Passion Week: Pilate

... he stood before Pilate.

What is this mess now? There is no end of it from these people and so early in the morning. Well, let's see what they've dragged in today.

“What charges are you bringing against this man?”


“If he were not a criminal we would not have handed him over to you.”

These fools. Do they not realize that I could do away with the lot of them. But no, that may cause a riot. This lot in Israel would riot if I stepped on a bug. The orders from Rome is to maintain the peace. Rome is so tired of this bunch constantly stirring up trouble.

“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”


“But we have no right to execute anyone.” 

True enough. Oh what a headache this is.

He stepped back into the building and called for the man to be brought to him.

As he came in he saw for himself how much this man was hated, or should he not instead conclude that he was feared. Bruised and bloodied he stood there, very much looking the part of a proud king standing trial in a foreign land. There was something about this man that disturbed him.

“Are you the king of the Jews?”


Simple enough question. Let's get it done and over with.



“Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?”


What? Has this man no fear of who I am?


“Am I a Jew? It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”


“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”


“You are a king, then!”


Now we are getting down to it. So they are afraid of his claim as king.


“You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”


Testify to truth? Ha!


“What is truth?”

Did he say that out loud? Oops.

There is something strange about this man. I can understand why these sniffling weak willed leaders would be afraid of a man like this. Still, there is nothing here to find this man guilty.

Pilate stepped back outside. There they stood, anxiously waiting for his judgement. They acted as if their lives depended on this. Of what were they so afraid? What a headache so early in the morning.

“I find no basis for a charge against this man.”


“He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” 

Oh bother. They were really going to force his hand with this one.

Wait a second! Did they just say Galilee? This man is a Galilean? He doesn't act like any Galilean that I have known. Still, he is one of Herod's. Good. I believe that puppet king is in town for the big celebration this week.

As he turned away from them he tried to hide his growing grin.

I wish all problems were this easy to handle.

He rushed inside to make the transfer arrangements ...