The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 429

Ver. 9.-" W7ienoe art thou," This question, put by Pilate to tho Lord Josue, was not so much intended to guide the questioner in hie judicial capacity, 118 to satisfy his own curiOl!ity. It is clear that Pilate was BAtisfied of tbo Accused's Innocence of ony political offence. Dut it is also clear that he was perplexed in mind, and unable to ~atisfy himself ns to the rool character and origin of the mysterious Deing who stood before him. There is no reason to suppose that the Roman procurator felt eny very deep or le.sting interest in the Prophet of Nazareth. Still he had his misgivings as to whether Jesus was not possessed of aome superhuman claims. Hence the question, " Whence art thou?" I. THE INQumY. 1. There is much m (J],,nst himself which prompts the question. His chAM1Cter, his wonderful works, his still more wonderful language, the whole ministry whioh he fulfilled upon earth, and especially the saorifice and the victory in which that ministTy culmina.ted,--all are fitted to suggest and urge inquiry into his origin and nature. 2. There is mnch in man which induces him to seek the truth upon this most interesting question. It concerns every one to whom the gospel comes'.to know with what authority Jesus spoke, and what value attaches t.o his redemption. And in order to this it is necessary to know whence he is, from whom he comes, and in whose name he makes his claim upon men. II. Tm: REPLY. Why Jesus did not answer Pilate is not hard to understand. He had already, both by his language and by his demeanour, given abundant evidence for the formation of a judgment. And Jesus intended Pilate to understand what were their relative positions. The governor deemed himself in this case omnipotent; Jesus :rave him to understand that in reality his power was very limited, whilst the power of ti1e accused and apparently helpless One was in reality that of God) himself. But we should make a mistake if we supposed that the Lord Jesus was or is unwilling to give reason for men to acknowledge his claims and to render honour to the Son. 1. Christ's origi1l. is Divine: he came forth from God, and was one with the, Father. 2. Christ's authority is Divine: he spa.Ire, wrought, and suffered in the na.oie of God. a. Christ's Divine origin and authority render him in all his offices fit t.o fulfil::hii jmlcious purposes towards mankind. Is he our Prophet, Priest, and King? It Dl&kes all the difference to iris sufficiency whether or not he fulfils these offices with Divine authority. Men a.re right in asking of Jesus, "Whence art thou?" But they are wrong if, receiving his own answer, they refuse· him 'the faith of t~eir heart,, th~ allegiance of their life.-T. • Ver. 14.-" Behold yow King! " It is not easy to decide in what spirit these words were spoken by Pilate. Certainly the Roman governor was not deceived into believing that Jesus made a claim to a temporal sovereignty which might conflict with the Roman dominion. Certainly he could not expect to move the Jews to pity by repre- senting Jesus as One who had in some way authority among them, a claim to their regard ; for they had delivered him up on the charge of assuming royalty. It would seem as if Pilate took a pleasure in angering and insulting the priests end Pha1iseee, whom he hated and despised as he did the nation whom they headed and guided. He had no motive for ridiculing Jesus; he had a motive for scoffing at the Jews. He could not but recornize the superiority of the august and patient Sufferer before him over the hypocritical priests and the fanatical mob who demanded that Sufferer's death. •And even when yielding, for his own safety's sake, to the unjust and clamorous request of Jesus' enemies, he gratified his own scorn of the Jewish rule111 anti people, first by summoning them to behold their King, and then by causing the inscription t.o be placed upon· his crOSB, "Jesus of N11.2:aretb, the King of the Jews." The language which Pilate uttered in derision, and which the Jews rejected in their wrath, is nevertheless language which contains precious uod ~lorious truth. I. THE oaouND OF CHRIST'S KmosHIP. Earthly sovereigns come t.o the throne some:. «m. x1x. 1-42.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BT. JOHN.