The Ironies of the Kingdom - Week 23

John 18:28-40

Note: The study related to these questions may be found at Catholic Exchange. Please go to their site for the complete material concerning this study. Unless otherwise noted, on scriptural references are from the Revised Standard Version (RSV). Below are my thoughts on the questions presented for the given study (Please see disclaimer at bottom).

Read John 18:28-40

1. What was the Praetorium and why would the Jews be defiled if they entered it?
(a) The Preatorium was the hall of the governor, who at that time was Pontius Pilate. If a Jew consorts with a Gentile, then by the precepts of the Law, the Jew would be unclean or defiled and would have to purify himself before participating in any form of worship. Also remember that Christ Himself states that it is better to do the proper thing for one's neighbor than to follow the letter of the law. In response to the question of "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus offers the following:

30: Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31: Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32: So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33: But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, 34: and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35: And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, `Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' 36: Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" 37: He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:30-37)

The irony of this problem of "defilement" is that the Jews wanted to remain "pure" in order to partake of the Passover lamb, but were willing condemn an innocent Man, who is Himself the true Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God.

2. Why do you suppose Pilate asked the Jews what the accusation was against Jesus?
(a) He wanted to know what this man could have done to have earned their contempt.

3. Read Luke 23:2. What are the three charges the Jews made against Jesus?
(a) From the Gospel of Luke:

And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king." (Luke 23:2)

So we see that the three charges were perverting the nation of Israel, forbidding them to give tribute to Caesar, and declaring Himself King.

4. Why did Pilate want the Jews to judge Jesus by their own laws rather than under the Roman law (see Points to Ponder)?
(a) Pilate did not want to involve himself in a matter that was obviously very volatile and that could cause another uprising. He would then have to answer to his superiors in Rome.

5. Why was it unlawful for the Jews to put anyone to death? Was this according to Jewish law or Roman law?
(a) Because they did not have the authority. (b) This was due to Roman law.

6. Verse 32 states that the Jews' statement that they were not permitted to put anyone to death fulfilled what Jesus had said when He indicated how He would die. How did this statement do this?
(a) Because by forcing the Romans to carry out the sentence, He would be put to death by crucifixion which would fulfill the prophecies Jesus made about His own death:

13: No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. 14: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, 15: that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." 16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:13-16)

31: Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; 32: and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33: He said this to show by what death he was to die. (John 12:31-33)

The serpent that moses lifted up was on a pole.

4: From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way. 5: And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." 6: Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7: And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8: And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." 9: So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Num 21:4-9)

Jesus would be be lifted up on a "pole" during his crucifixion. In the second quoted verse from John, Jesus is only lifted up once, again during his crucifixion. During the Ascenscion, Jesus lifts Himself up.

7. In verse 34 Jesus responds to Pilate's question with His own question. Why do you suppose Jesus asked this question?
(a) To give Pilate the opportunity to state his belief in Him or not.

8. What does Jesus mean by the statement, "My kingship is not of this world?"
(a) Jesus means that his Kingdom is in Heaven.

9. Why did Pilate want to drop the charges against Jesus?
(a) Because Pilate saw that the Jewish leaders were only jealous and that, as far as Pilate could discern, Jesus had not committed any crime that should be punishable by death.

10. Who was Barabbas and what was his crime?
(a) Barrabbas was a murderer and an insurrectionist. In another ironical twist, Barrabas means "son of the father". So the crowd chose the criminal "son of the father" over the innocent "Son of the Father".

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

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