Then Pilate again asked Him: "Answerest Thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse Thee. Dost not Thou hear how great testimonies they allege against Thee?" But Jesus still answered him not to any word, so that the Governor wondered exceedingly. Pilate therefore went into the hall again and called Jesus, and said to Him: "Art Thou the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered: "Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of Me?" Pilate answered: "Am I a Jew? Thy nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee up to me. What hast Thou done?" Jesus answered: "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now My kingdom is not from hence." Pilate therefore said to him: "Art thou a King, then?" Jesus answered: "Thou sayest that I am a King. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth My voice." Pilate saith to Him: "What is truth?" And when he had said this he went forth again to the Jews, and saith to the chief priests and the multitude: "I find no cause in this man." - Matthew 27:13,14; Mark 15:4,5; Luke 23:4; John 18:33-38
1. In this conflict between the world and the spirit we are struck first by the assumption of authority in the one, and the reality of authority in the other. Pilate is indeed on the chair of justice, and Jesus is in the dock; but from first to last it is easy to see which is master, which acts upon the formality of power, and which on the basis of true strength. The formality leads to bullying, and bullying always betrays weakness, while strength can afford to be silent, and silent strength is often the best proof of innocence. To such an argument Pilate was unaccustomed; it made him wonder; it made him a little afraid; he felt he could not afford to despise this man, however helpless and at his mercy He appeared. So from that time to this has the silence of Christ held the attention and stirred the fear of the judging world.
2. Pilate would examine Him in private. On only one point would he satisfy himself. He knew He was not a malefactor; he made nothing of the many other things that were alleged against Him; but he must know about this title of King. He must not betray his own personal interest; he must not let it be supposed that he has any soul in the matter; he must pretend that it is merely a question of law that must be solved. Our Lord tries to get him to acknowledge the thing that is in his heart; He would have him own that he seeks, not as an empty judge, but as one who really "looked for the Kingdom of Israel," as other Romans had done who had already crossed His path. But Pilate "would not." He would be a man of the world to the end.
3. Still Jesus would fight for his soul. He would let Pilate see that he had nothing to fear from His Kingship and His Kingdom. He would thus lead him on to acknowledge the Kingdom that underlay all others, the truth which was the foundation of all kingdoms, of all society. He would bring home to him that it was possible to be a member of the Kingdom of Christ, and thereby all the better member of a kingdom of man. Pilate understood enough. He heard from Our Lord's own lips the confession that He was a King; but, unlike the scribes and ancients, he did not at once say: What need we any further testimony? He said: I find no cause in Him.
Summary
1. The silence of Our Lord is and always has been the answer to His calumniators.
2. The examination of Our Lord is a struggle to make Pilate true, not merely conventional.
3. It fails; but it wins a confession.
- from The Crown of Sorrow, by Archbishop Alban Goodier