MPV Commentary

Jesus before Pilate.

Our Gospel writer omits the trial and condemnation of Jesus before Caiaphas, which is recorded by the other Evangelists (see on Mr 14:53-65).

The high priest asked Him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed?" Matthew says that the high priest put Him under solemn oath, saying, "I adjure Thee by the living God that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God" (Mt 26:63). This made an answer from Jesus legally necessary (Leviticus 5:1).

Jesus said, "You have said it." In Luke 22:67-68, some other words are given, "If I tell you, ye will not believe; and if I also ask you, ye will not answer Me, nor let Me go." This seems to have been uttered before giving His direct answer, as a calm remonstrance against the prejudgment of His case.

and ye shall see the Son of man, &c.--This concluding part of our Lord's answer is given somewhat more fully by Matthew and Luke. "Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter [rather, 'From henceforth'] shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Mt 26:64; Lu 22:69). This means that Jesus knows the scorn with which they are ready to meet such an avowal. To their eyes, which are but fleshly, there stands at this bar only a mortal like themselves, and He at the mercy of the ecclesiastical and civil authorities.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, and said, "What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy--'of his own mouth'" (Lu 22:71). This was an affectation of religious horror.

What think ye? They all condemned Him to be guilty of death--a capital crime (Leviticus 24:16).

And some began to spit on Him, and to cover His face, and to buffet Him, saying, "Prophesy--or, 'divine,' 'unto us, Thou Christ, who is he that smote Thee?'" This was a sarcastic demand for Him to perform a miracle.

Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment. They themselves went not into the judgment hall, leaving Jesus to face Pilate alone (John 18:28).

Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you a king?" There was no sarcasm or disdain in this question; rather, it betrayed a mixture of surprise and unease at the possibility that there might be something dangerous under the claim.

Jesus replied, "You say I am a king." To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world, that I may bear witness to the truth. His birth expresses His manhood; His coming into the world, His existence before assuming humanity: The truth, then, here affirmed, though Pilate would catch little of it, was that His Incarnation was expressly in order to the assumption of Royalty in our nature.

Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Our Lord here not only affirms that His word had in it a self-evidencing, self-recommending power, but gently insinuated the true secret of the growth and grandeur of His kingdom--as A Kingdom of truth, into which all souls who have learned to live and count all things but loss for the truth are drawn.

Pilate said unto him, "What is truth?" This was a question that stirred the deepest questions of human existence. And when he had said this, as if getting into interminable and unseasonable inquiries, he went out again unto the Jews, missing a noble opportunity for himself.

And saith unto them--in the hearing of our Lord, who had been brought forth. I find in him no fault--no crime. This so exasperated "the chief priests and elders" that they poured forth a volley of charges against Him, as appears from Luke 23:4-5.