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Bible expressions we still use
To wash one’s hands of
Matthew 27 · Pontius Pilate at the trial of Jesus
Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judea from about AD 26 to 36. The Jewish writers Josephus and Philo describe a hard governor who clashed again and again with the people of Jerusalem. At Passover Jesus was brought before him, and the crowd asked for Barabbas instead. Matthew writes that when Pilate “saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said” (Matthew 27:24). Washing the hands as a sign of innocence was known from the Law of Moses: when a killing went unsolved, the elders of the nearest town washed their hands and declared, “Our hands did not shed this blood” (Deuteronomy 21:6–7). A psalm says, “I wash my hands in innocence” (Psalm 26:6).
Today to “wash one’s hands of” something or someone means to refuse any further responsibility and walk away: “After the third failure, the council washed its hands of the project.” It often carries a note of blame, of someone stepping away from a duty.
Key verses
“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken, and they shall declare, “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,Sources
Adapted and shortened from the Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers · CC BY-SA 4.0 — Pilate, Pontius; Hand
Adapted from Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary: articles chosen, shortened and retold in our own words (history, nature and daily life only) and, in languages other than English, machine-translated. The original work by Tyndale House Publishers is available for free at tyndaleopenresources.com.
