Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
Pilate tries to find a way to release Christ by calling Him “the King of the Jews.” This title, on the one hand, could have a mocking or political tone, but on the other hand it unwillingly testified to the truth. Pilate understood that Jesus was not an ordinary criminal. Yet his question also shows that he does not defend justice with firm resolve, but places it before the people’s choice. As we will see next, when a judge does not keep the truth as a non-negotiable duty, he easily falls under the influence of the crowd’s pressure and political fears.