John 18:33

33 Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

John 18:33 Meaning and Commentary

John 18:33

Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again
Where he went at first, but the Jews refusing to come in thither to him, he came out to them; and now they speaking out more plainly, that he was guilty of a crime deserving of death; as that he set up himself as a king, in opposition to Caesar, and taught the people not to pay tribute to him; he goes into the "praetorium" again, and called Jesus; beckoned, or sent for him; or ordered him to come in thither to him, that he might alone, and the more freely, converse with him; which Jesus did, paying no regard to the superstitious observances of the Jews: and said unto him, art thou the king of the Jews?
This he might say, from a rumour that was generally spread, that there was such a person to come, and was born; and by many it was thought, that Jesus was he; and particularly from the charge of the Jews against him, which though not here expressed, is elsewhere; see ( Luke 23:2 ) . Wherefore Pilate was the more solicitous about the matter, on account of Caesar, and lest he should be charged with dilatoriness and negligence in this affair: some read these words not by way of question, but affirmation, "thou art the king of the Jews"; which method he might make use of, the more easily to get it out of him, whether he was or not: and to this reading, Christ's answer in the next verse seems best to agree.

John 18:33 In-Context

31 “You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied.

32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.

33 Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

34 “Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”