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I. THE STARTLED INQUIRY — on the part of Pilate (ver. 9).

1. Its occasion —

(1)  Not the outcry of the Jews for Christ's death. Pilate had already twice resisted that.

(2)  Not the reminder that he, a governor, ought to respect their laws.

(3)  But the intimation that Christ had called Himself "The Son of God" (ver. 7).

2. Its motive —

(1)  Not idle curiosity or angry impatience. The situation was too solemn for the former, too critical for the latter.

(2)  Not horror at the supposed blasphemy. Pilate had not so high a religious consciousness.

(3)  Not alarm lest he should be accused to Tiberius. It had not come to that yet.

(4)  But semi-superstitious fear, lest Jesus, whose prefer-human greatness had impressed him, should after all be the offspring of some divinity — in which case it would be far from comfortable to him to fight against the gods.

3. Its import —

(1)  Not to what country dost thou belong? Pilate knew this.

(2)  But of what race art Thou? human or divine? Next to "Is there a God?" the greatest question of the day.

II. MYSTERIOUS SILENCE — On the part of Christ (ver. 9).

1. Predicted (Isaiah 53:7).

2. Becoming. The question was —

(1)  Irrelevant. The problem before Pilate was that of Christ's guilt or innocence, not of His origin.

(2)  Unnecessary. Pilate had evidence enough, and had already decided that Jesus was without crime.

(3)  Insincere Pilate was not prepared to accept the answer Christ might give. He had not done so on a former occasion (John 18:38).

(4)  Too late. Pilate was not likely now to be able to extricate himself from the net in which he had been taken.

3. Eloquent — more significant than speech it proclaimed His Divine origin.

4. Perplexing. Pilate could not understand Him.

III. ANGRY REMONSTRANCE — On the part of Pilate (ver. 10).

1. Offended dignity. Pilate had marvelled greatly at his prisoner's taciturnity when the mob first gnashed their teeth at Him (Matthew 27:14); but was not he the embodiment of imperial authority, "To me dost Thou not speak?" putting ruffled pride and mortified vanity into his tones. Men whose causes and arguments are weak generally take shelter behind their self importance. Men commonly stand on their dignity when they have nothing else to stand on.

2. Mean intimidation. The vicegerent of Rome could not resist telling his prisoner that His life and death were in his hands! It was the speech of a small dignitary who was a great coward.

3. Mistaken assumption. Unjust judges and persecutors have often since supposed that they held the life of Christ's followers and Christ's cause: but they have erred as Pilate did.

IV. DIGNIFIED CORRECTION — on the part of Christ (ver. 11).

1. Pride rebuked. Pilate conceived of himself as a sort of deus minor invested with at least a delegated omnipotence: Christ tells Him that both he and Caesar were simply instruments by which God worked, and in particular that he had no power over Him except as the temporary holder of the magisterial office; and that it was owing to that circumstance entirely that he had anything to do with the case.

2. Error corrected. Whatever part Pilate had to play in this momentous drama and whatever authority he had to wield, he held it not from Caesar, who himself was a vassal of the King of kings, but from above (Romans 13:1; Proverbs 8:15). Hence the exercise of that power was determined not by such an accident as the answer that might be extracted from Christ. A great and illuminating thought for Pilate.

3. Sin qualified. Pilate and his prisoner have changed places. Pilates sin was great — against evidence, conscience, heaven's warning, and Christ could say nothing to underestimate these. Only He closes not the door of hope. In the transaction there had been a greater sinner — Caiaphas. In comparison with Pilate's guilt that of the High Priest was as a mountain to a feather, an ocean to a stream. Lessons:

1. The judicial blindness into which an unbelieving soul may fall (2 Corinthians 3:4) — exemplified in the Jewish nation and the priests.

2. The paralysing fear of a guilty conscience (Job 18:11) — illustrated in Pilate.

3. The real reason why the Jews rejected Christ — He was not the sort of Messiah they wanted (1 Corinthians 1:23).

4. The dignified reticence with which heaven treats men's demands for more evidence — enough having been provided to enable all in earnest to decide the attitude they shall assume towards Christ (Luke 16:29, 31).

5. The insufferable vanity which official dignity not unfrequently inspires in small souls.

6. The necessity of remembering that the source of all power and authority is God — to whom therefore all must eventually render account (Romans 14:12).

7. The different degrees of culpability attaching to different sins (Matthew 11:22, 24; Luke 12:47).

8. The duty of keeping silence (James 1:19).

(T. Whitelaw, D. D.)

He was the more afraid. — Pilate's fear: —

I. OF THE PEOPLE.

II. OF THE EMPEROR.

III. OF THE PRISONER.

(S. S. Times.)

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

WEB: When therefore Pilate heard this saying, he was more afraid.