It was morning when they brought the Lord to Pilate. Those who brought Him did not enter the praetorium, so as not to be defiled, but so that they could eat the Passover.

Pilate went out to them and said, "What do you accuse this man of? And they answered and said unto him, If he had not been evildoer, we would not have delivered him up to thee. Pilate said to them, "Take Him, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death; that the word of Jesus may be fulfilled, which He spoke, giving us to understand by what death He would die. And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We have found that He corrupts our people, and forbids us to give tribute to Caesar, calling Himself Christ the King."

Then Pilate again entered the praetorium and called on the Lord Jesus.

Pilate said to Him, "Are You, then, a King?" Answering him, the Lord Jesus said, "You say truly, that I am the King." For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Whosoever is of the truth heareth my voice.

Pilate said to Him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to the chief priests and the people, I find no fault in him; I do not find anything guilty in this man. Then the chief priests began to accuse the Lord of many things. But when these chief priests and the elders with them accused Him, He answered nothing.

Then Pilate said to Him, "You answer nothing!" Do you not hear how many testify against you? Do you see how many accusations there are against You? But the Lord did not answer him a single word, so that the governor Pilate was greatly amazed.

They, meanwhile, insisted, saying that He was stirring up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee to this place. And when Pilate heard of Galileo, he asked, "Is he a Galilean?" And when he knew that he was from the province of Herod, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days.

222. The Passions of the Lord: The Lord Jesus in Herod

Lux. 23, 8–12.

Herod, seeing the Lord Jesus, rejoiced greatly; for I had long desired to see Him, because I had heard much about Him and hoped to see some miracle from Him. And he asked him many questions, but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and accused Him mightily. But Herod and his soldiers, having despised Him and mocked Him, dressed Him in bright clothes and sent Him back to Pilate. And on that day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for they had formerly been at enmity with one another.

223. Pilate's Unsuccessful Efforts to Release the Lord

Mf. 27, 15–23;

Mk. 15, 6–14;

Lux. 23, 13–23;