18:36
Now Jesus does answer. “My kingdom is not of this world”. Now it is important that we understand the meaning of this. It does not mean that His kingdom has nothing to do with this world, in fact the exact opposite of that is true, it has everything to do with this world. What it does mean is that it is completely different in nature and in the way it operates. If His kingdom was “of this world” then Jesus would have had people fighting for Him. Instead He rebuked Peter when he did fight. Jesus kingdom is very different.
18:37,38
Pilate sees that Jesus is a king, and in saying this he is correct. Jesus replies that He was born and sent into the world in order to bear witness to the truth, and if if someone is truly interested in the truth then he will listen to what Jesus has to say. Pilate, who was now acting as a judge, should have been interested in the truth.
We then get Pilate’s infamous words “what is truth?” Maybe Pilate thinks Jesus is just a philosopher. Pilate had a chance to listen to something far more important and far reaching than the self-interested claims of the Jewish leaders, but he neglected to do this.
So he went outside and told the Jews that he could find no basis for a charge against Jesus. This would not be pleasing to the Jewish leaders.
18:39,40
At Passover time the Romans traditionally released one prisoner. So Pilate offered to release Jesus. This was not going to work, there comes a time when we need to make a positive decision for Jesus. Those who are not for Him are against Him (Matt 12:30).
As we know, the Jewish leaders elected to have Barabbas released instead.. Anyone but Jesus! The duplicity and utter hypocrisy of their actions are highlighted by the fact that Barabbas was an insurrectionist. Earlier they had sought to claim to be bring Jesus to Pilate because He was supposedly a troublemaker, and yet they then chose to have a real troublemaker released.
We should not expect opposition to the gospel to be reasonable.
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