Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, Idumea, and Samaria from 26-36 AD, was appointed by Tiberius Caesar. It was a thankless and dangerous job. Rome expected its administrators to be successful in keeping law and order; collecting taxes; improving conditions (roads, water systems, public safety) and convincing the populace that Rome is their benefactor.
Pilate doesn't want trouble. He doesn't know (or want to know) the details and implications of Jewish belief and custom. He doesn't understand all the Jewish factions, or why they fight, or what about. He doesn't know who or how many people might care about this Jesus. What he cares about is keeping things quiet, and important people happy. Pilate is being threatened with a riot if he doesn't cooperate.
Jesus is being accused of forbidding people to pay their taxes and of calling Himself a king (over Caesar). If these charges were true, Pilate would not hesitate to kill the man. Nor would there be any repercussions for Pilate. But Pilate knows there is something fishy. Why would Jews accuse another Jew of crimes against Rome when every Jew would approve of these actions? Pilate knows the Jewish authorities want Jesus dead, but he doesn't know why. They aren't going to tell him the real reasons. That makes him wonder all the more.
Pilate then makes a strong appeal for the release of Jesus. But each effort he makes is rejected. If anybody had spoken for Jesus , what would have happened? We will never know. But partly, at least, Pilate is delaying, to see who will be offended if he does condemn Jesus. Nobody steps forward. Jesus is, in this hour, a man nobody cares about. We have to wonder, at this point, where all the friends and followers, and especially the twelve.... where have they gone?
From the book "The Believer's Road" by Bruce Van Blair. (Luke Twenty-Three)
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