Jhn 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Jhn 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all
men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
Jhn 11:49 And one of them,
named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
Jhn 11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
Jhn 11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
Jhn 11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Jhn 11:53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
They tried unsuccesfully to kill Jesus. They tried to stone him.
Jhn 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Jhn 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify
him, crucify
him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify
him: for I find no fault in him.
Jhn 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
Jhn 19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
Jhn 19:13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
Jhn 19:14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
Jhn 19:15 But they cried out, Away with
him, away with
him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
Pilate wasn't obligated under the Jews law to kill Jesus just because they didn't agree with who Jesus claimed to be.
So they came at Pilate through his office. If you let him go, then your no friend of Caesar.
This is blackmail. They were actually threatening Pilate to do their bidding or they may tell Caesar that Pilate was placing Jesus above Caesar.
Even Pilate tried to persuade them that Jesus was the King of the Jews, but they denied him say Caesar was their king.
Definately a political power struggle going on here. Who knows what the Jews may have told Caesar to get Pilate taken out of office for not doing as they said.
Forced, Coerced, blackmailed...
They had it in their heart from the beginning to have him killed, one way or another.
But God had a plan.
those my thoughts.
Hugs