John 18:28-40
Q.1. Why did the Jews refrain from entering the Praetorium? What did they want Pilate to do? What was behind their request? – (Jn.18:28-32)
In an amazing act of hypocrisy, the Jewish leaders refused to enter the Praetorium, lest they be defiled and disqualify themselves from keeping the Passover (see Jn.18:28). Yet they had already decided to have an innocent man condemned as an evildoer. Pilate had told the Jewish leaders – Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law. The Jews said to him – “We are not permitted to put anyone to death (Jn.18:31). Of course, the real tragedy was that Jesus was everything He claimed to be, yet they were about to get rid of their own Messiah. We can all have major blind spots. Nevertheless, this unjust act by the religious leaders was actually in line with God’s sovereign plan, and the declarations made by Jesus to His disciples – to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die (Jn.18:32). Nothing happens by chance. Everything fits into God’s purposes for Himself, and for mankind.
Q.2. How did Jesus answer Pilate’s question about His identity? In what way was Jesus the King of the Jews? – (Jn.18:33-36).
Pilate asked Jesus directly if He was the King of the Jews (see Jn.18:33). The reply by Jesus indicated that it was a cynical question, which probably implied that Jesus was crazy. He certainly forced Pilate to consider what he meant by his questions. This was confirmed by Pilate’s follow-up response when the leaders and the nation asked him to have Jesus condemned (see Jn18:35). However, Jesus explained that He was more than a king over one nation – … “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom was of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (Jn.18:36). The kind of kingdom that Christ with its unimaginable power operates on an entirely different basis.
Q.3. What revealed that Christ’s kingship differs from that of the kings of earth? How did Pilate act unjustly in the way he treated Jesus? – (Jn.18:37-40)
Jesus explained further about His kingship – … “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (Jn.18:37). Pilate’s question – ‘What is truth?’ revealed that He did not grasp that Jesus was talking about a relationship with Him, rather than an abstract belief system (see Jn.18:38). He then declared that Jesus was not guilty of any crime worthy of death (see Jn.18:38b). However, he offered Jesus up to a custom that allowed the Jewish leaders to exonerate or crucify a man at their Passover celebration (see Jn.18:38-39). The crowd whom Jesus had taught and healed cried for the release of Barabbas – a man guilty of insurrection and murder (see Lk.23:19). Thus, they – disowned the Holy and righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you (Acts 3:14). It was a flagrant breach of justice by Pilate, when he allowed an innocent Man scourged and given over to be crucified.