Then they bound him, led him away, and handed him over to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.
This statement presents a new stage in the history of salvation, when Jesus is handed over from the council of the Jews to the Roman authority. This is not only a political transfer, but also a spiritual symbol: sinful humanity binds and hands over its Creator to condemnation. The phrase “They bound Him” is a sign of the humility with which the Innocent One accepts the chains of sinners, so that a person may be set free from the bonds of his own sin. Handing Him over to Pilate shows that now the Judge of the world becomes the One being judged, and the Roman authority becomes an instrument for the fulfillment of the divine plan. This scene reveals a tragic, yet at the same time mysterious contrast: people want to rid themselves of the truth, yet it is through that very action that their salvation is accomplished.