John 18:33-38 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him, Are you the King of the Jews?… I. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION (ver. 33). 1. Its occasion. Pilate having demanded an accusation, the whole company began to accuse Christ of perverting the nation from its allegiance, forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that He is a King (Luke 23:1). The Jewish leaders, surmising that Pilate would ask an indictment, had pro-arranged to say nothing about the blasphemy, but to trump up a charge of treason. 2. Its motive. Pilate wished to ascertain the truth. 3. Its reception. Instead of answering, Christ inquired who had prompted the question (ver. 34), so as to know how to reply. If Pilate had asked spontaneously, Christ would have understood that he meant king in a political sense; if the Jews had suggested the question then the word would probably have a theocratic import. On the former hypothesis, Christ's answer would be No! in the latter, Yes! 4. Its vindication. Pilate had not put the question of his own accord. He would never have dreamed of troubling about Christ or His pretensions. Christ's own people had placed Him at the bar (ver. 35) — constructive evidence that He had done something wrong. 5. Its repetition. If He had not committed treason, what other wickedness could have so roused the ire of His countrymen (ver. 35). II. A SUBLIME, DECLARATION. Concerning — 1. His kingdom (ver. 36). Setting forth (1) Its origin — heavenly. (2) Its nature — spiritual. (3) Its character — peaceful. (4) Its members — Christ's servants, sons of the truth (ver. 37). 2. His kingship. Announcing — (1) His pre-temporal existence (cf John 6:28). (2) His supernatural birth. He who had been before all time had been "born." (3) His Divine mission — to bear witness to the truth. (4) His loyal subjects. III. AN UNWORTHY REPLY. 1. Astonishment (ver. 37) — (1) That one so abject should think himself a king. (2) That one so forlorn should speak of servants. (3) That one so defenceless should even entertain the idea of "fighting." 2. Scepticism. What is truth? (ver. 38). The language of — (1) Insincere inquiry. (2) Contemptuous indifference. (3) Open infidelity. Truth, in Pilate's judgment, was a phantom. 3. Rejection. It was Pilate's day of grace; it passed and never returned.Learn — 1. The grace of our Lord who, though a King, stooped to be treated as a criminal. 2. His majesty, which in His lowest humiliation Pilate could not fail to recognise. 3. His Divinity. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? |
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