Luke's account of the proceedings before Pilate is more detailed than, and somewhat different from, that of Matthew and Mark. The charge is maliciously distorted so as to offend the political susceptibilities of the Romans. "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King" (Luke XXIII:2). Pilate, after questioning Jesus, says at once, "I find no fault in this Man" (Luke XXIII:4). This makes the chief priests the more fierce, and they press again their charges, mentioning that Jesus comes from Galilee (Luke XXIII:5). Galilee being in Herod's jurisdiction, and Herod being then in Jerusalem, Pilate sends Jesus to him, probably hoping thus to rid himself of the whole trouble (Luke XXIII:6, 7).[43] Herod questions Jesus, who answers him nothing, and then with his men of war mocks Jesus, arrays Him "in a gorgeous robe," and sends Him back to Pilate (Luke XXIII:8-11). Pilate then calls together the "chief priests and the rulers and the people," and tells them that both he and Herod have examined Jesus, and lo, "nothing worthy of death is done unto Him" (proved against Him) (Luke XXIII:13-15). "I will, therefore, chastise Him and release Him" (Luke XXIII:16). "And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this Man, and release unto us Barabbas" (Luke XXIII:18). Twice more Pilate urges that Jesus be released, but they insist that He be crucified. Pilate finally yields and "gave sentence that it should be as they required" (Luke XXIII:20-24).
Neither Mark nor Luke nor John mentions that Pilate publicly washed his hands of responsibility for Jesus' sentence.
John's account of the trial is very indefinite. Jesus was first taken to Annas,[44] the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest, and Annas sent Him bound unto Caiaphas (John XVIII:13, 14). There was probably a session of the Sanhedrim, though this is not clear, and it was probably at the house of the high priest (John XVIII:15). No specific charges against Jesus are mentioned, but the high priest asked Him "of His disciples, and of His doctrine" (John XVIII:19). Jesus replies that He has spoken openly, and said nothing in secret, and that the priest should ask those who had heard Him (John XVIII:19, 20, 21, 23). No formal condemnation of Jesus is related, nor is it said who was present except the high priest.
Then "they" bring Jesus to Pilate "unto the hall of judgment," but "they cannot enter in, because it would defile them for the eating of the Passover that night (John XVIII:28). Pilate then comes out to them and asks what accusation they have against Jesus (John XVIII:29). They evade the issue by saying, "If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee" (John XVIII:30). Pilate very aptly tells them to take Him and judge Him according to their Law, but they reply, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death" (John XVIII:31). Pilate thereupon goes back to the judgment hall, and, after an examination of Jesus, comes out and says, "I find in Him no fault at all" (John XVIII:33-38). He then suggests that, according to custom, he release Jesus unto them. "Then cried they all again, saying, Not this Man, but Barabbas" (John XVIII:39, 40).
Upon this Pilate has Jesus scourged, a crown of thorns put on His head, and a purple robe about Him, and has the soldiers hail Him as King of the Jews (John XIX:1-3). He once more brings Jesus before the people and states that he finds no fault in Him.[45] The Jews still insist that by their law He ought to die, "because He made Himself the Son of God" (John XIX:4-7). Pilate goes back into the judgment hall, and talks further with Jesus, evidently hoping to find some way out of his dilemma (John XIX:8-11). "And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him; but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this Man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend" (John XIX:12). Pilate makes one more effort to save Jesus, but, failing, delivers Him over to be crucified (John XIX:13-16).
THE CRUCIFIXION
The soldiers, taking Jesus, at first mocked Him, putting on Him a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns, spitting on Him and smiting Him (Matt. XXVII:27-30). They then put His own raiment on Him, and took Him to the place of Crucifixion, on the way impressing a "man of Cyrene, Simon by name," to carry His cross (Matt. XXVII:31, 32). When they reached Golgotha, they gave Him vinegar to drink, mixed with gall, but, on tasting it, Jesus refused to drink (Matt. XXVII:33, 34). They then crucified Him with two thieves, one on each hand, and parted His raiment, casting lots (Matt. XXVII:35, 38). Over His head they set up "His accusation written: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews" (Matt. XXVII:37). The passers-by and the chief priests and the two thieves mocked and reviled Him on account of His prophecies and His failure to save Himself (Matt. XXVII:39-44). The Crucifixion was apparently at the sixth hour, and darkness was over the land until the ninth hour (Matt. XXVII:45). Jesus then cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani" (Matt. XXVII:46). Some of them who stood there thought that He called for Elias; one of them took a sponge filled with vinegar and gave it to Him to drink (Matt. XXVII:47, 48). "Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost" (Matt. XXVII:50). Then was the veil of the temple rent in twain, and "the earth did quake and the rocks rent" (Matt. XXVII:51). Graves were opened, and bodies of the saints which slept arose, "and came out of the graves after His resurrection," and appeared to many in the "holy city" (Matt. XXVII:52, 53). When the centurion and the soldiers saw these things done, "they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God" (Matt. XXVII:54). There were many women from Galilee, "beholding afar off," including Mary Magdalene, Mary, Jesus' aunt, and also the mother of the apostles James and John (Matt. XXVII:55, 56). "When the even was come" Joseph, a rich man of Arimathæa, takes Jesus' body, Pilate, at his request having delivered it to him, wraps it "in a clean linen cloth," and lays it in his own new tomb, "hewn out in the rock." He rolls a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departs (Matt. XXVII:57-60). On the following day the chief priests come to Pilate and tell him of Jesus' prophecy, that after three days He would arise again. They express their fears that the disciples may steal the body and claim that He was risen from the dead. Pilate gives them a watch, and "they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch" (Matt. XVII:62-66).[46]
Mark follows closely the narrative of Matthew, except he says that they offered Jesus wine mingled with myrrh to drink,[47] instead of vinegar and gall (Mark XV:23). Mark omits the supernatural happenings at the death of Jesus, except that the veil of the temple was rent in twain (Mark XV:38).
He also omits any account of the sealing of the sepulchre, or the setting of a watch over it (Mark XV:46, 47).
Luke omits the ill-treatment of Jesus by the soldiers before starting on their march (Luke XXIII:25, 26). "And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him (Luke XXIII:27). Jesus delivers a short address to the women, which does not appear in the other Gospels (Luke XXIII:28-31). They bring Him to Calvary and crucify Him and the two "malefactors" (Luke XXIII:33). "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke XXIII:34). The superscription over Him was written in letters of Greek, Latin and Hebrew (Luke XXIII:38). Luke alone relates that, when one of the "malefactors" railed at Jesus, the other rebuked Him, and asked Jesus to remember him, when He should come into His kingdom; Jesus says to him: "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke XXIII:39-43). The sun was darkened and the "veil of the temple was rent in the midst" (Luke XXIII:44, 45). The centurion acknowledges Jesus to be a righteous man, and "all the people that came together to that sight" smote their breasts (Luke XXIII:47, 48), "and all His acquaintance and the women that followed Him from Galilee stood afar off, beholding these things" (Luke XIII:49). Joseph of Arimathæa obtains Jesus' body from Pilate, and lays it in a new sepulchre, hewn in stone (Luke XXIII:50-53), "and the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after and beheld the sepulchre, and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments" (Luke XXIII:55, 56). No mention is made of any guard over the sepulchre.