John 18.25-40

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Was Pilate surprised by the arrival of Jesus and his guards so early in the morning? Probably not. Were the officials of the Sanhedrin surprised by Pilate's question? Probably. It seems that they had already made an arrangement with Pilate to expedite the execution of one of their notorious trouble-makers. The ensuing dialogue is a little contest to show who has the upper hand. Well, at least for Pilate to show that he is no push over. The Sanhedrin needs him to issue the verdict, they cannot execute someone. Pilate needs some reason to make it appear that Roman law has been satisfied.

In that struggle the two sides seem evenly matched. Not so with Peter. He is completely outclassed. First a servant girl, and then two other servants challenge him, perhaps only out of curiosity. Three times he denies knowing Jesus, until the cock signals an end to the darkness. However Peter will have his day. He will return, not long after, and give a different answer - to the Sanhedrin itself.

Jesus has been taken from Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to the Jerusalem headquarters of Pilate. Pilate already knows the charge. "Are you the King of the Jews?" he asks. Perhaps Jesus is surprised at his question. What kind of a question is it? Is Pilate interested for his own sake? Is this a personal question, does he want to know about Jesus' role as Messiah of Israel? Not really! Pilate is not interested in any of that.

So it is a legal question. They are discussing the charge the Sanhedrin has brought. Jesus and Pilate are now engaged in a tussle. Who is conducting this trial? Jesus appears to try to put Pilate's mind at rest. If they are discussing a kingdom, then Jesus' kingdom is not a political worldly rule. Twice he says that his kingdom is not from the world, it is not from here. So the Romans need not fear.

Pilate may be a little slow, or perhaps he realises Jesus is saying something much more threatening. "So you are a king then?" he replies. Even a King from outside the world may be a threat. And so the tussle continues. You keep talking about me as a king, so I will tell you more. I was born for this. I came into the world for this.

For this? For what? For this trial with Pilate, for the great event that will result from this trial. Is he talking about his death? Or is he talking about testifying to the truth? Or is it the same thing? Jesus has already told us that he is the truth (14.6). John tells us that the Word became flesh and we saw his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The truth Jesus revealed was not the truth of an observer. He did not report something that he ahs seen. He revealed the Father. He said that those who had seen him had seen the Father, that he and the Father were one, that the words he spoke were the Father's words, that the things he did were what he saw the Father do. The truth Jesus revealed was the truth of the inner relationships of the Triune God. He showed the relationship he and the Father had.

He testified to this truth of God in his words and in his deeds. But at the time of talking with Pilate, the deeds were not complete, the revelation was not finished. The great glory of the Father and the Son was revealed in its greatest depth on the cross. In John's gospel the cross is the place where both the Father and the Son are glorified.

There is a sequel to this night. Some time later Peter was arrested by the Sanhedrin for healing a cripple. He and John were brought before the same group. In Acts 4.6 we are told the names of some of those who were present, including Annas and Caiaphas. This time Peter is not confused. He gives a dramatically different answer compared to last time.

What caused the difference. Certainly the coming of the Holy Spirit was part of the difference. We are told Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit when he spoke to the Sanhedrin. But his explanation of the healing of the cripple was not connected with the Holy Spirit. Peter said the man was healed by the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The same Jesus whom the Sanhedrin crucified and whom God raised from the dead. What they rejected God has made the only saviour.

The difference for Peter has to do with the completion of the revelation of the truth. After the death and resurrection of Jesus the picture was complete. The truth about God's glory, his kindness and love, his purpose to save the world through the death of his Son, was now plain. And it changed Peter.

When Pilate dismissed Jesus with his "What is truth?", he perhaps asked the wrong question. What Jesus testified to was the true reality of the true God, truly revealed in the death and resurrection of the Son. Jesus was able to tell him who was the truth.

Dale Appleby

Who is Truth? John 18.25-40

Isaiah 49.1-7, Acts 13.32-41, John 18.25-40 March 26, 2006