John 18:28-40 CSB
Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover. [29] So Pilate came out to them and said, "What charge do you bring against this man?" [30] They answered him, "If this man weren't a criminal, we wouldn't have handed him over to you." [31] Pilate told them, "You take him and judge him according to your law." "It's not legal for us to put anyone to death," the Jews declared. [32] They said this so that Jesus's words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die. [33] Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" [34] Jesus answered, "Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?" [35] "I'm not a Jew, am I?" Pilate replied. "Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" [36] "My kingdom is not of this world," said Jesus. "If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." [37] "You are a king then?" Pilate asked. "You say that I'm a king," Jesus replied. "I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." [38] "What is truth?" said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find no grounds for charging him. [39] You have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" [40] They shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
Hear My Voice
Have you ever been falsely accused? We see it from our youth. Someone feels a pang of jealousy, so they might make up a story or a cutting remark about a person’s appearance or something they did. If you are patient and listen, you can hear the subtle barbs being deflected by, “I am only saying this because I want to help.” In reality, this is a form of “character murder”—an attempt to turn opinion against someone to clear a path for oneself. This is when a follower of Christ must not be a part of it. We must put a voice to stopping gossip, whether the rumors are true or false. We must become willing to say, “I am not going to listen.” Gossip seems minor at times, but it causes cascading hurts that flow into eternity.
Jesus was taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, but neither could find a legitimate charge. Annas no longer had legal authority, and even the High Priest Caiaphas could not drum up a crime that would stand. Finally, they took Jesus to the Praetorium—the seat of the Roman governor, Pilate. They handed Jesus over to be judged but could not justify a single charge, offering only a vague character assassination: “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”
When Pilate dismissed them, telling them to judge Him themselves, the truth came out: “We are not allowed to kill him.” They wanted Him to die in the most vile way possible. If they had simply stoned Him for blasphemy, the Romans would have stopped it as a common mob action. But prophecy needed to be fulfilled; Jesus was destined to die on a Roman cross. Pilate knew the accusation was born of jealousy. Rome had put down many kings and empires, and they already had a revolutionary in prison—Barabbas—who was guilty of robbery, insurrection, and murder.
Jesus did not deny His royalty, but said plainly to Pilate that He was born to be a King. His kingdom is not of this earth but in Heaven–formed by those who hear the truth. The ones who follow Jesus’ voice like sheep following a shepherd.
Pilate showed the state of his own heart when he asked, “What is truth?” He could neither hear nor understand it. It is a terrible thing to turn away from the Spirit of Truth when being drawn to God. Those who turn their backs lose even the light they might have—a reality the Jewish nation faced physically when their Temple was destroyed in AD 70. Pilate tried to offer a choice: he would set free the Son of God or a known murderer. The people chose Barabbas. What is our choice today?
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think character assassination is described as a “form of murder” in a spiritual sense? How does this perspective change how you react when someone shares a “secret” about another person?
- Jesus tells Pilate that everyone who is “of the truth” listens to His voice. In a world that constantly asks, “What is truth?” like Pilate did, how can we distinguish the calm steady voice of our Shepherd from the loud demanding “philosophies” of the world?
- When we find that someone has attacked us by spreading rumors, do we react as a Barabbas might—with anger, force, and revenge? Or do we trust in God, showing the light of Christ in love to those who hurt us?
Prayer
Father,
We thank You for the King who refused to fight with the weapons of this world. Forgive us for the times we have used our words to tear others down or stood by while others were falsely accused. Help us to be people of the Truth, with ears tuned to Your voice and hearts set on Your Kingdom. We choose You today over the violent ways of the world. Lead us in the path of peace for the sake of Your Name.
Amen.
