The Character of Pilate
John 18:28-32
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall…


Pilate was a thorough and complete type of the later-Roman man of the world. Stern, but not relentless — shrewd and world-worn — prompt and practical — haughtily just — and yet, as the early writers correctly observed, self seeking and cowardly — able to perceive what was right, but without moral strength to follow it out — the Procurator of Judaea stands forth a sad and terrible instance of a man whom the fear of endangered self-interest drove not only to act against the deliberate convictions of his heart and conscience, but further to commit an act of cruelty and injustice, even after those convictions had been deepened by warnings and strengthened by presentiment.

(Bp. Ellicott.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

WEB: They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn't enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.




Superstitious Scrupulousness
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