A.T. Robertson Commentary John 19:15

A.T. Robertson Commentary

John 19:15

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
A.T. Robertson
A.T. Robertson

A.T. Robertson Commentary

John 19:15

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"They therefore cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar." — John 19:15 (ASV)

Away with him, away with him (αρον, αρον). First aorist active imperative of αιρω. See αιρε in Lu 23:18. This thing has gotten on the nerves of the crowd. Note the repetition. In a second-century papyrus letter (Moulton and Milligan's Vocabulary) a nervous mother cries "He upsets me; away with him" (αρρον αυτον). Pilate weakly repeats his sarcasm: "

Your king shall I crucify? (Τον βασιλεα υμων σταυρωσω; ).

But Caesar (ε μη καισαρα). The chief priests (ο αρχιερεις) were Sadducees, who had no Messianic hope like that of the Pharisees. So to carry their point against Jesus they renounce the principle of the theocracy that God was their King (1 Samuel 12:12).