[40] This gathering was presumably the Sanhedrim, the high council of the Jews. It had jurisdiction to try and sentence Jews charged with heresy—"corruptors," blasphemers of the temple, destroyers of the true worship, etc. It could not, however, execute a sentence of death (John XVIII:31). In such cases it was necessary that the sentence be confirmed by the Roman tetrarch, procurator, or other governor of the country, and the execution of the sentence be carried out by Roman soldiers.
[41] This was a trial for heredoxy under the Jewish law upon two charges, one for blasphemy of the temple, the other for blasphemy of God. Either, if proved, would warrant a sentence of death. The first was very near the truth. The charge was, "I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." Jesus' exact words were, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John II:19). The Jews did not understand His hidden meaning that He meant the death of His body and its resurrection in three days (John II:20, 21). The other charge was in one sense true, for Jesus had spoken of Himself as the Son of God. But He had not used these words in the sense attributed to Him by the Pharisees, that He was himself God, or the equal of God. But, coupled with His failure to deny these charges, they formed a sufficient legal basis, under the Jewish law, for His conviction and sentence.
[42] The high priest evidently shifted his ground of attack when he brought Jesus before Pilate. The main charge here against Jesus was that He had claimed to be king of the Jews, something that had not appeared in the proceeding before the Sanhedrim. This was more of a political than a heretical crime, and one more likely to arouse the suspicion and hostility of the Romans. Jesus was entirely innocent of this crime, for He had never claimed for Himself an earthly kingdom. This, and the charges of heresy, which probably were also presented, did not make much impression on Pilate. He evidently did not think that Jesus had done anything deserving a sentence of death, and probably regarded the whole matter as one of those vexatious religious quarrels among the Jewish sectaries which were constantly arising to trouble the Roman governors of Jewry, and in which they had no interest or sympathy with either side of the controversy. But he found himself in a difficult position. This demand for Jesus' sentence was backed by all of official Jewishdom, and they presented His legal condemnation by the Sanhedrim. While Pilate was not absolutely bound to approve this sentence of the Sanhedrim, yet his refusal to do so would deeply offend the leaders of the Jewish people and quite possibly involve him in serious trouble with the authorities at Rome. Seeking a way out of this dilemma, he bethought himself of the custom of freeing a prisoner at the feast of the Passover. He tried to induce the multitude to demand the release of Jesus, and, if there had been any difference in opinion, would undoubtedly have declared the vote in favor of Jesus. But the people were unanimous in their demand for the release of Barabbas. Then, only, he consented to confirm Jesus' sentence, and attempted publicly to shift the moral responsibility for his act to the Jewish populace.
[43] There seems to be some question as to whether Antipas was not governor at this time, instead of Herod (Matt. II:19).
[44] This Annas (or Hanan) is supposed by some authorities to be the "power behind the throne," the chief instigator of the proceedings against Jesus.
[45] Pilate evidently inflicted this punishment—milder than death—in the hope that it would pacify the Jews, and they would permit him to let Jesus escape the extreme penalty of crucifixion.
[46] From this narrative it would seem that, for one night, the sepulchre was unsealed and unguarded.
[47] It seems that it was a custom to give criminals this drink in order to, in a measure, stupefy them and lessen the pains of the crucifixion.
[48] This was probably the usual custom, unless the criminal was too weak to bear the burden.
[49] No two of these superscriptions on the cross exactly agree.