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!

Verse 15... Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?... Pilate said this, as if mocking Jesus Christ, in order to soften the cruelty of the Jews.

Verse 15... He answered the bishop: "Not the imams of the king, but Caesar... [1051] Thus the Jews rejected the kingdom of Jesus Christ and chose the authority of Caesar. For this, deprived of God's help, they were given over to the Romans to be utterly exterminated on the very day of Pascha, on which they cried out: "Not the imams of the king, but of Caesar."

Стих 16. Тогда убо предаде Его им, да распнется…,[1052] побежденный их настойчивостью. Кому же предал Иисуса Христа Пилат? Конечно, иудеям и воинам.

Стих 16… Поемше же Иисуса и ведоша.[1053] Найди в двадцать седьмой главе Евангелия от Матфея слова: и егда поругашася Ему, совлекоша с Него багряницу и облекоша Его в ризы Его (Мф. 27, 31),[1054] и прочитай объяснение их.

Стихи 17–18. И нося крест Свой, изыде на глаголемое Лобное место, еже глаголется еврейски Голгофа, идеже пропяша Его…[1055] Все это объяснено при толковании двадцать седьмой главы Евангелия от Матфея. Нес крест Свой Иисус Христос на плечах, как неустрашимый воин копье, которым имел поразить врага.

Стих 18… И с Ним ина два сюду и сюду, посреде же Иисуса.[1056] Прочитай в той же главе объяснение слов: тогда распята с Ним два разбойника: единаго о десную, и единаго о шуюю (Мф. 27, 38). Иудеи постарались распять Иисуса Христа вместе с разбойниками для того, чтобы вследствие одинаковой казни дурная слава разбойников омрачила Его славу, но слава Его так просияла, что хотя на кресте висело трое в то время, когда совершились страшные знамения, однако все приписали это Иисусу Христу, — и Он не только не навлек на Себя через это дурной славы разбойников, а напротив, одного из них привлек к вере в Себя и все ухищрение иудеев обратил на главу их самих и отца их диавола.

Стихи 19–22. Написа же и титла Пилат и положи на кресте. Бе же написано: Иисус Назорянин, Царь Иудейский. Сего же титла мнози чтоша от Иудей, яко близ бе место града, идеже пропяша Иисуса: и бе написано еврейски, гречески, римски. Глаголаху убо Пилату архиерее Иудейстии: не пиши: Царь Иудейский: но яко Сам рече: Царь есмь Иудейский. Отвеща Пилат: еже писах, писах.[1057] Все это надлежащим образом объяснено при толковании той же главы, именно слов: и возложиша верху главы Его вину Его написану: Сей есть Иисус, Царь Иудейский (Мф. 27, 37).