John 18:28 "... and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; ..."

They wanted Pilate to rubber stamp their sentence of death on Jesus. They were not prepared to go against their own rabbinic insistence of defilement by entrance into the house of a Gentile - this was not acting according to God's law. They practiced malicious ritualism but were bent on taking the life of the Holy One. Let our lives be according to the Word of God, not the religious legalism of men. (Titus 1:14,16 ).

	Pilate attempts to get an explanation of the Jews accusation (John 18:29 ).
	The Jewish leaders want their sentence on Jesus confirmed and carried out without examination (John 18:30 ).
	Pilate established his power over them by insisting they administer punishment according to their limits under Roman law (John 18:31 ).
	The Jewish leaders admit they are not empowered to administer capital punishment (John 18:31 ).

John 18:32 "That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spoke signifying by what death He would die."

A death that involved Jew and Gentile "lifted up." (John 12:32 ).

Matthew 20:19 "And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: ..."

None are excluded from sin, all are responsible for the death of Jesus. He died as He said, for all of us, that believing, we should have everlasting life (John 3:16 ).

Pilate returned to the governor's headquarters and questioned Jesus.

John 18:33 "... Are You the King of the Jews?"

The counter question of Jesus:

John 18:34 "Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?""

Pilate's contemptuous answer "Am I a Jew?", showed his question had not been personal but arose out of the Jewish leadership's accusation (Luke 23:2 ). He added, "What have You done?" (John 18:35 NKJV). Pilate genuinely desired to know what kind of crime was it that stirred up such hate that would want Jesus dead. In His reply Jesus reveals its the kind of kingdom of which He is King that is the answer (John 18:36 ).

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His Kingdom Originates From Heaven, Not From Earth

John 18:36 "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: ..."

His kingdom not being of the earthly kind, there were no officers to fight and prevent His being delivered up by the Jews. When the enemies of God and His Christ are engaged, the armies will be from heaven (Revelation 19 ). "My kingdom is not from here" (John 18:36 NKJV). In response to Pilate's "Are You a king then?" (John 18:37 NKJV). The words in Pilate's mouth are affirmed. "You say rightly that I am a King" (John 18:37 ). Jesus as King confesses true humanity. "For this cause was I born" (John 18:37 NKJV). Jesus as King claims His state of being before His incarnation (John 16:28 ). "And for this cause I have come into the world" (John 18:37 NKJV). Jesus came into the world as the supreme witness to the truth. "That I should bear witness to the truth" (John 18:37 NKJV).

There is an absolute reality that is God's way of thinking as revealed in Jesus. God's truth about God, truth about man's peril and prospects, man's redemption, truth that concerns Christ's own Person and work, all God's truth witnessed to in the personal presence of truth personified, Jesus Christ the Lord.

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Jesus As King Defines His Subjects

John 18:37 "... Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.""

To hear the voice of Christ is to accept the complete, absolute truth of the word spoken, and to obey His voice as the supreme authority. Had Pilate been able to understand the answer of Jesus he would not have said in a sceptical way "What is truth?" (John 18:38 KJV). He would have further understood the hatred of the humanistic, materialistic, legalistic religious world that the Jewish leadership represented. The kingdom of King Jesus was in their world but not of their world, so they delivered Him up for crucifixion.

Pilate again goes outside to the leaders of the Jews and the crowd (John 18:38). He announced the result of his inquiry. "I find in him no fault at all" (John 18:38 KJV). In examination of Jesus He is found to be spotless, without blemish or fault, the only sinless one - sinful man's perfect substitute. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ). Having found Jesus innocent of the accusations, Pilate should have dismissed the case, but he still attempted to appease the Jews.

John 18:39 "But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

Barabbas, a robber, was chosen and Jesus was left for crucifixion (John 18:40 ).

In yet another attempt to avert the extreme punishment, and awaken sympathy among the crowd Pilate had Jesus (John 19:1 ). It was a complete miscalculation of the ferocious hate of the religious leaders. Even the scornful act of the Roman soldiers, who enacted their contempt upon their Messianic hopes, had no effect (John 19:2-3 ). In Isaiah that scourging was prophesied with its issuing healing. "... and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5 KJV; Matthew 8:16-17 ). His vicarious sufferings are the source from which salvation and healing flows. (1 Peter 2:24-25 ). Again Pilate pronounced Jesus as one in whom he found no fault (John 19:4 ). Then Jesus was brought out scourging torn, bleeding, with the words "Behold the man!" (John 19:5 KJV). The unrelenting Jews cried "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" (John 19:6 KJV).

Now the Jewish leadership actually name the cross as the method of death. Every concession had only made them bolder. Pilate dares them to carry out the death penalty themselves and repeats his verdict of acquittal - but the enemies of Jesus would not leave it there, they now were ready to put the final pressure on Pilate.

John 19:7 "The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God."

This had a frightening effect on Pilate (John 19:8 ). He asked of Jesus "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer (John 19:9 NKJV). To answer Pilate's curiosity would make no difference to the outcome of the trial. This was evident - repeated acquittal had been without effect - the charge itself was the self-condemnation of the Jews. To Pilate's insistence on his power of life and death over Jesus (John 19:10 ), Jesus does give an answer,

John 19:11 "Jesus answered, 'You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.'"

	Ultimately all power is under God.
	Exercising power brings with it accountability to God.
	The greater the light the greater responsibility and guilt.

Submitting to intimidation breaks any resolve to do right.

John 19:12 "From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, 'If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.'"

By denial of God's government and Christ, man reaps the full and terrible consequences.

John 19:14,15 "... Behold your King! ¹⁵ ... We have no king but Caesar."

In renouncing Christ by the lips of their chief priests, they put themselves under the power of the prince of this world. History records the consequences. Those who incite and cause evil are as guilty as though they did it with their own hands.

John 19:16 "Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away."

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. Do you live according to the Word of God or are you controlled by the religious legalism of men? (John 18:28; Titus 1:14,16 ).
2. How would you know that someone is a subject of the Kingdom of King Jesus? (John 18:37 ).