33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 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 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.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
John 18:33-38a (ESV)
Not of this World
It seems strange Jesus would say if His Kingdom were of this world His followers would deliver Him from the Jews! His own people were opposing Him. You would have thought it was Rome whom they would fight against. If anything, it shows that His Kingdom is indeed not of this world.
Jesus earlier, in John 17:13-19, told His disciples that they are not of this world. We looked at this in some detail already. Here He is saying that His Kingdom is not of this world either. He’s previously told us, in John 8:23, that He is not of this world – which we studied earlier.
Truth encounter
Jesus’ purpose for coming is to bring truth to light. We remember from John 14:6 that He boldly proclaimed to be the Way, Truth and Life, that no one can go to the Father except through Him. Those who really want to know the truth will seek him. This was Pilate’s once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear the truth directly from the Truth! But he dismisses this opportunity. He doesn’t want to know the truth. He just wants this problem gone.
“Many in our day ask Pilate’s question, but from a different perspective. Noting that many things are true only on the basis of personal preference or perspective, they think all truth is personal, individual. They think there is no true truth about God; there is only my truth and your truth and one is as good as the other.” (enduringword.com) They refuse to belive Jesus is who He says He is.
RЯeflection
- Jesus explains the truth and is the Truth! How does that encourage you?
- His truth is freely available to us in His Word. Do you seek the truth?
