John 19:19-22 19And Pilate also wrote a notice and put it on the cross. And it read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20Then many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘That man said, I am King of the Jews.’ ” 22Pilate answered, “I have written what I have written.”
It was typical for Romans to put the crime of the victime on a placard and post it on the cross above the victim’s head or perhaps hand it around the person’s neck. Pilate likely did not write it himself, though it is possible, but more likely had those in charge of the crucifixion prepare it for the soldiers to post. The sign gave Jesus’ identity as his name and place of origin and the accustion against him. It was written in the three common languages of the time. Aramaic was the local language of the Jews, a cousin of Hebrew influenced by the Babylonians and Persians. Latin was the language of Rome. Greek was the common international language across the Roman Empire adopted since the time of Alexander’s conquests. Basically, just about any visitor to Jerusalem could read what it said.
The sign is revealing about the situation for several reasons. First, it served as a witness to everyone why Jesus was crucified. The official reason, according to the Roman governor, was that Jesus was accused of sedition against Rome. There was only one king, and that was Caesar. What finally convinced Pilate to have Jesus crucified was when the Jews accused Pilate of accepting another king and not being loyal to Caesar. Second, Pilate could have been further mocking the Jews by saying that he was crucifying their king. Third, it shows how deep the Jews had dug their hole of rejecting the Messiah. The point comes out especially in verse 21. The Synoptic Gospels do not record the controversy caused by Pilate’s sign over Jesus’ head, but this verse fits well with the theme of the Jews’ rejection of Jesus found throughout John’s Gospel. The chief priests wanted to edit the sign so that the words showed that Jesus claimed this about himself and not that it was the truth. By leaving the words as Pilate wrote them, it made them true. If Rome said something was true, it was true.
Although Pilate may have put the sign as a jest to the Jews, his verdict was true and fulfilled God’s plan. All who saw Jesus on the cross and read the sign knew why Jesus was there. The big question for them and for all who read John is whether we accept the truth of the sign’s claim. Will we be like Pilate in mockery of the whole situation, or like the Jews who were so hardened in their hatred and rejection that they missed their own Messiah, or accept in faith that Jesus was indeed the promised King of kings who died for the sins of the world? Pilate may have the matter all finished, but death could not hold Jesus.
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