The ones in control are not, the one not in control is.

The ones in control are not, and the one not in control is.
John 19:8-16
You would have no authority over Me , unless it has been given you from above."

For Pilate, Jesus was an enigma and an inconvenience he could not escape or understand. For the Jewish leaders, Jesus was a threat and someone to be rejected. Both Pilate and the Jewish leaders are forever linked in the trial of Jesus. But that is not all they had in common. When we look at their actions and response to Jesus, we discover that they were both governed by fear. Jesus was a threat to them and their power and control. In verse 8, the veil of Pilates' motivations is peeled back so we see why he would eventually capitulate to the demands of the Jewish Leaders. Pilate was greatly afraid. This leads us to the question, "Why was he afraid?" The word "therefore" connects us to Jesus' claim to be the Son of God.
Like most Roman leaders, Pilate was not overly religious, but he was superstitious. He had Jesus beaten and mocked and joined in the mockery. Yet, in the Roman view, there were many stories of the gods taking on human appearance. Therefore, hearing the accusation that Jesus had presented himself as God gave rise to his superstitious fear. In response, Pilate takes him back into the Praetorium and asks Jesus, "Where are You from?" However, throughout the interaction with Jesus, Pilate had little remorse or concern for Jesus. He was not concerned with the well-being of Jesus; he was only concerned about his well-being and position. As a result, Jesus does not answer the question. This irritated Pilate, who saw himself in a position of power and authority. Even if Jesus was a god (little “g” in Pilate's mind), Pilate was still in control. His fear was not toward Jesus but towards the "bad luck" that might happen if he offended the gods.
Likewise, the religious leaders were governed by fear. They saw Jesus as a threat to their power and control (see 12:48-53). They were in control of the people, yet Jesus was gaining popularity. So when the people clamored to affirm Jesus as king in the Triumphant Entry (12:12-18), they were deeply concerned that they were losing a grip on their power (12:19). Their desire to crucify Jesus was not just religiously motivated (by his claim to be the Messiah), but politically motivated as well. If Jesus gained the following of the people, they would reject them as the leaders for publicly opposing Christ.  
For both Pilate and the religious leaders, Jesus was a threat to the one thing they would not give up:  Their power and authority. Each viewed themselves as being in control, but both were unwilling to relinquish control.
In response to Pilate, Jesus points out that all power and authority are not derived from man but God. God's sovereignty extends to all things and people, even those who act evilly. Yet God's sovereignty over the affairs of all men does not nullify human responsibility. While people's actions and decisions never threaten God's control and movement in history, they are still morally responsible for their actions. Pilate and the religious leaders thought they were in control, but in reality, they were not. They rejected Christ's control when, in fact, he was in complete control.
In this affirmation of God's sovereignty over all events in the world, we discover the foundation of our hope in a disjointed world. Even when circumstances seem out of control, we are reminded that God never relinquishes his control over the universe. We can rest in his sovereignty, knowing that he is the unseen hand behind all things.