Sunday School Lesson
April 11 Lesson 6 (KJV)
THE FAITH-IN-ACTION PREACHER
DEVOTIONAL READING: Ezekiel 18: 25–32
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Ezra 9–10
EZRA 10: 1–12
1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
KEY VERSE
Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.—Ezra 10: 6
PROPHETS FAITHFUL TO GOD’S COVENANT
Unit 2: Prophets of Restoration
LESSONS 5–8
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Summarize Ezra’s reaction to the people’s sin.
2. Explain why intermarriage with foreigners caused Ezra grief.
3. Write a confession to God for a specific sin and a corresponding course of repentant action.
HOW TO SAY IT
Assyrian Uh-sear-ee-un.
Babylonian Bab-ih-low-nee-un.
Cyrus Sigh-russ.
Eliashib E-lye-uh-shib.
Hezekiah Hez-ih-kye-uh.
Jehiel Jay-hi-eel.
Johanan Jo-hay-nan.
Josiah Jo-sigh-uh.
Nebuchadnezzar Neb-yuh-kud-nez-er.
Nehemiah Nee-huh-my-uh.
Shechaniah She-kawn-yay.
Introduction
A. The Way of Escape
Escape rooms are becoming a fun-time phenomenon for a variety of ages. The premise is simple. A group of people pay to be locked in a room and left with a series of clues and hints to utilize in solving a creative puzzle in order to escape. This is all done with a given time limit that is certain to get the blood pumping as the clock ticks down and pressure mounts.
Now, imagine that a lone figure in the corner actually has the answers to provide the way out. In fact, the group was told upon entering that someone had the answers they needed. Who in their right mind would hear that kind of information and not use it to ensure the success of the group? Victory is on the line!
There are times in relationship with God when people essentially lock themselves up and put their lives on the line. Yet, when solutions are offered for real problems, people have a choice: to listen to their guide or to go it alone. Will the solution be applied or not?
B. Lesson Context
Under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian Empire overtook Jerusalem and exiled the people of Israel in 586 BC (see lesson 8 Lesson Context). Eventually, the Persian King Cyrus defeated Babylon. He released Jewish exiles to return home to Jerusalem in 538 BC for the express purpose of rebuilding the temple (see Ezra 10: 1a, below). Following that first wave of returning exiles in 538 BC was a second led by Ezra in 458 BC (7: 7, 13). He desired to restore the people to a state of faithful adherence to God’s law (7: 25–27). The third and final wave of exiles returned to Jerusalem in 444 BC, led by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2: 1–9; see lesson 7).
Ezra was a scribe of the Law of Moses, commissioned by God (Ezra 7: 6). Ezra was made aware that the people of Israel had committed grave sins (chapter 9). The most glaring infraction was that they had intermarried with people groups outside of Israel (Deuteronomy 7: 3). This prohibition was not based on any racial or ethnic enmity. Rather, God warned in Deuteronomy 7: 4 that foreign faiths “will turn away thy son from following me” (compare 2 Corinthians 6: 14–18). Yet even as they returned from exile for sin, men of Judah were marrying pagan women! If these men were divorcing Jewish wives as well, the result was abuse of divorce laws and resulting hardship for the former wives (compare Malachi 2: 13–16; Matthew 19: 1–9). Ezra’s reaction to the people’s disobedience serves as the subject of today’s lesson.
I. Conviction of Sin
(EZRA 10: 1–4)
A. Confession and Weeping (v. 1)
1a. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God.
After the initial shock of the report Ezra received (see Lesson Context), he immediately took it to heart. Ezra led by example. The sincerity of his distress over Judah’s sins is emphasized by the intensifying verbs used to describe his actions (compare Nehemiah 1: 3–6). Ezra’s physical posture matched his spiritual posture before the Lord. Both body and spirit were marked by brokenness and sorrow.
The house of God refers to the temple that had been rebuilt after Solomon’s temple was destroyed in the Babylonian conquest (2 Chronicles 36: 19; Ezra 3: 7–13; 6: 13–18). Construction was completed in 515 BC, and this second temple stood until the Romans destroyed it in AD 70.
1b. There assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
People of all ages need good leaders. This is as true in the area of repentance as anything else. When charting revivals in the Old Testament, movements toward God often started with one leader feeling a burden (examples: 1 Samuel 7; 2 Kings 22: 1–23: 30; 2 Chronicles 29–31). Though the circumstances varied, the initiating factor for revival was someone acting on behalf of the people. The leaders may have had a private revelation or realization, followed by the gathering of an assembly, as here in verse 1. Here, Ezra’s own conviction and contrition became an example for others to gather before the Lord and weep over their sins.
What Do You Think?
What factors must be present for you to truly regret your sins and repent of them?
Digging Deeper
Are those factors the same for all Christians? Why, or why not?
THE POWER OF CONFESSION
When Jim and Cammy (names changed) got married, neither was a Christian. During Cammy’s second pregnancy, Jim left. They divorced. After Cammy’s second daughter was born, a friend led Cammy to the Lord. She remarried, this time to a Christian who loves her daughters as his own.
Jim spiraled into alcoholism, destroying two more marriages. One day, gun in hand, he cried out to God, “If you’re real, help me!” Through a friend’s witness, Jim found Christ. He wrote to his daughters and to Cammy, expressing repentance and asking for forgiveness. Later he spoke face-to-face with them all, reaffirming his repentance and how Christ had changed him.
Twenty-five years later, Jim, Cammy and her husband, and their daughters are all friends, having found forgiveness in Christ. As Ezra led Israel in confessing their sins, he was bringing the nation to a restored relationship with God. How can your own confession of sin repair your relationship with God and those you hurt?—C. R. B.
B. Covenant and Courage (vv. 2–4)
2a. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land.
In the Old Testament, there are at least nine men named Shechaniah, nine named Jehiel, and eight named Elam. Sorting them out is difficult! The Shechaniah who speaks here is a descendant of David according to 1 Chronicles 3: 1, 21–22. His father, Jehiel, was likely also the father of Obadiah, one of the returning exiles (Ezra 8: 9). Jehiel is included in a grouping of those guilty of intermarriage (Ezra 10: 17–18, 26, not in our printed text). It is plausible that Shechaniah overcame personal and familial shame to speak up and not attempt to cover up his family’s sin.
The Hebrew word translated trespassed regularly denotes the violation of a covenant relationship or other expected behavior in the Old Testament (example: 1 Chronicles 5: 25). Marital unfaithfulness is a frequent analogy regarding Israel’s relationship with God, with Israel being the adulterous wife (see Isaiah 62: 5; Jeremiah 3: 8; Ezekiel 16: 22–38).
The strange wives were women not part of the covenant people. Israel had been repeatedly warned that the people of the land of Canaan would lead them into apostasy (Deuteronomy 7: 1–4; Joshua 23: 12–13). Whether these particular wives were guilty of such a thing is unknown. However, the sad example of Solomon—the wise king whose foreign wives “turned away his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11: 4)—should have stood as a grave warning in the time after the exile. Ezra’s contemporary Nehemiah reminded the people of Solomon’s failure, exhorting them not to suffer the same fate (Nehemiah 13: 26–27).
2b. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
A repentant heart is what makes hope possible for right relations with God to be restored. God’s patience with His people is demonstrated time and again throughout the Old Testament. The prophets often invoked past episodes of God’s gracious deliverance in order to motivate the people toward obedience. Ezra reminded the remnant in Jerusalem that “God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve” (Ezra 9: 13).
Hope is always grounded in the possibility of God’s mercy. After a moral failure or personal tragedy, hope exists because, as King David learned firsthand, God is “good, and doest good” (Psalm 119: 68). Hope grounded in God’s goodness led others to write of God’s being gracious, slow to anger, and full of mercy (see Psalms 103: 8; 145: 8; Joel 2: 13; Jonah 4: 2).
3a. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God.
Now therefore signals a step forward from the sins of the past and present, as defined in Ezra 10: 2. This suggestion from Shechaniah is drastic and may appear cruel to modern readers. Some might wonder if God really wanted the men to send away their wives and children, considering Deuteronomy 21: 10–14. But in the days following the return from Babylon, the people were very aware of how unfaithfulness had led to their removal from the promised land. Foreign women could very well lead their husbands back into idolatry, as had happened to King Solomon. Thus the threat the foreign wives posed was too great to ignore. The people had to be intent on being holy in order to please God.
We should note that God’s covenant people were not to mistreat non-Israelites who lived among them—quite the opposite (see Leviticus 19: 33–34; 23: 22)! But treating non-Israelites with kindness isn’t in the same category as intermarriage. The extraordinary circumstances the people faced called for extraordinary action.
Shechaniah referred to Ezra deferentially as my lord. This acknowledged Ezra’s authority to decide and lead the people based on what he believed was right. Ezra, after all, was both student and teacher of the Law of Moses. His conclusions on this matter were well-informed.
Reverence and awe were given to God’s words as if God himself were present. God helps those “poor and of a contrite spirit, [who] trembleth at [God’s] word” (Isaiah 66: 2).
3b. And let it be done according to the law.
In view is the law that forbade certain marital unions (see Lesson Context). Notable law-breakers in this regard included Salmon (who married Rahab, a Canaanite) and Boaz (who married Ruth, a Moabite). These two women are honored as ancestors of Jesus himself (Joshua 2: 1; Ruth 4: 10; Matthew 1: 5). But the captivity from which the Jews had returned was a vivid reminder of the dangers of idolatry. Maybe some non-Jewish wives were exceptions to the rule, like Rahab and Ruth. But the law existed because such cases were exceptions, not the rule. And we also note that Rahab and Ruth professed allegiance to God in both word and action (Joshua 2: 11; Ruth 1: 16).
What Do You Think?
When considering Ezra 10: 3 alongside Exodus 34: 16; 1 Kings 11: 4; Matthew 5: 32; Romans 7: 1–3; 1 Corinthians 7: 12–14, 39; 2 Corinthians 6: 14; and 1 Timothy 5: 8, how should Christians react to similar situations today?
Digging Deeper
What other texts and contexts are relevant? 4. Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. We can only imagine the overwhelmingly emotional toll of separating from one’s wife and children. The difficulty of the demand is what brought forth the strong imperative Arise! This marks the beginning of the shift from conviction to action on the part of the leaders.
II. Call to Appear
(EZRA 10: 5–8)
A. Everyone Promises (v. 5)
5. Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
Ezra made sure that the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel were on the same page. Opposition to the task ahead had to be absolutely minimized (see Ezra 10: 15)! So the leaders and lay people made a covenant with God to “put away all the wives, and such as are born of them” (10: 3).
What Do You Think?
In what ways can you better support a fellow Christian in taking action to repent of sins?
Digging Deeper
How would that action differ, if at all, when dealing with sin of a group?
B. Ezra Mourns (v. 6)
6. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
During this emotional day, Ezra withdrew to be alone in the dwelling of Johanan. That man and his father, Eliashib, were Levites (Nehemiah 12: 23). We recall that all priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests.
While the people were grieved and motivated to action, Ezra was overcome with his own grief regarding the transgression. His fast from bread and drink seems to have been spontaneous, a result of the pain in his spirit. When we think of mourning, it is usually in relation to death—the loss of a loved one or someone special. Ezra carried a sense of loss as he reflected on years his people wasted as they chased false gods and denied the Lord.
C. Proclamation Issued (vv. 7–8)
7–8. And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; and that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
The word they likely refers to the chief priests and Levites to whom Ezra gave special charge to spread news of the covenant. But it could mean that each person bore the responsibility to herald the agreed upon terms of their resolution.
Three days was a quick turnaround for a message to be proclaimed and journeys to be undertaken through all Judah and back to Jerusalem. But the speed with which repentance and action would happen throughout would indicate the importance the people put on rectifying their wrongs.
The severe consequences for not coming to Jerusalem also reveals the seriousness of the people’s resolution. Forfeiting one’s land and possessions and being cut off from the congregation would be the same treatment the foreign wives experienced. Those so penalized would have to find their homes elsewhere, away from God’s people.
III. Call to Action
(EZRA 10: 9–12)
A. Fearful People (v. 9)
9. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
Ten of the 12 tribes of Israel had been removed to Assyrian exile more than 180 years previous (2 Kings 17: 6). So only the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, having returned from Babylonian exile, remained to answer the call to come to Jerusalem.
The twentieth day of the [ninth] month corresponds to early December. Rain is normal at that point in the year. So in addition to the spiritual trembling, there was also physical shivering in the cold, heavy rain. How often the spiritual and physical overlap! Distress to one’s body, whether in the form of illness, injury, or mere discomfort, often goes hand in hand with spiritual distress. Sometimes one results in the other; at other times they seem to have independent causes, but the presence of both multiplies the misery. In such conditions all the people sat outside and waited.
B. Fearless Preacher (vv. 10–11)
10. And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
Sometimes Ezra is referred to as the priest (here and in Ezra 10: 16), sometimes he is referred to as “the scribe” (Nehemiah 8: 1, 4, 13; 12: 36), and sometimes by both of those terms together (Ezra 7: 11, 21; Nehemiah 8: 9; 12: 26). His statement increase the trespass of Israel implies that the people hadn’t learned the lesson of the exile. Instead of working to decrease sin, they were working for the opposite (compare 2 Chronicles 28: 13). So Ezra restated the charge (compare Ezra 10: 2a, above).
What Do You Think?
What leadership role are you gifted to exercise when dealing with communal, collective sin?
Digging Deeper
What leadership actions in this regard should be personal and private rather than public?
11. Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
Confession is the first response to conviction and a necessary step toward reconciliation with God (compare 1 John 1: 9). The next step is to follow through and do [God’s] pleasure, that is, what He commanded in the first place, what He has desired all along.
To be required to separate from the strange wives was not necessarily a judgment on any specific conduct on the wives’ part since no such conduct is listed. Instead, those wives were assumed to retain the priorities and religious practices of the people of the land among whom they had grown up. Only by severing their influence could the men of Judah and Benjamin be certain that the wives wouldn’t tempt them to idolatry.
C. Faithful Practice (v. 12)
12. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
Concluding this part of the text is the loud voice of a unified people who experienced conviction of sin. Ezra’s leadership helped foster that commitment. Any spiritual leader worth following will always direct people to God and His glory only.
What Do You Think?
In what kinds of situations would collective, communal reactions be more appropriate than private, individual reactions?
Digging Deeper
How do 1 Corinthians 5: 1–2, 9–13 and 2 Corinthians 2: 5–11 help frame your answer?
“GOOD SERMON TODAY, PREACHER!”
I suspect it’s the same in most homes: parents frequently tell their children to clean up their rooms, but the kids keep dragging their feet. The parents’ approach may vary from gentle reminders to exasperated verbal assault such as “Your room looks like a pigpen!” Parents have been known to bribe with an increase in monetary allowance and/ or punish by withholding privileges or imposing time-outs and groundings.
Without thinking about it, Dad and Mom might be guilty of the same behavior they dislike in their offspring. The parents hear the minister speaking of God’s standards and think, Yes, that’s something I should pay attention to someday. They may compliment the minister, saying, “Good sermon today, preacher!” That’s like their child responding to “Clean up your room” with, “Good idea, Mom. I’ll get around to it.”
Even after Judah’s “time-out” in Babylon, it took a while for God to get the people to “clean their room.” Finally, under Ezra’s dedicated leadership, they responded with a positive yes to God’s instructions. In what situation are you putting off doing what God wants?—C. R. B.
Conclusion
A.Content with Mere Conviction?
One of the great gifts for Christian instruction in the Old Testament is seeing episode after episode of Israel’s rebellion against God and God’s subsequent restoration of His covenant people. In today’s text, we have been party to yet another instance of this. The people of God were again in danger of sliding back into idolatry because of their disobedience to God’s law. This is a reminder that God’s laws are put in place for our good and His glory. Like the ancient Jews, we too are tempted by the culture that surrounds us—including the temptation to marry unbelievers (see 2 Corinthians 6: 14–18).
God’s mercy provided hope for Israel to be restored to a right relationship with Him. But that required someone who would take the lead! Not everyone is gifted in the same way in this regard, and different leaders may respond differently to the same problem. (It’s rather humorous to contrast Ezra’s leadership style in Ezra 9: 3 with that of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 13: 25.) But it all begins with having a burden of the heart and soul.
God’s forgiving grace is available to us because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. The church is His bride (2 Corinthians 11: 2; Revelation 19: 7–9; 21: 2, 9; 22: 17). May we be faithful to our bridegroom!
B. Prayer
Dear Father, guard our hearts against rationalizing our sins! Convict us so that repentant action may follow! May Your Word ever guide us to be faithful. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Action is the hallmark of true conviction.
KID’S CORNER
Why Jesus Came as King
Sunday, April 11, 2021
John 18:33-40
John 18:33-40
(John 18:33) Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
Pilate went back into his headquarters and brought Jesus in for His trial, where it would be quieter to question Jesus and hear His answers. During Jesus’ trial, Pilate would hear something of the gospel of Jesus Christ from Jesus himself. When Jesus testified before Pilate, He gave Pilate the opportunity to hear the truth and learn more about Him as King and Savior, if he chose. Since John accompanied Jesus to His trial before the religious leaders and comforted Jesus’ mother at His crucifixion, most likely he accompanied Jesus to His trial before Pilate, where he could testify on behalf of Jesus if he were called, and where he heard Pilate’s questions and Jesus’ answers for later recording in his gospel as the Holy Spirit enabled him. The Holy Spirit would also have aided John’s memory when it was time for him to write his gospel. Pilate’s questions related to whether Jesus was the long-expected Messiah or King of the Jews. If Jesus had answered “Yes” directly, He could not have talked more about the truth with Pilate and His answer would have had political implications for Pilate because the Jews expected the Messiah to free them from oppressive Roman rule. By saying “Yes” indirectly, Jesus could explain to Pilate the type of King that He was and is, a King who was no direct threat to Roman rule; and thus, relieve Pilate of the duty of punishing Him. However, God planned for Jesus to die on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins, and the religious leaders planned to pressure Pilate into crucifying Jesus no matter what Pilate thought about their case against Jesus.
(John 18:34) Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”
Jesus talked reasonably to Pilate, and convinced Pilate that He was not an irrational fanatic. Jesus showed respect for Pilate as a person and Roman governor. Jesus knew that Pilate was not plotting His death, but He also knew that with enough pressure from the high priest that Pilate would condemn Him to die on a cross. Jesus was not trying to talk himself out of crucifixion, but He was concerned that Pilate learn the truth (which might be of spiritual benefit to Pilate later). Jesus told Pilate enough truth for Pilate to make a just and courageous decision on Jesus’ behalf, which Pilate eventually did, but Pilate refused to spare Jesus’ life for fear of the Jewish leaders (who could start a riot in Jerusalem or destroy his political career with unjust accusations to the Emperor). By sparing Jesus’ life, they could report that Pilate was no friend of Caesar and they could have him removed as governor. Jesus’ question was designed to advance His dialogue with Pilate, for Jesus already knew what Pilate would answer Him and do. Jesus knew and had foretold His disciples that He must die on a cross for the sins of the world, to save all who would believe in Him as Lord and Savior.
(John 18:35) Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”
Pilate answered that because he was not a Jew, he did not expect a Messiah, nor would he acknowledge a Jewish king politically or spiritually. He would be concerned only if a Jewish king threatened Roman rule or the peace of Jerusalem (for which he was politically responsible). Yet, Pilate did want to know from Jesus’ testimony as part of the trial why the Jewish leaders wanted Jesus crucified. He wanted to know if Jesus really deserved the death penalty. He wanted to know if there was really a criminal case against Jesus, and after his examination of Jesus, three times he would tell the religious leaders and the people that he found no case against Jesus.
(John 18:36) Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Using a rational defense, Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom was not physical, material, or political. He did not seek to compete administratively or militarily with Pilate, any other king, or nation. His kingdom was a spiritual kingdom; therefore, His followers would not use physical force and fight for Him. His disciples were armed and could have fought those sent to arrest Jesus in the garden, but Jesus refused their offer when Peter cut off and Jesus healed the ear of Malchus (an illegal action that Pilate had probably learned of from his soldiers who went to arrest Jesus). They could testify that Jesus offered no resistance when they arrested Him, and He offered no resistance to Pilate or the religious leaders when they put Him on trial. Jesus’ kingdom was totally different from a “this world” kingdom and what a “this world” leader would do. Pilate did not see or hear from Jesus what he would have expected to hear and see from a person who wanted to be a ruler in this world.
(John 18:37) Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “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.”
The original Greek New Testament manuscripts do not include exclamation marks, periods, or question marks. Jesus’ response to Pilate makes the most sense if we do not place a question mark at the end of Pilate’s statement. Or, if we emphasize the word “are” as we read Pilate’s statement as a statement and not as a question, perhaps with some incredulity or amazement in his tone of voice as, “So you ARE a king!” Pilate understood from Jesus’ answer that Jesus claimed to be a king, but not like any king of this world. Jesus claimed to be a king of a different realm, a spiritual realm. Jesus told Pilate that He “came into the world.” He came into the world from a spiritual realm or kingdom with a plan and a purpose that would influence this world, but not as a political or material king like the kings of this world. As king, Jesus came to tell people the truth, the truth that He knew from having been (and still being) a king in His spiritual kingdom. He came from heaven to earth to bring truth into the world. No human being can choose to come into the world as Jesus came, by personal choice, before they are born. Jesus came to tell the truth and He always told the truth. No one has ever convincingly refuted anything Jesus ever said as recorded in the Bible. He told the truth to the religious leaders and people, and He told the truth to Pilate. He told Pilate that if he, Pilate, belonged to the truth that he would listen to what Jesus said, believe His teachings, and obey Him. Jesus told Pilate: “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” If anyone belongs to the truth today, they will listen to Jesus and obey Jesus as King, the King whose kingdom is not of this world.
(John 18:38) 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.
With Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” and his refusal to discuss the question of truth further with Jesus, Pilate confessed that he did not belong to the truth. Even if he came to believe the truth that Jesus was a real king from a spiritual dimension with a spiritual purpose, Pilate would not save Jesus from death by crucifixion. He went out and told the Jews the truth—he found no case against Jesus. He found no evidence that Jesus was a criminal. He found no evidence that Jesus wanted to overthrow the Roman Empire or establish a Messianic kingdom according to the expectations of the Jews. He found no evidence that Jesus was a physical, political, or material threat to anyone. This is the first time that Pilate will say, “I find no case against him.” He will declare His judgement on Jesus’ behalf two more times to the chief priests and the crowd.
(John 18:39) “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?”
Trying to keep the peace and possibly save Jesus from death, Pilate made the chief priests and the crowds an offer. He did have Jewish convicted criminals in his prison. He did have some convicted criminals that faced crucifixion. The Romans crucified thieves and bandits, rebels, revolutionaries, and murderers. Pilate referred to a custom that perhaps he had begun a few years earlier to keep the peace at Passover time when there would be large crowds in Jerusalem. We do not know when the custom began. He offered to release the King of the Jews because he knew (and every priest also knew) that Jesus had never broken a Roman law and He was not a criminal deserving death. Pilate did not convict Jesus of a crime against the Roman state or against the emperor. He knew that their dispute with Jesus was only religious.
(John 18:40) So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.
Even though Jesus was no criminal, the priests and people shouted that they wanted Pilate to release Barabbas, who was a convicted criminal. He was a bandit. Bandits use violence to rob people, and Barabbas had probably robbed his fellow Jews, Samaritans, and Roman citizens. In Luke 10, Jesus spoke about bandits when He taught a parable about a traveler who bandits had beaten and left for dead, and how a good Samaritan had helped the victim. The Samaritan was a good neighbor, a far better person than those who wanted to crucify Jesus. In John 10:1, when Jesus taught about himself as the good Shepherd and the sheepfold, Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.” Those who practiced their religious traditions, especially during Passover, but who wanted and worked to crucify Jesus were spiritual thieves and bandits who used the Roman legal system to commit murder. Later, in Matthew 27:38, we learn that they crucified Jesus among bandits: “Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.” We learn additional facts about Jesus’ crucifixion in each of the three synoptic gospels that John saw no need to repeat. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrificial substitute for us, so God could with justice and mercy forgive us for our sins when we repent of our sins and receive Jesus the King as Lord and Savior. Jesus freed Barabbas from death on a cross by dying in his place as his substitute, but we do know if Barabbas ever repented of his sins and believed in Jesus. The name Barabbas means “son of the father” [Bar (son) & Abba (father)]. Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Son of God the Father. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are adopted children of God. They have received the Holy Spirit who indwells them. Paul wrote about believers in Jesus as children of God in Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” And in Galatians 4:6, Paul wrote, “And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”
Why Jesus Came as King
Sunday, April 11, 2021
John 18:33-40
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 (John 18:37—KJV).
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “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—NASB).
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” (John 18:37—NRSV).
If you asked people why Jesus was born, probably few would include the answer, “To testify to the truth;” however, Jesus told Pilate that He came into the world to communicate and demonstrate the truth. Jesus focused on teaching the truth, but He also claimed to be the truth (John 14:6). Believers may give a variety of reasons for why they became Christians, but they need to include, “Because Christianity is true.” Jesus always told the truth, and He spoke rightly when He declared, “My kingdom is not from this world” (John 18:36). Unfortunately, too many of those who want to rule in this world do not care about the truth or focus on always telling the truth. Too many who seek leadership in the kingdoms of this world unfairly characterize or misrepresent the ideas of their opponents. Whether they themselves live truthfully or not, most people want to hear the truth from their leaders and those who keep them informed about their government and their rulers. Some who concern themselves mostly with the kingdoms of this world think believing in Jesus and His moral values should disqualify a person from holding public office. Yet, King Jesus steadfastly refused to use unrighteous means to acquire political office or spiritual influence in the world. He consistently told the truth and trusted in His heavenly Father regarding the consequences. Furthermore, Jesus declared that those who belong to the truth will listen to His teachings and obey Him.
Thinking Further
Why Jesus Came as King
Sunday, April 11, 2021
John 18:33-40
Name ______________________________
1. How did you learn that Jesus is the King of the Jews?
2. How did Jesus answer Pilate’s question, “What have you done?”
3. What did Jesus tell Pilate about His kingdom?
4. What reason did Jesus give Pilate for coming into the world?
5. Who listens to Jesus?
Discussion and Thinking Further
1. How did you learn that Jesus is the King of the Jews?
From my parents and Sunday school.
2. How did Jesus answer Pilate’s question, “What have you
done?”
At first, Jesus did not answer Pilate’s question directly about what He had done. Later, He told Pilate when He came into the world and why.
3. What did Jesus tell Pilate about His kingdom?
Jesus said that His kingdom was not from this world. Later, He told Pilate why He had come into the world. By saying He had a kingdom, He told Pilate that He was a King. He said that if His kingdom was from this world that His followers would be fighting to keep Him from being handed over to the Jews. Jesus did not say, handed over to the Romans. In this way, Jesus claimed to be a King of a kingdom not from this world, for His kingdom is
not like the kingdoms of this world—Jesus’ kingdom lasts forever.
4. What reason did Jesus give Pilate for coming into the world?
Before Jesus was born, He chose to come into the world “to testify to the truth.” In John 14:6, Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
5. Who listens to Jesus?
In John 18:37, Jesus said “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice
Word Search
Why Jesus Came as King
Sunday, April 11, 2021
John 18:33-40
Name ____________________________
J A V F K Y A S K E D P Q P C
K N H P Z X H M N J G Y Z U N
I S G Q R T G D P E N K G O R
N W F S U I E F N F D E I S M
G E U R T N E L C Q B T W C K
D R T C O I I S J U A K O I B
O E K M V S D E T N R I N D C
M D M Z T P S N U S A G H O P
F U B E N U A K A T B M Z V R
S W N I S Q T Z Q B B C A P E
N S Q R C B X Y F C A W B K L
L S U S E J O S K L S J V X E
Y O C W I S M V E T A L I P A
M F G L U Y B P W Q G V N Q S
J E W S H J U L F N S W I R E
Pilate
Summoned
Jesus
Asked
King
Jews
Answered
Nation
Priests
Kingdom
Truth
Listens
Release
Barabbas
Bandit
True and False Test
Why Jesus Came as King
Sunday, April 11, 2021
John 18:33-40
Name ___________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
1. Jesus refused to go into Pilate’s headquarters because He was the King of the Jews and it was too close to Passover. True or False
2. Jesus asked Pilate why he asked Him about being the King of the Jews. True or False
3. Since the chief priests handed Jesus over to Pilate, Pilate asked Jesus what He had done. True or False
4. Jesus told Pilate that He had not done anything right or wrong that
should upset the Jewish priests and people. True or False
5. Jesus told Pilate that if His kingdom were from this world, that His
followers would be fighting to keep Him from being handed over to the Romans. True or False
6. Jesus told Pilate that He came into the world to testify to the truth.
True or False
7. Jesus told Pilate, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” True or False
8. Pilate told the Jews, “I want to learn the truth from Jesus; therefore, I find no case against him.” True or False
9. Since Pilate found no case against Jesus and it was a custom to free someone at the Passover, he offered to release Jesus, the King of the Jews. True or False
10. The priests and people wanted Pilate to release Barabbas, who was a bandit, instead of Jesus, who was their King. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
Prayer
Dear Father, guard our hearts against rationalizing our sins! Convict us so that repentant action may follow! May Your Word ever guide us to be faithful. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Action is the hallmark of true conviction.