John 18:33

John 18:33. Pilate therefore entered again into the palace, and called Jesus, and said unto him. Art thou the King of the Jews? The emphasis of the question is remarkable. The word ‘thou' stands in the original at the head of the sentence, as if Pilate would say: ‘Thou, thou so humbled, despised, handed over to me as a malefactor, art thou the King of the Jews?' Pilate may not embrace the idea, but he at least thinks the question worthy of being asked. We may notice already that grouping of his materials by which the Evangelist would impress on us the folly as well as the sin of the Jews. Boasting of their superiority to the heathen governor, looking upon him as a ‘sinner' and reprobate, they yet at this moment fall behind him in spiritual vision. They treat the claim of royal dignity on the part of Jesus as blasphemy. Pilate asks, ‘Can it be true?' The charge leading to the question, omitted by John as not necessary to his purpose, is given in Luke 23:2.