John 19:19

Title [τ ι τ λ ο ν]. Only here and ver. 20, in the New Testament. John uses the technical Roman term titulus, a placard or notice. Used for a bill or notice of sale affixed to a house. Thus Ovid, of a heartless creditor : "She sent our household goods under the placard [σ υ β - τ ι τ υ λ υ μ] ;" i e., put the house and furniture up for sale (" Remedia Amoris, " 302). Meaning also the title of a book; an epitaph. Matthew has aijtian, accusation; Mark, ejpigrafh thv aijtiav superscription of the accusation; Luke, ejpigrafh superscription. John alone mentions the fact that Pilate wrote the inscription.

Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. The wording of the title is differently given by each Evangelist.

Matthew : This is Jesus the King of the Jews.

Mark : The King of the Jews.

Luke : This is the King of the Jews.

John : Jesus the Nazarene the King of the Jews.

The essential element of the superscription, King of the Jews, is common to all. It expressed, on its face, the main intent of Pilate, which was to cast contempt on the Jews. "In the sense of the man Pilate, it meant : Jesus, the King of the Jewish fanatics, crucified in the midst of Jews, who should all be thus executed. In the sense of the Jews : Jesus, the seditionary, the King of the rebels. In the sense of the political judge : Jesus, for whose accusation the Jews, with their ambiguous accusation, may answer. In the sense of the divine irony which ruled over the expression : Jesus, the Messiah, by the crucifixion become in very truth the King of the people of God" (Lange).