John 18:39 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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John 18:39

Comments

All throughout this passage, as the Holy Spirit wants us to see, you have the dignity of Christ; the bearing of Christ; the knowledge of Christ, knowing exactly what is going to happen; the responses of Christ which are so full; the mercy of Christ shown even in these last moments to Pontius Pilate, the possibility of mercy and help from Christ: he’s in charge; he’s bearing himself perfectly; he knows exactly what is going to happen to him and he voluntarily puts himself into this position. At any stage he could have ended it all. He could have turned around his whole position and denied that he was Messiah. The Jewish court would have been completely paralysed and brought to an end if he had said, In spite of some of the things I have said, I am not the Messiah sent from God. But because Christ acknowledged it and went on, he sealed his fate, as it were.Similarly, before Pilate: he would have been completely exonerated had there been a denial. Of course, that’s unthinkable! He was God; he could not sin; he could not lie; he was infallible; he could not change his mind, because that would bring his previous view or his new view to be an error. Of course, he was set to go through with Calvary, to bear the punishment due to us for our sin, and whereas humanly at any stage he could have altered the proceedings, he went, as it were, voluntarily to his death, carrying out the plan of God. We see all these things. How much we owe to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Application

Questions

There are people who think the gospels contradict each other. Ah, they say. In John he’s called a robber. In the synoptics he’s called an insurrectionist and a murderer. Which is correct? Well, of course, they are all correct because the term ‘robber’ in the days of the Bible necessarily implied you were violent and you were also a murderer. There was very little robbery on the main highways without murder and execution. Those who were robbed were routinely murdered so that their murderers could not be identified. In those days the term ‘robber’ is a highly loaded term, so there’s no contradiction at all. Equally, Barabbas had been involved in some organised rebellion. We don’t know whether it actually took place or whether it was nipped in the bud and he got away, but that’s often the case. Those who are rebels, who are going to take some sort of military action against their state often have to rob to raise funds.

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Introduction

John 18:39 Commentary and Bible Study