Lesson 455: John 18:37
John 18:37
The Blueprint — The Verse
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Memorization Practice
Click words to hide them and test your memory.
Without looking, enter the book, chapter, and verse for this passage.
Rate your recall:
Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Context — The History
Jesus stood trial before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Jewish leaders sought a political charge that would justify execution under Roman law.
The Narrative — The Lead-Up
Pilate questioned whether Jesus was king of the Jews. Jesus answered that His kingdom is not of this world and that He came to testify to the truth — and everyone on the side of truth listens to Him.
The Echo — Follow-on Verses
-
John 18:36
36Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
Read the verse immediately before this lesson (John 18:36) to hear the lead-in to the passage.
-
John 18:38
38“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
Read the verse immediately after this lesson (John 18:38) to continue the passage.
Discussion
- What does it mean that Jesus' kingdom is not from this world?
- How does Pilate's question about truth still resonate today?
- What does listening to Jesus reveal about being 'on the side of truth'?