If there’s one word John wants ringing in his readers ears throughout his account of Jesus’ arrest it’s this: innocence.
In case the story up to this point has not convinced readers of the perfectly holy and unimpeachable character of Jesus, John puts into the mouth of the Roman governor, no less than four times: “I find no basis for a charge.”
The most powerful man in the region found no legal basis for punishment, but there was a basis. It simply eluded him. It was a religious basis.
Nevertheless, once again the godless pagan in the biblical story is the one speaking truth: Jesus is innocent. He does not deserve what has happened to him, or what is about to happen to him.
Which only serves to underscore the shocking meekness of Jesus. As hard as it may be to comprehend, sometimes innocence knows that the wisest course of action in the face of evil is silence. Through silence true guilt is revealed.
