John 19

10 So Pilate says to Him: "Are you not speaking to me? Don’t you know that I have authority to crucify you and authority to release you?" 11 Jesus answered: "You would have no authority over me at all if it had not been given to you from Above.*Pilate represented the Roman empire, the greatest temporal power at that time (whose ruler was supposedly divine), but Jesus calmly affirms that there is a higher power and that He represents that higher power—and Pilate believed Him! Pilate wanted no part of killing Jesus, and really tried to avoid it, but the Jews did an end run. Therefore the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin."