Did Pilate believe that Jesus was the king of the Jews?

[tonychanyt]

No, at least not a geopolitical one.

John 18:

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

If yes, then Pilate would have legal ground to crucify him.

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.

Jesus denied that he was a geopolitical king.

If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.

Jesus was the king of a spiritual kingdom.

38b he [Pilate] went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

Pilate did not believe that Jesus was a geopolitical king.

39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

Pilate was sarcastic because the Jews accused Jesus of claiming to be a geopolitical king.

John 19:

4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”

Again, Pilate declared Jesus' innocence before the accusers.

14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”

another sarcasm

15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

more sarcasm

19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

This was ambiguous. Pilate could be sarcastic, or he could mean the spiritual king of the Jews.

21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

As far as Pilate was concerned, Jesus did not claim to be the political king of the Jews.