Matthew 27:23

And he said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him be crucified!

This was the climax of the trial. None of the hundreds of thousands who ever witnessed the Passion Play at Oberammergau can ever forget the mob scene in which over nine hundred people portray the unreasoning fury of that Jerusalem rabble, shouting for the crucifixion of Christ. It is one thing to read it in the Bible, and a glorious thing; but the real-life drama re-enacted before men's astonished eyes is choking in intensity. It is not difficult to understand how the weakling governor wilted and quailed before such a sadistic onslaught of hatred and cruelty. "In his humiliation, his judgment is taken away" (Acts 8:33). That means that the verdict of his innocence was violently thwarted.

Pilate's reference, even at that late stage, to the innocence of Christ was the prod which finally extorted from the Pharisees the REAL REASON for their demanding Christ's execution. It is no credit to the religious hierarchy that they concealed it until the very last moment, for they were loathe to have even the Saviour's death appear in the records upon its true foundation. Thus, at last they spat it out, reluctantly, not because of any sense of honor due the facts, but from a sudden fear that even then Pilate, insisting on Christ's innocence, might not sign the death warrant. John recorded their final compliance with Pilate's demand to know "Why?" "The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God" (John 19:7).

The Fifth Effort of Pilate to Release Jesus

This answer of the Jews (John 19:7) frightened Pilate, and, moved with fear, Pilate "sought the more to release him" (John 19:11,12). It was no regard to the moral issue of saving an innocent man's life, but out of fear, that the procurator acted; and in the end that same fear would cause him to yield. We are not told exactly what Pilate's efforts were at this point, but his return to Christ with the question, "Whence art thou?" (John 19:10) shows that he was searching and casting about in all directions for a possible way out of his dilemma.

The Sixth Effort of Pilate to Release Jesus

Somewhere during the proceedings of that dark day, Pilate tried another approach. It was possibly a little earlier (John 19:6) that Pilate suggested, in view of their determination to kill Jesus, that they take him without legal process and crucify him. This would appear as an implied offer to look the other way if the priests decided to take the law into their own hands. The Jews, however, would not settle for half a loaf. Pilate had consented to the deed in principle, and they were determined to force his hand to the signature. The detestable manner in which they did it is recorded by John, "The Jews cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend: every one that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar!" (John 19:12,13). That was the shaft that did it, as far as Pilate was concerned. He would as readily have crucified a hundred innocent men if, in so doing, he had thought to strengthen his position with Caesar.

Summarizing the efforts of Pilate to release Jesus, it is observed that:

1. Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas.

2. He gave a verdict of innocence.

3. He offered to substitute a lighter punishment.

4. He proposed a choice between Christ and Barabbas.

5. He insisted on Jesus' innocence: "Why, what evil hath he done?"

6. He suggested that they take him and mob him.

7. He still sought to release him.

Yet after all that, when the cunning enemies of Jesus injected the question of Pilate's loyalty to Caesar, he capitulated.