John 18:31-33
Konteks18:31 Pilate told them, 1 “Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him 2 according to your own law!” 3 The Jewish leaders 4 replied, 5 “We cannot legally put anyone to death.” 6 18:32 (This happened 7 to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated 8 what kind of death he was going to die. 9 )
18:33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, 10 summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 11
John 18:37-38
Konteks18:37 Then Pilate said, 12 “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to 13 my voice.” 18:38 Pilate asked, 14 “What is truth?” 15
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders 16 and announced, 17 “I find no basis for an accusation 18 against him.


[18:31] 1 tn Grk “Then Pilate said to them.”
[18:31] 2 tn Or “judge him.” For the translation “pass judgment on him” see R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:848).
[18:31] 3 sn Pilate, as the sole representative of Rome in a troubled area, was probably in Jerusalem for the Passover because of the danger of an uprising (the normal residence for the Roman governor was in Caesarea as mentioned in Acts 23:35). At this time on the eve of the feast he would have been a busy and perhaps even a worried man. It is not surprising that he offered to hand Jesus back over to the Jewish authorities to pass judgment on him. It may well be that Pilate realized when no specific charge was mentioned that he was dealing with an internal dispute over some religious matter. Pilate wanted nothing to do with such matters, as the statement “Pass judgment on him according to your own law!” indicates. As far as the author is concerned, this points out who was really responsible for Jesus’ death: The Roman governor Pilate would have had nothing to do with it if he had not been pressured by the Jewish religious authorities, upon whom the real responsibility rested.
[18:31] 4 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12.
[18:31] 5 tn Grk “said to him.”
[18:31] 6 tn Grk “It is not permitted to us to kill anyone.”
[18:32] 7 tn The words “This happened” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[18:32] 8 tn Or “making clear.”
[18:32] 9 sn A reference to John 12:32.
[18:33] 13 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
[18:33] 14 sn It is difficult to discern Pilate’s attitude when he asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Some have believed the remark to be sarcastic or incredulous as Pilate looked at this lowly and humble prisoner: “So you’re the king of the Jews, are you?” Others have thought the Roman governor to have been impressed by Jesus’ regal disposition and dignity, and to have sincerely asked, “Are you really the king of the Jews?” Since it will later become apparent (v. 38) that Pilate considered Jesus innocent (and therefore probably also harmless) an attitude of incredulity is perhaps most likely, but this is far from certain in the absence of clear contextual clues.
[18:37] 19 tn Grk “said to him.”
[18:37] 20 tn Or “obeys”; Grk “hears.”
[18:38] 25 tn Grk “Pilate said.”
[18:38] 26 sn With his reply “What is truth?” Pilate dismissed the matter. It is not clear what Pilate’s attitude was at this point, as in 18:33. He may have been sarcastic, or perhaps somewhat reflective. The author has not given enough information in the narrative to be sure. Within the narrative, Pilate’s question serves to make the reader reflect on what truth is, and that answer (in the narrative) has already been given (14:6).
[18:38] 27 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. The term also occurs in v. 31, where it is clear the Jewish leaders are in view, because they state that they cannot legally carry out an execution. Although it is likely (in view of the synoptic parallels) that the crowd here in 18:38 was made up not just of the Jewish leaders, but of ordinary residents of Jerusalem and pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, nevertheless in John’s Gospel Pilate is primarily in dialogue with the leadership of the nation, who are expressly mentioned in 18:35 and 19:6.