As we saw, the charge levelled at Jesus before the Jewish council was blasphemy. Now as the case is taken to the Roman prefect, it is high treason against the state. Jesus, it was alleged, claimed to be “king of the Jews”; and that title was one that Pilate was bound to take notice of, given the sensitivities of the Jewish authorities and the liability of rebellion against Rome to break out at the least pretext. Yet Pilate was caught in a delicate situation. His own position