John 19:8
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
Original Language Analysis
οὖν
therefore
G3767
οὖν
therefore
Strong's:
G3767
Word #:
2 of 10
(adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
λόγον
saying
G3056
λόγον
saying
Strong's:
G3056
Word #:
8 of 10
something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a
Historical Context
Roman literature contains many accounts of the gods appearing in human form (Ovid's Metamorphoses, Acts 14:11-12). Pilate, as a Roman governor in the eastern provinces, would have been steeped in such stories. His wife's dream and now this claim to divine sonship would have triggered genuine fear of offending an unknown deity—yet not enough to overcome political calculation.
Questions for Reflection
- What is the difference between fearing God and fearing God's judgment?
- How does self-interested fear of divine retribution differ from godly fear that produces repentance?
- When has political pressure or social consequence paralyzed you between truth and expediency?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
He was the more afraid (μᾶλλον ἐφοβήθη/mallon ephobēthē)—Pilate's fear intensifies. Having already felt his wife's warning about 'that righteous man' (Matthew 27:19), now the explicit claim of divine sonship unnerves him. The Greek mallon (more, increasingly) suggests mounting terror.
Roman paganism was filled with stories of gods visiting earth in human form. The notion that this bloodied, thorn-crowned prisoner might be divine sent terror through Pilate's superstitious mind. Yet his fear was self-focused—concern for divine retribution, not awe before holiness. He feared punishment, not sin. Fear that doesn't produce repentance leaves one paralyzed between truth and expediency, exactly where Pilate finds himself.