Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 27:2

"and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor." — Matthew 27:2 (ASV)

And when they had bound him. He was bound when they took him in the garden, John 18:12. Probably, when he was tried before the Sanhedrin in the palace of Caiaphas, he had been released from his bonds—as he was surrounded by multitudes there and supposed to be safe. As they were now about to lead him to another part of the city, they bound him again. The binding probably consisted of nothing more than tying his hands.

Pontius Pilate the governor. The governor, appointed by the Romans over Judea, commonly resided at Caesarea. He usually came up to Jerusalem for the great feasts, when most of the Jews were assembled, to administer justice and to suppress any tumults that might arise. The title Pilate received was that of governor, or procurator.

The duties of the office were chiefly to collect the revenues due to the Roman emperor and, in certain cases, to administer justice. Pilate was appointed governor of Judea by Tiberius, then emperor of Rome. John says in John 18:28 that they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment—that is, to the part of the praetorium, or governor's palace, where justice was administered.

The Jews, however, did not enter themselves, to avoid being defiled, so that they could eat the Passover. In Numbers 19:22, it is said that whosoever touched an unclean thing should be unclean. For this reason, they would not enter the house of a heathen, so that they would not contract any defilement that would render them unfit to keep the Passover.