September 20, 2022
Good afternoon,
back to the trial… John 18:18-27
” 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. ”
John 18:27
The temple leadership takes Jesus to Pilate. Pilate is the Roman governor ( or Premier of the province ). You have to be brutal, and friends of the Emperor. You do not have to show mercy, but must be willing to put down any insurrection with violence. The leaders of the Temple say that they cannot kill Jesus, and they know that Pilate can execute anyone if they are deemed dangerous to the ruling Empire.
Jesus and Pilate have a conversation of who Jesus is ? Jesus does not back down. Pilate does not seem to want to kill Jesus. He is trying to understand what kind of threat he is to the Empire. Pilate has all the elements of power in his hands. Jesus is this strong willed peasant from the countryside, Galilee. He thinks Jesus is powerless.
What might Jesus be thinking while he is in front of Pilate ? Is this real tension, or is it just planned events of God playing themselves out in the palace of Pilate for the salvation of the world ? Does it matter ? Does Jesus have free will as he confronts Pilate ? It is some of John’s best writing as he recounts the trials of Jesus.
Grace and peace in our Lord and Saviour
Fred
Chaos in the winds
Scattering my troubled thoughts
to land on soft clouds
Monika Pieper Landoni 2022