Jesus Before Pilate (John 18:28-40)
Quick Summary
John 18:28-40 records Jesus's trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. The Jewish leaders bring Jesus to Pilate seeking a death sentence but refuse to enter the Roman headquarters to maintain ceremonial purity. In a series of exchanges, Pilate questions Jesus about kingship and truth, finds no basis for charges against Him, yet offers to release either Jesus or Barabbas. The crowd chooses Barabbas, a murderer, over the innocent Jesus, setting in motion the events leading to crucifixion.
Introduction
The trial of Jesus before Pilate represents one of history's most significant miscarriages of justice. Here we witness the collision of two kingdoms—the earthly power of Rome and the spiritual kingdom of God—and the ironic truth that the real King stands as a defendant before a temporary governor. John's account emphasizes the theological dimensions of this encounter, particularly the nature of truth and the tragic choice humanity makes when confronted with Christ.
Pontius Pilate emerges as a complex figure in this narrative—neither a villain nor a hero, but a pragmatic politician caught between his own conscience and the demands of maintaining order. His exchanges with Jesus reveal a man who recognizes innocence yet lacks the courage to defend it. Meanwhile, the Jewish leaders demonstrate religious hypocrisy, maintaining ceremonial purity while engineering judicial murder.
This passage forces us to wrestle with profound questions: What is truth? What kind of kingdom does Jesus represent? And when faced with choosing Jesus or the world's alternatives, what will we decide? The answers to these questions determine not just Jesus's fate that day, but the eternal destiny of every person who encounters Him.
John 18:28-40 Verse by Verse Commentary and Meaning
John 18:28 - Ceremonial Cleanness and Moral Blindness
"Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover."
The Jewish leaders escort Jesus to the Praetorium (the governor's headquarters) in the early morning, suggesting they worked through the night to secure condemnation. Their concern about ceremonial uncleanness creates bitter irony—they're engineering the murder of an innocent man while scrupulously avoiding ritual defilement. Entering a Gentile residence would make them ceremonially unclean and unable to eat the Passover meal, so they remain outside.
This hypocrisy reveals the danger of religious externalism divorced from authentic righteousness. They strain out a gnat while swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24). Their meticulous concern for ritual purity blinds them to the massive moral impurity of their actions. John wants readers to see the absurdity: they won't enter a building that might defile them, but they'll orchestrate crucifixion without moral qualm.
John 18:29-30 - Pilate's Question and Their Evasion
"So Pilate came out to them and asked, 'What charges are you bringing against this man?' 'If he were not a criminal,' they replied, 'we would not have handed him over to you.'"
Pilate accommodates their religious scruples by coming outside to meet them—a remarkable concession showing either his political savvy or his desire to avoid confrontation. His question is direct and legal: what specific charges justify bringing Jesus to a Roman court? Roman law required clear accusations, not vague complaints.
The Jewish leaders' response is evasive and arrogant: essentially, "Trust us—He's guilty." They refuse to articulate specific charges, perhaps because their religious accusations (blasphemy) wouldn't interest Rome, and their political accusations (claiming to be king) would require evidence they lack. Their answer reveals they want Roman execution without Roman investigation—they desire the verdict without the trial.
John 18:31-32 - The Death Sentence Requirement
"Pilate said, 'Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.' 'But we have no right to execute anyone,' they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die."
Pilate's response suggests he wants no part of this case. If it's a religious matter, let them handle it under Jewish law. But the Jewish leaders reveal their true purpose: they want Jesus executed, and under Roman occupation, they lack authority to carry out capital punishment (though they did stone Stephen later in Acts 7, suggesting some ambiguity in practice).
John provides theological commentary: this fulfills Jesus's prediction about His death. Jesus had repeatedly indicated He would be "lifted up" (John 3:14, 8:28, 12:32-33), which pointed to crucifixion—a Roman method of execution, not the Jewish method of stoning. God's sovereign plan operates even through the political limitations placed on the Jewish authorities. Their inability to execute Jesus themselves becomes the mechanism by which prophecy is fulfilled.
John 18:33-35 - The Question of Kingship
"Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Is that your own idea,' Jesus asked, 'or did others talk to you about me?' 'Am I a Jew?' Pilate replied. 'Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?'"
Pilate returns inside to question Jesus privately. His question—"Are you the king of the Jews?"—cuts to the political heart of the matter. Rome executed revolutionaries who claimed kingship as threats to Caesar's authority. Jesus's counter-question probes Pilate's motivation: is this genuine inquiry or mere repetition of accusations? Jesus wants to know whether Pilate has independent concerns or is simply processing charges brought by others.
Pilate's response reveals his detachment: "Am I a Jew?" He has no personal stake in Jewish religious or messianic expectations. He's a Roman administrator dealing with a problem his subjects have brought him. His follow-up question—"What is it you have done?"—assumes guilt and seeks to understand the offense. Pilate positions himself as judge investigating a case, though Jesus is actually the one conducting the real interrogation of hearts.
John 18:36 - A Kingdom Not of This World
"Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.'"
Jesus's answer is profound and strategic. He affirms kingship while denying it poses any threat to Rome. His kingdom doesn't originate from this world or operate by this world's methods—it has a different source and employs different means. The evidence? His followers aren't fighting. If Jesus claimed earthly kingship, His disciples would have mounted armed resistance at His arrest (as Peter briefly attempted). But Jesus's kingdom advances through truth, not force; through sacrifice, not violence.
This statement redefines power and authority. Earthly kingdoms establish themselves through military might, political maneuvering, and coercion. Jesus's kingdom operates through spiritual transformation, willing submission, and love. Pilate, representing Rome's military power, faces a King whose authority transcends Roman comprehension. Jesus isn't a rival to Caesar because He's infinitely greater—Caesar rules one empire temporarily; Jesus rules all creation eternally.
John 18:37 - The Purpose of His Coming
"'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'"
Pilate latches onto Jesus's admission of kingship, but Jesus redirects to His true mission: testifying to truth. Jesus's kingship isn't His primary identification—He is fundamentally the revelation of truth. He was born for this purpose; He came into the world for this mission. This statement encompasses both His incarnation (He was born) and His pre-existence (He came into the world), subtly affirming His divine origin.
Jesus's final statement presents a test: "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." This isn't arrogance but reality. Those who genuinely seek truth recognize it in Jesus because He embodies truth (John 14:6). This statement judges everyone who encounters Jesus, including Pilate. Will he listen? The answer becomes immediately apparent.
John 18:38 - What Is Truth?
"'What is truth?' retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, 'I find no basis for a charge against him.'"
Pilate's question—"What is truth?"—has echoed through history. Is it genuine philosophical inquiry or cynical dismissal? The fact that Pilate doesn't wait for an answer suggests the latter. He's a pragmatist, not a philosopher. Truth, for Pilate, is whatever serves political expediency. He stands face to face with the embodiment of Truth but doesn't recognize it because he's not truly seeking.
Yet Pilate reaches the correct verdict: "I find no basis for a charge against him." Three times in John's Gospel, Pilate declares Jesus innocent (18:38, 19:4, 19:6). Roman law requires release when no evidence supports charges. But Pilate's subsequent actions reveal that knowing truth and acting on it are different matters. He recognizes innocence but lacks the moral courage to defend it against political pressure.
John 18:39-40 - The Choice: Jesus or Barabbas
"But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?" They shouted back, 'No, not him! Give us Barabbas!' Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising."
Pilate seeks a compromise that maintains both justice and order. Roman governors sometimes released a prisoner during Passover as a gesture of goodwill. Pilate offers Jesus, sarcastically calling Him "the king of the Jews"—mocking both Jesus and His accusers. He expects the crowd to choose Jesus over a violent revolutionary.
But the crowd demands Barabbas, whose name ironically means "son of the father." John notes he "had taken part in an uprising"—the very crime the Jewish leaders falsely attributed to Jesus. The choice is stark: the innocent Jesus or the guilty Barabbas; the Prince of Peace or the violent rebel; the true King or the failed revolutionary. Humanity, given the choice, rejects the Savior and embraces the murderer.
This moment serves as a parable of human fallenness. Jesus came to His own, but His own received Him not (John 1:11). When confronted with Truth Himself, humanity chooses lies; faced with Life, we choose death; offered the King of Heaven, we prefer earthly rebels. The choice for Barabbas symbolizes every human choice to reject Jesus in favor of the world's counterfeits. To learn more about Pilate's role, see our comprehensive article on Pontius Pilate: The Roman Governor Who Crucified Jesus.
Meaning for Today
John 18:28-40 confronts us with timeless questions about truth, power, and choice. Pilate's question—"What is truth?"—resonates in our postmodern age where truth is often dismissed as subjective or relative. But Jesus's presence demands a response. He doesn't present truth as a concept to debate but as a Person to encounter. Those truly seeking truth will recognize Jesus because He is truth incarnate.
The religious leaders' hypocrisy warns against valuing external religious observance while violating fundamental righteousness. We can maintain proper forms, attend church regularly, and follow religious rules while harboring hatred, pursuing injustice, or living hypocritically. God desires mercy, not sacrifice (Matthew 9:13); authentic faith, not mere ritual.
Jesus's description of His kingdom challenges our understanding of power and influence. His kingdom doesn't advance through political power, cultural dominance, or coercive force. Christians sometimes forget this, attempting to establish God's kingdom through worldly methods—legislation, cultural warfare, or political maneuvering. But Jesus's kingdom comes through transformed hearts, not forced compliance; through love, not coercion; through sacrifice, not domination.
Pilate's moral cowardice speaks to us today. He knew what was right—Jesus was innocent—but lacked courage to act on that knowledge. How often do we compromise truth for comfort, sacrifice justice for peace, or abandon principle under pressure? Pilate's failure challenges us to stand for truth even when politically inconvenient or personally costly.
The choice between Jesus and Barabbas confronts every person. We cannot remain neutral toward Jesus. We choose Him or we choose something else—always a poor substitute, though rarely as obvious as a violent revolutionary. Every day we choose between Jesus's way of sacrificial love or the world's way of self-preservation and self-promotion. The crowd's choice that day reveals humanity's tragic tendency to reject God's best for our broken preferences. For more on how Jesus predicted this moment, explore our study on Jesus Predicts His Death in Luke 18:31-34.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Jewish leaders need Roman permission to execute Jesus?
Under Roman occupation, Jewish authorities lacked the legal right to carry out capital punishment in most cases. While they retained authority over religious matters and could impose lesser penalties, execution required Roman approval. This political reality became the means by which God's plan unfolded—Jesus would be crucified (Roman execution) rather than stoned (Jewish execution), fulfilling His prophecies about being "lifted up."
Why wouldn't the Jewish leaders enter Pilate's headquarters?
Jewish law considered Gentile homes ceremonially unclean. Entering Pilate's residence would defile them and make them unable to eat the Passover meal. This concern for ritual purity while engineering murder demonstrates profound hypocrisy—they maintained external religious observance while committing grave moral evil. John highlights this irony to show how empty religion can coexist with wicked hearts.
What did Jesus mean by "My kingdom is not of this world"?
Jesus distinguished His kingdom's origin and methods from earthly kingdoms. His kingdom doesn't originate from worldly sources or advance through worldly means (military force, political power, coercion). It has a heavenly source and operates through spiritual transformation, truth, and willing submission. This didn't mean His kingdom is irrelevant to this world, but that it operates on entirely different principles than earthly kingdoms.
Was Pilate genuinely asking "What is truth?" or being cynical?
Most scholars view Pilate's question as rhetorical dismissal rather than genuine inquiry. He doesn't wait for Jesus's answer, suggesting he's not truly interested. As a Roman pragmatist, Pilate likely viewed truth as relative or politically determined. His question reveals skepticism about absolute truth—a position that prevented him from recognizing Truth standing before him. Yet the question remains profoundly important, inviting every reader to consider their own answer.
Why did Pilate try to release Jesus if he had the power to do so?
Pilate faced conflicting pressures. He recognized Jesus's innocence and wanted to avoid condemning an innocent man (which could bring divine judgment or political complications). But he also feared riot, losing favor with the Jewish leaders, and potential reports to Rome suggesting he couldn't maintain order. His offer to release Jesus was a compromise attempt—maintaining technical justice while appeasing the crowd. His failure reveals moral cowardice overcoming legal conviction.
Who was Barabbas and why did the crowd choose him?
Barabbas was a revolutionary who had participated in an uprising—exactly the kind of threat to Roman order the Jewish leaders falsely attributed to Jesus. The crowd's choice is deeply ironic: they rejected the peaceful Messiah for a violent rebel; the innocent for the guilty; the Savior for a murderer. This choice symbolizes humanity's tendency to reject God's provision in favor of destructive alternatives that seem more appealing to our fallen nature.
Why does John emphasize Jesus's kingship in this passage?
Kingship is central to understanding Jesus's identity and mission. Throughout John's Gospel, Jesus is presented as the true King of Israel and the world. Before Pilate, this theme becomes explicit. The irony is overwhelming: the real King stands as defendant before a temporary governor; eternal authority submits to temporal power; the Creator faces judgment from creation. John shows that even in apparent weakness, Jesus remains sovereign—His "trial" actually puts human authority and human rejection on trial.
What's significant about this happening during Passover?
The Passover celebrated Israel's deliverance from Egypt when lambs were sacrificed and their blood marked doorposts, causing death to "pass over" those homes. Jesus's trial and crucifixion during Passover reveals Him as the ultimate Passover Lamb—the sacrifice that brings deliverance from sin and death. The Jewish leaders' concern about eating Passover while rejecting the true Passover Lamb creates profound irony that John expects readers to recognize.
Works Consulted
Carson, D.A. The Gospel According to John. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.
Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003.
Köstenberger, Andreas J. John. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004.
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to John. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.
Brown, Raymond E. The Death of the Messiah: From Gethsemane to the Grave. New York: Doubleday, 1994.
