Pilate asked a question as Truth stood before him. It looked him right into his eyes but he did not see - or maybe he DID see but could not bear it. He ordered His beating Maybe Pilate was a coward - he allowed Jesus to be nailed to the cross but even so, he washed his hands - he did NOT want the blood of Jesus on his hands. ...maybe he was just confused but even if he was, deep down, something within him KNEW that there was something about this Jesus - why else would he have washed his hands? Pilate wrote a sign - maybe it was intended to mock Jesus - but when the Jews took it seriously and wanted to change the wording Pilate refused. Pilate was pagan and yet he himself declared Jesus "King" - and would not change what he - Pilate - declared about Christ :-) Pilate - a pagan - declared Jesus Christ "King" whilst he hung on a cross and so it is! OUR KING is Him who chose to die such a death - for us with love.

14. Pictures from the film “Jesus of Nazareth” (1977) – Director: Franco Zeffirelli.