So much is packed into these chapters about the crucifixion of Jesus. When I read it, I get overwhelmed and want to just skip past Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to the part where Jesus is raised from the dead and no one can believe it, but it’s true, and then later Jesus has this great breakfast fish fry and heart-to-heart on the beach with Peter, James, and John… I love all that.
But we’re still deep in the hard parts, where God invites us to slow down and listen even to things that are difficult to listen to. By John 18:33, Jesus has eaten dinner with His friends the night before, prayed in the garden, been betrayed by Judas and then by Peter, was bound, questioned and slapped in the face, brought to the high priest, and now brought before the Roman governor Pilate to be questioned again. It’s been a long night, and the Jews who arrested Jesus are outside Pilate’s palace early in the morning. (See why I wanted to skip past this? It’s sad, lonely, and cold.)
Then, Pilate invites just Jesus inside to have a chat. He wants to know who Jesus really is (he’s heard Him called “The King of the Jews”) and what He did to end up on death row. Jesus answers Pilate with a sort of confusing statement. He says, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place… You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
I don’t blame Pilate if he was a little lost, but then he asks just the right question, albeit a rhetorical retort, “What is truth?” before marching back outside.
There’s so much about the kingdom of God and the words of God that I may never understand. I’m sure I have things wrong right now that I think are right, but I can trust God to set me straight about what matters. As we seek to understand the ways of Jesus’ kingdom, let’s draw closer to Jesus, who is the giver of truth.
For reflection:
- Where do you need clarity and truth right now? Ask God for understanding and for the truths you need to hear.
- Ask God to prepare and humble your heart to listen to truth, especially when it unearths that something you’ve believed or done was not aligned with His truth.
- Pray for the Church to draw nearer to Christ and listen, that we’ll be “on the side of truth.”
by Isabelle Lundstrom
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