Verse 6... Pilate said to them, "Take Him and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him...,[1039] you unjust." Angered by the violence and shamelessness of the Jews, Pilate left Jesus Christ to their will.

Verse 7... And Judah answered him, "We are the law of the Imam, and according to our law we must die, as we have created the Son of God for Thyself...,[1040] of course, according to nature. The Jews said this in order to deflect the accusation of injustice. Not knowing what to do, they jumped to another accusation. But what about Jesus Christ? While such accusations were made against Him, He was silent, fulfilling the prophecy: "He does not open His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7).

Verse 8. When Pilate heard this word, he was the more afraid... [1041] that perhaps Jesus Christ really was God and could have punished him, having suffered such a mockery from him.

Verse 9. And he went into the praetor, and said to Jesus, Whence art thou?... [1042] He no longer asks Him: "What hast thou done" (John 18:35)? but whence art Thou? from heaven or from earth?

Verse 9... But Jesus would not give him an answer. What Pilate was now asking about, he already knew, because he had heard from Jesus Christ: "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). (And just as then he did no good when he weakly defended Jesus Christ, so now he would not do any good, being faint-hearted and fearful.)

Verse 10. And Pilate said unto him, Sayest thou not unto me? Do you not know that it is the power of the Imam to crucify Thee, and the power of the Imam to let Thee go? [1043] And fears and frightens. Enraged that Jesus Christ did not answer him, although he even tried to protect Him, Pilate threatens with his power. Insane! If you have the power to let Him go, why don't you let Him go, although you know that He is innocent, and have already testified to this about Him several times?

Verse 11. Jesus answered, "Have no power over me, unless it be given from above..." [1044] He answered, in order to reproach Pilate for exalting himself with authority, and said, "Thou shalt have no power against me, unless it be given from above," showing that he suffers by divine predestination. And so that Pilate, hearing this, would not consider himself completely innocent, Jesus Christ added:

Verse 11... For this reason Thou hast delivered Me unto thee a great sin. [1045] Since you have power and do not let go, you are not free from sin, although it is less than the sin of those who delivered Me to you: they are murderers, and you are weak and frivolous.

Verse 12. From this Pilate sought to let Him go...,[1046] struck by the words of Jesus Christ; while the Jews, who often saw His Divine works, were even more possessed.

Verse 12... And the Jews cried out, saying, "If thou wilt let Him go, bear the friend of Caesar: whosoever maketh a king for himself resisteth Caesar." [1047] Seeing that the reference to the law was useless, and knowing that Pilate wanted to release Jesus Christ, the Jews again turned to the accusation of coveting the king's power, an accusation to which Pilate could not fail to pay attention, fearing Caesar. Bear a friend, that is, not well-disposed; resists, i.e., rebels against. But why do you accuse Him of coveting royal power, how can you prove it? Is it a purple, or a diadem, or a chariot, or any other appurtenance, or a sign of royal power? Does not everything testify to His humiliation, as food, as clothing, as a dwelling, and everything else? He walked accompanied only by His twelve disciples, who were pitiful in appearance, or even Himself for the most part.

Verse 13. And when Pilate heard this word, he brought Jesus out, and sat down at the judgment seat, in the place of the word Lythostroton, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. [1048] Thinking that he would insult Caesar and expose himself to danger if he did not pay attention and leave indiscriminately such an accusation of the Jews, Pilate led Jesus Christ out of the praetorium and sat down publicly in the judgment seat, so that all those present could witness the trial.

Verse 14. And it was the Friday of the Easter, and the sixth hour... [1049] The Evangelist designated the day and hour in order to show that not only on the very day of Pascha, but even when the day was already waning and the evening of the feast was approaching, that at such a time there were formed this pernicious judgment seat by those who had recently considered it a desecration for themselves to enter the praetorium.

Verse 14... And the Jews said, Behold, your King. Abandoning the examination of the accusation, Pilate again tries to influence the accusers: "Behold," he says, "your King, there stands the accused, not released, do not be afraid." It is known that in the Holy Scriptures ιδε (see) is often used instead of: ιδου (here).

Verse 15. And they cried out: Take, take, crucify Him... [1050] What an invincible rage!