Very early in tha morning on tha day of Preparation of tha Passover tha whole Sanhedrin, which be tha chief priests, elders, Pharisees, and teachers of tha law, come ter a decision ’bout tha Son and that decision be this: they bound and turned him over ter Pilate ter be killed.

Knowing it was out of envy that tha chief priests had brought tha Son ter him, Pilate asked, “What shall I do with tha one you call king of the Jews?”

“Crucify him!” they shouted.

“But why? What crime has he committed? What charges are you bringing against this man?”

“If he were not a criminal we would not have handed him over to you.”

Think on that a wee little bit: This rabble be arguing that tha Son deserves ter die ’cause they say so. Why I dare say whar any of us ter try ‘n tell that ter a judge fer a reason why some feller ought ter be killed we might find ourselves held in contempt and tossed in tha brig.

“Crucify him!” they shouted all tha louder.

Pilate replied, “You take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“We have no right to execute anyone,” they shouted. “Besides, we have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.”

Pilate then went back inside his palace and summoned tha Son ter appear be fer him. “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Tha Son replied, “Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?”

Most likely tha Son realized he be caught in tha middle of a struggle between tha Sanhedrin, who had no authority ter execute him, and Pilate who had all earthly authority. This be why tha Son asks who’s question it be. If it be Pilate’s own idear ter ask about tha Son’s kingship, well then that be a political matter and Pilate might be thinking tha Son whar looking ter commit treason and overthrow him. If it be tha Jewish ruler’s question, then Pilate be asking tha Son if he be tha Messiah.

Pilate replied, “Am I a Jew? It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done to make them want you dead?”

Tha Son answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“Ha! So you are a king!” said Pilate.

“You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this reason I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

“Eh, what is truth?” Pilate asked. And with that he went out ter tha Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.”

“But he stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching,” they yelled back. “He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

When Pilate heard this he no doubt breathed easier fer that meant tha Son be under Herod’s jurisdiction. Only a short time earlier Pilate’s wife had sent him a message: “Do not have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” So off ter King Herod’s Jerusalem home tha Son trudged, bound hand and foot and guarded by soldiers.

When Herod seen tha Son, he be greatly pleased, ’cause fer a long time he be wanting ter see tha Son perform a sign or miracle of some sort. Herod piled on question after question, but tha Son said nothing. Meanwhile tha chief priests and tha teachers of tha law accused him of all manner of atrocities. After such a tongue-lashing Herod’s soldiers ridiculed and mocked him, dressed him in an elegant robe, and sent him back ter Pilate.

Fer tha third time Pilate addressed tha rabble of trouble-makers. “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”

“Crucify him! Crucify him!” folks yelled.

Wanting ter satisfy tha crowd, Pilate called together a whole company of soldiers ter lead tha Son in ter tha palace ter be flogged and beaten. Now back in tha day, three or four squads of around 20 to 50 soldiers made up a platoon. Two or more platoons made up a company. So thar might ‘ave been anywhars from 100 to 250 soldiers guarding and beating and flogging tha Son.

Tha soldiers put a purple robe on him, twisted together a crown of thorns, and pressed them barbs in ter his scalp. Falling ter thar knees, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they punched him in tha face, hit him on tha head with a staff, and spat on him.

Once more Pilate came out and said ter tha mob, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When tha Son came out wearing tha crown of thorns and tha purple robe, his face brused and bloody and flesh peeled off his back, Pilate announced, “Here is the man!”

As soon as tha chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

Tha Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law, because he claimed to be the Son of God, he must die.”

When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside tha palace. “Where do you come from?” But tha Son gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Tha Son answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

From then on, Pilate tried to set tha Son free, but tha Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

When Pilate heard this, he seen he whar trapped. He brought Jesus out and sat down on tha judge’s seat at a place known as tha Stone Pavement. Being that it was tha day of Preparation of tha Passover and about noon, he said ter tha Jews, “Here is your king.”

They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?”

“We have no king but Caesar,” tha chief priests answered.

When Pilate seen that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of tha crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility!”

All tha people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

At this Pilate had tha soldiers take off tha purple robe and put tha Son’s own clothes back on him. Then tha company of soldiers led him out ter crucify him.