The Gospel of John 18:28-19:16 Jesus before Pilate. Questions.

The Gospel of John 18:28-19:16 Jesus before Pilate.   Questions.

From last time: Who do you seek and why, what do you deny? Recap: Jesus was arrested and Peter tried to fight so Jesus would not be taken, but Jesus knew what was to happen, and told Peter to stand down. Jesus was questioned and hit in the face, without any charges against him at Ananias house – and was send on to Caiaphas – John does not write about that meeting but takes up the story where todays text starts. (Jesus knows, great power, and protects the disciples, Jesus’ mission is doing the fathers will for peoples good and God’s glory).

Questions:

What accusations do you bring against this man? (Pilate). Are you the king of the Jews? (Pilate)

Do you sat this of your own accord or did others say it to you about me? (Jesus)

Am I a Jew? (Pilate) What have you done? (Pilate) So, you are a king? (Pilate) What is truth? (Pilate)

Do you want me to release the king of the Jews? (Pilate) Where are you from? (Pilate) You will not speak to me? (Pilate) Don’t you know that I have authority go release you and authority to crucify you? (Pilate)  

Shall I crucify you king? (Pilate)

Let us read. John 18:28-19:16.

Early in the morning they lead Jesus to Pilate – they say outside to stay pure and clean – ironic since they are trying to kill the only one that can truly clean them. Pilate comes out and ask the first question? Why did you bring this man here early in the morning or:  What accusations do you bring against this man?  

The answer is interesting but there is no explanation, other that he did some evil.

Pilate responds go judge him after you own law.

The Jews respond – we are not allowed to kill people – The evil done deserves death in the Jews oppinion, - but they still have not stated their case against Jesus.  

John adds in 32 – this was the fulfillment of what Jesus said about how he would die. 12:32.

Pilate enters and asks Jesus: Are you the king of the Jews?  Are you a rebel king that is fighting against the romans and roman loyal Jews?

Jesus asks a question? Why do you ask this question? Are you asking because others said I am the king of the Jews or do you what to know? (Who do you think I am?)

In 35 Pilate asks: Am I a Jew? – (I don’t know and I don’t care). But Your own nation and chief priests have sent you here – what have you done?  (Pilate still has no idea why Jesus is there).  

Jesus goes back to Pilates first question: And say My kingdom is not of this world, -if it was my servants would have been fighting that I might not have been delivered over to the Jews. That did not happen because my kingdom is not from the world. (From heaven from God not earthly).

Pilate still trying to find out who Jesus is asks again: So, you are a king? (Are you a threat?).  

Jesus answered, yes, I am a king, - And Jesus now states his purpose of being born in to the world, - I have come to bear witness to the truth. – and everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. Jesus is a king that have been born to witness about the truth, and everyone that listens to him is of the truth. (I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to that father only by me). In other words, Jesus has come to bear witness about God, and himself, and the ones that hear, they are his sheep, they are in the truth, have seen that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, they understand as John writes that Jesus is truth – in a body, - that Jesus is God, the word that came and lived among people to show who God is. That God came near. Truth in a body.

Pilate; I think understandingly so, asks what is Truth?

No, knowing that truth is right in front of him.  (Are you confused as Pilate?

Today there is a mantra that flows from postmodern philosophy that everyone can have their own truth, we see that in the news social media, - it become problematic when this becomes criminal – I steel your money, or the bank say they don’t have your money – or you say you have different speed limits that others – for you that is your truth – well it doses not matter you will still get fined or go to jail). So in many ways people know this is not true, and there cant be more truths at the same time that are opposite, but it is a way of removing moral and ethical responsibility from people, like in the enlightenmen.t Where if God was death, people could do what they wanted, (- true, but it has implications and often it is the suffering of woman and children not seeing people as made in the image of God – wanting freedom from that = choosing slavery of ourself, - by trying to leftovers of moral and ethical teachings form Jesus, try to remove it by saying that truth is subjective. In an attempt to be your own God, now enslaved by your own thinking and having to make up what truth is and that you might change your mind, - a confused world, ad odds with itself.

And to like moral and ethics bound up in who truth is Jesus. If you were asked what is truth what would you say? Jesus?

Pilate does not get an answer from Jesus, but goes out and state he finds no guilt in Jesus.

And that he could release him, a non-dangerous prisoner as a gift for the people, as the custom was at Passover. Pilate asks them if they want him to release Jesus the king of the Jews?

They say NO, - not him, we want Barabbas, - robber and political rebel and insurrectionist.

Then in 19: 1 Pilate took and flogged him, and the solders made a crown of thorns and put a purple robe on Jesus, and the mocked him and struck him with their hands.  (Is this all in a way to get Jesus to talk, is it to pleas the Jews? So he could set Jesus free?)

Because Pilate went out again and say I find no guilt in him. Then why beat him? – behold the man to the Jews.

Chief priests and officers cried out Crucify him! X2 – You can do that your self I find no guilt in him.

Verse 7 Now finally the real charge:  He ought to die because he mand himself the son of God, - this charge is true and right and after the law Jesus should die, - but Jesus is God, and was send by God, - Jesus can’t deny himself: He is God in the flesh, even more God that the accusations. And they failed to see that. And don’t event have the same aw as Pilate.

Pilate in 8 becomes more afraid. – and asks Jesus the next question: Where are you from? – Jesus dose not answer – He had to say heaven – as he did many times but not now…

Jesus is quiet, Pilate is puzzled. You don’t what to speak to me? Don’t you understand what power I have, - to release or crucify you? – Jesus: said you would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. (Cesar – ultimate God) – so the sin is on the people that the Jews and Chiapas had done was more that Pilates. – It seems to hint at the Jews were just trying to get ride of Jesus, - and now Pilate actively it trying to get Jesus released, - properly seeing the hypocrisy of the Jews. But they have good arguments that are not really relevant because the want to kill him form blaspheming – now they talk about Jesus being a king again. And that Pilate had to kill Jesus because some said he was the king of the Jews and opposes Caesar.

Pilate tried again – behold you king: - now the sixth hour, - (From early morning till noon). Jews away with him crucify him – what Shall I crucify your king? – We have no king but Caesar. In a pragmatic move Pilate gives Jesus over to ne crucified. (Pilate is done with the people – Pilate can used this in the future.)

When we look at the questions – what is our answers?

What is truth? Who is Jesus? What was the biggest problem with Jesus? It was who He was and is.

- The good news is that Jesus did not deny who he was, but showed it, in his meakness, he had all the power to get out of the problems, but went into them and layed down his life, - He is truth, he is God come to us, - what does that mean for you? Ask the Holy Spirt, - Why do I preach today, and live my life because I believe that knowing who Jesus is and giving up our life to follow him will make the change everything in this life and give new life  – and because Jesus is the truth and the way and the life as he said.