PER346

The relentlessness of the Sanhedrin, official condemnation

PER346 analyzes the official condemnation of Jesus by Pontius Pilate under the relentless pressure of the Sanhedrin. In Jerusalem, on Friday morning, the crowd, manipulated by the religious leaders, demands crucifixion. Pilate, politically trapped, yields despite the absence of any valid charge. The study addresses the irregularities of the trial and the chronological question of the 'sixth hour' in John 19.14, through a synoptic approach to the four Gospels.

18 min condemnation of Jesus Sanhedrin Pontius Pilate Passion crucifixion 28 verses 4 books

See also

See also:

Bible texts

Matthew
Matthew 27.20-25 (King James Version)

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org
Mark
Mark 15.13-15 (King James Version)

And they cried out again, Crucify him.

Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org
Luke
Luke 23.23-25 (King James Version)

And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org
John
John 18.40 (King James Version)

Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org
John
John 19.4-16 (King James Version)

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cæsar.

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Cæsar.

Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org

Technical details

AD 33

Location: The city of Jerusalem, the praetorium in front of Pilate’s palace

Date: Friday, April 1, early in the morning

Method: We now follow Luke

Note on the method: Matthew, Mark and John take up this information

Map of Jerusalem and Its Surroundings
Friday bar graph

Pontius Pilate no longer has any power to save Jesus; under the influence of Caiaphas and the , the situation quickly deteriorates.

Chronological details, according to our conclusions:

_20 The return to Pontius Pilate takes place around 8 a.m. Mark 15.6-19; Matthew 27.15-30; Luke 23.13-25; John 18.39-40; John 19.1-16.

_21 The crowd, gathered in front of the palace of Pontius Pilate, demands the crucifixion. Matthew 27.22 ; Mark 14.11-15 ; Luke 23.23 ; John 19.15.

You can consult the complete chronology in the study ANN026 : The Hour of the Crucifixion.

Commentary:

Pilate gradually finds himself trapped by the pressure of the crowd and the fear of public disorder. The leaders of the have maneuvered skillfully, and the sentence is finally pronounced:

Matthew 27.26 (King James Version) :
Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org

John 19.16 (King James Version) :
Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org

All the events described by the Gospels seem to fall within a relatively short span of time, from the arrest to the condemnation. Without going back over the many irregularities of the trial in detail — a night-time judgment (Matthew 26.57-68), the use of false testimony (Mark 14.55-59), a hasty condemnation — it appears that only the result mattered: the elimination of Jesus.

Regarding John 19.14, the mention of “the preparation of the Passover” corresponds to the Jewish custom of calling Friday the day of preparation. The question of the “sixth hour” has given rise to various interpretations. Two main possibilities are considered: either John uses the system of hours, in which the day begins at midnight, which would place the event around 6 a.m.; or he uses the Jewish system, in which the sixth hour corresponds to noon, counting from sunrise (John 4.6). Some exegetes propose another approach, recalling that the Gospels often mention hours in multiples of three (Mark 15.25; Matthew 27.45), which could reflect an approximate division of the day into major periods. However, this explanation remains imprecise.

According to the concordant data, the crucifixion takes place from the third to the ninth hour, that is, approximately from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Mark 15.25; Matthew 27.45). Thus, it is plausible that John places the appearance before Pilate early in the morning, at around 6 o'clock, shortly after Peter's denial and the crowing of the rooster (John 18.27-28).

The expression “about” also underlines the absence of absolute precision and refers rather to an observed time marker. In this context, the situation gradually slips out of Pilate's control. The crowd, stirred up by the religious leaders, becomes more and more hostile and demands crucifixion (Luke 23.21).

We present a detailed analysis of this information provided by John in appendix ANN026 : The Hour of the Crucifixion.

Fearing a riot and a denunciation to Caesar (John 19.12), Pilate finally yields. Behind this decision emerge both a political weakness and the strategic success of the , which manages to force the representative to pronounce a condemnation that he knew to be unjust (Luke 23.22).