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My Kingdom Is Not Of This World (John 18:36) Jesus is now led before Pilate, before whom He will have opportunity to speak concerning His kingdom. |
My Kingdom Is Not Of This World (John 18:36)
Jesus is now led before Pilate, before whom He will have opportunity to speak concerning His kingdom:
- The Source of His kingdom is not of this world. It was not set up of men but rather by the God of Heaven (Dan. 2:44-45; John 6:15; Acts 2:23-24, 36). This is shown in the course of prophecy (Isa. 2, Dan. 2; Joel 2), preparation (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; 16:18; Mark 9:1; Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), and proclamation/establishment (Acts 2; Col. 1:13).
- The Nature of His kingdom is not of this world. It is not an earthly kingdom (Rom. 14:17; Luke 17:20-21; 2 Cor. 10:3-4; Eph. 6). Earthly kingdoms would come and go but this kingdom will stand forever (Dan. 2:44; 7:13-14; Luke 1:31-33).
- The Authority of His kingdom is not of this world. Its authority comes from above (Isa. 2:3; Matt. 28:18; Acts 1:8; Col. 3:17, 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23).
- The Constituents of His kingdom are not of this world. They are in the world but not of the world (John 15:19; 17:15-16); their citizenship is in heaven, where their affections and treasures lie (Phil. 3:20; Col. 3:1-4; Matt. 6:19-24) and where they have hope of an eternal inheritance (1 Pet. 1:3-5).
Pilate had the same problem many others had (John 3, 4, 6) – they were looking for the physical and missed the spiritual. Jesus was indeed a king, not of a physical kingdom, but of a spiritual kingdom, His Church.
