Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 18:31

"Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:" — John 18:31 (ASV)

Pilate took much the same position Gallio later did at Paul’s arrest in Corinth (Acts 18:12–16). An argument about the ceremonial requirements of Jewish law had no standing in a Roman court, and Pilate was ready to dismiss the case. The Jews’ admission that they could not execute the prisoner was a confession of their intention. Pilate was shrewd enough to realize that their motive was not a sincere desire to remove a dangerous revolutionary .