Influence and discipleship

While Pilate “was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him’.  Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed” (NRSV, Matthew 27:19,20)

By arresting Jesus under the cover of darkness the chief priests not only avoided the risk of a public disturbance but also ensured that only a few people knew what had happened.  In consequence, when the trial before Pilate began about six o’clock on Good Friday morning, Our Lord’s supporters who had so enthusiastically escorted him into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, were unaware of what was afoot.

Pilate normally resided at his official residence in Caesarea, the coastal town which was the Roman administrative capital of the Province of Judea.  He had come up to Jerusalem so as to be on the spot to take personal command of the Roman garrison in case the Passover crowds got out of hand, and he was staying with his wife at the Castle of Antonia where the garrison was quartered.