The Initial Roman Questioning

Jesus was brought before Pilate early in the morning, but where would this have been? The residence of the Roman governors was in Caesarea, but when in Jerusalem, Herod’s palace was generally used. Though the location isn’t given, the more probable “palace” to which Jesus was taken was the Antonia fortress. This was a tower that had been built on the northwest corner of the temple grounds so any seditious activity brewing in the temple courts could be spotted.

Pilate and his officials would have been on high alert because of the potential of trouble during the Jewish holidays. It is unlikely that Pilate hadn’t been alerted to the meeting of the Sanhedrin. If so, it is equally unlikely that a military commander would have been anywhere but at his command post.

Again, the arrogance of the chief priests is amazing. When asked of the charges against Jesus that would justify not only capital punishment, but a cruel one at that, they basically said their accusation should be enough proof of Jesus’s guilt. Finding that an accusation alone was insufficient, they began to try to develop some charge that would be acceptable. Rather than continue the charge for which Jesus had been earlier condemned—blasphemy—they shifted to a capital crime against Rome—sedition. The fact that they now called for his death based on an accusation that had not been considered in their sham legal proceedings was of no concern to these unjust justices.

Pilate asked if Jesus is the king of the Jews and Jesus affirmed that he was. Pilate judged that this king was of little threat to Rome and separated him from his accusers for a personal interrogation. He again asked if Jesus is a king. Jesus then defined his kingdom in such a manner that Pilate dismisses it with cynicism. Pilate then returned with Jesus and required the chief priests to justify their charges. During this entire process Jesus remained quiet, which amazed Pilate. Discovering that Jesus was a Galilean, he shifted the problem to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem.