From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.
John 19:12-16
In the Old Testament, the people of God wanted a king like the other nations. In the presence of the King of kings - the Rescuer and Redeemer for which they had longed - the people of Israel would rather have an oppressor. Do we not do the same? We regularly trade the glory of the Creator for His creation (Romans 1:23). We would rather have a captor of our choosing, than the King of creation. During Holy Week we see the God who laid aside His glory, to take up the gore of the cross. The God who disrobes himself of his majesty was at the same time disarming the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, triumphing over them in Him (Colossians 2:15).