Jesus and His final hours part 4.
Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
When Jesus stood trial before the Sanhedrin, the court broke up when the mob condemned Jesus as guilty and deserving death. At this point Caiaphas turned the Savior over to the mob. We can only imagine Christ's sufferings at their hands. Before daybreak the religious authorities brought Him to Pilate, the Roman governor, who demanded to know the charges against him. Since blasephemy was purely a religious matter and did not satisfy the Roman official, Christ's opponents raised the charge of treason. They charged Him with perveting the nation, claiming to be king, and forbidding others to pay tribute to caesar - each a deliberate untruth.
Learning that Jesus was a Galilean, Pilate took advantage of thee fact and turned Jesus over to Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Pilate and Herod had been enemies, but the death of Jesus led them to become friends (Luke 23:12). Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. The roman official could not get rid of the prisoner as easily as he had hoped. Again the crowd surged before him, demanding crucifixion. In the middle of it all, he received a message from his wife relating a dream and warning, "have nothing to do with that just man" (Matthew 27:19, NKJV)
Pilate was convinced of the innocence of Jesus. Since it was the custom to pardon a prisoner to the people at the time of the Passover, he offered to release Jesus. But the mob chose Barabbas the murderer instead and demanded Jesus' crucifixion. The roman official gave up his attempt to saved Jesus and symbolically washed his hands of it all. He was not strong enough to resist the chant of the crowd: if you let Jesus go, you are not caesers friend. That was a dangerous talk, and Pilate knew it. He could not just and save his position.
He had Jesus scourged, brought Him bleeding before the crowed, and "delivered Him to be crucified" (verse 26) Jesus was handed over because of our sins, as our substitute. He died for us, erasing the account we never could pay. There was no other way for us to be saved. His atoning death brings us eternal life.