16.01.04 Jn. 19:7-11
JESUS QUESTIONED AGAIN
7 “We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. 9 He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus did not give him an answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, “You’re not talking to me? Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You and the authority to crucify You?”
11 “You would have no authority over Me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
“He made Himself the Son of God.” The Jews had a serious problem with anyone who claimed deity, especially if claimed by a Jew. Such claims brought to mind the horrific experiences two centuries earlier by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (170-165 B.C.) who not only claimed to be a god, but unmercifully persecuted the Jews.[1] Furthermore, to claim deity was a violation of the Mosaic Law, since no man was to be worshiped. Obviously, if Jesus was God, He was be worshiped. The Romans, on the other hand, did not have such a problem with divine humanity.
Emperors considered themselves gods, just as the pharaohs of Egypt had done centuries earlier. Any son of an emperor was considered to be a son of a god. Pilate most certainly looked at the homely Jesus and knew He was not a son of an emperor. To Pilate, for a man to call himself such was sheer folly, yet he knew Jesus had character traits that were most honorable. No doubt, he must have considered what would happen to him if he did condemn this Holy Man to die. Furthermore, his wife warned him of a dream and said that he should have nothing to do with this Jesus. His life was in turmoil and there seemed to be no easy escape. He failed to have the courage to do what was right.
[1]. See Chronological History from 200 B.C. (03.04.15) to 162 B.C. (03.04.24).