John 19:8,9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;— When Pilate heard that Jesus called himself the Son of God, he was more perplexed than ever. Knowing the obstinacy of the Jews in all matters of religion, he was afraid they would make a tumult in earnest; and he might be the more reasonably alarmed on this head, as, since the beginning of his government, he had met with two remarkable instances of opposition to his authority; one, in anattempt which he made to bring the image of Caesar into Jerusalem; the other, in a design which he had formed of supplying the city with water at the expence of the sacred treasury of the temple. Or rather, the meaning of his uneasiness may be, that, when he heard this account of Jesus, he became more afraid than ever to take away his life, because he suspected it might be true. Perhaps the miracles of Christ which he had heard of, occurred to his reflection, and caused him to have some strong ideas that he was really the Son of God. Pilate therefore, resolving to act cautiously, went again into the judgment-hall, and said to Jesus, Whence art thou? Ποθεν ει συ ? that is, "Of what father art thou sprung? or, from what country art thou come?—Art thou from Olympus, the mansion of the gods, according to the Pagan notions?" But our blessed Lord, knowing that Pilate was no competent judge of this matter, and had forfeited his right to information about it, by so cruelly using him, while he believed him to be innocent, thought proper to make no reply to this unseasonable question.