Exposition of John, Chapter 18 · Verse 18
Ver. 35. Pilate anſwered, Am I a Jew? thine own nation, and the chiefe Priests have delivered thee unto me: What haſt thou done?
36. Jeſus anſwered, My Kingdome is not of this world: if my Kingdome were of this world, then would my ſervants fight, that I ſhould not be delivered to the Jewes; but now is my Kingdome not from hence.
In the ſecond diſcourſe, Pilate being a little commoved, declines being the author of this accuſation, as being no Jew, nor acquaint with their contraverſies, nor caring for their Religion, or the King they expected; And fathers this whole buſineſs on the Jewes; Chriſts own countrey-men, and their Church-Rulers, withal deſiring to know what he had done which might ſo incenſe them againſt him, v. 35. Chriſt, having reaſoned with the man, doth now come expreſſely to anſwer to the accuſation concerning his Kingdome, and ſpeaks ſo much of it, negatively, as might ſatisfie Pilate; that it might well enough conſiſt with the ſafety of the Roman ſtate: Therefore he ſheweth that his Kingdome was not a worldly Kingdome, and for proofe thereof, he inſtanceth how far he was from aſpiring to a Kingdome by force of armes, in that he would not ſo much as permit his ſervants to fight in his defence, as they offered to do, when the Jewes came to take him. Whence learn, 1. Pilates commotion, evidenced in his reply, Am I a Jew? did not only flow from his reſpect to his credit, which he could not ſuffer that Chriſt ſhould touch upon, how juſtly ſoever; but alſo that his natural conſcience was touched, and that he is not willing Chriſt ſhould put his conſcience to it, ſeeing he could not follow it, and yet keep his politick ſmooth way. It teacheth, That they who not only are ſinfully tender of their credit, but they to whom a conſcience (what they have of it) is a vexation, and a croſſe to their deſignes, will readily meet with many vexations by reaſon thereof, and in end make ſhipwrack of it; As it fared with Pilate, who is here, irritate, knowing that Chriſt touched him in the quick, and afterward giveth up himſelfe, to go over the belly of his conſcience. 2. Even moral civility in men will account it as great a reproach as may be, and a matter of ſhame, to be the author and inventer of calumnies and reproaches againſt others; for, Pilate declines this, and faſtens it upon the Jewes, thine own nation, and the chief Prieſts have delivered thee unto me. 3. Such is the iniquitie and corruption of time, that hardly ſhall the moſt injuſt aſperſion be caſt on any, but it will leave ſome impreſſion of guilt, at leaſt with ſome; Therefore, albeit Pilate knew the Jewes accuſation to be frivolous, and of envy, yet it gives him occaſion to ſuſpect ſome quarrel, which cauſeth to enquire, What haſt thou done? 4. Not only hath Chriſt, as God, an univerſal Kingdome of power and providence, even over the higheſt of men, Dan. 2.21. 1 Tim. 6.15. Prov. 8.15, 16. But, as Mediatour, he hath a donative Kingdome in and over his Church, to the preſervation and propagation whereof, his Kingdome of power is ſubſervient, Matth. 28.18, 19. for, ſo is here imported, that even in his ſtate of exinanition, he hath a Kingdome, my Kingdome. 5. It is no ſtrange thing to ſee truth ſo miſrepreſented as may ſtumble many, which yet being heard and cleared, will offend none; for, whereas this truth, that he is a King, was ſo repreſented as might offend Pilate, Chriſt lets him ſee that this needed not at all ſtumble him. 6. Albeit Chriſts Kingdome be in the world, yet it is not of the world; Not only in reſpect of the ſubjects, who ought not to be of the world, but chiefly, in oppoſition to worldly Kingdomes; The benefits thereof not being earthly, Rom. 14.17. it being managed in a ſpiritual way, and with ſpiritual weapons, 2 Cor. 10.4. and coming without external pomp and obſervation, like unto the Kingdomes of the world, Luk. 17.20, 21. for, ſo much is imported in this aſſertion, my Kingdome is not of this world, whereby he removeth all cauſe of fear in Pilate. 7. It is the property of Chriſts ſubjects and ſervants, to be affectionate to their Lord and Maſter, and to be ready to do whatſoever is lawful for the good of his Kingdome; for, ſo is imported in that his ſervants would fight, if it had been warrantable. And hereof all made offer, and Peter gave a raſh proofe, as we heard on v. 10. 8. It is an evidence that Chriſts Kingdome is ſpiritual, that it is carried on not by force of armes, as worldly Kingdomes are, but by ſpiritual means; Therefore, doth Chriſt confirme his aſſertion (not by Scripture, which Pilate knew not, but) by that known inſtance, If my Kingdome were of this world, then would my ſervants fight, that I ſhould not be delivered to the Jewes. Whereas private men aſpiring to a worldly Kingdome, do uſe violence and force of armes, he had prohibited his diſciples to fight in his defence in the Garden. This is not to be underſtood, as if Chriſt diſallowed that they to whom he hath given the ſword, ſhould defend his Kingdome therewith; for, if Magiſtrates, even as Magiſtrates, ſhould be nurſing Parents to the Church, and ought to kiſſe the Son, as the Scriptures do record, then certainly they may and ſhould employ their power as Magiſtrates, for removing of Idolatry, and ſetting up the true worſhip of God, and for defending thereof againſt violence. But Chriſts purpoſe and ſcope in this may be fully taken up in theſe. 1. Chriſt in his preſent ſtate of humiliation, came into the world, not to get viſible powers on his ſide, but to abaſe himſelfe and ſuffer, Matth. 20.28. And to this the words in the text relate, while it is ſaid, they did not fight, that I ſhould not be delivered to the Jewes. But in his ſtate of exaltation, he hath given, and will give more ample proofes of his power, even in cruſhing Kings and Potentates, who oppoſe him and his Kingdome, Pſal. 2.9, 10, 12. and 110.5, 6. (which is ſometime brought to paſſe by warre) and in employing the Kings of the earth to hate the whore and burn her with fire, Rev. 17.16. 2. Chriſt by hindering his ſervants to fight, who were but private men as to any civil power and officers in his Church; hath taught; That private men are not warranted to draw the ſword, were it even in defence of Religion, but they ought to maintain it by ſuffering, when called to that extremity. And, That the ſword is not the weapon put in Churchmens hands for the defence of Religion. 3. By this inhibition alſo, as it relates to Pilates apprehenſions, we are taught, That it is not lawful for profeſſours of Religion to take up armes for this end, that they may, under pretext of Religion, ſet up any ſuch Kingdome as Pilate might apprehend, to the prejudice of the lawful Magiſtrate; But it is the will of Chriſt, That they enjoy their power and dignity (they allowing Chriſt the exerciſe of his ſpiritual Kingdome) That Religion commend it ſelfe by loyalty to authority, and by avoiding of ſedition; and, That Religion or Saintſhip be no ſufficient ground to warrant men to entitle themſelves to any power in the State, to which they have no lawful calling; but rather, That it teach them to keep and adorne their ſtations. 4. Whatever caſe may warrant fighting in defence of Religion, yet the influence thereof is but very accidental, as to this great end of promoting the ſpiritual Kingdome of Chriſt; for, not only did the Goſpel overſpread much of the world, by the preaching and ſufferings of profeſſours, before Magiſtrates did befriend it; but even their power, when it is employed, can but reach to ſet up the outward exerciſe of Religion, and to the repelling of external force, but can, its alone, do nothing to the conſcience, or to the keeping out of Satan, which is effectuate only by Chriſts Spirit accompanying and bleſſing his own ſpiritual weapons. Doct. 9. Mens practice is the cleareſt proofe of their way and inclinations, whereby men ought in charity to judge of them, unleſſe they have ſtrong evidences to the contrary: Therefore upon this, that his ſervants did not fight, Chriſt clearly inferreth, But now is my Kingdome not from hence.