The Moffat, Montgomery and Goodspeed translations, among others, have PILATE SITTING JESUS DOWN in the Judgment Seat and saying mockingly, “Behold your king.” The KJV and other modern translations have PILATE SITTING HIMSELF DOWN on the judgment seat. John 19:13. Like other translations in the Bible, they could both be true. Contextually, I like the Goodspeed better because of the immediate mocking statement by Pilate to the Jews, “Behold your King,” after Pilate mockingly sat Jesus down in the seat of judgment. John 19:13-14. 

The reason they could both be true is because the cross was actually both the judgment of Satan and the judgment of Christ. At the cross, Satan, using Rome and the Jewish religionists, judged Jesus. But, in a boomerang type arrangement of God, Satan’s judgment of Jesus was Jesus’ judgment of him. Heb 2:14; Col 2:15; 1 Cor 2:6-9. God worked all the negative things at the cross together for good, resurrection. Rom 8:28. 

Look at Heb 2:14b. . . . that through death He (Jesus) destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the devil. Satan’s attempted destruction (judgment) of Jesus turned out in the end to be Jesus’ destruction (judgment) of him. 

Look also at John 12:31-33. “Now (the cross) is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world (Satan) be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth (the cross), will draw all me unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” The same judgment, the cross, both casts out and draws in. It is a judgment that destroys some and saves others. 

So, the cross is both the judgment seat of Christ and the judgment seat of Satan. This is why the Bible translations have both Pilate and Jesus sitting there in the judgment seat. Satan’s judgment of Jesus is Jesus’ judgment of him. 

The cross was both the salvation seat and the condemnation seat of the two thieves next to Jesus at Calvary. Jesus’ salvation 
to the good thief. Satan’s doom to the rejecting thief. 

At the cross, the loving judgment by God collided with the wrathful judgment by Satan. 

Jesus had the same throne of judgment as did Herod and Pilate. Each of them had the seat, the crown, the scepter, the footstool and the royal robe. The ones who mocked Him there with these things were victims of their own mocking. The ones who love Him there are saved. 

Our judgment of Jesus is His judgment of us. God judges no one. John 5:22. 

Jesus’ judgment throne is actually a “throne of grace” for those who believe into Him and into His death. For those who reject Him and His cross, the cross is Pilate’s (Satan’s) judgment seat of doom.