Section 159
First Roman phase, before Pilate
Jerusalem, at the Praetorium (the place of the Roman governor)
| Matthew 27:2, 11-14 | Mark 15:1b-5 | Luke 23:1-5 | John 18:28-38 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. | 1bSo they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. | 1And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. | 28Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. |
| 2And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. | 29Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? 30They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. 31Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 32That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. | ||
| 11And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. | 2And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. | 3And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. | 33Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 35Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. |
| 4Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. | 38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. | ||
| 12And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. | 3And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. | ||
| 5And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. | |||
Notes
The Trial Before Pilate and Herod
One of the most difficult topographical problems of Jerusalem is to identify the location of the Praetorium where Jesus stood before Pilate, and where he set out carrying the cross to Golgotha. One thing is certain; it was one of three palaces used by Herod the Great - the Antonio Fortress (north of the Temple), the ancient Royal Palace of the Hasmoneans, or the new Upper Palace of Herod (next to the Jaffa Gate).
Since Crusader times it was always identified with Antonio Fortress, where the traditional 14 Stations of the Cross evolved over the years. When new archaeological evidence suggested that the pavement was from Hadrian’s time in 130 A.D., many scholars felt compelled to abandon this old, traditional location.
Many researchers moved the Praetorium to Herod’s Upper Palace as the next likely location. The problem with this location is that there has never been a Christian tradition that it was used as the place where Jesus was sentenced.
A third location is the old Hasmonean Palace. No one knew where this was located until after 1970 when archaeologists could dig in the recently recovered Jewish quarter. They found a magnificent building which is designated as the Palatial Mansion, leading many scholars to identify it as the Hasmonean Palace used by Herod, and later on by Pilate.
Herod Antipas had probably come from Tiberius for the Passover. There is no way of knowing today where he stayed in Jerusalem.