The opening words of this passage are the first of Pilate's three declarations that Jesus is innocent.
In the words of one Scripture scholar, "Pilate has enough sagacity to see through their duplicity, but not enough character to abide by his own judgment. Three times he declares Jesus innocent, but three times is twice too many."
We are watching the decline and fall of Pilate. Historical records show he was not a good person. Now his path crosses the path of Jesus - it seems by chance. Maybe this was his chance to turn his life around ... to reach down inside himself and connect with the goodness that God has embedded in the bones of every human being. Maybe this protest of Jesus' innocence was the flicker of an attempt to turn from evil to good. Maybe.
But later, when faced with the crowd's demands, Pilate will snuff out this flicker of goodness and condemn to death the man he knows to be innocent.
The Lord will cross your path today in the person of many people. May there be in you more than just a passing flicker of goodness.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw