Jesus is condemned by Pilate

Consummatum est. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

Our Lenten meditations continue with posts taken from a Simple Exposition of the Circumstances of the Passion of Jesus Christ (1761) by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori.

I have inserted references in the text to numbered footnotes. These references are not hyperlinked but may be found by scrolling to the end of the relevant paragraph.

Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt. Tecum tutus semper sum.
Ad Jesum per Mariam.

This grace I ask of thee to-day: obtain for me a continual remembrance of the passion of Jesus, and of thine also, and a tender devotion to them.

Jesus is condemned by Pilate

Pilate washes his hands. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum

Then, therefore, he delivered Him to them to be crucified.[1] Behold how Pilate, after having so often declared the innocence of Jesus, declares it again by washing his hands, and protesting that he is innocent of the blood of that just man, and that, should he die, the Jews must render an account of his death. Pilate . . . taking water, washed his hands before the people, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man: look you to it. [2] He then pronounces the sentence, and condemns Jesus to death.


O injustice no longer known in the world! A judge condemns the accused, and at the same time declares him innocent! St. Luke says that Pilate delivered Jesus into the hands of the Jews, that they might treat him as they pleased. Jesus was delivered up to their will.[3]



[1] [16] Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him forth.
Tunc ergo tradidit eis illum ut crucifigeretur. Susceperunt autem Jesum, et eduxerunt. [John 19]

[2]  [24] And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made; taking water washed his hands before the people, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man; look you to it.
Videns autem Pilatus quia nihil proficeret, sed magis tumultus fieret : accepta aqua, lavit manus coram populo, dicens : Innocens ego sum a sanguine justi hujus : vos videritis. [Matt 27]

[3] [25] And he released unto them him who for murder and sedition, had been cast into prison, whom they had desired; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
Dimisit autem illis eum qui propter homicidium et seditionem missus fuerat in carcerem, quem petebant : Jesum vero tradidit voluntati eorum. [Luke 23]

This is what really happens when an innocent man is condemned. He is given over to the hands of his enemies, that they may take away his life by the death which is most pleasing to them. Unhappy Jews! you then said. His blood be upon us and upon our children.[4] You have prayed for the chastisement; it has already come. Your nation bears, and shall bear to the end of the world, the punishment due to the shedding of that innocent blood.

[4] [25] And the whole people answering, said: His blood be upon us and our children.
Et respondens universus populus, dixit : Sanguis ejus super nos, et super filios nostros. [Matt 27]

Jesus is condemned to death. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

Behold the unjust sentence of death is read in the presence of our condemned Lord.

He listens to it, and, with entire resignation to the just decree of his Eternal Father, who condemns him to the cross, he humbly accepts it, not for the crimes falsely imputed to him by the Jews, but in atonement for our real sins, for which he offered to make satisfaction by his death.

Pilate says on earth, Let Jesus die. And the Eternal Father from heaven confirms the sentence, saying, Let my Son die. The Son himself answers, Here I am; I obey; I accept death, and the death of the cross. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.[5]

[5] [8] He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.
Humiliavit semetipsum factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. [Phil 2]

My beloved Redeemer, Thou dost accept the death due to me, and by Thy death dost obtain life for me. I thank Thee for it, O my love, and I hope to go one day to praise Thy mercies forever in heaven: The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever.[6] But since Thou, an innocent, dost accept the death of the cross, I, a sinner, cheerfully accept the death Thou dost appoint for me, and I accept it with all the pains that shall accompany it; and from this moment I offer it to Thy Eternal Father, in union with Thy holy death. Thou hast died for the love of me; I wish to die for the love of Thee. Ah, through the merits of Thy bitter death, grant me, O my Jesus, the happy lot of dying in Thy grace, and burning with Thy holy love.

[6] [2] The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.
Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo; in generationem et generationem annuntiabo veritatem tuam in ore meo. [Ps 88]