Pilate was the final legal authority in Israel. But he was accountable to the Emperor in Rome. The records of whatever he decided could also be used to accuse him. Already he had made some unwise decisions and Rome was watching him. So when the religious leaders brought Jesus to Pilate, he knew that he must follow the proper processes of Roman law and therefore asked what crime Jesus had committed.
 
Of course Jesus has done nothing wrong and so the Jews could only demand His execution on the basis of no evidence. This was not a legal request but, as they had no power to execute anyone, they pressured the Roman Governor who was the only person who could authorise capital punishment. It was wrong in every respect. Their confused legal submission simply showed that they had no argument against Jesus except the anger in their hearts which refused to let Him rule over them.
 
Anger leads to confusion. Anger is not logical, but seeks any means, however corrupt, to destroy whatever or whoever stands in the way, and does so in an irrational way. Wrong desires and anger against those who stand in the way will always cloud the mind and prevent people thinking clearly about what is right. The trigger is an intense desire to remove God’s righteousness from our horizon – because we know that He stands between us and what we want. Allowing that emotion and failing to resolve the confusion is very dangerous and destructive. The only right way ahead is repentance. Admit, confess, submit and you will receive forgiveness, peace of heart and a renewed mind.