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Jesus before Pilate

Matt 27:1–14; Mark 15:1–5; Luke 23:1–5; John 18:28–38 · Passion week in Jerusalem

Scripture

Matthew 27:1–14

hen the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me. 11And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. 12And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

King James Version · public domain

Mateu 27:1–14

dhe si ugdhi, gjithë krye-priftërit’ edhe pleqt’ e llauzit dhan’ e muarnë këshillë kundrë Jisujt, që t’a vrasënë. 2Edhe si e lithnë, e shpunë edhe e dhanë ndër duart të Pondi Pillatit, qivernitarit. 3Atëhere kur pa Judha, ay që e trathëtoj, se ugjykua për vdekje, upendua, edhe ktheu prapë të tri-dhjetë argjëndatë te krye-priftërit’ edhe te pleqtë, dyke thënë, Fëjeva që dhashë ndër duar gjak të-pafajm. 4Edhe ata thanë, Ç’punë kemi neve? ti ke për të parë. 5Edhe ay si hodhi argjëndatë ndë tempullt, iku, edhe vate e uvar. 6Edhe krye-priftëritë si muarnë argjëndatë, thanë, Nuk’ ësht’ e udhësë t’i vëm’ ato ndë thesart të tempullit, sepse janë çëmim gjaku. 7Edhe si dhan’ e muarnë këshillë, blenë arën’ e shtëmbarit me ato, për të kallurë ndë varr atje të-huajtë. 8Përandaj ajo arë uquajt Arë gjaku, gjer mbë ditët të-sotme. 9Atëhere umbush ç’është thënë me anë të profitit Jeremi, që thotë, “Edhe muarnë të tri-dhjet’ argjëndatë, çëmimn’ e të çëmuarit nga të bijt’ e Israilit, 10edhe i dhanë ndë arët të shtëmbarit, sikundrë më porositi Zoti”. 11Edhe Jisuj ndënji përpara qivernitarit; edhe qivernitari e pyeti, dyke thënë, Ti je mbreti i Judhenjvet? Edhe Jisuj i tha, Ti po thua. 12Edhe kur përflitej nga krye-priftëritë edhe nga pleqtë, nukë përgjigjej asfare. 13Atëhere Pillati i thotë, Nukë dëgjon sa dëshmojnë kundrë teje: 14Po ay nuk’ i upërgjeq as mbë ndonjë fjalë, kaqë sa qivernitari çuditej fort.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

"Pilate said unto Him, What is truth?" Nor did he wait to hear the answer; but "when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no fault."

Blessed Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John, Tractate 115 (on John 18:33–40)

Jesus before Pilate (Matthew 27:1–14; John 18:28–38)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 86 (on Matthew 27:11–14) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.LXXXII.html

On the confession before Pilate, that His kingship is heavenly:

He confessed that He was a king, but a heavenly king, which elsewhere also He spake more clearly, replying to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world;" that neither they nor this man should have an excuse for accusing Him of such things.

On His silence, holding His peace though He had countless things to say:

For these reasons then He replies to nothing, but holds His peace, yet answering briefly (so as not to get the reputation of arrogance from continual silence) when the high priest adjured Him, when the governor asked, but in reply to their accusations He no longer saith anything; for He was not now likely to persuade them.

On the governor's amazement at His forbearance:

At these things the governor marvelled, and indeed it was worthy of admiration to see Him showing such great forbearance, and holding His peace, Him that had countless things to say. For neither did they accuse Him from knowing of any evil thing in Him, but from jealousy and envy only.

Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Homily 84 (on John 18:37) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114/npnf114.iv.lxxxvi.html

On longsuffering, and the silence He kept until He was questioned of His Kingdom:

A marvelous thing is longsuffering; it places the soul as in a quiet harbor ... For when He was brought to Annas, He answered with great gentleness ... He all through exhibiteth His own mildness; and when they said that He was a malefactor, and were not able to prove it, He stood silent; but when He was questioned concerning the Kingdom, then He spake to Pilate, instructing him

On "My Kingdom is not of this world" and bearing witness unto the truth:

concerning that of which Pilate most desired to hear, namely, His Kingdom, He answered, saying, "My Kingdom is not of this world." That is, "I am indeed a King, yet not such an one as thou suspectest, but far more glorious," ... For one who saith, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth," showeth, that no evil hath been done by Him.

On Pilate's "What is truth?" and his verdict of no fault:

"What is truth?" But for the present he applieth himself to what was pressing, for he knew that this question needed time, and desired to rescue Him from the violence of the Jews. Wherefore he went out, and what said he? "I find no fault in him."

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 12 (on John 18:28–38) Source: trans. T. Randell, Library of Fathers, 1885. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_john_12_book12.htm

On the accusers who shun the judgment hall while shedding innocent blood:

while sentencing the sinless One to the doom of death, and bringing down upon their own heads the guilt of so frightful an impiety, they yet shun the threshold of the judgment hall, as though it would cause them to be defiled, and anxiously shrink from having intercourse with men who were still unclean.

On the Kingdom and the truth, that as God He is King whether men will or no:

He does not deny the glory of His Kingdom, nor leave it to the voice of Pilate only to affirm it, for as God He is King, whether man so will, or no; but He once more showed the power of the truth which impelled Pilate, though reluctant, to declare the glory of Him Who was on His trial.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:11–14) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html (Origen is quoted here only where his comment bears plainly on the text; certain of his wider speculations were condemned in 553.)

On the Judge of all creation content to stand before an earthly judge:

Mark how He that is ordained by His Father to be the Judge of the whole creation, humbled Himself, and was content to stand before the judge of the land of Judaea, and to be asked by Pilate either in mockery or doubt, "Art thou the King of the Jews?"

On why the governor marvelled greatly:

The governor marvelled at His endurance, as knowing that he had power to condemn Him, He yet continued in a peaceful, placid, and immovable prudence and gravity. He marvelled greatly, for it seemed to him a great miracle that Christ, produced before a criminal tribunal, stood thus fearless of death, which all men think so terrible.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 114 (on John 18:28–32) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107/npnf107.iii.cxv.html

On the impious blindness that feared a stranger's house but not innocent blood:

"lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover." For it was the commencement of the days of unleavened bread: on which they accounted it defilement to enter the abode of one of another nation. Impious blindness! Would they, forsooth, be defiled by a stranger's abode, and not be defiled by their own wickedness? They were afraid of being defiled by the pretorium of a foreign judge, and had no fear of defilement from the blood of an innocent brother

Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 115 (on John 18:33–40) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107/npnf107.iii.cxvi.html

On "My kingdom is not of this world," which is here yet not from hence:

He saith not, "But now is my kingdom not" here, but, "is not from hence." For His kingdom is here until the end of the world, having tares intermingled therewith until the harvest; for the harvest is the end of the world ... But still it is not from hence; for it only sojourns as a stranger in the world

On Pilate's question to Truth Himself, which he would not stay to hear answered:

"Pilate said unto Him, What is truth?" Nor did he wait to hear the answer; but "when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no fault."

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:11–14) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On answering Pilate somewhat, but the chief priests not at all:

But observe, that to Pilate who asked the question unwillingly He did answer somewhat; but to the Chief Priests and Priests He refused to answer, judging them unworthy of a word

On why He would not clear Himself before the governor:

Or, Jesus would not make any answer, lest if He cleared Himself the governor should have let Him go, and the benefit of His cross should have been deferred.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:11–14) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the "Thou sayest" spoken to Pilate, and the salvation of the Gentiles:

to Pilate who was ignorant of the Law, and asks if He were the King of the Jews, He answers, "Thou sayest," because the salvation of the Gentiles is through faith of that present confession.

Patristic sources

Read the sources: Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, Homily 86 (CCEL) · Chrysostom, Homilies on John, Homily 84 (CCEL) · Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John, Book 12 (tertullian.org) · Augustine, Tractates on John, Tractate 114 (CCEL) · Augustine, Tractates on John, Tractate 115 (CCEL) · Catena Aurea on Matthew 27 (CCEL)