Preaching John
18:33-37
In our lesson, we
listen in on a conversation in which Jesus speaks about truth. The question of
truth is universally human. Yet, it is the Greek mind that the search for truth
is the most conspicuous. And it is the Greek world to which the Gospel of John
is addressed. Jesus’ words in this text about truth are carefully preserved by
the evangelist who seeks to show the answer of Christianity – the truth of
Christianity – to the central inquiry of the Greek mind, the question of truth.
That answer is also for us; for people today who ask the question of truth as
passionately, and sometimes as desperately, as did the Greeks to whom the
evangelist wrote.
The surprise of
this text is that it records Jesus’ own denial; Jesus’ denial of sovereign
territory, “My kingdom isn’t from here” (v.36). From inside the governor’s house, a center of
power for a defined territory, Jesus disclaims royal territory. Certainly,
Jesus’ denial is on the geographical level, his royal authority lies elsewhere
and it is this “elsewhere” that defeats Pilate. For Pilate – and for us –
sovereignty implies a specific place, such as the British Empire which encompasses
specific land throughout the world. Christ denies any claim to this kind of power
or rule. This is incredible! Here is a man putting his credibility at risk by a
denial of authority.
A sermon on this
text might be titled, Christ’s Own Denial.
Such a title may generate curiosity since many in the church are well familiar
with the denial of Peter on the night of Jesus’ arrest. What is often
unrealized is that on the same night of Peter’s denial, Jesus denies royalty
within the categories traditionally understood by women and men. The sermon may
explore Jesus’ deeper understanding of his royal authority and what that means
for those who follow his rule.
I would begin the
sermon with my own wrestling between Pilate’s grasp of power and authority and
Jesus’ own claim to royal reign over a kingdom that “isn’t from here.” This
“wrestling” of the difference is the heart and soul of this narrative. Is
Pilate’s understanding of power – and, consequently our own – the ultimate
authority? Or is Jesus? A careful eye will detect that John, the Evangelist,
reverses the roles of these two men. Pilate is the one being judged, and Jesus
is the judge. This encounter between Pilate and Jesus becomes an arm wrestling
match between political power and spiritual power.
What would be
helpful at this juncture in the development of the sermon would be to help the
congregation to understand again that “political power” directs people’s
outward behavior by fear of unpleasant consequences, “spiritual power” changes people
from the inside, directing their behavior by desire for “something more.”
Easter morning,
2015, a couple spoke to me following the first service. They said they had
lived “down the street” for years and had never worshipped with us before that
morning. They continued by saying that though they had not worshipped before
they were always grateful that the church was here. Politely and carefully, I
asked, “Why?” “Why were they grateful that the church was here?” Their answer,
“Each day it reminds us that there is something more.” They promised to return
and then proceeded to walk down the street – presumably to their home.
Jesus’ vision for
life – and the church – could not be stated more elegantly, “To be something
more.” Jesus’ denial of royalty as traditionally understood is because he wants
more for us; wants for us “something more” than forced compliance to the
political systems of the day. Jesus declares that his authority comes from
another place outside this world. His confrontation with our political systems,
in the form of Pilate, however, suggest that his kingship not only challenges
the political state, it judges and calls into question the ability of the state
to provide the life God desires for us.
The May 29th,
2015 issue of the newsmagazine, The Week reports that the future of
Christianity in America “looks very bleak.” The number of Americans who
self-identify as Christian has dropped nearly 8 points, to about 70 percent
while the number of citizens who claim no religious affiliation has hit an
all-time high of 23 percent. One journalist suggest that the principal reason Americans
are turning away in droves from the Christian faith is because the Christian
right has tried to impose its harsh, Old Testament views on the entire country.
Angry battles have been launched against women’s reproductive rights and gay
marriage. Simply, Americans have little desire for this religious extremism.
Few want to be affiliated with intolerance. Quite simply, the Christian right
spoken of here seeks to exercise the political rule and authority of Pilate. Jesus
challenges that rule today as he did before Pilate.
Jesus did not
make the same impression upon everyone who heard him speak. Those who sought
“more” heard in his preaching the refrain of forgiveness, love and acceptance.
Others sought to impose by force and political might their own views of how
life should be lived. People’s judgement of Jesus varied with their spiritual
capacities. It would appear in the crucifixion of Jesus that Pilate won. But
the resurrection remains only a few days away.
Joy,
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