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The Scriptorium

Two Trials (3)

Who's on trial here, anyway?

The Gospel of John: John 18.1-40

Read and meditate on John 18.33-36.
One trial has ended, and one continues. But a new one begins, and all the tables are turned. Jesus’ interrogation before Roman authorities began at the point which would have been of most concern to them. Whether He claimed to be God or the Messiah would be of no concern. Rome managed a broad toleration of religion, and was familiar with what they would have regarded as harmless crackpots. But claiming to be a King? That was another matter.

                                                            33Immediately,
returning to the Praetorium, Pilate said
to Him, “Are You the king of the Jews?” 34Instead
of answering, Jesus asked, “Do you speak for
yourself of this concern? Or is it more
the case that you are only listening to
what others have reported unto you?”
35Then Pilate answered, and to Jesus said,
“Am I a Jew? Your nation and the head
of all the priests have brought You here before
me. Just what have You done? 36He said therefore,
“My Kingdom is not of this world. If My
domain were, then My servants all would fight
that I might not be handed over to
the Jews. But now the Kingdom which I rule
is not from here.”

- John 18.33-36

Reflect
1.  Pilate was at first indifferent to what happened to Jesus (v. 31). The Jews knew just how to get his attention however, as Luke 23.1, 2 makes clear. Why would this concern Pilate, while Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God would not? Do you think our secular world today has some “touchy” points when it comes to the claims of Jesus? Such as? Complete this prayer: Lord, let me not shy away from proclaiming You to others, simply because they might take offense at…

2.  Jesus because a political concern to Rome. Politics is about power – gaining it, wielding it, increasing and preserving it. The Roman authorities had heard about Jesus, but only as kind of curiosity (cf. Lk. 23.6-8). Suddenly, however, Jesus had become a potential political threat, and Pilate was determined to find out more. He invited Jesus to condemn Himself (v. 33). How would you qualify Jesus’ response to Pilate’s question (v. 34)? Lord, You frequently answered people’s questions with another question, and I can see that this…

3.  Jesus was determined to make Pilate think about this situation, and not to make a snap judgment out of mere political expediency. From Pilate’s response in verse 35, how do you think Jesus’ counter-question struck him? Was he offended? Piqued? Irritated? What do you make of Pilate’s follow-up question, as compared with his first question? Who’s on trial here? Lord, I see that You kept Pilate on the defensive, making him look at himself and think for himself about You, and this makes me think I…

4.  Pilate asked another question: “What have You done?” Jesus ignored that question and returned to Pilate’s original question. What did He mean by saying His Kingdom “is not of this world?” Did He mean to say to Pilate, “Oh, hey, don’t get me wrong. It’s just a spiritual thing. Certainly nothing mighty Rome has to worry about”? Explain. Lord, though Your Kingdom is not of this world, as it comes to this world, it…

5. Jesus said His Kingdom is not “from here,” not “of this world.” How then should we “seek first” this Kingdom (Matt. 6.33), or take it up as our primary calling in life (1 Thess. 2.12)? Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“What in fact is Christ’s kingdom? It is simply those who believe in him, those to whom he said, ‘You are not of this world, even as I am not of this world.’ He willed, nevertheless, that they should be in the world, which is why he prayed to the Father, ‘I ask you not to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one.’ So here also he did not say, ‘My kingdom is not’ in this world but ‘is not of this world.’ And when he went on to prove this by declaring, ‘If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have fought to save me from being handed over to the Jews,’ he concluded by saying not ‘my kingdom is not here’ but ‘my kingdom is not from here.’ Indeed, his kingdom is here until the end of time, and until the harvest it will contain weeds.” Augustine (354-430 AD)

As He stood before Pilate, Jesus possessed all authority in heaven and in earth (Jn. 13.3). Where was that authority lodged? How was it wielded? How can you see that Jesus was exercising His Kingdom authority, even as He stood before Pilate? What can we learn from Him?

Closing Prayer
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.

Psalm 33.13-21

Psalm 33.18-22 (Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns)
God watches those who fear His Name, who hope upon His grace and love;
He keeps their souls from death and shame who trust in Him Who reigns above.

God is our Helper and our Shield; upon us let Your grace descend!
We hope in You; to You we yield; we trust in Jesus to the end.

T. M. Moore

What does it mean to know Jesus? Order a copy of our book, To Know Him, and share it with a friend who does not know the Lord (click here). Need help learning to pray the psalms? Order the book, God’s Prayer Program, and discover why and how to realize the power of the psalms to transform your prayer life (click here).

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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