Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.” John 18:36 WEB
Chapter eighteen of John’s gospel begins with Jesus’ arrest in the Garden at Gethsemane. Peter’s first denial of Christ follows. Next, the former Jewish high priest Annas questioned Jesus. Then, Annas had Christ bound and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. Meanwhile, Peter denied Christ a second and third time, fulfilling Jesus’ prophetic words from John 13:38 which says, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times. WEB”
Following these events, Jewish leaders removed Christ from Caiaphas’ custody and took him to the palace of the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. When Pilate asked what charges they leveled against Christ, the Jewish accusers did not answer directly. Instead, their collective response is given in John 18:30 as, “If this man weren’t an evildoer, we wouldn’t have delivered him up to you. WEB” Truly, the Jews wanted Christ killed because he claimed to be the Messiah and the Son of God. In other words, Jesus claimed a legitimate right to the Jewish crown.
The King of the Jews
Refusing to hear the case against Christ, Pilate said to the Jewish leaders in John 18:31, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. WEB” At that point, Christ’s accusers pleaded that Pilate dealt with Jesus because they intended to impose the death penalty but under Roman law they did not have the authority to do so. And so, reluctantly, Pilate began to question Jesus in the Praetorium, his palace.
Finally, Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:33, “Are you the King of the Jews? WEB” Ultimately, Jesus responds saying, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Further, Jesus demonstrates the spiritual nature of his kingship indicating that if he were worldly, then his followers would fight to keep him from the hands of his enemies. But, as king of the spiritual realm of heaven, Jesus was not of this world and not a worldly threat. Pilate perceived this and returned to the Jews who brought Christ to him. He said to them in John 18:38, “I find no basis for a charge against him. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for calling me out of the world and into your holy family. Thank you for my salvation in Christ. Lead me away from the temptations of the enemy. In your wisdom, guide me to do your will. In Jesus name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: We Deceive Ourselves
