Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 19:16

"Then therefore he delivered him unto them to be crucified." — John 19:16 (ASV)

Realizing that the priests were implacable and that resisting them would only endanger his career, Pilate finally gave in and ordered the Crucifixion. Certain features of Pilate’s examination of Jesus are significant. His behavior shows that he was apprehensive of trouble. He oscillated between public confrontation with the Jewish mob and private interrogation of Jesus. Seven times in this brief narrative the author says or implies that Pilate “went out” or “went in” (18:29, 33, 38; 19:1, 4, 9, 13).

Beneath his arrogant manner, there was an uncertainty that came from the conflict between Pilate the Roman judge and Pilate the politician. He finally succumbed to expediency. From the standpoint of Jesus, Pilate was a person in need; and Jesus gave him the opportunity of receiving truth if he would have it. Jesus made a greater effort to penetrate Pilate’s mind than to defend himself. When Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (18:38), he was near to the kingdom of God because incarnate truth was standing before him (14:6). Pilate sacrificed truth for what he thought was security and lost both. At the place in Jerusalem where Jesus is traditionally considered to have been crucified stands the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.