Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 27:11

"Now 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." — Matthew 27:11 (ASV)

For information on Pilate, see comment on vv.1–2. Pilate’s question, “Are you the king of the Jews?” presupposes the background of Lk 23:2 and Jn 18:28-33 (for the Jews’ charge against Jesus, see comment on Lk 23:10). In Roman trials the magistrate normally heard the charges first, questioned the defendant and listened to his defense, sometimes permitted several such exchanges, and then retired with his advisors to decide on a verdict, which was then promptly carried out. The first step led to this particular formulation of Pilate’s question to Jesus. Jesus answers, as in 26:64, in an affirmative but qualified way. He is indeed the king of the Jews, but not exactly in the sense Pilate might think .

Verse 11 is important theologically as well as historically. It stands behind the inscription on the cross and prepares the way for Christianity, which rests on the conviction that Jesus of Nazareth, who rose from the dead, is indeed the promised Messiah, the King of the Jews—basic themes in Matthew even in the prologue. The vindicated Lord is the crucified Messiah.