John 18:33 So Pilate went back into the headquarters, called Yeshua and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 Yeshua answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have other people told you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and head cohanim have handed you over to me; what have you done?” 36 Yeshua answered, “My kingship does not derive its authority from this world’s order of things. If it did, my men would have fought to keep me from being arrested by the Judeans. But my kingship does not come from here.” 37 “So then,” Pilate said to him, “You are a king, after all.” Yeshua answered, “You say I am a king. The reason I have been born, the reason I have come into the world, is to bear witness to the truth. Every one who belongs to the truth listens to me.”[Complete Jewish Bible}.
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In the last part of this exchange, Pilate asks Jesus,"What is truth?" One can almost hear the sarcasm and vitriol dripping from Pilate's lips as he says this. Pilate was a true Roman citizen and had likely been greatly influenced by Greek philosophy. Seeking the "truth" was the ultimate goal for educated people. But Pilate had also probably become jaded because of his exile to this dusty, backwater region of the Roman Empire. Truth be told, many of us can feel the same way about our situations. Perhaps it is work, or family issues, or simply the daily stresses of life. And we can sometimes be influenced by the "truth" promoted by the world around us and become world-weary and cynical. But, to use Jesus' words, if we listen to this alternative voice of truth, Jesus Christ, we indeed know there is much more to our life this side of heaven than what we are told by our modern world. If we hold fast to Jesus' words, we can better face those difficult times in life and enjoy the good times even more.
King of truth, help us to listen to your voice so much so that your voice drowns out all of the false voices of "truth" that surround us. Keep us focused on you and your love and mercy for each of us. Amen.
Tracy Hinkel
St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, Northglenn, Colo.
Master of Divinity , 2009
John 18:33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
34 "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"
35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"
36 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."
37 "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 I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."[New Revised Standard Version]
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King of truth, help us to listen to your voice so much so that your voice drowns out all of the false voices of "truth" that surround us. Keep us focused on you and your love and mercy for each of us. Amen.
Tracy Hinkel
St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, Northglenn, Colo.
Master of Divinity , 2009
John 18:33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
34 "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"
35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"
36 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."
37 "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 I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."[New Revised Standard Version]
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