No madness there.

He was too wise to accept the fate they would have forced upon him." "Yet that is the very trick Hanan would force upon you," Miriam reiterated.

"They claim for him that he would be king of the Jews--an offence against Roman law, wherefore Rome must deal with him." Pilate shrugged his shoulders.
"A king of the beggars, rather; or a king of the dreamers.

He is no fool.

He is visionary, but not visionary of this world's power.