Day 1196: Christ's kingdom - John 18 vs 28 - 40

28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29-30 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31-32 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfil the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

33-34 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37-38 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

39-40 After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. John 18:28-40 English Standard Version

Early in the morning, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, who represented Rome in Jerusalem. Pilate goes outside to meet them, and to ask what the charge was. Their reply was vague, saying simply that he was 'doing evil', but nothing specific. John makes the observation that by saying that they 'could not put anyone to death', the implication was that He should be executed in the customary Roman method of crucifixion. And, says John, this fulfilled what Jesus had said, showing that He knew by what kind of death He was going to die. Pilate goes back inside, and has Jesus brought before him. The questioning turns to whether Jesus was the king of the Jews. What was Jesus' reply? (vs 36)

How we need to take those words to heart! Jesus didn't intend to use force of arms to bring about His reign in the hearts of people. His kingdom was described by the prophet Daniel who said “in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44) Jesus went on in vs 37-38 to say that His kingdom was built on truth. This surely takes us back to His words when He said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

The kingdoms of the world war and fight for power. And they are made up of people in power who, like Pilate, were sceptical of any objective truth. But Jesus is the truth the world needs. And so Pilate offers them a choice between a man whom he deemed to be innocent, and a man who was a robber and an insurrectionist – as the word used there implies.

How well the apostle Peter, who'd just denied that he even knew Jesus, would boldly describe this event to the Jews later. He said: “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though he had decided to let Him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.” (Acts 3:13-14)

We live in days when Christianity has become a political issue. But let us remember that Jesus said “My kingdom is not of this world.” Let us determine to follow Christ's example of not retaliating with threats and violence, but entrusting our cause to the One who judges justly.