Victorious in Defeat

MEMORY VERSE: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” —John 18:37

JOHN 18:33-38

JESUS’ trial was already in progress. Because he was the Son of God, and acknowledged it, he had been found worthy of death by the high priest. But, as a subject people to Rome, they were not allowed to put individuals to death, so they had appealed to Pilate, the representative of Rome, to take the matter in hand and order their enemy crucified.

The Jews knew that Pilate would not be impressed by the religious issue involved, although he did bring it up incidentally. They knew that Pilate’s chief concern pertained to Rome’s sovereign right to rule, so Jesus’ enemies charged that he claimed to be a king. If this were true he could be held guilty of treason, and Pilate would not be able to ignore the charge.

So Pilate asked, “Art thou the king of the Jews?” If Jesus really was setting himself up as the king of the Jews, as the foretold Messiah, or otherwise, and the people in any number followed him, it could lead to insurrection of the little nation against Rome.

Jesus’ reply to this question was, “My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews.” (vs. 36, RSV) Thus while Jesus did not deny that he was a king, he made it plain that his authority as a king did not stem from this world. If it did it would have to be from Rome, and in that case Rome’s soldiers would fight for him, so that he would not be delivered to the Jews.

When later Pilate threatened Jesus for not replying to him, and asked if he did not realize the power that was vested in him, the Master replied, “Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.” So Jesus made it doubly plain as to where the authority of his kingdom was vested.

“Art thou a king then?” and Jesus answered, “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice”—vs. 37

Thus Jesus condemned himself in the eyes of Pilate, although this Roman ruler still did not believe that this meek and lowly Nazarene was in any way a threat to the power of Rome. So casually he asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Jesus made no reply to this question. Had he replied, it would doubtless have been that God’s “word is truth.” But this certainly would be beyond the understanding of this Roman governor.

After asking the question, “What is truth?” “he [Pilate] went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.” Naturally this did not please the Jews who were clamoring for Jesus’ death. When hatred and prejudice rule the heart, the mind ceases to reason, and in this case nothing could satisfy the thirst for blood by these incensed Jews, who were jealous of Jesus, and bent on taking his life.

JOHN 19:7-11

The Jews replied to Pilate that regardless of what he had found concerning Jesus, according to their law Jesus should be put to death. Jesus’ transgression of the Jewish law, according to these accusers, was that he had made himself out to be the Son of God. This was blasphemy, and called for the death penalty.

While Pilate was vested with the great weight of Roman authority it would appear that he was rather uneasy in his dealing with this mob of shouting Jews who were demanding that Jesus be crucified. So when he learned that Jesus made himself to be the Son of God, while he did not understand what this meant, “He was the more afraid” Here was a fear of the unknown, and in this case based largely on superstition.

Then Pilate went back to Jesus and asked, “Whence art thou?” As we noted earlier in the lesson, Jesus made no reply to this question, deciding doubtless that the matter was quite beyond the ability of the Roman governor to grasp. But Pilate was incensed by Jesus’ refusal to answer, and asked him if he did not realize that he had power to free him. Jesus’ complete rest in the will of his Father is in his reply that he could have no power over him except that permitted by the Father.

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