Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

After the Jewish authorities arrested Jesus, and brought him before the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, they wanted to make an accusation against Him that under Roman law would make Jesus subject to the death penalty, since only the Roman government had the power of capital punishment. They therefore accused Jesus of claiming to be a king, which would have amounted to committing treason against the Roman emperor. (They also did this for political reasons in order to involve Pilate personally in the process of putting Jesus to death.)

Pilate therefore summoned Jesus before him and asked Him whether He was the king of the Jews. Jesus responded by asking Pilate whether he was speaking of the term "king" in the sense of an earthly ruler (and thus a threat to Rome) of Pilate's own accord, or whether Pilate was applying a title to Jesus that Pilate had heard from others. When Pilate clarified that Jesus' own people (the Jews) were calling Him a king, Jesus responded that He was, in fact a king, but not in the sense of an earthly political ruler. Instead, His kingdom was a spiritual one that received its authority from God in heaven in order to make it possible for believers to have eternal life. As evidence of this, Jesus also pointed out that, if He was claiming to be an earthly king, His supporters would have fought to prevent His arrest. He further clarified that the purpose of His life had been to bear witness to the truth, leading Pilate to ask the question, "What is truth?"

(The following website contains a detailed discussion of the differing legal aspects pertaining to Jesus' crucifixion, compared to the later stoning of Stephen, as described in Acts 7, where the Roman government was not involved:

https://www.gotquestions.org/stoning-of-Stephen.html.)

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