“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

John 18:34

For Meditation

The conversation between Jesus and Pilate at His trial is very interesting and insightful. Pilate asked a seemingly simply question that demanded a straight “yes” or “no” answer; yet it wasn’t that simple.

“Are you the king of the Jews?” (Jn. 18:33).

Pilate could not slip his mockery past Jesus unnoticed, so Jesus turned the responsibility on him.

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

In plain language, “Come on Pilate. Don’t play games with me. You have heard enough about me before the Jews brought me to you. So, who do you say I am?”

The Lord wants everyone to form their own personal opinions about Him. The testimonies of others are good as far as it takes a person to Jesus. However, the person has the personal responsibility to form their own convictions about him, based on their own assessment of the truth He has revealed through His teachings and miracles, and move on them.

Pilate was offended by Jesus’ question. He was not a Jew to form an opinion about His Kingship. That’s a Jewish business. How wrong he was! Everybody, Jew or Gentile, has to know Jesus and to come to Him for what He offers – salvation. Pilate needed to know the true identity of Jesus as much as Caiaphas did; and so does everybody.

Jesus said, “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” (36).

“You are a king, then!” asked Pilate.

“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” (37).

“What is truth?” Pilate asked.

The truth is the man standing before you, Pilate (14:6). So, what do you say?

How about you? Who is Jesus to you? Have you firmly embraced His true identity as Savior and Lord? Are you living by your personal convictions about Him or those of others? Do you have any at all?

Shalom.