Juan 19:12

12 Desde entonces procuraba Pilato soltarle; mas los Judíos daban voces, diciendo: Si a éste sueltas, no eres amigo de César; cualquiera que se hace rey, a César contradice

Juan 19:12 Meaning and Commentary

John 19:12

And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him
From the time that Christ spoke the above words; or, as the Syriac version renders it, (adh lwjm) , "because of this", or on account of the words he had spoken; to which agree the Arabic and Ethiopic versions: he sought by all means, and studied every way to bring the Jews to agree to his release: his reasons were, because of the consciousness of guilt, and the danger of contracting more; the sense he might have of a Divine Being, to whom he was accountable for the exercise of his power; his suspicion that Jesus was the Son of God, or that he was more than a man; for he perceived that power went along with his words, by the effect they had on him: but though he sought to release him, he did not do it, nor use the power he boasted he had; the reason in himself was, he was desirous, that the Jews would concur with him; the secret one in providence was, God would not have it so; and yet things must be carried to this pitch, that it might appear that Christ suffered not for his own sins, but ours, and that he suffered willingly:

but the Jews cried out, saying, if thou let this man go, thou art
not Caesar's friend.
These were the chief priests, Scribes, and elders of the people, more especially, and by whom, the common people were stirred up to request his crucifixion: these still made a greater outcry, and in a more clamorous way urged, that should he be released, Pilate would show but little regard to Caesar, by whom he was raised to this dignity; who had put him into this trust; whom he represented, and in whose name he acted. This was a piece of craftiness in them, for nothing could more nearly affect Pilate, than an insinuation of want of friendship and fidelity to Tiberius, who was then Caesar, or emperor; and also, it was an instance of great hypocrisy in them, to pretend a regard to Caesar, when they scrupled paying tribute to him, and would have been glad, at any rate, to have been free from his yoke and government; and is a very spiteful hint, and carries in it a sort of threatening to Pilate, as if they would bring a charge against him to Caesar, should he let Jesus go with his life, whom they in a contemptuous manner call "this man": adding,

whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar;
returning to their former charge of sedition, finding that that of blasphemy had not its effect: their reasoning is very fallacious, and mere sophistry; for though it might be allowed that whoever set up himself as a temporal king in any of Caesar's dominions, must be an enemy of his, a rebel against him; and such a declaration might be truly interpreted as high treason; yet Christ did not give out that he was such a king, but, on the contrary, that his kingdom was not of this world, and therefore did not assume to himself any part of Caesar's dominions and government; and though the Jews would have took him by force, and made him a king, he refused it, and got out of their hands.

Juan 19:12 In-Context

10 Entonces le dice Pilato: ¿A mí no me hablas? ¿No sabes que tengo potestad para colgarte de un madero, y que tengo potestad para soltarte

11 Respondió Jesús: Ninguna potestad tendrías contra mí, si no te fuera dada de arriba; por tanto, el que a ti me ha entregado, mayor pecado tiene

12 Desde entonces procuraba Pilato soltarle; mas los Judíos daban voces, diciendo: Si a éste sueltas, no eres amigo de César; cualquiera que se hace rey, a César contradice

13 Entonces Pilato, oyendo este dicho, llevó fuera a Jesús, y se sentó en el tribunal en el lugar que se dice el Enlosado, y en hebreo Gábata

14 Y era la víspera de la Pascua, y como la hora sexta. Entonces dijo a los Judíos: He aquí vuestro Rey