Day 5: Pilate
Devotional by Mark Lanier
Read John 18:37-38a
John 18:37-38a
37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “you say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
Devotional
Some people have a knack for the obvious. Others can have something staring them in the face and miss it all together. I put Pilate in the “others” category.
Pilate was going through his routine day, having come 75 miles from his home base in Caesarea into Jerusalem to deal with administrative matters. As the procurator over the region, Pilate was in charge of keeping the peace and administering the judgement of Rome.
Dealing with Jesus wasn’t on Pilate’s agenda. Jesus was an issue that had just come up. Certain Jewish authorities were quite upset over Jesus, and they wanted Pilate to deal with him. The easiest way was to paint Jesus as one leading a rebellion, one claiming to be a king in opposition to Rome and Caesar. This accusation elevated Jesus to a status requiring Pilate’s personal attention.
Pilate questioned Jesus, “Are you really claiming to be a king?” Jesus replied, “Those are your words. I came into the world to bear witness to the truth.” Jesus added that anyone, regardless of status or placement in the Roman Empire, who would hear and listen to Jesus, would be part of the truth.
Here was Pilate’s big moment. Pilate had a one-on-one encounter with the Son of God. Pilate had an opportunity to ask the question that most atheists demand – “If God is real, have him appear for me and tell me!” Yet Pilate blew it. He couldn’t see the truth that was standing right before him. With a chance to dialogue with God, to get life right, to find forgiveness, to have a relationship with God fully restored, to do an about face and find faith, with all of those chances and more, Pilate missed it. Pilate turned the opportunity into a humdrum, dismissive, almost cynical reply: “What is truth?”
Truth was staring Pilate in the face, and he did nothing with it. He was too blind to see what was right in front of him. Am I?
Questions
- Jesus stands before me in this passage today. Do I see Him for who He is?
- Do I seize this moment to address Him as God or do I dismiss Him too?
Pray This
Lord, I pray that my encounters with You would lead to a more intimate and personal relationship with You. Help me to seek Lord, I embrace You today as my Lord, my God and the truth I need in my life. Guide me for Your name’s sake. In Jesus name, amen.
Thank you Father for your truth! I pray I will always see your truth and live it out.
Lord I want to live the way you want me to live. I do believe you are the Lord God our King. I’m walking in the truth you have provided for me. Thank you Jesus.
Lord, I Pray that I never miss who You are: the TRUTH and LIGHT of my life🙏🏾
Thank you God for send Jesus to us. He is my Lord and my Savior, the Son of God.
I see Jesus. But at times I miss him because I want to do it. I want to fix it on mu own. I am thankful that Jesus still allows me find him, when I mess up
Thank you Jesus for showing me the truth of my lost condition so many years ago that led to my submission to Your forgiveness and entrance into a new abundance of life! Thank you Lord for showing me Your mercy and grace. Today I submit to you once again afresh and anew!
In Christ alone
Grady
Lord, give me wisdom so I understand and see the path you have prepared for me to serve you. Help me glorify you with my life🙏
Jesus, in a world that is searching for the truth, thank you for being my truth.
Thank you lord for being so real and obvious today. It has been a tough week. God spread your comfort and hope over each family like the wings of a dove.
2 Ron’s agree ! How great is God’s love, faithfulness and compassion to those who seek Him. Amen
Loving these Devotionals, thanks for today’s thought Mark!
I don’t always see you Lord, but you see me, seek me, and desire for me to abide in you. Thank you Jesus for coming to us, initiating a relationship with me, giving me the opportunity to choose to seek and abide in you. I sense you, and am listening to you today, Holy Spirit.
God, remove any blinders of doubt and give us eyes of faith to believe and carry the truth of Christ as our own.
Thank you Jesus for being patient with me. Thank you for being my savior and Lord.
I often wonder if Pilate had a change of heart, like the Roman centurion, after the events following Christ’s death. Thank you, Jesus, for being the substitute for my sins.
These devotions are such a meaningful way to start the day during this Holy Week. To remember what our Lord and Savior did to save us is amazing and precious. Thank you all for writing and sharing these.
Wednesday’s devo impacted me regarding how I see interruptions & today, about what I do not see. Similar issues: interruptions & failing to see. Father, increase my discernment to see what You want me to see…
“…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32
Thank you Lord for drawing near to me today as I draw near to You. Thank you for TRUTH and help me to always recognize it. And please give those around me eyes and hearts open to Truth and give me boldness to share You without hesitation. I love you Lord. Make me more like You.
Jesus reveals His deity ( I am a king) and His humanity (I born) and (came I). Absolute truth is determined by God. It is not a “what” but a “who”.
Lord help to imitate Jesus type answer when maligan by an individuals.
To each of my brothers and sisters that commented before me today and those that will comment after me “thank you “ and praise God for you
Lord, I claim YOU as my Lord and Redeemer. Give me your heart for others, to have your grace when under fire, and the confidence of who I am because of the truth of who YOU are. May I have the boldness to witness this wonderful and divine truth to others.
“He couldn’t see the truth that was standing right before him. With a chance to dialogue with God, to get life right, to find forgiveness, to have a relationship with God fully restored, to do an about face and find faith, with all of those chances and more, Pilate missed it. Pilate turned the opportunity into a humdrum, dismissive, almost cynical reply: “What is truth?”
Truth was staring Pilate in the face, and he did nothing with it. He was too blind to see what was right in front of him. Am I?”
Lord, you know the many times that I have responded to you in exactly the same fashion as Pilate did. So here I am. I have a desperate type of trust in you. You are my one and only hope. You are our one and only hope. You are the hope of the world!
Lord, thank you for strengthening my eyes to see You!
Thank you for Your work in every area of my life!
Father, Lord, help me to see, recognize, speak, and live Your truth in my life and ministry in Jesus’s name. Amen.
The world tells us we can have our own truth…so thankful that Jesus IS the truth. I only need to follow his truth, because that IS life. The truth the world offers is a deadend.
Thank you! Amen!