So Pilate went back to the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?”
Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say 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.”
Gospel Trivia:
This conversation happens in the praetorium, which is the official residence of the Roman governor -- Pontius Pilate at this time. Israel is a colony of Rome and while the Jews had their own king -- at this time it was Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who was the king around the time of Jesus' birth -- the Jewish king is usually appointed by Rome. The Jews do not enter the praetorium because Jewish law regarded that as making one unclean. So the conversation happens only between Jesus and Pilate, absent the Jews.
In the conversation:
- Jesus asks Pilate whether the question about his kingship is based on a Roman perspective (which would mean that Jesus is declaring himself to be a rebel against Rome), or from the Jewish perspective (which would refer to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God).
- Clearly, Jesus says that his Kingdom "does not belong to this world", which means that Pilate need not be concerned.
- Pilate is concerned nevertheless because Jesus still refers to a "kingdom"; so he reiterates, "then you are a king" (but does not distinguish whether from a Roman or Jewish perspective).
- Then Jesus accepts Pilate's statement and follows with "for this I was born and for this I came into the world."
Jesus clearly distinguishes that the Kingdom he is referring to "does not belong to the world" -- it differs from the values of an earthly kingdom. At the same time, the kingdom is the reason he "was born and came into the world."
God's Kingdom takes its inspiration from Jesus' values and is intended, like a leaven, to influence the values of our world. Christians do not shun the world, but embrace it to influence it.
When we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, we advocate our responsibility and participation in spreading Jesus' values of love, forgiveness and prayer in our places of family, work and community.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), pp. 245-248.
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