The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 396

Ver. 86.-!l?ie "'nworldly kingdom. It is not always possible to return a direct answer to a question. When Pilate asked our Lord Jesus," Art thou a King?" the reply could not have been either "Yes" or "No" without misleading the questioner. In a sense he was not a king,-that is, he mode no claim to an earthly, temporal sovereignty; in another sense he was a King,--a spiritual Sovereign, although bis kingdom was not of this world. 'l'bus the question of the Roman governor was the occe.aion of the utterance of a great truth, a great principle, distinctive of the religion and Church of onr Lord Jesus Christ. L CHRIST'S KINGDOM IS UNWORLDLY Ill ITS 00!4PATIBD:.ITY WITH AND 1TB TOLERANCE OF OTHER 11'.DlG:DOKS. Earthly governments do not admit of the imperiwm in imperio. The same subject cannot owe allegiance to two lords. The same land cannot admit the promul,,,aation of different codes of law. Oppression, confusion, rebellion, anarchy, would be the result of such an attempt. But the kingdom of the Lord Jesus can exist and flourish in the most diverse forms of secular government. The subjects of a despotic monarchy, and the citizens of a democratic republic, are alike capable of acknowledging the supremacy and obeying the commands of King Jesus. So far from destroying or imperilling a state, Christianity, when it takes possession of a people, tends to esta)Jlisb a state in righteousness, freedom, and peace. The ruler and the la!'"verned may alike confess the sway and honour the authority of the Lord and King ofDl8D. lI. CHRIST'S Kl.NGDOK IS UNWORLDLY Dl' THE CHARACTER ilD THE APPEARANCE oF ITS MoNAJICH. Earthly kings are always imperfect in character, and sometimes unjust, malevolent, vain, and selfish; yet they may maintain_ the outward semblance of dignity, wealth, magnificence, and power. 'i'he Lord Chnst, on the contrary, had no earthly rank, or splendour, no gorgeoWI palace, no imposing retinue. He was in outward guise lowly and obscure, and he was by men scoffed at and despised. Yet he wa.. and is the Holy One and Just, the faultleBS and benevolent Ruler of men, the Lord uf Leaven, the Judge of all. How wonderful and eu~lime a. ~ntr:i,st to the kings uf this world is the meek Monarch, the sceptre of whose kmgdom 1B a. right sceptre I III. CwnsT's KINGDO)I IS UNWORLDLY IN 1TB OWN ORIGIN AND IN 1TB SOVEll.EION's TITLE A~D OLA.Ill. The conception did not spring up in a human min<l, "Now,"  olr, xvm. 1-40.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 40'.)