John 19:16-30 NKJV, Jesus’ Crucifixion, Prophecies Fulfilled

 

16 Then they took Jesus and led Him away. 17 And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, 18 where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

The other Gospels fill in many details that John omits. Since John had access to the other Gospels, guided by the Holy Spirit, he must have made the decision to include only these details. The only ones that are repeated is the location, two others were crucified with him, the wording of the accusation against Jesus, and the soldiers dividing Jesus’ garments. Since John repeated these, there must be some significance to them.

The Place of the Skull or Golgotha is the first significant point as it is outside of Jerusalem. Jesus is portrayed as the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He is the sacrifice that appeases the wrath of God, and this is modeled in the Old Testament sacrifice (Lev 16:15-16). But this rite also includes a second animal, the scapegoat. “The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness” (Lev 16:21). By being crucified outside the city, Jesus also fulfils the role of the scapegoat as he carries the burden of our sins outside the city.

Golgotha also has some historical significance that raises much speculation. It can be traced back to Genesis 3:15 where we are given a cryptic prophecy about the coming Messiah (the seed of the woman) who will bruise the seed of Satan’s head while Satan bruises the Messiah’s heal. Then comes David and Goliath. Goliath has been considered by some as a seed of Satan who believe that Goliath and other giants were the offspring of demons and women (Gen 6:2-4). David is also considered as an offspring of Eve. The connection to Golgotha occurs when David cuts off Goliath’s head. “And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem” (1 Sam 17:54). The speculation is that Golgotha is the spot where David buried Goliath’s head and that when Jesus bled on the cross, his blood seeped into the ground and touched Goliath’s skull. This may be speculation, but the imagery is potent. The blood of Jesus conquers the work of Satan according to Colossians 2:15, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Thus, the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 is fulfilled in Jesus’ death on the cross.

Jesus being crucified between two criminals is absolutely critical as it fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12 that says he was numbered with the transgressors. He had to be crucified with at least two others. But John leaves out the conversation with the one thief who repented and asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus’ answer is significant, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). It tells us that immediately after death we will be with Jesus in his kingdom. There isn’t going to be a delay or soul sleep and any such nonsense. We will be with Jesus and recognize him and he will recognize us. It tells us that Jesus’ human spirit didn’t go to hell or any other place.

19 Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 21 Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'" 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

Writing the charges for a person’s crucifixion and posting them om the cross was a warning to others who would attempt to violate Roman law. The third fact that is included in other Gospels is the charges for Jesus’ crucifixion saying that Jesus is King of the Jews. This is obviously not a legal charge deserving of death. Pilate may have put the charges on the cross just to spite the Jewish leaders and he may have put it up there because he really believed it. It doesn’t matter what his motive was, the truth of the fact is that Jesus is the King of the Jews and was crucified.

Of course, the chief priests complained to Pilate which is a detail the other Gospel do not mention. They wanted a subtle change to the wording that would make it seem like a legitimate charge and not a statement of the truth. However, Pilate wasn’t about to change it. The charge against Jesus has been proclaimed for all to see for all succeeding generations that Jesus is, indeed, King of the Jews.

He is King of the Jews, but the question for us today is, is he your King? Does he rule over your lives and hearts? If he doesn’t then we are no better than Pilate who proclaimed the truth but didn’t do anything about it. Or we are no better than the chief priests who only saw it as Jesus’ claim and therefore not binding on ourselves.

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:

"They divided My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots."

Therefore the soldiers did these things.

Each of the Gospels records the soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ clothes. John is the only one that adds the details that his tunic was without a seam and that this specifically fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:18. John must have added these details because the seamless robe is important as well as it is an exact fulfilment of prophecy. If the robe had not been seamless, they probably would not have cast lots but would have torn it into four parts as is suggested that they did with the other clothes. Most translations specify that they made four parts, not simply making four piles of clothes. When God fulfills prophecy, he doesn’t leave out details.

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"  27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

Luke says that the women who had been following Jesus from Galilee along with Jesus’ acquaintances were watching (Luke 23:49). Mark 15:40 mentions only three women by name who were “at a distance.” Matthew doesn’t mention any of Jesus’ followers being near Jesus during his crucifixion. So, this encounter with Mary and John is only provided in John’s Gospel. It is significant that John is the only one of the Apostles that dared stay so close to Jesus so that he could hear and record this very tender moment as Jesus entrusted his mother into John’s care.

In the upper room, Jesus had fully informed his closest disciples of his departure, but they didn’t completely understand what was about to happen. Mary had been informed shortly after Jesus’ birth that something would happen that would cause a sword to pierce her heart (Luke 2:34-35). This cloud had been with her all her life. It informed her understanding of what the Messiah would as she pondered these things (Luke 2:19). Jesus doesn’t forget her. Jesus doesn’t forget any of us.

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" 

One thing is clear, Jesus couldn’t die until everything is accomplished that must happen to him and by him. What things must be accomplished? It starts with Jesus fulfilling the Law as he said in Matthew 5:18, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Jesus had to live a life in perfect obedience to the Law in order to live a righteous life. He had to do what Adam didn’t do so that his death could not be for any sin of his own. It is his righteous life that he now gives to those who believe in him for salvation.

Jesus also said in Luke 18:31, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” If you want to see many of the things that had to be accomplished, read Psalm 19 and Isaiah 53. Many of these things occurred while Jesus was on the cross and are recorded in the other Gospels.

Jesus also said in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” In John 5:36 he said, “For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.” So, Jesus had to do the miracles that testify to the fact that Jesus is the Mesiah. Ultimately, the work that Jesus was sent to do was to have us believe in him as he told inquirer in John 6:29, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Of course, the final thing that had to be accomplished was Jesus being a propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). We don’t use this word very often because many people can’t imagine that God would require his own Son to die to appease his wrath. But that is exactly what Jesus did on the cross. But his wrath was against us, not Jesus until “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).

29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

The final prophecies are fulfilled in these last two verses. Psalm 69:21 says, “For my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.” This isn’t the same wine mixed with gall, which he refused (Matt 27:34), because it would have deadened his senses. It may seem minor, but every prophecy had to be fulfilled. Finally, Jesus had to die, and he uttered those famous words, “It is finished.”

It is finished means that for you and me, the doorway into the presences of God is made available by Jesus’ sacrifice. This was signified by the curtain in the temple being torn in two from top to bottom (Matt 27:51). The Law was accomplished by Jesus for us all.

This word, finished, was used by merchants when a debt had been paid in full. Jesus paid our debt in full. The Old Testament sacrifices could not pay the debt for our sins, they could only cover our sins. But Jesus came as the Lamb of God to take away our sins (John 1:29, Heb 9:24-28).[1]

Jesus gave up his spirit. He decided when he was going to die. This highlights Jesus’ own statement in John 10:17-18:

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

This demonstrates that Jesus’ death and resurrection is a trinitarian work, which we will discuss in chapter twenty.

---

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, “John 19:28-30,” The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1989).

John 19:1-16 ESV, Political Maneuvering, Jesus - King of the Jews

 

What we see in this passage is political maneuvering as Pilate and the Jewish leaders attempt to have their own agenda carried out. It is a tug-of-war to that none of the players understand that God is the one in control. Read this and try to understand the angst of Pilate as his career could depend on the outcome. Read it and try to understand the deep “righteous” anger of the chief priests as well as their dread if Jesus is released and gains power. Read it to see who they serve.

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.

Why did Pilate have Jesus flogged? What was the purpose? Was it just out of his sadistic nature? Looking at what he said in Luke 23:14-16 gives a possible motive.

15 “I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”

It is possible that Pilate hoped that when they saw the results of a Roman flogging or scourging as it is often translated would appeal to their sense of outrage. The brutal treatment would peel off strips of skin and flesh from Jesus’ back. As we’ll see below, Pilate really did want to release Jesus.

Apparently, when Pilate left Jesus with his soldiers to be flogged, he really didn’t care how they treated Jesus. Their brutality wasn’t limited to physical torture, but included the worst humiliation they could muster. Certainly, they knew as much as Pilate in that Jesus was being called King of the Jews. Why would anyone want to treat a prisoner to this kind of mockery after a brutal flogging? It boggles my mind. Perhaps it is a fulfilment of Micah 5:1, “With a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.” As well as Isa 52:14, “As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind.” Indeed, the mockery and cruelty can be attributed to Satan’s hatred of Jesus. But these things could only be done to the Lord in accordance with God’s plan.

4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!”

This is the second time that Pilate finds Jesus without guilt. As pointed out before, this is an important legal declaration. The sinless Jesus is not guilt in the eyes of the state. The government is appointed to carry out justice according to Rom 13:4, “For he [the government] is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” Obviously, we will see that the flawed government doesn’t always act justly. In this case, Pilate is spot on in his judgment.

Pilate still tries to get Jesus released by calling Jesus “the man.” The Jews have more to say about Jesus, but Pilate downplays the fact that Jesus is the King of the Jews. Yet, he allowed Jesus to appear in the purple robe, a sign of royalty.

6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.”

They saw Jesus with the robe, but they couldn’t see that he had been flogged. There was blood on his face from the crown of thorns, but the real brutality had been hidden. Was that a mistake by Pilate or was it the way the sovereign Lord arranged it? The result is obvious that the Jewish leaders were not going to be pacified by mere torture. They wanted blood and they wanted all of it.

But Pilate is trying to save his own neck. He pushes back on the leaders to take responsibility for Jesus’ crucifixion and for the third time repeats that he finds Jesus not guilty. He knows full well that they have no authority to crucify Jesus. If they did, he would have something to hold over their heads.

7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.

Back and forth goes the posturing. The Jews don’t take Pilate’s bait and up the ante. The stakes are getting higher as they reveal their real reason for requiring the death penalty. It shakes Pilate to the core. Now, he is on the run. You would think that this claim by the Jews would have no affect on a Roman who probably has many gods but as a military leader and governor, doesn’t really give a rip about gods. Yet he has been in the presence of Jesus. When we are in the presence of holiness, we are changed. We should have a realistic fear of the holy Jesus. This is the fear that Simon felt when he realized who Jesus was in Luke 5:8, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Pilate still wants to be in control of the situation. After all, that is what a governor is supposed to do. But he can’t even get Jesus to answer him. Then he uses the threat of his position to “force” Jesus to answer him. But Jesus’ answer isn’t what he expected.

Who has the authority here? Clearly it is God and God is allowing Pilate to stew over this mess. What Jesus says is very important for all of us. Jesus knows that Pilate will turn him over to be crucified. Jesus knows that this is a horrendous miscarriage of justice. Jesus is declaring that even though Pilate is carrying out God’s plan, it is still injustice and therefore a sin. Yet this sin is not as great as the ones who have accused Jesus of blasphemy and are crying for is crucifixion.

This brings up the question, does the magnitude of a sin cause a lost person to suffer more in hell than one who has not been as evil. Will Hitler have it worse in eternity than a “good” person who has never received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? I think so. Jesus told us three times that it would be more tolerable for Sodom than the cities that rejected his disciples (Matt 10:15) or his miracles (Matt 11:23-24). We should take careful note that this doesn’t mean that there will be anything pleasant about hell for anyone who has rejected Jesus.

Just as there are worse punishments for the evilest people who reject Jesus, so will there be better rewards for those who know and obey Jesus better than others. Consider the several parables that Jesus taught about giving minas or talents to servants then going away. Those who obeyed better than others had greater rewards. Paul also tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” He reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:14-15, “If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha.

So Pilate is still trying to release Jesus. The Jews are becoming even more adamant that Pilate authorize his crucifixion. What they say is an unveiled threat to Pilate’s political position. They are telling Pilate that if he releases Jesus, they will make sure Ceasar will hear that he released a pretender to the throne over Israel.

Pilate is not savvy enough to get out of this predicament. What a contrast to the way the Jews had tried to trap Jesus on multiple occasions, but they couldn’t deal with his wisdom. It just shows that human wisdom and manipulation is no match for God’s wisdom and his plan.

14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

This is the final moment when Pilate could have rescued Jesus. But it is obvious that he had already made up his mind to give in to the chief priests’ demand. If he really wanted to save Jesus, he would not have announced to them that Jesus was their King. He knew it would infuriate them. But since he couldn’t have his way, he made sure that he would at least have the last jab.

It makes me think of arguments we have. I’m not talking about good discussions, but when we are emotionally invested in trying to win another over to our way of thinking or action and it isn’t going well. There comes a point where we know we won’t win so we throw out a verbal rejoinder that is not designed to win the other over but to make them feel as angry as we are. It is not the way we are taught by the Word. “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col 4:1).

Pilate’s statement pushes the Jewish leaders’ buttons, and they respond showing how great Satan’s stronghold is in their lives. Deep down the must know that Jesus is King but they have committed themselves to having Jesus crucified. When they say they have no king but Caesar, they have just announced to the world that their allegiance is not to God but to the world and its system. They are committed to Satan’s governance.

Earlier, when Pilate “washed his hands” of the affair and declared he was innocent of Jesus’ blood (Matt 27:24), the people responded, “And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’” (Matt 27:25). Now the chief priests confirm this horrible curse upon themselves and their descendants who reject Jesus as their Messiah. Indeed, anyone, Jew or Gentile, slave or free, who does not acknowledge Jesus as the Lord, King, Savior, Priest, and Judge, will suffer the eternal condemnation that these swore on themselves that day.

LimeWire Ai Studio

 

As you can see from my previous posts, I have been using various pictures from my portfolio just to jazz up my post. While I appreciate the opportunity to use my photos, they haven’t had any relationship to my topic. I started using my photos because I was concerned about using other pictures off the internet without paying for them. But now, with LimeWire AI Studio, I am able to generate my own pictures for my blog. I have no worries about copyright violations.

 

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This one was for my post about how Ruth is an inspiration to us as she decided to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem from Moab. This is based on Ruth 1:11 and 15-17 “But Naomi said, ‘Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me?’ … And she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God’”. (ESV) You can watch this post, click here.

I also used this picture to talk about where bitterness come from based on Ruth 1:19-21 “And the women said, ‘Is this Naomi?’ She said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?’” (ESV) You can watch this one by clicking here.

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John 18:28-40 NASU, Jesus’ Trial, Pilate’s Truth

 

28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

What is missing in John’s account is his questioning before Caiaphas. But Matthew fills in the blank and it is a very important blank. It explains Caiaphas’ verdict and the agreement of the other scribes and elders who had gathered for this unlawful trial.

63 Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” (Matt 26:63-66 ESV)

Because the Jewish authorities didn’t have the authority to execute anyone, they had to go to the Roman government. It is highly unlikely that the Roman government would call for the execution of someone who claims to be the Son of God. After all, they had many gods and the Ceasars claimed the same thing. But Pilate is the Roman representative. His verdict is very important when we look to Jesus as our sinless Savior.

But before we examine the trial, the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders is made even more evident. They had a strict rule that they could not enter the house of a Gentile, or they would be ceremonially defiled or made unclean. When they were unclean, they would be prevented from eating the Passover meal. In Numbers 9:1-14, the Lord gave instructions about eating the Passover and anyone who was unclean would have to wait until the next month to eat the Passover. The primary reason for being unclean in this passage was by touching a dead body. So here is the hypocrisy in that they have unlawfully condemned Jesus to death but don’t consider that a matter of making them unclean. Jesus had clarified to the Pharisees what makes someone unclean, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person” (Matt 15:18-20).

We fall into the same trap as the Pharisees and the chief priests. We are often more concerned with our external actions to make us acceptable to God that we fail to understand that in our hearts are all sorts of evils. We may even be very good at keeping the verbal uncleanness from coming out, but those evil thoughts are hiding in our hearts. Only when we depend on the power of the Holy Spirit are we able to overcome our sinful heart.

29 Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?" 30 They answered and said to him, "If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you."

In keeping with their hypocrisy, the Jews don’t want to tell Pilate the real reason why they are bringing Jesus to him. Instead, they offer a poor claim that he is simply an evildoer. What does that mean anyway? Pilate would have to be really dense to accept that flimsy accusation. Indeed, he is no pushover. The irony in this is that those who had violated all that they held sacred had just called the one who is sinless to be one who practiced evil.

31 So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death," 32 to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.

When Pilat pushes back on the Jews, they reveal that they have already judged Jesus and they want the death penalty. If they had been able to inflict the death penalty on Jesus, it would have been stoning. But stoning would not have fulfilled not only Jesus’ prophecies but Old Testament prophesies.

Jesus proclaimed that he would be condemned, crucifixion, and resurrected:

18 See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day. (Matt 20:18-19 ESV)

He also told of his crucifixion in Matthew 26:2 and John 3:14, 12:32. If Jesus would have been killed in any other way, it would not fit the prophecies of the Old Testament which graphically described his crucifixion in Psalm 22:14-18 and Isiah 53, which we’ll look at more when we look at his crucifixion.

  You may wonder why it was important for Jesus to be crucified. The main reason is that Deuteronomy 21:23 says, “For a hanged man is cursed by God” (ESV).  Paul explains it in Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (ESV). Had he died any other way, he would not have become a curse. In addition, Jesus had to bleed as a sacrifice for our sins. In the same way that the lambs were killed and their blood drained, so Jesus had to die a bloody death.

33 Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?" 

Pilate’s question of Jesus should take us back to Matthew 2:2 when the magi came to the current king of the Jews and asked him where the newborn King of the Jews was. Indeed, Jesus is the King of the Jews but also the King of all kings. This was not the same question that the Jews had asked Jesus during his trial. I wonder if Jesus would have answered them as he had mostly remained silent at their questioning.

Jesus does answer Pilate, but he asks a question. This is the answer we need to answer about who Jesus is. When we say Jesus is our Lord, are we saying it for ourselves or are we saying it because other say he is Lord? When we consider Jesus, we must answer for ourselves. We can’t depend on what others say.

35 Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?"

I can read into this, the scorn of Pilate’s reply. He was known for doing what he could to insult the Jewish population by introducing worship images of the emperor in Jerusalem. He was a notoriously cruel man who ruled so harshly that he had to return to Rome to stand trial for his cruelty and oppression.[1] If his response didn’t show enough contempt, then pointing out that Jesus’ own people wanted him dead was a direct dig against both Jews and Jesus.

36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were 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." 

Jesus is much more forthcoming with Pilate than he is with some of his own disciples. He worked for three years with many disciples and with the twelve and yet we don’t have Jesus telling them that his kingdom wasn’t of this world. Even up to his crucifixion, some still believed that his kingdom was the nation of Israel and that he would usher in the Messianic age where Israel would rule the world.

Jesus’ answer clarifies some of his earlier statements. He told parables and explained the kingdom of heaven in thirty-one verses and the kingdom of God in another fifty verses. Yet, in all of these he didn’t ever say so clearly that his kingdom was not of this realm. Even in the multitude of these passages he says the kingdom is near or has come upon his listeners. You would think that his references to the kingdom of heaven would have clued people into the fact that his kingdom isn’t of this world.

Yet how many of us currently understand Jesus’ kingdom. We affirm that he is King of kings and Lord of lords, but we don’t see it. We get all bent out of shape when the political systems of this world don’t conform to what we would expect of Jesus’ rule. We sometimes think that Jesus’ servants must be fighting physically for him. We don’t understand 2 Corinthians 10:3, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does” (NIV). We can only understand the kingdom of God if we have a solid faith in God’s sovereignty.

37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "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." 

Pilate affirms that Jesus is a king even though it is stated as a question. At this point, I believe that Pilate really does believe it. You must remember that Romans had many gods, and it is possible that he sees Jesus only as a king in some other reality. But Jesus understood his affirmation and added to his understanding. As a good evangelist, Jesus pushes another step closer to getting Pilate to understand who he is.

We often state that Jesus came into the world to live a sinless life and die to take our sins so we can have his perfect life. But he tells Pilate that he came to tell about the truth. His challenge to Pilate is to listen to him if he is of the truth. This is a clear indication that not everyone will be saved, but only those who hear Jesus. When they hear, it isn’t just registering affirmation about who Jesus is, but it is those who have been called because they are of the truth.

Jesus said essentially the same thing when he said he had other sheep who would listen to his voice (John 10:16). Because even Gentiles belong to Jesus and are his sheep they are included when Jesus says his sheep know his voice (John 10:27).

38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him.

It is obvious that Pilate wasn’t willing to engage anymore with Jesus. His sarcastic remark echoes down the centuries as philosophers as well as religious people grapple with truth. Today, we have come to the apex of questioning truth. It is so bad that everyone defines truth as what it means to themselves. They put their own reasoning at the center of deciding what truth is. They are fulfilling Proverbs 28:26, “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” Of course, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Pilate didn’t care about ultimate truth, but he was still following God’s plan for him. He had no idea that his pronouncement that Jesus had no guilt was prophetic, he was speaking God’s word just as surely as Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation (John 11:49-52). Pilate represented the whole Gentile world as the high priest represented the whole of Israel. This contrast between Pilate’s declaration of Jesus’ innocence and the Jewish leaders’ declaration of his guilt showed how far the Jewish system had deteriorated from God’s standard.

39 "But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?" 40 So they cried out again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a robber.

Pilate isn’t done rubbing Jesus in the Jewish leaders’ noses. He offers them a compromise by releasing Jesus according to their custom. But in calling Jesus the King of the Jews, he insured that they would not take the offer. Pilate wasn’t truly trying to release Jesus because he knew he was innocent, but it appears that he was simply trying to save his own skin should Rome hear of his condemning an innocent man. He knew how badly the Jews wanted Jesus dead and that a riot would erupt if he didn’t do it. What is worse? Kill one man or have a riot and end up using force to stop it? Pilate chose the easy way out. That’s what we often do. We take the easy way out instead of standing up for truth.

But the sin of the leaders is evident in that they were willing to let a robber go rather than let Jesus go, who had done nothing wrong. Luke calls Barabbas an insurrectionist and a murderer (Luke 23:19). Matthew called him notorious (Matt 27:16). This just emphasizes that only God could orchestrate Jesus’ condemnation by having both the Jewish leaders and the Romans agree to have such a scoundrel released.

If we look only at Jesus’ trial from a human standpoint, we see the unthinkable happening. But when we view it from God’s viewpoint. It must be. “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23). Both the Jews and Gentiles are guilty in condemning Jesus. But it was God’s plan.

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[1] 1. “Pontius Pilate,” Encyclopædia Britannica, August 7, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pontius-Pilate.