Pilate struggled to decide what to do with Jesus, wanting to avoid angering the Jews but also finding no guilt in Jesus. When his attempts to release Jesus failed, including scourging and mocking him, Pilate grew afraid upon realizing Jesus' claims of being the Son of God. Jesus affirmed that Pilate only had authority because it was granted from above. Facing pressure from the Jews, Pilate reluctantly handed Jesus over to be crucified to protect his own position, demonstrating the dilemma between saving one's soul or neck. The key lessons are that receiving Jesus requires courage and God will not reveal more truth to those who fail to act on what they already know.

1. Pilate On Trial
JOHN 18:39-19:16

2. Now to try the judge…
•A Roman bust of Pilate
•How would you like to be
remembered after your death?
•How about the biggest coward in
recorded human history?
•Confucius said “too see the right
and not to do is cowardice”
•Before Scripture, a quick
biography…

3. And when he had said this, he went out again
to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no guilt
in Him. 39 But you have a custom that I
release someone for you at the Passover; do
you wish then that I release for you the King
of the Jews?” 40 So they cried out again,
saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now
Barabbas was a robber.
19 Pilate then took Jesus and scourged
Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a
crown of thorns and put it on His head, and
put a purple robe on Him; 3 and they began to

4. come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the
Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face.
4 Pilate came out again and *said to them,
“Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that
you may know that I find no guilt in Him.”
5 Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of
thorns and the purple robe. Pilate *said to
them, “Behold, the Man!” 6 So when the chief
priests and the officers saw Him, they cried
out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate *said to
them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him,

5. for I find no guilt in Him.” 7 The Jews
answered him, “We have a law, and by that
law He ought to die because He made Himself
out to be the Son of God.”
8 Therefore when Pilate heard this
statement, he was even more afraid; 9 and he
entered into the Praetorium again and *said
to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus
gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate *said to Him,
“You do not speak to me? Do You not know
that I have authority to release You, and I
have authority to crucify You?”

6. 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no
authority over Me, unless it had been given
you from above; for this reason he who
delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” 12 As
a result of this Pilate made efforts to release
Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you
release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar;
everyone who makes himself out to be a king
opposes Caesar.”
13 Therefore when Pilate heard these words,

7. he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the
judgment seat at a place called The
Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 Now it
was the day of preparation for the Passover; it
was about the sixth hour. And he *said to the
Jews, “Behold, your King!” 15 So they cried
out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify
Him!” Pilate *said to them, “Shall I crucify
your King?” The chief priests answered, “We
have no king but Caesar.”

8. 16 So he then handed Him over to them
to be crucified.
John 18:39-19:16, NASB

9. The Innocent for the Guilty…
•Vv 39-40– Why would they want Barabbas?
•Notorious Criminal, Robber, Murderer,
insurrectionist…
•That would be like letting Osama free
instead of Jesus…
•When people want away from Him, they
replace Him with anyone or anything–
even that which can steal, kill, or destroy
them

10. “10 The thief does not come except to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that
they may have life, and that they may have
it more abundantly.”
John 10:10, NASB

11. The Innocent for the Guilty…
•The mob mentality is the most unstable,
ignorant, and volatile mindset that goes
from penthouse to outhouse in a heartbeat
•Remember the riots in L.A. ofter Rodney
King, or Baltimore this spring?
•If anyone should understand what it means
for Jesus to die in his place, it is Barabbas
•Innocent for the Guilty…

12. Pilate’s Failing Proposals
•Ch 19:1-4, Pilate was a politician–
anything to worm out of something
•So he played the sympathy card
•Pilate had Him scourged, beaten, crowned
with thorns…

13. Pilate’s Failing Proposals
•Ch 19:1-4, Pilate was a politician–
anything to worm out of something
•So he played the sympathy card
•Pilate had Him scourged, beaten, crowned
with thorns…
•Pilate thought the pathetic sight of this
bloody, beaten man would gain the Jews’
sympathy and they’d want Him released…

14. Pilate’s Fatal Panic…
•Vv 5-11, Ecce Homo in
Latin means, “Behold the
man”
•It is this painting by
Antonio Ciseri

16. Pilate’s Fatal Panic…
•Pilate was so desperate to
get out of this jam, that he
gave THEM permission
for crucifixion in verse 6
•But they wanted him to do
it
•Let’s get into Pilate’s
sandals for a moment…

17. Pilate’s Fatal Panic…
•Son of God meant Hercules or the like, to him
•Jesus had already impressed him with His
words and demeanor; he’d never met a man
like Him
•Was HE indeed the Son of God
come down to Earth?
•If so, he just beat Him…
•To make it worse, Mrs. Pilate…

18. Pilate’s Panic…
•Why didn’t Jesus answer his
question in V9?
•Because He already HAD
•Here’s a basic spiritual principal
to take home today:
•God does NOT reveal new aspects
of His Truth to us if we FAIL to
act on those we already know…

19. Pilate’s Panic…
•Beside, he had already blown off
truth– he didn’t want to know
•All he cared about was keeping the
peace and getting himself out of hot
water
•Fear and anger often cohabitate
•He reacted by puffing up; and Jesus
reminded him of true Authority

20. V11: 3 Points to Remember
1. The power of authority is
granted by the Lord

21. 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no
authority over Me, unless it had been
given you from above; for this reason he
who delivered Me to you has the greater
sin.”
John 19:1, NASB

22. V11: 3 Points to Remember
1. The power of authority is
granted by the Lord
•Jesus was in charge and in
complete control of the whole
situation
•There are different degrees of
sin and punishment in Hell for
the “Rejecters” of Jesus Christ
as Savior and Lord

23. 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no
authority over Me, unless it had been
given you from above; for this reason he
who delivered Me to you has the greater
sin.”
John 19:1, NASB

24. 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no
authority over Me, unless it had been
given you from above; for this reason he
who delivered Me to you has the greater
sin.”
John 19:1, NASB

25. Pilate’s Final Pronouncement…
•Vv 12-16, Pilate was on the “Horns of
Dilemma”
•He couldn’t afford another Jewish revolt
•He had two Choices– his soul or his neck
•Matthew 16:26
•Every man shares the same dilemma with
Pilate
•God forces us all to make the decision

26. Take Home
1. Receiving Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord is not cowardly, it is
the most courageous thing
anyone can do against the
world’s cynicism toward Jesus
2. God does not reveal new aspects
of truth to us if we fail to act on
the truth we already know