1. The Truth and Authority Revealed in Pilate’s Interrogation
The account of Jesus being brought before Pilate and interrogated is recorded in detail in the latter part of John 18 through the beginning of John 19. This scene takes place near the end of Jesus’ public ministry, just before He is crucified, making it an event of great dramatic and theological significance in the passion narrative. The text depicts how, after Jesus was arrested and tried before the Jewish religious leaders, He was taken to the Roman governor, Pilate. In particular, the exchange that unfolds during Pilate’s interrogation reveals, in a dramatic way, what truth is. At the same time, it also exposes the sinfulness of the Jewish high priests and religious leaders, as well as the destructive power of a frenzied mob.
By the time Jesus stood before Pilate, He had already been arrested by the religious leaders, interrogated overnight, and charged with blasphemy for claiming to be the Son of God. However, because the Jews, according to their customs or law, could not execute a capital punishment on their own (John 18:31), they brought Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate, to secure a death sentence. As the official appointed by the Roman Empire to govern Jerusalem and its surrounding regions, Pilate held the authority to carry out executions in Judea.
When Pilate first meets Jesus, he asks, “Are You the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33). This was partly because the Jewish leaders had twisted the charge against Jesus to portray Him as someone who claimed to be “the King of the Jews,” thereby committing treason against Rome. But Jesus clearly indicates that He is not a king in any earthly, political sense. He says, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), underscoring that He has no intention of seizing the throne through Rome’s political systems or the Jewish people’s existing political structures, nor of ruling by force. For Pilate, this was a critical statement, because as a Roman governor, what he most feared was a rebel—a political criminal who might threaten the Roman Empire. Yet Jesus emphasized that the kingdom He pursued did not belong to the political order or sphere of authority that Pilate represented.
Jesus’ words carry profound meaning on two levels. First, His kingdom is the eternal kingdom of God, a realm of truth and love. It does not rely on earthly political or military power; rather, it is the kingdom of God that liberates humanity from the powers of sin and death, offering salvation and eternal life. Second, Jesus preemptively countered any attempt by Pilate to interpret “King of the Jews” as evidence of a political rebellion. From Pilate’s standpoint, if Jesus were indeed a revolutionary, His disciples would have fought the Roman soldiers instead of allowing Him to be handed over to the Jews—an explanation Jesus offers in a way that likely convinced Pilate to some extent. Jesus says, “If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews” (John 18:36). Thus, Jesus distinguishes Himself from the worldly kingdoms maintained or expanded through violence and makes clear that He does not fit the mold of a political insurgent Pilate might have feared.
Hearing these words, Pilate again asks, “So You are a king?” (John 18:37). In other words, he is questioning whether Jesus truly possesses some kind of regal authority. Pilate did not fully understand the nature of this “otherworldly kingdom” Jesus spoke about. Yet the moment he heard Jesus’ explanation, he may have sensed that Jesus was not a mere political threat but someone who embodied a different level of authority and truth. Once again, Jesus makes His point clear: “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). Here, Jesus proclaims that He Himself is truth and that the very purpose of His coming into the world is “to bear witness to the truth.” Moreover, only those who “are of the truth” can understand and accept His words.
The statement “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” carries profound theological and spiritual significance. No matter how well-educated one may be, no matter how high one’s religious standing, or how powerful one may be politically, if one does not know the truth, one cannot recognize Jesus’ voice. Conversely, anyone whose heart is opened by the Holy Spirit and who humbly seeks truth—regardless of whether that person is a Roman governor or a simple Galilean—can receive Jesus’ declaration as the truth of the King. However, the Gospel of John notes that Pilate responds with, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) and immediately leaves, without waiting for Jesus to reply. This suggests that Pilate, a politician under pressure, had neither genuine interest in nor the leisure to listen to the truth.
Afterward, Pilate announces twice to the Jewish crowd, “I find no guilt in this man” (John 18:38). From his perspective, he saw no justification for putting Jesus to death. Moreover, Pilate himself, having heard Jesus’ words, was likely impressed, concluding that “This man is not a political rebel but seems dignified and innocent.” Indeed, by declaring he “found no guilt,” Pilate showed his own assessment. But the Jewish leaders and the crowd persistently demanded Jesus’ crucifixion, to the point of asking that the notorious criminal Barabbas be released instead (John 18:40). Barabbas was a robber, an instigator of insurrection, and a murderer (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19; Acts 3:14)—in other words, clearly guilty of crimes worthy of execution by Roman law. Yet, pressured by these religious leaders, Pilate was forced to direct the trial toward Jesus’ crucifixion.
Although Pilate wished to set Jesus free, he eventually gave in to the crowd’s demands, political concerns, and their threat: “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar” (John 19:12). Before handing Jesus over to be crucified, Pilate tries to appease the people’s fury by having Him flogged (John 19:1). Then, Pilate’s soldiers mockingly place a crown of thorns on His head and dress Him in a purple robe (John 19:2–3). Pilate may have hoped that by subjecting Jesus to such harsh punishment, the crowd would be satisfied and He might be spared. Instead, they only cried out all the more for Jesus to be crucified.
Hence, Pilate’s interrogation shows that even a worldly authority figure recognized Jesus’ innocence, yet the sinless Lord was ultimately condemned to death in the midst of human malice, religious hypocrisy, and political compromise. Although Pilate himself declared three times that he found no fault in Jesus (John 18:38; 19:4; 19:6), he still sentenced Him to be crucified. Through this sequence of events, the Gospel of John demonstrates that, while Jesus was unjustly condemned, His death was also part of God’s redemptive plan.
From this portion of John, we can glean several important points. First, it underscores Jesus’ innocence. Even a Roman governor declared, “I find no guilt in this man,” offering historical testimony to Jesus’ blamelessness. Second, Jesus was not a political rebel or an earthly king; He is the King of truth and the Ruler of the Kingdom of God. His statement “My kingdom is not of this world” serves as a foundational guideline for Christians today regarding where our identity must be rooted. Third, we see the paradox of truth being rejected by false religious power in alliance with political expediency. The Jewish religious leaders outwardly served God and awaited the Messiah, but when the Messiah finally appeared, they led the charge to kill the Son of God in order to protect their religious privileges. This scene vividly illustrates that “when truth manifests, falsehood and hypocrisy are exposed and judged.”
Pastor David Jang, reflecting on Jesus standing before Pilate, emphasizes that we must deeply ponder the direction and posture our faith should adopt. In particular, Jesus said He came “to testify to the truth,” which raises a vital question for today’s churches and believers: How should we conduct ourselves when facing worldly authority? Pastor David Jang often refers to the concept of “the royal authority of Jesus’ truth,” explaining that it is not meant to clash or contend with worldly powers but rather to recognize Jesus as the life-giving King who came to a humanity steeped in sin, death, and falsehood. Those who do not belong to the truth cannot hear Jesus’ voice and will ultimately bow to worldly power or exploit it to fulfill their own desires. However, those who belong to the truth—those who truly recognize Jesus as King—must strive to emulate Jesus’ example, in which “the Kingdom of God, though not of this world, enters into the world and proclaims truth.”
Thus, the scene of Pilate’s interrogation encapsulates both Jesus’ innocence and His acceptance of suffering on the road to the cross. When Christians meditate on this text, they realize that the truth Jesus proclaimed—love, forgiveness, and assurance of God’s Kingdom—is of an entirely different order from the approach of worldly rulers or religious elites. Just as the world did not truly understand Jesus then, many in our time also do not recognize, or outright reject, the voice of the true Gospel. Yet Jesus continues to proclaim truth to the end, even when it leads Him to be crucified. This seemingly foolish way, the way of the cross, is in fact God’s way of saving humankind. Therefore, the majestic yet meek figure of Jesus before Pilate contains within it the seed of victory, later confirmed by the resurrection.
Pilate’s interrogation reveals how the path of the Christian diverges from worldly power. Earthly kingdoms are built and preserved primarily through violence, intimidation, political scheming, military might, or economic strength. The Roman Empire of Jesus’ day was a prime example. By contrast, Jesus’ “Kingdom of God” may appear powerless on the surface—ending in the shameful instrument of the cross—yet within it lies the proclamation of resurrection, eternal life, and genuine freedom. This is what John dramatically highlights as Jesus’ “royal authority of truth.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fuLEttN1gs
2. The Tension Between Worldly Power and the Kingdom of God
Jesus’ statement to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), has elicited countless interpretations and applications throughout history. In some periods, this verse was used to justify a complete separation between church and the secular world. In others, people have interpreted it as a call to engage actively in society’s political, economic, or cultural spheres, believing that transforming these arenas is tantamount to expanding God’s Kingdom. However, in the immediate context, “My kingdom is not of this world” indicates that Jesus’ authority transcends both Pilate’s political concerns and the Jewish religious leaders’ framework. Jesus’ purpose and method are anchored in a truth that the world does not understand and cannot replicate. Worldly rulers tend to use any notion of truth as a means to advance political or economic self-interest and ambition. But Jesus firmly states that “only those who are of the truth” can hear His voice, emphasizing that one’s ability to grasp this truth is unrelated to superficial status or capabilities.
This tension between truth and worldly power appears repeatedly throughout the Gospels. During Jesus’ public ministry, He constantly clashed with religious authorities, and eventually He was condemned by the secular authority of Rome under Pilate’s judgment, ending on the cross. Yet paradoxically, the very person (Pilate) who sentenced Jesus to be crucified also declared three times that he could find no guilt in Him. This conveys that even worldly power structures had to admit Jesus’ innocence and purity. Nonetheless, Jesus did not protect Himself or rise against Pilate with cunning or force. Instead, He endured flogging and mockery in silence. This underscores just how radically different Jesus’ kingship is from the type of power earthly rulers seek.
Why did the Jewish leaders and the crowd so vehemently seek Jesus’ death? Because He disrupted their temple system and exposed their religious hypocrisy and authoritarian tendencies. Above all, Jesus openly revealed the oppressive and pretentious nature of those who claimed to teach others while indulging in hypocrisy. Feeling threatened that they could no longer maintain their positions of power, these religious leaders concluded that they must eliminate Jesus. Ultimately, they falsely portrayed Him before Pilate as “one who rebels against Rome” and coerced the governor to impose crucifixion by whipping up a collective frenzy. Outwardly, they claimed religious zeal, but in reality, they rejected the Messiah. Pilate, for his part, asked, “What is truth?” Yet he did not truly seek it. Confronted with the very embodiment of truth, he failed to recognize Him. Jesus, on the other hand, continued toward the cross, carrying God’s redemptive plan that surpasses all human evil.
For centuries, theologians have debated the balance of responsibility between Pilate and the Jewish religious leaders: Who ultimately killed Jesus? The Gospels present Jesus’ death not merely as the outcome of a religious or political conspiracy, nor solely a miscarriage of judicial process, but as the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption to atone for humanity’s collective sin. Though Jesus was entirely without sin, He took upon Himself the penalty of sin so that sinners might be saved. Pilate and the Jewish leaders were merely instruments in that grand design. However, this fact does not absolve them of guilt. Their desires, ambitions, and fears led them to commit the sin of condemning an innocent man. In that sense, they represent the universal human condition, in which each one of us, through our own sinful nature, also participates in crucifying Jesus.
Pastor David Jang stresses that we must apply this confrontation—among Jesus, Pilate, and the Jewish crowd—to the life of the contemporary church and individual believers. According to his message, Jesus continues to “testify to the truth.” The question is whether the church and Christians will align themselves with the truth or whether they will disregard it by colluding with worldly authority. The conduct of the Jewish religious elite, who forsook Jesus to protect their power and privileges while outwardly professing religious devotion, can recur even today within the church. That is, clinging to human fame, property, ecclesiastical control, or social standing while undermining the essence of the Gospel and denying the way of the cross—even as one appears outwardly devout. Pastor David Jang emphatically warns against this, repeatedly underscoring that “the authority of truth Jesus demonstrated does not overthrow or negate the world but instead loves, serves, and saves sinners in it.”
Likewise, the people’s choice to release Barabbas over Jesus holds a profound message for our modern context. Sometimes people vent their frustrations or project their hopes onto extreme figures who advocate for violent measures to topple existing political or social regimes. A revolutionary like Barabbas might offer the crowd a kind of cathartic thrill, fueling the belief, “Now he’ll overthrow Rome and establish a new order we’ve always wanted.” Yet Jesus does not transform the world through violence. The kingdom over which He reigns is a kingdom that the Father administers in the power of the Holy Spirit. Although, on the cross, He appeared to be a failed, powerless king, the resurrection revealed Him as the victorious King who conquered death. Therefore, those who belong to Jesus must adopt ways unlike those of the world. Pastor David Jang frequently cites the Apostle Paul’s words: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). God’s Kingdom does not manifest through visible political clashes or power struggles, but rather through adherence to truth, the practice of love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Moreover, “My kingdom is not of this world” does not mean that believers should completely withdraw from or isolate themselves from society. Elsewhere in John’s Gospel, Jesus prays for His disciples: “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). This implies that although we live within the world, we must remain untainted by its values, sustained by the truth of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, Jesus says, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21), meaning that we are to be sent into the world to preach the Gospel and shine the light of truth. Pastor David Jang maintains that if Jesus’ disciples were to withdraw and create their own separate enclave, the meaning of the cross would be diminished. Instead, believers must preserve holiness and distinction while being actively present in the world, proclaiming and living out Christ’s love and truth.
However, discerning and holding fast to the truth is not easy, despite seeming like a basic duty for the church and believers. The Jewish leaders had a passionate devotion to “keeping God’s Law” and professed to be awaiting the Messiah. But when the true Messiah came, they failed to recognize Him. Worse, they became hostile and resorted to lies in their efforts to kill Him—because the truth Jesus proclaimed exposed their hypocrisy and religious power structures. The same danger confronts us today. When a church becomes comfortable with external formalities or becomes entangled with secular interests, abandoning the substance of Jesus’ teaching for the sake of convenience, it loses the ability to hear the voice of Christ. Ultimately, like Pilate, it may ask, “What is truth?” while failing to perceive the Truth standing before it.
Pastor David Jang therefore urges the church to reflect upon itself continually and return to the essence of the Gospel. The interrogation scene before Pilate raises the question for every Christian: “To which king do we belong?” Are we chasing after worldly influence, reputation, wealth, or comfort, all the while tuning out the voice of truth? Do we truly comprehend “the way Jesus exercised His kingly authority on earth”? Are we embracing as the core of truth the love and obedience revealed by the cross? God’s Kingdom does not advance by force or cunning but through willing sacrifice, service, and the work of the Holy Spirit. This stands in stark contrast to Barabbas, who relied on violence and rebellion.
For believers to emulate Jesus standing before Pilate means that even if we suffer ridicule, slander, or injustice, we still obey God’s will and persist in truth and love. Moreover, when worldly authorities question, “What is this kingdom you claim?” or “Who is this king you speak of?” we should respond, as Jesus did, with courage and clarity: “My kingdom is not of this world, and our true Sovereign is Jesus Christ, the King of truth.” We must proclaim this testimony in the world. Such a confession should not end with words but must manifest in the humility, gentleness, love, and self-sacrifice that Jesus Himself exemplified.
Particularly in his teaching on Pilate’s interrogation, Pastor David Jang underscores the atoning nature of Jesus bearing all sin and false judgments on Himself. Jesus, declared innocent even by Pilate, never once sinned. Yet by dying on the cross, He took upon Himself the punishment our sins deserved, opening the way for us to be set free. If Jesus had been guilty, the cross would not have been an act of atonement. But the sinless One, by dying, assumed the burden of our sins. This is the transcendent love of God—Christ’s self-sacrifice in the flesh. In his sermons, Pastor David Jang frequently notes, “Jesus stood in that court, under the world’s judgment, so that we would not have to face the judgment for our sins.” For the Christian, to believe is to receive this love and salvation, then to emulate Christ’s way of love.
In our daily lives, how do we see Jesus’ kingship come into tension with worldly power? Often, it doesn’t take the form of grand political persecution or official trials, but appears in pressure to compromise or reject truth for the sake of personal gain, whether in workplaces, schools, or ordinary social interactions. Christians must refuse to adopt the world’s methods of lying or trampling on the weak for self-advancement. Sometimes, we may face unjust accusations and hostility. Yet we are called to respond, as Jesus did, with unwavering love and gentleness. This path is not easy, but it is the path of the cross that Jesus walked. Pastor David Jang reiterates, “If we hold onto Jesus’ truth in a world that shouts, ‘Jesus is not King, there is no truth,’ we may experience suffering. But at the end of that road, we will share in the glory of the resurrection and eternal life in God’s Kingdom.”
We must also recognize that the attitudes of Pilate and the Jewish religious leaders can emerge within our own churches. It is possible for a church to be preoccupied with flashy worship services, programs, or numerical growth while neglecting genuine truth and love. Outwardly shouting “Lord, Lord” (Matthew 7:21), such a church may, in effect, be crucifying Jesus all over again. This is a sobering reality. Pilate heard Jesus say He came “to testify to the truth,” yet he did not comprehend who that Truth was—nor did he genuinely seek to know. In the end, despite wanting to release Jesus, his political calculations won out, and he delivered the innocent man to be crucified. The Jewish leaders similarly displayed strict adherence to the Law in outward form, but they rejected the true heart of God revealed by Jesus.
These episodes highlight how injustice, hostility toward truth, and religious pretense operate within worldly power structures—while also showing how Jesus fulfills genuine truth and love in their midst. Pastor David Jang contends that “we stand daily in Pilate’s courtroom,” facing the question, “What is truth?” and “Which king do you serve?” The believer’s answer must be, “I belong to the truth. I listen to Jesus’ voice, for He is my King.” And this confession must be backed up by our manner of life—in our churches, our communities, and the larger world—where we enact Jesus’ truth and love.
In Pilate’s interrogation, we witness both Jesus’ innocence and His kingship of truth. Meanwhile, we see that the Jewish religious elite and Pilate, through false accusations, fear, and selfish desires, played a part in crucifying Him. Yet it was through this crucifixion that God’s plan of salvation was accomplished. Jesus died on the cross and rose again, overcoming death and declaring the eternal Kingdom of God. Hence, true authority, the true King, is revealed. Those who follow this King, Jesus, discover the truth that Pilate could not grasp, and they enter into life that overcomes sin and death.
For Christians, this passage reminds us that we are “in the world but not of the world.” We must devote ourselves to living out the truth of Jesus, who came to testify to it. As Pastor David Jang often observes, even now, many ask, “What is truth?” without ever coming to Jesus Himself, who is the embodiment of truth. Likewise, churches sometimes compromise with worldly power, becoming like those Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus long ago. Therefore, we must remain in God’s Word and Spirit, walking closely with the Lord, boldly declaring before worldly authorities, “My kingdom is not of this world.” This does not mean fleeing the world but rather maintaining our heavenly citizenship as we influence society with the Gospel and illuminate it with God’s truth.
Pilate’s interrogation thus stands as the moment where Jesus testifies that He is the King of truth, while Pilate and the Jewish leaders, by rejecting that truth, stand condemned by their own actions. Ultimately, Jesus’ cross fulfilled the divine plan of redemption and granted us the path to truly know the truth and be set free. Hence, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” remains a call for us to embrace Jesus as the King in our lives, just as Pastor David Jang consistently exhorts. By following our King, we must humbly proclaim and practice the Gospel in the midst of the world, so that those who ask, “What is truth?” might move beyond the question to discover that the Truth is Jesus Christ. This is the powerful message and mission we inherit today from the account of Jesus standing trial before Pilate.