I hope you will not be like this judge. There was something that was more important to him than Truth!
“It was early morning”, and a prisoner had been handed over to him by the Jews for trial. Pilate, the judge, came out to them and asked, ‘What charges are you bringing against this Man?’
“‘If He were not a criminal,’ they replied, ‘we would not have handed Him over to you.’” (verses 28-31.)
The Jews wanted to have Jesus condemned to death, but they had no charge against Him that deserved death!
“Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’
“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My Kingdom is from another place.’
“‘You are a King, then!’ said Pilate.
“Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying I am a King. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the Truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.’” (verses 33-37.)
Pilate was not a Jew himself, so it wouldn’t matter much to him if Jesus had claimed to be the King of the Jews. But the title Jesus claimed did involve him; and it involves you and me too! Jesus was claiming that He came into this world to be the King of TRUTH!
Before finding out what Pilate did about Jesus’ claim, it is more important that YOU make up you own mind about Jesus! Is Jesus the King of Truth? Is all that He said about Himself true? Will YOU BELIEVE HIM when He says, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.”? (John 14:6.)
You see, if you think you can get to God through other people, or by sacraments, then you are making Jesus out to be a liar and deceiver! Are you ready and willing to trust, and obey, Jesus Christ as your “Prince and Saviour”? (Acts 5:31-32.) Is He the One you are depending on to bring you to God?
Those who refuse to believe Jesus’ claim will be left in the dark, just as Pilate was! When he refused to accept that Jesus was the Truth he had to admit he did not know where he could find truth.
“‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked.
With this he went out again to the Jews and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against Him.’” (verses 38-40.)
Pilate had to decide either for popularity or Truth! He could find no fault with Jesus but he foolishly decided he would rather continue to be popular with the priests and the crowd. So, “Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.” (verse 19:1.) Pilate and those priests, just like priests today, did not want to believe, or want anyone else to believe, that Jesus was who and what He claimed to be - the voice of TRUTH and the only way to God.
Will YOU believe Jesus is indeed THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE? (John 14:6.) or will you be as foolish as Pilate was - Will YOU reject Jesus, in order to be popular with others?
Read of Pilate’s choice in John chapter 18:28 to 19:1.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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