Jesus is Brought Before Pontius Pilate 

By the time Jesus was brought to Pilate by the Sanhedrin, it was shortly after 6am Friday morning, April 7, 30 CE. He knew they were coming because he had been informed by those who had come to him the previous night to secure the armed guards. And he was up and ready.

When Jesus and his accusers were all assembled, Pilate came out and asked, "What accusation do you bring against this fellow?" The Sanhedrin did not want to volunteer the charges, so the spokesman answered, "If this man were not an evildoer, we should not have delivered him up to you."

Pilate said, "Since you have not agreed on any definite charges, why do you not take this man and pass judgment on him in accordance with your own laws?"

Then the clerk of the Sanhedrin court said to Pilate: "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, and this disturber of our nation is worthy to die for the things which he has said and done. Therefore have we come before you for confirmation of this decree."

Pilate knew that their charges were probably trivial and he was glad to put these Sanhedrists in their place by making them understand that they had no power to pronounce and execute the death sentence upon even one of their own race.

Pilate resented the disrespectful manner of these Sanhedrists, and he was not willing to go along with their demands that Jesus be sentenced to death without a trial. After a few moments waiting for them to present their charges against the prisoner, he turned to them and said: "I will not sentence this man to death without a trial; neither will I consent to examine him until you have presented your charges against him in writing."

The clerk of the court then handed the written charges against Jesus to Pilate. He read:

"We find in the Sanhedrist tribunal that this man is an evildoer and a disturber of our nation in that he is guilty of:"1. Perverting our nation and stirring up our people to rebellion."2. Forbidding the people to pay tribute to Caesar."3. Calling himself the king of the Jews and teaching the founding of a new kingdom."

Jesus himself had never heard these charges, nor had he been before a court. Pilate had Jesus brought in from the praetorium and insisted that the charges be read in his presence. Pilate directed Jesus to answer his accusers, but Jesus made no reply. Pilate saw the blatant unfairness of the whole proceeding and he was greatly impressed by Jesus' silent and masterly bearing. He could see that Jesus looked upon his accusers with actual pity and sad affection instead of contempt. So he proceeded to take Jesus into the hall and question him in private.