An interesting question to be sure.
“Pilate therefore went into the hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee up to me. What hast thou done? Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore said to him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice. Pilate saith to him: What is truth?” (John 18:33-38).
It could be argued that in that hall there were witnesses who overheard the conversation. Maybe even his wife Claudia? — whom prolific Church father Origen (184-253) says became a Christian. Of course, this is sheer speculation.
Other examples could also be given where Our Lord’s words were recorded in the Gospels when there were no witnesses. The temptations of Christ in the desert come to mind. Some have raised the same question regarding other occasions, but these are easily answered. For instance, Herod’s oath to the daughter of Herodias that he would give her whatever she asked, even half of his kingdom (Mark 6:23). (Remember in the Book of Esther, chapter five vs. 6, that King Asseurus promised the same, half of his kingdom, to Queen Esther.) How was this made known to Mark? From Joanna, the wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward. Joanna was with our Lady beneath the Cross.
There could have been many sources for other events that were recorded without any witnesses being mentioned. Immediately we think of Our Lady herself who related the events of the Annunciation, the Birth of Christ, and the words of Simeon at the temple, as well as several other words of dialogue that only she and/or Saint Joseph were privy to, to Saints Luke and Matthew.
Regarding the Savior’s exchange with the devil in the desert and its details as recorded by Saint Matthew, could it not be that Jesus Himself told His Apostles about it? And, could that not also be the case with the dialogue with Pilate?
Perhaps. But in the latter case Our Lord would have had to relate the facts of it to Saint John after His Resurrection.
There is another possibility. Infused knowledge. All scripture is inspired by God, but there may have been direct infusion of words and events as well.
Saint Paul’s knowledge of the gospel was directly infused. “For I give you to understand, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For neither did I receive it of man, nor did I learn it; but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1: 11-12).
I am not sure that anything more could be written on this subject, certainly not by me.. Cornelius a Lapide’s commentaries have nothing to say.
