6, in slightly different forms.

4. Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? θεέ μου, θεέ μου, ἱνατί με ἐγκατέλιπες; (Mat 27:46, Mar 15:34). This is the only Word from the Cross which rests upon the Marcan tradition, and may be taken as due to Peter. It was uttered “with a loud voice,” and so could be heard even by those standing at a distance, as Peter probably was. (Cf. Mat 27:55, ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ γυναῖκες πολλαὶ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν θεωροῦσαι.) There is no hint in any Gospel that he was one of the little circle who stood near the cross. This cry was misunderstood by the crowd, who thought that Jesus was calling for succour upon Elijah the prophet, an observation (Mar 15:35) which shows that we have here to do with words actually used, and not with words afterwards placed in the mouth of Jesus, being thought appropriate as the opening phrase of a Messianic Psalm (Psa 22:1). Indeed, the difficulty that interpreters have always felt in explaining these words of seeming despair as spoken by One who was Himself Divine, proves that they are not likely to have been the invention of pious fancy dwelling afterwards on the Agony of Calvary. They were reproduced later in a Docetic form in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter: Ἡ δύναμίς μου, ἡ δύναμις, κατέλειψάς με. Why they are not recorded by Lk. or Jn. it is idle to conjecture.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.