John 18:37-40 Part 2 Bible Teaching

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Come back we will wrap up chapter 18 of the Gospel of John.

John 18.end
April 19th 2015
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Okay, so last week I got on my soapbox and shouted to the heavens about the Christian Kingdom not being of this world but of another – an invisible kingdom, a kingdom that reigns and dwells within the human heart – and one we will come into in the future.

This was all in response to Pilate asking Jesus if He was a King and Jesus saying:
(in verse 36)

“My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

Important as it is I have beat that topic to death. The dialogue continues at verse 37 – let’s read to the end –

37 Pilate therefore said unto him, “Art thou a king then?” 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.”
38 Pilate saith unto him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, “I find in him no fault at all.
39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?”
40 Then cried they all again, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.

So Jesus admits readily that He is a king when He tells Pilate,

“My Kingdom is not of this world.”

The charged was Him setting up an earthly kingdom and of being seditious against Caesar.

Jesus sets the record straight – I’m a King but my Kingdom is NOT on this planet, not of this world, not in conflict with Caesar – and therefore I am not in conflict with Caesar.

People might brush against this and honestly believe that Christianity is in conflict with the governance of the world and ought to take over but all we have to do is look around at all the Kingdoms that have existed since Jesus – that God has allowed to exist – and we are talking about some truly heinous regimes.

The answer to overcoming them is entirely spiritual AND that His solution works from within human beings and not from without.

37 Pilate therefore said unto him, “Art thou a king then?”

There are translations that present this statement in this manner and there are translations that present it as Pilate saying something to the effect of:

“So you are a King then.”

Because the Greek that is used is a compounded word and scholars say this compound points to irony, I tend to think that Pilate was saying,

“Oh, so you are a King.”

This view helps with comprehending Jesus response when He said:

“Thou sayest that I am a king.”

This translation is difficult and is better read:

“Yes, it is true, I am a King,” OR
“You have spoken correctly, I am a King.”

In other words Jesus took what could have been a smarmy comment from Pilate and made it clear – “I AM A KING.”

I don’t know about you but this profession is dumbfounding and if I was Pilate I would have been terrified.

The situation is really quite sobering as well. I mean, Jesus was sent to save the House of Israel. He was the King of the Jews.

Sometimes the question pops up:

“Well, what would have happened if the Nation and the Chief Priests and the Scribes had accepted Him as their own?”

First of all, this was an impossibility in light of prophesy which dictates the Messiah coming and suffering and being hung on a tree.

But for arguments sake it seems (and I could be wrong about this – God forgive me) but it seems that IF the Nation had received their King then He, being without sin and innocent, would have ruled over them and that earthly physical kingdom forever – since He would have never had to die due to sin or a sin nature – and the Gospel would never have gone out to the Gentile Nations as a result.

For this reason Paul wrote in Romans11:11

“I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”

In other words Romans 11 says that through the Jews fall (or failure to receive the Messiah) salvation is come to the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy.

I am of the opinion that this provocation was in full force from the ascension of Christ until end destruction of Jerusalem where God was pulling out all stops to get any unbelieving Jew to realize the Messiah was and is Jesus Christ.

So Jesus tells Pilate, “You have spoken truly – 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.”

BIG VERSE.

“You have said it correctly, Pilate, I am a King –

“It is why I took on flesh, was born and came into the world – this world, where your Kingdom is.”

“I was born to be a King. I came into this world to establish a kingdom of people based on truth.”

“You see,” we might imagine Jesus saying between the lines, “this is a world of lies, and darkness, and evil. My kingdom does not thrive nor operate upon such principles. I am a King that was born into this world, took on flesh, as a means to bear witness of the truth in this dark place,” – I do it by bearing light, truth, love, goodness, kindness, forgiveness, peace, faith in God, trust in heavenly things.

All throughout the Gospel’s Jesus claims that in His life He was bearing witness of the truth.

As this truth-bearer from heaven, John said:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

In John 12:46 He said of Himself:

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”

In John 9:39 Jesus said:

“For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

So here, before Pilate, Jesus has said that the purpose He came into the world was to witness the Truth – to shine a light in the darkness.

As the Word of God He was describing the invisible God, the God of Truth, the God of Light, the God of Love, the God of Fire.

All these biblical descriptions of Him relate and revolve around truth – around clarity, purity,light, clarity, holiness, and to pure love – which are the elements, principles, and characteristics of Him and His Kingdom.

And then how was His witness received?

Obviously -the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees – who were gathered outside the judgement hall,rejected Him and His witness entirely.

Why? He had been prophesied of, right? He was only doing good (healing, saving, leading) right? He obeyed the Law (at least in their eyes for the most part).

So what was “in them” that caused them to not see, not receive, to hear or accept His witness?

Scripture tells us in several places.

First, He was a light come into the world – shining a light into the darkness – and, as Jesus would later say:

They loved the darkness more than the light.

They loved the lie more that the truth.
They loved sickness over health.
They loved hatred over genuine love.
They loved Law over Liberty.

And on and on and on and on.

Lovers of the light seek and yearn for the light. The rest seek to extinguish it.

Playing right into their darkness, and as we said last week, Matthew tell us that it was “for envy” that they rejected Him and His message.

The Greek word is Fthanos and it means “ill-will” typically as a result or synonymous to jealousy.

It is often tied to the most vile elements of the carnal human heart.

Prior to knowing Jesus – especially as a child and teen I was filled with envy of other people and things.

When scripture talks about it I understand its vile nature. And it a sore companion and taints so much of what could be good and light and holy.

It was only by the presence of Him – only by His power – that I was cleared of this diabolical characteristic thriving in the human heart and I rarely, today, find myself envious of anything or anyone at all. Praise God.

We also know Jesus said directly to the religious rulers

John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because “ye are not of God.”

SO we know that those who love the light more than the darkness (OR those who are of God) hear His message – hear the truth.

The rest apparently hear the drum drumdrum of this world – and will receive anything or anyone instead – and NOT the things of His Kingdom . . . THE TRUTH “which is not of this world.”
(verse 38)

38 Pilate saith unto him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, “I find in him no fault at all.”

Jesus said He came into the world to bear witness of the truth and Pilate responded by asking:

“What is truth?”

It is thought that Pilate said this contemptuously and for this reason Jesus made no comment.

Of course, if Pilate, from an honest heart, had presented this question I think He would have been taught by the Lord – even on the day of His death.

But it seems Pilate was being cynical and Jesus must have discerned it.

Over the course of human history we have sought an answer to this question – what is truth. Perhaps the biggest seekers to the question (in the absent of God) were the Greeks.

400 or so years before Jesus was born the Greek culture of Heraclitus, Paramedes, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle – and all that came after them – thrived.

Their approach to philosophy had infiltrated Rome and by the time Jesus was here in the judgment hall being tried by Pilate I would guess Pilate had had enough of this truth-seeking crap.

And it is my opinion this is the back story behind Pilate asking Jesus this question.

The answer to the question, “What is Truth,” often corresponds to things like “descriptions or facts about reality.” Which then leads us to ask:

“What it reality?”

Which then can lead to queries about what can be considered real? And we come full circle and the debate goes on and on and on.

Jesus said that He was born to bear witness of the truth. I would suggest then that there exists a non-negotiable truth out there which Jesus came to illustrate and bear witness of.

Truth (with a capital T) is NOT relative, as many moral relativisms suggest in this day.

Absolute Truth is absolutely true no matter what the context, no matter who is the target, no matter what culture is receiving it.

The trouble, the problem, is human comprehension of absolute truth is limited in some way or another in most people and therefore we grasp only some or part of what we would call the absolute called Truth.

Well, according to scripture some of the best ways to ensure that a person has some access to hearing or seeing or understanding objective truth would be to approach things in the opposite manner that the religious rulers of Jesus day approached things, which would include:

Refraining from envy.
Loving the Light more than the dark.
Seekingthe truth knowing you will find.

These things were apparently far from the mind of Pilate – almost as far from his mind as it was from the murderous masses outside.

After asking the question it seems Pilate went back out to the masses and said:

“I find no fault in Him at all.”

Pilate could have seen Jesus as a man with a heavenly directive or he could have seen Him asa poor, deluded fanatic but he did not see Him as guilty of any offence against the Roman Government.

Apparently, he did not think that Jesus could adequately answer the question:

“What is truth.”

From our view, as believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting He was who He said He was and being the only one to come from above, this is really a remarkable situation.

I mean Pilate was looking God incarnate in the flesh – the one who created all things, the one who knew He had glory with the Father from before, and He had just revealed to Pilate who He was –

A King who came into this world for the sole purpose of witnessing the truth, and Pilate, instead of sensing, or realizing, or wanting to believe His claims, really sort of mockingly conveyed that truth can’t be known . . . and walked on.

How often this has happened ever since in the course of this world! People are in standing in the presence of God and His answers – and miss it all together!

Some suggest that God has NOT called such people to be His. You may believe this.

I am of the opinion that God calls all and reveals Himself to all – all the time – and I don’t think He ever, ever gives up.

But I am also of the opinion that those who do NOT respond either can’t hear or can’t see because they are not after the heart of God or they love the darkness more than the light.

Loving the truth, seeking the truth, being open to the truth is a precursor to salvation.

Paul wrote of those who did not love the truth in 2nd Thessalonians 2:10:

“They received not “the love of the truth” that they might be saved.”

Ironically, when Pilate asked Jesus what is Truth, Truth with a capital T was in His presence! So not only did Jesus come to witness to the truth as John 1:17 says:

“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Jesus said of Himself in John 14:6

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

IJesus told the woman at the well

John 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

In the very next verse Jesus reiterates the import of these words, saying:

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

One of the results of this attitude of seeking God in spirit and in truth is the liberty it provides the recipients – the truth NEVER produces bondage – only liberty.

It’s why we have those words under the CAMPUS sign – Freedom in Christ.

Jesus said in John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Truth seekers realize this vital promise first hand – which is why they seek to know the truth of all things because in the end it sets us free.

I mention this on the show last Tuesday that the truth makes us “Free from” and “Free to.”

Free from what?

Anything and everything that will serve to keep us bound. Myth, flesh, tradition, man, religion, prejudice, hatred, flesh, sin and even death.

Free from fear, from guilt and from the chains that hold all people down.

Free to what? Relax. Have patience, joy, faith in the King and His ways instead of our own.

I met with some guys the other morning who are mature Christians – they have been around the faith for decades.

One was bemoaning the fact that he was invited to a wedding of a homosexual couple and that his wife wanted to attend.

He listed all the biblical reason why this was not a good thing to do.

I agreed with him on the biblical presentations.

But then I said:

Let me ask you something? Do you think your resistance to attending this event will have any effect on anything?

He said no.

I said, “Let me ask it another way: which action with have more of an effect on those who are in attendance at this union – the absence of a Christian or the presence of one?”

In other words which action stands the greatest chance of bringing light into the situation?

He knew.

I said:

We know what is biblical. With that knowledge it would be wrong for you to divorce your wife and marry a man. But love is far, far more important than knowledge, and it will be perhaps one of the only lights shining in that place.

To know Christ – to KNOW the truth we are set free from such consternations – and are set free to them act.

Jesus came to set the captives free and to open the prison doors to them who are bound.

He said to Pilate:

“Everyone who is of the truth (about the truth, who honestly seeks the truth) hears my voice.”

And those outside the judgment hall were as good as deaf. Nevertheless Pilate STILL tries to give them an out. (verse 39-40)

“I find no fault in the man . . .”
39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

From what I can tell we really don’t know where this custom originated or who introduced it to the culture but in all probability the Roman government may have adopted it to keep the peace and to make them seem less oppressive.

It would be a simple gesture that would cost them nothing which would go a long way in keeping the people from rising up.

And since the Romans could themselves take Jews into custody and charge them with sedition it would especially be seen as favorable if they would let one of their own go who otherwise was going to be put to death.

So Pilate pulls up a man named Barabbas.
Maybe he was the only other one on trial, maybe he was the least offender – maybe the worst. We don’t know.

He is called a robber in scripture but Mark 15:7 tells us that he had“raised an insurrection in Jerusalem, in which it appears that some lives were lost.

In the Passion of the Cross Gibson has Barabbas appear as the most vile wild beast of men to show that the hatred of the Jews was so great toward Jesus they would rather have Barabbas the beast set free among them that the Prince of Peace.

That’s one way to see it. Probably the way it was. Who knows.

But there is another very interesting insight to this passage.

In some MSS. (and also in the Armenian and Syriacversions of the New Testament Barabbas first name was . . .
Jesus.

Remember when we read that Peter was called, Peter Barjonah? Bar means son so in the case of Peter we know he was the Son of Jonah.

Well a Vatican Manuscript in 949 contained a marginal note which has been attributed to Anastasius, bishop of Antioch, and another, attributed to early church father Chrysostom, which asserts that in the most ancient MSS. the following passage is found:

“Which of the two DO ye wish me to release unto you, Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?

Since Jesus (or Joshua) was a very common name among the Jews, and since the name of the father was often joined to that of the son (as in Simon Barjonah)
it is thought that the man we call Barabbas was really Jesus Bar-abba or “Jesus, son of Abba,”which is the name for papa or father to us.

If this is true it is thought that as a means to keep Jesus name undefiled (and possibly for clarities sake) some scribe (or scribes)omitted JESUS from Barabbas full name.

What kind of world do we live in? One of utter injustice. Because in response to Pilates attempt to get Jesus released, came the following:

40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, NOT Jesus the Messiah, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

Later on in the Book of Acts – after Jesus had ascended into heaven, Peter stood before a group of Jews and said the following:

Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

(Beat)

I don’t know why we ever get so upset and amazed when injustice is perpetrated among us – the greatest injustice to ever occur in the annuls of History occurred when God Himself was brutally killed and a seditions murderer was set free!

It doesn’t get much worse than that.

Years ago, October 3rd 1995, I was standing in an outdoor rodeo stadium in northern California speaking to about three thousand high schoolers at a conference for at-risk kids.

The stands were full and the teens respectful as I talked to them about overcoming obstacles as a means to achieve their goals.

Suddenly from the top back row a single student stood up and shouted, “He’s innocent!”

And the place went nuts with kids hugging and screaming and cheering in adulation over the fact that OJ Simpson was declared innocent in the murder of two individuals.

It was one of the most surreal moments in my life as I was faced not only with what to say in response to this news but how to control this mass of kids reacting to news that a notable esteemed sports hero was found innocent of brutally murdering two people in cold blood.

I honestly – to this day – do not know what I said.

I do not know what got the kids calmed down and back to their seats. I don’t know how I finished out the remaining thirty five minutes.

All I knew was I felt sick inside. It wasn’t so much from the verdict or the case, it was the reverie the students exhibited over the fact that a murderer was going to go free while two people remained butchered.

The cases of injustice did not begin and end with OJ. There are a thousand cases – maybe more – a day where the right are wronged and where the wrong are favored.

For whatever reasons – political favor, the money to buy a defense – injustice will prevail in this world.

And so we seek to follow Him who experienced the greatest injustice and a God who allowed it to happen – knowing that He will inevitably dry every tear and make every thing right . . . in the end.

That wraps up Chapter 18. We’ll step into 19 next week.

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