Hearing this, Pilate went into the hall [1] where Jesus was, and asked Him: “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered[2]: “My kingdom is not of this world.”[3] Then Pilate went out again to the Jews, and said that he found no cause[4] for condemning the person whom they had brought before him.
But they insisted that Jesus was guilty of sedition, stirring up the people from Galilee even to Jerusalem. To this charge Jesus made no answer. Then Pilate, seeing that He remained silent, asked Him: “Answerest Thou nothing? Behold in how many things[5] they accuse Thee!” Still Jesus was silent[6], and His silence surprised the governor exceedingly.
But as soon as Galilee was mentioned, Pilate asked if the accused were a Galilean [7], and being told that He was, he remembered that Herod, king of Galilee, was then in Jerusalem. Now, Pilate wished to rid himself of a case, in which he was obliged either to go against his conscience or to displease the Jews. He, therefore, sent our Saviour to Herod [8], that Herod might set Jesus free or condemn Him.
- ↑ Into the hall. So as to be alone with Him, and be able to carry on his investigation quietly and undisturbed by the clamours of the Jews.
- ↑ Answered. Jesus answered: “Thou hast said it (i. e. I am a king), but My kingdom &c. &c.”
- ↑ Of this world. It is not a political kingdom, but a kingdom of truth; and, he added, “for this cause I came into the world that I should give testimony to the truth”, i. e. that I should proclaim truth to the world.
- ↑ No cause. Pilate was quite convinced both by our Lord’s words and by His calm and dignified bearing that He was absolutely innocent, and had no thought of undermining the Roman authority, and without any delay he declared to the chief priests that this was his conviction.
- ↑ How many things. What grave accusations they bring against Thee.
- ↑ Silent. Our Lord, by His silence, wished to imply that His innocence required no defending. This eloquent silence made such an impression on Pilate that he was seized with wonder and admiration.
- ↑ A Galilean. Jesus was from Galilee, in the sense that He had lived there from His childhood.
- ↑ To Herod. He said to himself: “I cannot condemn Him, because He is innocent. But the chief priests are so urgent that I should condemn Him to death that it would be best for me to wash my hands of the whole affair. In fact, Herod ought to judge Him, for he is prince of Galilee.” This was the same Herod Antipas who had caused St. John the Baptist to be beheaded, and it was by the unjust and cruel murderer of His precursor that Jesus was to be judged. The road along which Jesus went from Pilate’s house to that of Herod was thronged with pilgrims, and this was painful and humiliating for Him.
