Pilate gave orders after trying to back out of it. He found no fault with Jesus. Pharisees pushed him farther than he wanted to go with it but in the end he still gave the order.
But he literally, ceremonially washed his hands and told them that nonsense wasn't on him while the Jews said it would be on them. So - how much that might matter and if guilt can be transferred we can argue about but the intentions of the parties to shift the guilt seem clear
But I thought "just following orders" is never a valid excuse?
Pilate gave orders after trying to back out of it. He found no fault with Jesus. Pharisees pushed him farther than he wanted to go with it but in the end he still gave the order.
But he literally, ceremonially washed his hands and told them that nonsense wasn't on him while the Jews said it would be on them. So - how much that might matter and if guilt can be transferred we can argue about but the intentions of the parties to shift the guilt seem clear