John 18:28-40, Irony

Main Body

The Irony of Poor Decisions (V. 28)

• Notice all the points of Irony.
  • Pilate is in Jerusalem in order to quell any riots that might take place at the time of the first.
    • Normally, the Roman governor resided in Caesarea in the palace Herod the great had constructed. However, Pilate, like the governors before him, made it a habit of staying in Jerusalem at the headquarters of the Roman military detachment in order to control the people during their feasts.
  • The Jews present the one who they should have looked for freedom from to the ones from whom they sought that freedom.
    • The Jews sought political freedom from the Romans. Jesus offered spiritual freedom from sin. In an ironic turn of events the Jews submitted to the authority they hated in order to destroy the authority the claimed to love.
  • The Jews are careful to avoid ceremonial defilement while committing an act of rebellion against God Himself.
    • Jews's considered it unclean to enter a Gentile's house and so they ere unwilling to enter the house where Pilate resided. However, Jews were allowed to go into the courtyard or under the colonnades. The Jews were careful, even meticulous in their efforts to sanctify themselves for their passover feast while at the same time, planning murder.

• Pilate was worried about a rebellion that would turn the province upside down, instead he plays a role in a movement that would turn the world upside down.
• The Jews were worried about defilement that would interrupt their passover, instead they played a role in murder that would bring redemption.

What has Jesus done? (V. 29-32)

The Question (V. 29)

• For all intents and purposes Pilate is Rome. Pilate is the on who has ultimate authority in the region and his decision will be final. Pilate comes outside and the trial begins. Pilates first question, interestingly enough, is the question that we each should ask. What did Jesus do?

The Answer (V. 30)

• In one of the most ridiculous answers in the history of answer the Jews state, Jesus was a criminal because he was arrested.
• Th irony is that the Jews were actually more correct in their answer than they ever realized. What Jesus had done was exactly what they stated. Jesus had allowed Himself to be arrested. Jesus was guilty of presenting Himself as a substitute for each of our sins. Jesus had allowed Himself to be arrested and put on trial so that we might have eternal life.

The Response (V. 31-32)

• Pilate's response follows something like "this is your own problem, you deal with it." Again, notice the irony, Jesus cam not to solve a Jewish problem but a human problem. Pilate didn't realize that he was the agent of God's plan.

• Notice the second aspect of irony. Pilate told the Jews to take care of it themselves. Many people often read the statement "it is not lawful for us to put anyone to death," but what about the stoning of Stephen in Acts 6? Furthermore, Pilate has just told the Jews to take care of it themselves, I doubt anyone would have accused them of usurping Rome had they proceeded to execute Jesus. Instead I think we have another case of irony. The Jews knew that Jesus had not done anything worthy of death, often the phrase "it is not lawful" refers to something that is forbidden under Mosaic law. I think that the Jews knew that Jesus did not serve death but instead wanted Him dead.

• In verse 32 we see the true irony, Pilate didn't really want to get involved. The Jews couldn't legally execute Jesus, no install the authority to execute Jesus resided in one person and one person only, Jesus.

What is Truth? (V. 33-38a)

You must decide? (V. 33-35)

• Verse 33, Pilate asks Jesus if he is the king of the Jews. John put the word "you" in "Are you the King of the Jews" in the emphatic position. Wether Pilate was mocking Jesus or asking if Jesus genuinely considered Himself a king we don't know. What we do know is that Pilate was looking at not just the King of the Jews but the King of creation. John uses the emphatic position to highlight that this is Jesus Pilate is looking at.

• Verse 34, Jesus turns the tables on Pilate and in one question forces Pilate to take personal responsibility. Either he will be manipulated by the Jewish leaders or he will make the decision himself.

• Verse 35, Pilate responds in a effort to postpone making the decision.

=The transcendence of truth (V. 36)

• Verse 36, In stating "My kingdom is not from this world" John uses the genitive. What does Christ mean by referring to His kingdom? Isn't that later? Christ refers to his kingdom in a functional sense. i.e. in the sense of dominion. The focus here is not on a literal kingdom, but on his kingship and dominion.
• What does Christ mean "My kingdom is not from this word?" Does this mean he does not have dominion today? It is not that Christ's kingdom does not include the world, but rather that the power and authority for Christ's kingdom is not from this world.