Reflection -- Pilate’s Final Question

This Sunday closes the church year; a year-long cycle of worship, prayer, and celebration in much of the Christian community that will begin again next Sunday with a new Advent season.  The annual church-year cycle is designed to bring different parts of the Christian story into sharp focus at different times during the year to keep them fresh for us.

This last Sunday of the church year is known as “Christ the King Sunday,” or “Reign of Christ Sunday.”  It is a time to struggle with seemingly conflicting images of Jesus; the compassionate teacher and healer on the one hand and the majestic ruler and judge on the other.  One writer asks “How shall we communicate the majesty of our compassionate Lord?  The compassion of our majestic Lord?”

The segment of Jesus’ trial in today’s gospel lesson brings this enigma into focus.  The “King of Kings” submits to a far lesser ruler who, confronted by a power he can not comprehend, asks “what is truth.” 

As the first exchanges between Pilate and Jesus show, Pilate is concerned about raw political power.  Jesus’ truth is at a far deeper level.  His are eternal truths of the Spirit.  His is the truth of God and those hungry for God listen to his voice. 

Jesus’ majesty in this story comes from his role as the representation of the living God on earth.  That majestic role is not in opposition to compassion, but is inseparable from it.  Jesus’ truth is about the overwhelming love of God for humankind; a truth he lived out in obedient service. 

Yet judgment inevitably follows in Jesus’ wake, for the brilliant light of God’s love always brings division.  It separates those who seek it out from those whose allegiance is elsewhere.  Like Pilate, they are unable to recognize the truth, even though it is in plain view. 

God’s question for us is, “whose voice do you listen to?”  The answer reveals who belongs to truth.

revclay

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John 18:33-38A

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 

Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" 

Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I?  Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me.  What have you done?" 

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world.  If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.  But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." 

Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?"

Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.  For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." 

Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" 

[NRSV]