What does John 19:6 mean?

The Roman governor, Pilate, is resisting the Jewish leadership's efforts to have Jesus killed. He knows this is a personal vendetta (Matthew 27:18), and Jesus is not a political revolutionary (John 18:36–38). History suggests Pilate was under intense pressure to avoid civil unrest. Now, at the start of a major religious holiday, he's looking to appease a mob demanding the death of an innocent man. With that in mind, Pilate had Jesus brutally scourged (John 19:1) and allowed soldiers to bully and mock Him (John 19:2–3). When Pilate presented this mangled figure to the crowd, he assumed it would be enough to satisfy their anger (John 19:4–5).

Instead, they call for Jesus to suffer the worst of all Roman punishments: crucifixion. This sadistic process was not only agonizing, but also designed to stretch pain and embarrassment into a days-long ordeal. What the crowd seeks here is not just death, but a hateful, ugly death.

Even the notoriously vindictive Pontius Pilate is taken aback at this nasty, spiteful demand. His reply of "do it yourself!" is rhetorical; he knows the Jewish people cannot and will not do so on their own.

A partial explanation for this anger comes in the following verse (John 19:7). And yet, it will give Pilate another reason for pause.