JOHN LESSON 49
We will begin this lesson in John 18:22.
V-22, "And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which
stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest
thou the high priest so?"
In the previous lesson, Jesus had told them that He had not
spoken in secret, but openly where anyone could hear Him. We pick up
in the verse above. This officer had no idea who he slapped. This
slap was the way they did someone thought to be insolent. Perhaps, he
thought Jesus cut the high priest short with His answer.
V-23, "Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of
the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?"
In Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught if someone
smites you on the one cheek, turn unto him the other, also. Jesus
appeals to this officers' good conscience here.
V-24, "Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high
priest."
Annas sends Jesus to the high priest, Caiaphas.
V-25, "And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said
therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied
it, and said, I am not."
We see here, a progression of Peter's denial. Perhaps, the woman
went back and spoke to others about believing who Peter was. At any
rate, Peter is asked again, are you one of the disciples of this Jesus
who is being questioned? Peter is very emphatic when he says, I am
not.
V-26, "One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman
whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with
him?"
It seems a large group of the high priest's servants had gone to
bring Jesus back. Malchus, whose ear was cut off by Peter, had some
of his relatives among those who came to capture Jesus. He would have
looked more closely at Peter, since Peter had cut Malchus' ear off. I
do not understand after Jesus put his ear back, that they did not
realize who Jesus was. This kinsman of Malchus' says, didn't I see
you?
V-27, "Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew."
In Mark 14:71, we read that Peter actually cursed and began to
swear at this last denial. Just as Jesus had told Peter: after the
third denial, the cock crew.
V-28, Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of
judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the
judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat
the passover."
This hall of judgment was a worldly court. This is where the
Romans judged when they were in Jerusalem. This was very early
morning, possibly before 6 a.m. The other trials had taken place
during the night. These high priests would not go into this building,
because it was a Gentile court. Passover was at hand. They were so
caught up in the law that they could not recognize the Saviour of the
world.
V-29, "Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation
bring ye against this man?"
Pilate is the Roman governor in authority. He realizes these
Jews have peculiar customs about Passover, and he comes out to judge
this matter. His question is, what do you accuse Him of?
V-30, "They answered and said unto him, If he were not a
malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee."
This is an evasive answer. Really, they do not have a legitimate
complaint to make. They know they are limited in the severity of
punishment they can do, and they want Pilate to do their dirty work
for them.
V-31, "Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him
according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not
lawful for us to put any man to death:"
Now, we see their evil plan. Their law prohibits them from
killing Him, and they have brought Him to Pilate to do their dirty
work for them, as is stated in the verse above. They want to kill
Him, but they do not want to take the blame for the killing. As we
have said before, they are jealous and afraid that Jesus will dethrone
them. They do not want to lose their church members.
V-32, "That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he
spake, signifying what death he should die."
We see here, that Pilate represents the Gentile world and these
high priests and other Hebrew represent the Jews. With God, there are
only two types of people in the world: Jew and Gentile. We see here
that they are both guilty of the death of Jesus. Jesus, in every
little detail, fulfills the Scriptures.
V-33, "Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and
called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?"
Pilate went away from the accusers, back to the hall. His
question to Jesus is not have you committed a crime, but are you king
of the Jews? John skips it here, but Pilate's wife had warned him of
a dream she had about Jesus. She told Pilate t o have nothing to do
with this.
V-34, "Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or
did others tell it thee of me?"
Jesus speak to the conscience of Pilate. We see here, that
Pilate is actually on the defensive, not Jesus. He says to Pilate in
a sense, are you going to condemn me on hearsay?
V-35, "Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the
chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?"
Pilate has no evidence of wrong done by Jesus. He is sincere in
wanting to know what crime Jesus has committed. He feels Jesus must
have done something, or His own people would have not brought Him,
accusing Him.
V-36, "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I
should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from
hence."
Jesus, here, is speaking to Pilate in a way that Pilate
understands. Pilate knows that earthly kings have armies that fight
for them. Jesus is telling Pilate this is a spiritual kingdom and not
a physical kingdom.
V-37, "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?
Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness
unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."
Jesus, here, is telling Pilate that the things, which are
happening to Him now, are things He must do. Jesus says, all I have
done is tell the truth. Those who recognize the truth hear me.
V-38, "Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had
said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I
find in him no fault at all."
Pilate was truly interested. This was not a play on words. He
was an intelligent man. Pilate knew that Jesus was not guilty of any
crime.
V-39, "But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one
at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King
of the Jews?"
Here, Pilate (knowing of Jesus' innocence) tries to get the
people to request the release of Jesus at the Passover. Pilate knows
for sure that Jesus is innocent.
V-40, "Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but
Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber."
Barabbas was a robber. He was really guilty of what he was
charged. Jesus was not guilty of any crime. Pilate knew that
jealousy and envy had caused them to try to do away with Jesus.
Pilate thought that by offering to free one for Passover, that they
would surely choose Jesus to free. He had underestimated their hatred
for the Son of God. The chief priests and elders (leaders of the
church) had power over the people, and they persuaded the people to
ask for Barabbas, instead of Jesus, to b e freed.
Notes
John 49 Questions
1. Who struck Jesus with the palm of his hand?
2. In verse 23, why did Jesus ask why he hit Him?
3. Who had Annas sent Jesus to?
4. What office did Caiaphas hold?
5. What was Peter doing when they asked him if he was Jesus'
disciple?
6. What was Peter's reply?
7. Who was the third person who recognized Peter and asked him if he
was Jesus' disciple?
8. When Peter denied the third time, what happened?
9. Where was Jesus taken after Caiaphas?
10. Who was the Roman in charge?
11. Why did the high priest not go into the judgment hall?
12. When Pilate came out to them, what did he ask them?
13. What evasive answer did they give Pilate?
14. When Pilate told them to judge Him themselves, what did they
reply?
15. Why do they want Jesus killed?
16. In verse 32, it speaks of fulfilling Scripture. In what way does
it fulfill?
17. What question did Pilate ask Jesus in verse 33?
18. Who had warned Pilate not to have anything to do with killing
Jesus?
19. Who is on the defensive, Pilate or Jesus?
20. In verse 35, what question did Pilate ask Jesus?
21. Jesus said, My kingdom is _____________________________________.
22. Jesus is telling Pilate that His kingdom is ___________________
not ________________________.
23. When Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king, how did Jesus answer?
24. What did Jesus bear witness of?
25. After Pilate talked with Jesus, what did he say to the people?
26. Pilate was offering what to fulfill the Jewish custom at Passover?
27. Who did the people choose over Jesus?
Notes
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