Joh 19:15 | TNotes | STEP | 19:15 The final words of the priests, “We have no king but Caesar,” stood in direct contradiction to the Old Testament understanding that God was Israel’s king (cp. Judg 8:23 ; 1 Sam 8:7 ; 10:19 ). Jerusalem and its leaders were in the process of killing their true king (John 18:37 ) while paying homage to Caesar, the pagan king of Rome.

bJudg 8:23►

c1 Sam 8:7►

eJohn 18:37►

‏ John 19:15

19:15 ^a The final words of the priests, “We have no king but Caesar,” stood in direct contradiction to the Old Testament understanding that God was Israel’s king (cp. Judg 8:23 ^b; 1 Sam 8:7 ^c; 10:19 ^d). Jerusalem and its leaders were in the process of killing their true king (John 18:37 ^e) while paying homage to Caesar, the pagan king of Rome.