“Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.” John 18:33-40;
The quintessence of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!
The Jews, the religious authorities and the spiritual leaders of Israel met here!
Here is the highest representation of pagan Rome, the then main empire. And here is a humble, silent young Man, Jesus, called Christ!
The religious leaders are asking the godless authorities to kill this humble young Man! They accuse Him of presenting Himself as King, and the accused does not deny it. He simply claims that His Kingdom is from a completely different world.
From the Highest, from the world of the Heavenly Father!
The Jews want to kill him for this! But Pilate sees no crime in this.
However, the spiritual leaders pushed through their anger and forced Pilate to put Jesus to death!
A particularly important point is that the leaders of Judaism preferred to give freedom to the robber Barabbas. It’s worth thinking about here. For Barabbas from then until now is the main figure both on the religious and on the political scene.
Of course, the central figure at this crossroads of human cunning and cruelty is Jesus. Totally unearthly! Silent. Removed from the fight of earthly monsters. In this moment, Jesus is indeed the King of the other Kingdom. He’s over the fight. He is above death!
He does not humiliate himself by trying to justify himself. He calmly accepts the accusations of the priests and is just as indifferent to Pilate’s acquittal!
He humbly accepts slander. He endures scourging with incredible courage.
He goes to Calvary, as to the throne!
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” John 1:10;
Truly the King is not of this world!
And that’s why!
My choice is difficult, but important!
If I support Pilate, he is power from God, I become the killer of the true King!
If I support the priests, they are God’s anointed ones, I become together with them the murderer of the true King!
I support Jesus, and then my road is with Him to the Cross!
That’s why He was left alone.
Then He resurrected, and many people joined Him….
The problem was resolved rather primitively. The world has accepted the humanistic version of Christ, no less giving up its unlimited power.
The church community accepted these conditions with satisfaction, because under the cover of earthly power they got the opportunity to believe in Jesus Christ without parting with the values of this world.
Light faded into darkness. Darkness swallowed up light.
But there are those who have overcome the evil one. Of course the price is great.
However, the purchase is worth it. Resurrection and Eternal Life!
In the Kingdom of the Father with Christ! It us worth it.
I am for Christ! I am with Christ.
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and did not love their souls even unto death.” Rev 12:11;
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