Pilate was a real person, a real Roman governor who presided over a trial of Jesus Christ. Symbolically, Pilate represents the world, Pilate is a person who was confronted with the Truth. Pilate is like many of us.
37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You yourself said I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”
And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no guilt in Him. 39 But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?” -John 18:37-39
This is a historical event, though it is also a spiritual reflection of the state of human nature. Pilate represents society facing the question: What is the Truth? In this case, Pilate did not wait for an answer to his rhetorical question because he assumes there is no absolute Truth. Many people are like Pilate. Are you also?
Who is Jesus Christ?
What is the purpose of government?
How is justice intended to be a reflection and supportive of the truth?
Should the government be expected to support believers in Christ or the Church?
These are all big questions that I will not give a scholarly mind any satisfaction, but the last time I studied the Gospel of John, I was confronted with the idea that Pontius Pilate, this politically motivated Roman Governor who over saw the secular trial of Jesus Christ, who sat in interview of the Son of God, the man who could see no wrong in Jesus and washed his hands of any injustice, he represents every one of us who is faced with the decision, who is Jesus Christ and if he is who he says he is, what does that mean for each of us? What does that mean for all of us?
“What is Truth?”
Perhaps a rhetorical question from a man who believed in no truth, only political survival, he sat before the Man who proclaimed Himself as The Way, the Truth and the Life.” He remained cynical.
Are you open to be persuaded?
Is it possible that a man can not come to faith when in the presence of God? Human resistance from sin is strong. We can choose to be wrong. Apparently, being fully or truly man, Jesus as the Son of God, must somehow appeal beyond logic and reason.
Without being in the presence of the heavenly throne of God, it takes conviction of sin, understanding the utter depravity in comparison to the incalculable holiness of God.
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:8-11
Humbly, Jesus became a man and in an act of ultimate surrender, he suffered, took upon our sin, the sin of the world, and received the wrath of the Father, the punishment that we deserve, he took in our place.so that we would not have to suffer that wrath. That is the Good News, but you need to turn from sin and place your trust in Christ.
There will come a time when there will be no doubt. All who are on earth and all who have ever lived will be resurrected for eternal life in heaven or in hell, each will face judgment and have to give a full accounting for their sin. Those who are faithful to God and trusting in Christ will avoid God’s justice and receive instead, God’s grace.
And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. -Revelation 13:8
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:4
Must you be convicted, must your worldly truths be shattered for you to see your error?
I cannot assume Pilate did not come to a saving faith, the Bible does not say, but it is possible. It seems that Pilate was so cynical that reason could not supplant it. He may have survived a riotous crowd of angry jews but little did he understand he would ultimately be judged himself by a just and morally perfect God. The rolls will be reversed, Christ will judge.
More often than not, and it makes sense, unless one comes to grips with their own depravity in conjunction with a realization of God’s holiness, it’s easy to remain stuck in the trap of self-sufficiency.
Your self-sufficiency may result in an understanding of truth now, but Is your truth temporary or eternal?
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel from the late Pastor John MacArthur, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
All quoted excerpts have footnotes removed, usually from Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), sometimes from New International Version (NIV), on rare occasion the Amplified Bible (AMP).
Copyright © 2025 ChallenYee.com Some Rights Reserved
4.21.24