The Truth of the Matter - Pilate may have thought he was cross-examining someone who was delusional. Although perceptive enough to realize the prisoner didn’t deserve death, Pilate could not grasp the reality beyond his five senses — the truth of Jesus’ words. Pilate had lost touch with truth, if not reality. Otherwise, he would have “listened to him with delight.” Sometimes in this world, truth and reality coincide; sometimes they do not. But when God speaks, the two always coincide. Those who love truth recognize it

Read John 18:1 through 20:31

In the Bible the concepts of reality and truth are first cousins, if not identical twins. 

In this world, on the other hand, they may be strangers — think “reality” TV. 

Jesus introduced Pilate to the reality and the truth of who was in charge and what was transpiring before him.

 “You say I am a king. 

"Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. 

"All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true” - (John 18:37).

Pilate may have thought he was cross-examining someone who was delusional.

Although perceptive enough to realize the prisoner didn’t deserve death, Pilate could not grasp the reality beyond his five senses — the truth of Jesus’ words.

Pilate had lost touch with truth, if not reality.

Otherwise, he would have “listened to him with delight” (Mark 12:37). 

Sometimes in this world, truth and reality coincide; sometimes they do not. 

But when God speaks, the two always coincide. 

Those who love truth recognize it. 

Prayer Suggestion: 

Help me, Lord, to listen, to hear, and to obey Your Word — and not allow the world’s reality to contradict it. 

Quicklook: John 18:33–40

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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The Trials of Jesus - the trials and death of Jesus were illegal according to earthly laws and a mockery of the perfect, sinless Messiah. Jesus spoke of Himself as the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, a clear reference to Himself as Messiah. Pilate claimed to have nothing to do with the punishment of Jesus, leaving the fate of Jesus to the crowd in the form of allowing them to choose freedom for Jesus or to release a known criminal named Barabbas

Silence Was Golden - Jesus is silent. He says … nothing. The suspense mounts. Why was the Lord silent? He could have defended himself. Maybe Jesus’ lack of words was the best way to answer. How do you respond when God is silent? With fear? Doubt? Impatience? Maybe the Lord is being silent so you might know in a new way that he is the Lord of the universe. Perhaps more meaning was crammed into that moment of silence than we can imagine. Heaven may have been whispering, “Be still and know that the Lord is God”

The Meaning of INRI - Pontius Pilate commanded that the following accusation be written above Jesus' head, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." This phrase was written in the languages of Hebrew, Greek and Latin. The New Testament does not give a direct meaning of INRI because these letters represent Latin, not Greek, words. Jerome, translated the original language text of the Bible to Latin, creating the Vulgate (Latin) translation. This translation had INRI within it. In English, the literal meaning or definition of INRI is "Jesus Nazareth King Jews"