4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. (John 19:4-6 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, 1. The great variety of our Saviour’s sufferings: he is made the foot-ball of all cruelty and scorn; his sacred body is stript of his garments, and his back disguised with purple robes; his tender temples wounded with a thorny crown; his face spit upon, his cheeks buffeted, his head smitten, his hand sceptred with a reed. By his wearing a crown of thorns, he took away the bitterness of that curse which our sins brought upon the earth. Thorns and briars shall it bring forth. Genesis 3:18. Christ by his bitter and bloody suffering, has turned all the curses of his people into crowns and blessings.
Observe, 2. The noble testimony given of Christ’s innocency, by the mouth of Pilate: I find in him no fault at all. He doth not say, I find him not guilty of what is laid to his charge; but gives and universal testimony of our Lord’s innocency: I find no fault at all in him. In spite of all malice, innocency shall find some friends and abetors. Rather than Christ shall want witnesses, Pilate’s mouth was open for his justification: how fain would he have freed Jesus, whom he found fautless! Our Lord found more compassion from Pilate, a heathen, than he did from them of his own nation. Pilate would have saved him, but they cry out for his blood. Hypocrites within the visible church may be guilty of such monstrous acts of wickedness, as the consciences of heathens without the church may boggle at, and protest against. Pilate, a pagan, pronounces Christ innocent; whilst the hypocritical Jews, who had heard his doctrine and seen his miracles, do condemn him.
Observe, 3. Who influenced the main body of the Jews to desire Pilate to put Jesus to death; it was the chief priests and elders: They persuaded the multitude. Woe be to the common people, when their guides and leaders are corrupt; and woe be unto them much more, if they follow their wicked and pernicious counsels. The Jews here followed their guides, the chief priests; but it was their own destruction, as well as their leaders: when the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch.