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Joh_18:37. A βασιλεία Jesus had actually ascribed to Himself in Joh_18:36, which Pilate certainly did not expect; hence he asks, in surprise and not without a flash of haughty scorn: Nonne igitur rex tu es? since thou, that is, speakest of thy βασιλεία . On οὐκοῦν , not elsewhere found in the N. T., see Kühner, ad Xen. Mem. Exc. III. p. 517 ff.; Baeumlein, Partik. p. 198. The sentence is an inference, but asking (is it not then true, that thou art a king?) whether the questioned person agrees.
ὅτι ] Confirmation of the assertion expressed by σὺ λέγεις (comp. Mat_26:25).
ἐγώ ] Corresponding to the contemptuously emphasized σύ at the end of Pilate’s question, emphasized with noble self-consciousness, and still more emphatically brought into prominence by the ἐγώ , which immediately begins the next sentence (“potens anadiplosis,” Bengel); the repetition of εἰς τοῦτο twice also adds weight.
γεγένν . and ἐλήλ . εἰς τ . κόσμ .] must, according to Grotius, Lücke, and De Wette, designate the birth and the official appearance; a separation which is not justified by the Johannean ἔρχεσθαι εἰς τ . κόσμ ., in which the birth is substantially included (Joh_3:17, Joh_9:39, Joh_11:27, Joh_12:47, Joh_16:28, Joh_1:9). The ἐλήλ . εἰς τ . κόσμ . sets forth the birth once again, but in relation to its specific higher nature, as the entrance of the sent of God into the world, so that the divine ἀποστέλλειν εἰς τὸν κόσμον (Joh_3:17, Joh_10:36, Joh_17:18) is correlative.[232] The coming into the world is related to the conception of being born, as the leaving of the world (Joh_16:28) and going to the Father to the conception of dying.
ἵνα μαρτυρ . τῇ ἀληθ .] He was to bear testimony on behalf of the divine truth; for He had seen and heard it with God. Comp. Joh_3:11; Joh_3:32, Joh_1:17-18.
ὁ ὤν ἐκ τ . ἀληθ .] Genetic designation (comp. on Gal_3:7) of the adherents of His kingdom; their origin is the divine truth, i.e. their entire spiritual nature is so constituted, that divine truth exercises its formative influence upon them. These are the souls drawn by the Father (Joh_6:44 ff.), and given to Christ as His own. Comp. Joh_8:47. Bengel correctly observes: “Esse ex veritate praecedit, audire sequitur.”
ἀκούει μου τ . φωνῆς ] hears from me the voice, i.e. (otherwise, Joh_12:47), he gives ear to that which I speak, follows my call, command, etc. With this Jesus has declared Himself regarding His kingdom, to the effect partly that He is a king, and with what definition He is so, partly as to what subjects He has; and thus He has completely answered the question; in no sense, however, as Hengstenberg thinks, has He omitted to answer it as too difficult for Pilate’s comprehension, and expressed Himself instead concerning His prophetic office. The πᾶς ὁ ὢν , κ . τ . λ . belongs essentially to the characteristic of His kingdom; a special design, however, entertained in this point, with reference to Pilate (an appeal to his religious consciousness, Chrysostom, Olshausen, Neander; justification as to why Jesus has not more adherents, Calvin; a reminder for Pilate, how he would have to lay hold upon salvation), lies entirely remote from the sense, equally remote with an appeal “a caecitate Pilati ad captum fidelium,” Bengel, or from the judge to the man (Hengstenberg).
[232] Calovius aptly says: Christ was so born, “ut quum antea fuerit apud patrem, in tempore nascendo in mundum venerit, a patre in mundum missus.” Contrary to the words and the context is Scholten’s view, that γεγένν . denotes the premundane procession from God.