Is there biblical basis for the claim that Pilate had no choice? There is a trend among Christians to put the guilt of killing Jesus on Jews rather than on Romans.

Some Christians go as far as to proclaiming Pilate a saint (as did either Ethiopian or Coptic church if I am not mistaken).

I wonder is there biblical basis for such whitewashing of Pilate?

For example, some people on this site claimed in other answers that if Pilate did not execute Jesus, there would be a popular riot or Pilate could be fired from his position.

Is there biblical evidence that this indeed would happen and Pilate acted with no choice?
In short, no.  Pilate had a choice.

In Jesus' conversation with him, He says this:

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”  John 19:11 ESV

The Jewish religious leaders--not all Jews--were guilty of a greater sin than Pilate, even though Pilate was guilty of sin for perverting justice.  Indeed, God sets up rulers "to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right".  So, Pilate failed in that.


  Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 1 Peter 2:13-14 ESV


Furthermore, Pilate himself made the following statement:


  “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”  John 19:10 ESV


Pilate certainly may have wanted to appease the crowd, but with all the might of Rome at his disposal, he certainly was not subject to the Jewish religious leaders in any way.

In reality, Pilate had already had Jesus flogged at this point.  He could very well have said that Jesus had already been punished and than they needed to shut up and go home.  He was the ruler--they were his subjects.

So, Pilate most certainly had a choice.  The Jewish religious leaders did all they could to influence Pilate in his decision.  

Edit: Even if some of the Jewish leaders and the Jewish people of that day could be held accountable, they are all dead now.  People of Jewish descent today can not be held accountable for anything any of the ancestors did hundreds and thousands of years ago.

Finally, all of this was in God's plan, so it is unbiblical, immoral, and ungodly to hold the Jews in any way responsible or guilty for the death of Christ.  I'm the guilty one, and Christ died for my sin.  I am the one to blame.