Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgement: and it was early, and they themselves went not into the judgement hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. (29) Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? (30) They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. (31) Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: (32) That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. (33) Then Pilate entered into the judgement hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? (34) Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? (35) Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? (36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (37) Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. (38) Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? and when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. (39) But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (40) Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
It appears from the earliness which is here spoken of in hurrying away Jesus to the hall of Pilate, that the Sanhedrim must have sat up all night. Oh! with what blood-thirstiness did those men hunt after the death of Jesus? Reader! do not fail to observe, amidst the misgivings, fears, and alarms of those wretched characters, both Jews and Gentiles, how sweet the testimony Jesus gave to his person and character. Art thou a King? saith Pilate to him. Thou sayest that; (said Christ), I am a King. But not of this world, though in this world; here in grace, hereafter in glory. Oh? sweet and blessed assurance from the lips of truth. And, as the Lord here said, he bears witness to the truth, for he himself is truth. John 11:6
And, Reader, do not overlook the spiritual instruction which ariseth out of the Jews' preference of a robber to Jesus. You and I have robbed God of his glory, and our souls of happiness: and yet how are we released at the Passover, when Christ, our Passover, hath been sacrificed for us, while Christ is by wicked hands crucified and slain? Oh! thou Lamb of God! truly thou hast borne our sins, and carried our sorrows! And how often have thy people preferred sin and vanity, as those Jews did Barabbas of old, before thee, the Lord of life and glory.