The Meaning of John 19:8 Explained

John 19:8

KJV: When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

YLT: When, therefore, Pilate heard this word, he was the more afraid,

Darby: When Pilate therefore heard this word, he was the rather afraid,

ASV: When Pilate therefore heard this saying, he was the more afraid;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When  Pilate  therefore  heard  that  saying,  he was  the more  afraid; 

What does John 19:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

John did not say specifically that Pilate was fearful before this verse. It seems obvious, however, that the predicament in which he found himself would have given him reason to fear. He had compromised his position as Rome"s representative by considering freeing a convicted insurrectionist named Barabbas. He had displeased the Jewish rulers by failing to hand down a guilty verdict, and he had alienated many of the Jewish people by abusing and ridiculing one of their popular heroes.
The Romans viewed certain people as demigods. They believed that their gods were super-humans. Pilate evidently understood Jesus" claim to being God"s Son as a claim to being one of these creatures who wielded supernatural powers. If He had heard much about Jesus, He would have heard that Jesus had powers that the Greeks and Romans attributed to these divine beings. Consequently he may have begun now to fear that Jesus would take some type of revenge on him for the unjust treatment that Pilate had given Him (cf. Matthew 27:19). Jesus" uncommon poise probably unnerved Pilate further.
"In pagan mythology the Olympian deities frequently consorted with men and women, and their semi-divine offspring, such as Hercules, had appeared on the earth and performed miraculous deeds. Hardened as he was, Pilate feared lest he should offend one of these visitors.... If Jesus really was a supernatural being, Pilate did not wish to be responsible for mistreating him. Divine judgment would certainly be the inevitable consequence." [1]

Context Summary

John 19:1-9 - Jesus Endures Contempt
Pilate was convinced of our Lord's innocence, and he adopted several expedients to save His life; he did everything, indeed, except to act with absolute justice and discharge the case. If he had promptly and firmly refused to be a party to the unrighteous act to which the Jewish leaders were goading him, before they could further inflame the popular sentiment, the whole matter would have come to an end. But he let the golden moment slip, and every succeeding hour made it more impossible to retrieve it. The proposal to chastise Jesus; the endeavor to induce the people to ask for Him rather than Barabbas; the scourging as an appeal to their pity-all such expedients failed to turn them from their purpose. The governor became more and more afraid. Whence art thou? Of human birth or more? Our Lord's silence was His answer. Had He been only of earth, He would never have let Pilate suppose that He might be of heaven. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 19

1  Jesus is scourged, crowned with thorns, and beaten
4  Pilate is desirous to release him,
15  but being overcome with the outrage of the crowd, he delivers him to be crucified
23  They cast lots for his garments
25  He commends his mother to John
28  He dies
31  His side is pierced
38  He is buried by Joseph and Nicodemus

Greek Commentary for John 19:8

He was the more afraid [μαλλον εποβητη]
First aorist passive indicative of ποβεομαι — phobeomai He was already afraid because of his wife‘s message (Matthew 27:19). The claim of Jesus to deity excited Pilate‘s superstitious fears. [source]
The more afraid []
“These words of the Jews produced an effect on Pilate for which they were not prepared. The saying gives strength to a dreadful presentiment which was gradually forming within him. All that he had heard related of the miracles of Jesus, the mysterious character of His person, of His words and of His conduct, the strange message which he had just received from his wife - all is suddenly explained by the term “Son of God.” Was this extraordinary man truly a divine being who had appeared on the earth? The truth naturally presents itself to his mind in the form of pagan superstitions and mythological legends” (Godet). [source]

What do the individual words in John 19:8 mean?

When therefore heard - Pilate this - word [the] more he was afraid
Ὅτε οὖν ἤκουσεν Πιλᾶτος τοῦτον τὸν λόγον μᾶλλον ἐφοβήθη

ἤκουσεν  heard 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Πιλᾶτος  Pilate 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Πειλᾶτος 
Sense: the sixth Roman procurator of Judah and Samaria who ordered Christ to be crucified.
τοῦτον  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λόγον  word 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
μᾶλλον  [the]  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μᾶλλον  
Sense: more, to a greater degree, rather.
ἐφοβήθη  he  was  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).

What are the major concepts related to John 19:8?

Loading Information...