John 18:33 Commentary and Bible Study

This is a most amazing discourse and interaction. ‘Art thou the King of the Jews?’ and we should read this with all the emphasis on the word ‘thou’ – that’s how it is in the Greek. ‘Art thou the King of the Jews?’ He can’t believe it, Pilate. He knows that Christ’s reputation is entirely peaceful. His main activity seems to be preaching religious things and healing the sick, vast, vast numbers of them. He’s very simply clothed, and he has no armed followers. Two swords were produced at one stage, and Christ banned the use of them, so there’s been no armed insurrection under him, and he says to him, not so much in contempt probably, but in astonishment: Are you the King of the Jews? What are you going to do? You’ve got no army, you’ve got no military following, you’re a Man of peace. They say that you’re the King of the Jews, you’re setting yourself up, there’s going to be an insurrection here and a great rebellion. Are you the King of the Jews? It doesn’t make any sense! That’s the spirit in which this comes across. And Jesus answered him, and it sounds curious at first, ‘Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?’ Christ knew the answer; he never asked a question without knowing the answer because he is God as well as Man. This is for Pilate’s benefit. Look, he is in effect saying, ‘Are you saying this only because the Jews have laid this as a charge, or have you an enquiring mind yourself? Do you want to hear My reply for your own sake? What sort of a person am I speaking to? An official, a Roman procurator who just wants to know if this charge is true, that I am making Myself a King, or am I speaking to somebody who is honestly curious? Is this the Messiah, the King of the Jews?’ So, Pilate, in a sense – you see how Christ is working, he’s amazing! Here he is giving himself up to trial to crucifixion, and he is actually here showing concern for Pilate’s own soul. ‘Do you want an explanation, or do you want some kind of response to guilty or not guilty?’ Here’s the greatest opportunity to Pilate’s life without any doubt, and he could ask and enquire of Christ.