man condemnation.

"And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting
the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he
himself is Christ a King."[1281] It is important to note that no
accusation of blasphemy was made to Pilate; had such been presented, the
governor, thoroughly pagan in heart and mind, would probably have
dismissed the charge as utterly unworthy of a hearing; for Rome with her
many gods, whose number was being steadily increased by current heathen
deification of mortals, knew no such offense as blasphemy in the Jewish
sense. The accusing Sanhedrists hesitated not to substitute for
blasphemy, which was the greatest crime known to the Hebrew code, the
charge of high treason, which was the gravest offense listed in the
Roman category of crimes. To the vociferous accusations of the chief
priests and elders, the calm and dignified Christ deigned no reply. To
them He had spoken for the last time--until the appointed season of
another trial, in which He shall be the Judge, and they the prisoners at
the bar.

Pilate was surprized at the submissive yet majestic demeanor of Jesus;
there was certainly much that was kingly about the Man; never before had
such a One stood before him. The charge, however, was a serious one; men
who claimed title to kingship might prove dangerous to Rome; yet to the
charge the Accused answered nothing. Entering the judgment hall, Pilate
had Jesus called.[1282] That some of the disciples, and among them
almost certainly John, also went in, is apparent from the detailed
accounts of the proceedings preserved in the fourth Gospel. Anyone was
at liberty to enter, for publicity was an actual and a widely proclaimed
feature of Roman trials.

Pilate, plainly without animosity or prejudice against Jesus, asked:
"Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this
thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?" The Lord's
counter-question, as Pilate's rejoinder shows, meant, and was understood
to mean, as we might state it: Do you ask this in the Roman and literal
sense--as to whether I am a king of an earthly kingdom--or with the
Jewish and more spiritual meaning? A direct answer "Yes" would have been
true in the Messianic sense, but untrue in the worldly signification;
and "No" could have been inversely construed as true or untrue. "Pilate
answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have
delivered thee unto me: wh