Pilate was the final legal authority in Israel.  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.  He demanded to know what crime Jesus had committed.
 
Of course, Jesus had done nothing wrong.  The Jews had no evidence to demand His execution.  This was not a legal request – it was the community patrons pressuring the Roman Governor, who was the only person who could authorise capital punishment.  It was wrong in every respect.  Their hurried and confused legal submission simply showed that they had no argument against Jesus except the envious anger in their hearts which refused to let Him rule over them (Matthew 27:18).

Anger leads to confusion.  Anger is not logical, but seeks any means to destroy whatever or whoever stands in the way.  Intense desires to remove God from our horizon are 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.  However, God sometimes allows our sin to continue to bring us to the wake-up point of repentance (Acts 26:9-18).  When we admit, confess and submit, we receive forgiveness, peace of heart and a renewed mind.  He will even use wickedness in His plan to bring righteousness.

The primary cause of Jesus’ death was not human malice.  It was God’s will for Jesus to suffer (Isaiah 53:10).  Astonishingly, the Lord orchestrated the hatred of religious rulers, the betrayal by Judas Iscariot, the denial by Peter, the scheming by Caiaphas, the weakness of Pilate and the evil of Satan to achieve the death of His Son.  It was through the darkness of the selfish anger of humanity that God destroyed death and gave notice to Satan that he would also be destroyed – so that all who believe in Jesus might be forgiven and brought into the light and love of God’s eternal home.