18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” John 19:18-22

Did Pilate put the sign up in mockery of Christ, or do you think he really acknowledged Christ's claim as the Jewish Messiah/King?

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Ian Kemmerer
Covenant Presbetyrian Church,Reading,PA
Fleetwood,PA

"Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart, And all is darkened in the vale of tears, Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart, Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears. Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay From His own fullness all He takes away."

Both. I (humbly--please feel free to disagree) think his acknowledgement was a mocking of Christ. He knew very well who Christ was (or his wife knew, anyway). Yet...

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

I think it was:
1) the official "crime" for which Jesus was found guilty--punished for being who he was
there were probably other rulers of that age who were similarly treated by their conquerors

2) an identifier--a mockery of his claim, and a prophetic statement

3) mocking both the leaders and the people (whom Pilate held in contempt)

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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


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I think pastor Bruce hit it in #3. He was mocking the Jewish leaders.

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Kevin Rogers
Mount Zion ARP
Moncton NB

John 19:13-16
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. [14] And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! [15] 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 Caesar. [16] Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

I have often wondered if in "acknowledging" Christ's claim (John 18:35-38) it was not more of a mocking of his own people (the Jews), than it was any sign of true faith in Jesus as Messiah.

Pilate had tried Jesus (John 18:28-19:3) and declared: "Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him." (John 19:4). Yet the people said "Crucify him!"

I believe that Pilate was happy to turn Jesus over to be crucified, because if He was indeed the King, Pilate would be out of a job. By giving into the people's demands that Christ be crucified, Pilate could "wash his hands" of the whole affair (Matthew 27:24-26) and justify himself that he "tried" to set Jesus free, but these people wouldn't allow it (just in case Caesar had something to say about it after the fact).

So, I guess I see this move by Pilate (ie--putting up this sign) as not so much an acknowledgement in faith, but rather an attempt to cover his own backside.

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Sterling Harmon
Coventry, CT
PCA
Deacon
________________

"Whatever is laudable in our works proceeds from the grace of God."
-- John Calvin, Institutes III:xv.3.

"Our Lord God must be a good man, to be fond of worthless fellows. I cannot like them, and yet I, myself, am one."
-- Martin Luther, Table Talk

I think he despised the jewish leaders but bowed to them. He knew he was doing wrong, so he felt a need to publicly wash his hands of it and try not to own it. He put up the sign to mock the Jews, but perhaps not to mock Jesus - though he was still complicit in his role. The soldiers mocked Jesus just becuase they were mean, they mocked everyone in their hands.

I think he was sympathetic to Jesus but feared man instead. His question, "What is truth" might have been a true question and not a sneering mock. Pilate had a long history of political troubles and he was trying to stay in control I believe without causing a major riot.

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

I agree with all the points as well. The whole "...what I've written I have written..." has the sense of a guy who's sick of these annoying Jewish leaders who just twisted his arm to execute the man and he's sort of ticked off like: "...you want him crucified and that's what he was convicted of so shut up!"

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Rich
Okinawa, Japan

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