Pilate said to them, “What evil thing has He done?” But they cried out more strongly, “Crucify Him!”
Pilate’s question unintentionally bears witness to Christ’s innocence. He could not find an evil deed that would deserve death. Yet the crowd answers not with an argument, but with a louder outcry. When people cannot justify their sin with truth, they often try to prevail by the force of their voice. This scene shows the tragic distortion of justice: innocence is recognized, but the pressure of the crowd overcomes the judge’s conscience. Christ is condemned without sin, so that sinners may be justified through His innocence.