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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_18:33-38 a
33Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" 34Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?" 35Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?" 36Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm." 37Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So, You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You may correctly say that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 38Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"
Joh_18:33 "the Praetorium" See Special Topic at Joh_18:28.
▣ "Are you the King of the Jews" Jesus was accused of treason (cf. Mat_27:11; Mar_15:2; Luk_23:2 and Joh_19:3; Joh_19:12; Joh_19:15; Joh_19:19-22).
Joh_18:34 "Jesus answered, 'Are you saying this on your own initiative or did others tell you about Me'" If Pilate was asking the question in reference to a political kingship, Jesus would have denied it. If the Jews had suggested it, then it referred to His Messiahship and Jesus would have affirmed it. Pilate was obviously not ready to discuss the intricacies of Jewish religious thought (cf. Joh_18:35).
Joh_18:35 The first question expects a "no" answer. Pilate is expressing his contempt for the Jewish religion.
Joh_18:36 "If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting" This is a second class conditional sentence which is called "contrary to fact." It should be translated "If My kingdom were of this world, and it is not, then My servants would be fighting, which they are not." The phrase "my servants" could refer to (1) the disciples or (2) the angels (cf. Mat_26:53).
Joh_18:37 "Therefore Pilate said to Him, 'So you are a king?'" This was extreme irony on the lips of this symbol of earthly power (i.e., Rome), confronting Jesus and His spiritual kingdom. This question expects a "yes" answer.
▣ "You may correctly say that I am a King. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world" The first phrase is difficult to translate because of its ambiguity. It is an affirmation with qualifications (cf. Mat_27:11; Mar_15:2; Luk_23:3). Jesus knew who He was (two perfect tense verbs), and why he came (cf. Joh_13:1; Joh_13:3; Mar_10:45; Luk_2:49; Mat_16:22 ff). Pilate would not have understood!
▣ "for this I have been born" Jesus is referring to His task of revealing the Father (i.e., "to testify to the truth"). Basically there are three reasons why Jesus came.
1. to fully and completely reveal the character and purpose of God (cf. Joh_1:18; Joh_3:32)
2. to die as the innocent lamb of God to take away the sin of the world (cf. Joh_1:29)
3. to give believers an example of how to live and please God
▣ "Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice" I am always deeply moved by "everyone," "anyone," "whosoever," "as many as"! Wow! YHWH is fulfilling Gen_3:15 in Christ. Jesus restores the image of God damaged in the Fall. Intimate, personal fellowship is again possible! Fellowship is restored now (realized eschatology).
Only those with spiritual eyes and ears (i.e., Joh_10:3; Joh_10:16; Joh_10:27; Joh_18:37) can understand truth (cf. Mat_11:15; Mat_13:9; Mat_13:16; Mat_13:43; Mar_4:9; Mar_4:23; Luk_8:8; Luk_10:23-24; Luk_14:35; Rev_2:7; Rev_2:11; Rev_2:17; Rev_2:29; Rev_3:6; Rev_3:13; Rev_3:22). Jesus is the truth (Joh_14:6)! When He speaks His followers hear (cf. Joh_10:1-5). In John to "see" or "hear" truth is theologically equivalent to receiving "eternal life."
Joh_18:38 "Pilate said to Him, 'What is truth'" Pilate asked this question, but apparently left before he received the answer. Pilate wanted to assure himself that Jesus was no threat to the Roman government. He did this. He then tried to have Jesus released as was a custom of the Jews of that day during the Passover season (cf. Joh_18:39; Mat_27:15). John is writing, as Luke did, to show that Christianity was no threat to the Roman Empire (i.e., Joh_18:38 b; Joh_19:4; Luk_23:4; Luk_23:14; Luk_23:22).