John 18:36, commentary and pictures

Jesus answered Pilate at His trial that His kingdom is not of this world and is not from hence, and that He was innocent of seeking earthly kingship or opposing Caesar by force. His kingdom is not a temporal or political dominion set up by human power, armies or the sword, but is from beyond this world in origin, authority and character. It is a spiritual kingdom of divine grace in human hearts, governed by righteousness, justice, mercy, love and peace. If it were of this world His servants would have fought to keep Him from being delivered, but because it is not earthly it is not established, advanced or maintained by warfare, coercion or political power, but spreads by truth and God's Spirit to regenerate hearts. For this reason He refused when the Jews would have made Him an earthly king to break the Roman yoke, and His kingdom will not be set up as an earthly government now, but when He comes in glory to put down all rule and establish His everlasting kingdom.

Trial Before Pilate

Jesus answered Pilate at His trial that His kingdom is not of this world and is not from hence. If His kingdom belonged to this world His servants would fight to prevent His delivery to the Jews and His arrest, but because it comes from elsewhere they do not fight. By this He made clear that He had not come to be an earthly king, to claim earthly kingship or kingly honors, to seek an earthly throne or political power, or to oppose Caesar by force.

His kingship was joined to His mission of bearing witness to the truth, and He spoke to Pilate of His kingdom of truth. Though He submitted without resistance to unjust treatment and crucifixion, His words convicted Pilate that He had been handed over out of envy, and His bearing strengthened Pilate's conviction that He was innocent.

The trial stood after the Sanhedrin had condemned Him and sought legal confirmation of the sentence, with accusations against Him contradicting one another and Pilate finding no fault in Him. He had already told Pilate plainly that He was the Messiah and that His kingdom was not of this world. Having given that testimony, He gave Pilate no further answer afterward, even to Whence art thou, because Pilate abused his high office as judge by yielding his principles and authority to the demands of a bloodthirsty mob.

He stood in Pilate's judgment hall delivered to the Jews and held in the hands of a lawless mob, without His servants fighting to prevent it, because His kingdom does not belong to this world and does not defend itself by worldly force. This came about through hatred and violence inspired only by Satan, who hated Christ for His position in the courts of God, hated Him more when dethroned, hated Him for pledging Himself to redeem sinners, and followed Him from the manger to the cross constantly striving to gain mastery over Him. Satan filled the hearts of the priests and rulers with hatred toward Him, so that his agents disguised in robes of priests and rulers joined hands with the lowest and most degraded to take the life of the Son of God, though He had created these beings and loved them so well that He left His heavenly home to come to earth in their behalf, until they sank to such wickedness that they acted Satan's part in fighting against Him. The same ordeal included betrayal and condemnation, humiliation by the crowd, and rejection by people who had once hailed Him as king, for which He prepared His faithful disciples so they would not be overwhelmed when the world's favor turned against Him.

The same teaching that His kingdom was set up in opposition to the kingdom of this world was given in the packed Capernaum synagogue on the Sabbath after He healed the ruler's son with a word from more than twenty miles away. It was spoken to a crowd of curious onlookers and earnest seekers after the gospel of the kingdom of God, separate from the subjects of dissension among the Jews. It was taught in simple words a child could understand yet lofty enough for the highest mind, showing by His power to wrest dominion from Satan and to deliver captives bound by Satan's power what that new kingdom among them was.

Kingdom's Heavenly Nature

The kingdom spoken of is not temporal, political or worldly, not established by human power, human theories, armies or the sword, and no human power working through its enemies can weaken or overthrow it. Its origin, authority, rule and character are from beyond this world and are not grounded in earthly power, for it was not established by human power and cannot be overthrown by human power. To make its King an earthly king over Israel by force would have brought violence and insurrection and hindered His work, for He did not come to establish such a dominion by political power or force. Because it is not earthly its servants do not fight to prevent arrest and delivery, to secure, defend or maintain its rule, yet in submitting without resistance to unjust treatment and crucifixion its King still declares Himself a King whose purpose is to bear witness to the truth, and His kingdom is joined to that witness.

It is spiritual, not temporal or political, with Christ as its head establishing a kingdom of righteousness governed by justice, mercy and love rather than by political power or force. It is the kingdom of divine grace manifested in the hearts of His people, a reign of peace and love bringing people to the Father through the mediation of the Son, not modeled on worldly pomp and display. It is governed by its own laws and its own standard and not by the ways of this world, having no principles in common with the world's principles; Christ came to represent God and worked steadily out His own purpose according to that standard without consulting the opinions of others, without being bound by the actions of any other, and without aiming to follow any human standard. As the owner of the vineyard dealt with his workers, so God deals with humanity, whose thoughts and ways are higher than human thoughts and ways.

It came to establish a different kingdom in opposition to the kingdom of this world, separate from subjects of dissension, to set up a new order among men. Its work is shown by power to wrest dominion from Satan, to free people from Satan's dominion, and to deliver captives bound by Satan's power.

It is not worldly in source or character and is not maintained by force; if it were, its servants would fight to prevent delivery, but instead it spreads through truth whose word has power to open understanding, and receiving and living by that truth can restore ruined human nature. It works spiritually in human hearts and can influence earthly governments, but it must not take its character from them; those who become its subjects return to allegiance to God through divine power and are made new by the Spirit. Its remedy for human suffering must reach people individually and regenerate their hearts, not rely on external measures or on reforming corrupt and oppressive government through civil measures or interference with rulers.

The kingdom of God does not come with outward show, and He would not accept an earthly throne nor rule through human authority and legal force, though many wanted Him to establish a temporal kingdom and enforce what they regarded as God's laws, for that was not the kingdom He came to establish. Its spirit of self-denial is opposed to the spirit of the world, and its spirit is humility and self-sacrifice for others rather than competition for the highest position, self-exaltation, or striving on the basis of worldly rank or honor. Christ's humility was not a low estimate of His own character or abilities; He adapted Himself to fallen humanity in order to uplift and raise people to a higher life, and His disciples are to follow His example, a truth the disciples themselves struggled to understand.

Advance Without Earthly Force

The meaning is plain: if the kingdom were of this world, its servants and soldiers would have fought to keep their King from being arrested and handed over to the Jews, but because it is not earthly they did not fight to secure and defend and maintain His rule. Its rule and origin are not from this world, and its mission is not the seeking of political power or earthly kingly honors. To appeal to civil authority to support the gospel therefore contradicts the nature of that kingdom.

For that reason the kingdom is not established or advanced or maintained or set up by worldly force and warfare and fighting, by human wisdom and human theories, by political power and coercion, by armies and the sword, by caste, and making Him Israel's earthly king would only have brought violence and insurrection and hindered His work. Its subjects do not fight to secure it. No human power working through the enemies of God can weaken or overthrow it.

It spreads in another way, through truth whose word has power to open the understanding, so that receiving and living by that truth restores ruined human nature. Its work is accomplished by God's Spirit, not by political power or coercion. Its ministers win people by persuasion and appeal, without compelling or commanding them, upholding freedom of religious belief and choice. Its remedy for human suffering must reach people individually and regenerate their hearts, rather than rely on external measures.

Its subjects are not promised ease and honor and riches and earthly possessions. They are called to conflict with evil and may endure hardship and imprisonment and torture and death, while Christ's reign keeps them from the power of the prince of evil. His mission was not to recognize caste and human theories or to establish political interests by the power of human armies and the sword, for if His kingdom were of this world His soldiers would fight. As the One sent from God He gave His life as a sacrifice so that the world might have a second probation to return to loyalty to God.

Refusal of Earthly Throne

The Jews wanted Him to establish a temporal kingdom that would break the Roman yoke and make the nation free and exalted. They wanted Him to enforce what they regarded as God's laws and to rule through human authority and legal force. That was not the kingdom He came to establish, for His kingdom is not an earthly, temporal dominion and He would not accept an earthly throne. Its spirit of self-denial is opposed to the spirit of the world, and it does not come with outward show. He came to establish a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly political rule.

When the multitude fed from five barley loaves and two small fishes decided He was the promised Deliverer, they consulted with the disciples to take Him by force and proclaim Him King of Israel on David's throne in Jerusalem to humble priests and rulers. He discerned the plan and checked it at once by sending the disciples by boat to Capernaum and dismissing the multitude Himself with firm authority. He refused exaltation as Israel's king because violence and insurrection would result. Accepting an earthly crown would arouse the jealousy of priests and rulers, cut short His work, defeat the very work and purpose of His mission, and put an end to His teaching and deeds of mercy, healing, and benevolence. The disciples joined in the plan and were impatient and dissatisfied at His refusal.

He had often taught His disciples the nature of His spiritual kingdom, that shame and the cross awaited Him and that those who follow Him for His sake and seek salvation must be willing to endure reproach, but they failed to comprehend it and wrongly expected worldly honor, a throne, and rule founded on worldly rank or honor. He plainly stated before leaving them that it was not His purpose in coming to the world to establish a temporal kingdom in this world, and that He was not appointed to reign as a temporal king on David's throne. Judas was offended by this teaching because he expected Jesus to assert royal authority, avenge John the Baptist, and pursue more aggressive warfare. His hopes for a high place in the kingdom made him question Christ when Jesus did not act as he expected.

His refusal to receive kingly honors had expressed that His kingdom was not worldly. His acceptance of homage during the entry into Jerusalem therefore astonished people who knew that declaration, because it appeared to mark a change in His attitude and raised questions whether He had changed. The welcoming crowd expected Him to drive out Roman armies, restore Israel as an independent nation, and take an earthly throne. His entry did not mean He had changed His earlier teaching or intended earthly rule.

His accusers wrongly presented Him as a rebel seeking kingship against Rome and seeking earthly royal honors or opposing Caesar's rule. His calm declaration that He had not come to establish political power or an earthly government in Jerusalem silenced the officers and the crowd. If His kingdom were temporal His servants would fight to prevent His delivery to the Jews and His being handed over, but His mission was to bear witness to the truth. He did not come to reign as an earthly monarch on David's throne, but would soon ascend to His Father and later return in glory, when His accusers would see Him no more until then and would acknowledge Him too late for their salvation.

Future Glorious Kingdom

His kingdom is not an earthly government established in the present world. After the kingdom of Israel was overturned the throne of the Lord was removed from the earth, and it will not be restored until Christ comes. That coming is when the present world ends and the world to come begins.

It will be set up when Christ returns in glory and the final judgment is carried out. He is waited for from heaven to come to earth to put down all authority and power and to establish His everlasting kingdom. It is not a temporal power established by force, but a kingdom of divine grace manifested in the hearts of His people. That kingdom of glory could be established only through His humiliation, suffering, and death.

Until then His followers are strangers and pilgrims on earth awaiting their Savior. Their citizenship is in heaven and their kingdom is not from here.

Earthly powers are shaken and no union among the nations is to be expected. The present place in Nebuchadnezzar's image is the toes, in a divided state of crumbling material that will not hold together. This shows the great day of God is right upon them and hastens greatly.

Church State and Freedom

The kingdom is not set up or carried forward by worldly political power or force, for if it were its servants would fight to keep its king from being seized. To call on civil authority to support the gospel therefore goes against the very nature of that kingdom. Even a slight union of church and state does not bring the world nearer to the church but draws the church nearer to the world. Its servants do not fight to secure its rule, and its ministers are to win people by persuasion and appeal rather than compel or command them. This is the ground of freedom of religious belief and choice.

Though living under a corrupt and oppressive government, the King made no attempt to reform it by civil measures nor to interfere with its rulers. The remedy for human suffering reaches people one by one and remakes the heart, rather than working by outward measures. Because the kingdom is not a worldly dominion whose authority and character rest on earthly power, no representative can rightly claim a dominion beyond his Lord's own. The claim to be lord of the world and to rule the world as vicar cannot stand, since a vicar's dominions cannot extend beyond those of his superior. Worldly magnificence and rule do not represent the poor and lowly Jesus.

Coming from beyond this world, not made by human power and not to be overthrown by human power, the kingdom gives worldly policy no place in its enterprises, that God alone may be honored and glorified in them. It is governed by no principle in common with the world, and therefore seeks no human patronage and accepts no human control. No person is authorized to direct its missionaries as though responsible for their souls, for they belong to their Buyer at a price no human mind can measure. To interfere with them or harm them challenges God's authority and is presumption. The kingdom of Christ is different from the kingdom of the world, and the church militant is not the church triumphant. That difference is to be carefully kept in mind, for forgetting it draws threads of selfishness into the web being woven, and beside every soul stands an unseen heavenly Watcher.

Living Kingdom Citizenship

The declaration before Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world is the very trial His followers will themselves have to pass through. Christ now beholds every circumstance of life laid open before Him, and He will sustain all who accept Him. Believers are therefore to stand on the elevated platform of eternal truth while every false platform is shaken to pieces, trusting no man and not afflicting their souls over men's words, clinging to Jesus with full faith and assurance, walking humbly before God in His Word which is truth and power to the soul, and becoming strong by continually contemplating the truth as it is in Jesus.

Because their kingdom is not from here, God's people still obey the laws of the land unless those laws conflict with the higher law spoken from Sinai and written in mind and heart, for they must obey God rather than men. They cannot engage in war because war is opposed to every principle of their faith, and in the army they cannot obey the truth and at the same time obey officers without continual violation of conscience.

Those who belong to the kingdom of heaven and not to this world must make that belonging plain by revealing Christ's righteousness. Those connected with God's service must be clean and pure and holy, and when they are, the Lord gives power and grace and prosperity and success to teachers of truth, and souls are converted. His kingdom works by laws different from this world and is governed by its own laws and its own standard. He came to represent God and steadily worked out His own purpose by that standard without consulting the opinions of others, without being bound by the actions of others, without caring how people regarded Him, and without aiming to follow any human standard. The owner's dealing with the workers in the vineyard illustrates this dealing of God with the human family, whose thoughts and ways are higher than human thoughts and ways, rewarding servants not according to amount of labor done or visible results but according to the spirit brought into the work, and honoring those who leave payment with Him in faith that He will do what is right and just, for the gospel of the kingdom is not confined by precise human regulations but cultivates moral and spiritual capabilities.

Its way is humility and self-sacrifice for others rather than competition for the highest position or self-exaltation. His humility was not a low estimate of His own character or abilities, but His adapting Himself to fallen humanity in order to uplift and raise people to a higher life. His disciples are to follow His example.