John 18:36 - Forerunner Commentary

John 18:36

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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain John 18:36:

John 18:36
Excerpted from: Government (Part 2)

He is asking Jesus, "Be specific about this charge. Be specific in your answer regarding this. Are you a king?" And Jesus' answer ought to be very clear to you and me.

Now remember that we are pursing the subject of the announcement of the Kingdom of God and the entering into the New Covenant, and the subject of government. How does it apply to you and me now—in the church, in the twentieth century here? "My kingdom is not of this world."—meaning age, meaning system of things. It is the Greek word cosmos. It is not of this system. That is, Satan's system!

Jesus was, in effect, saying to Pilate, "My Kingdom is better." Mainly, what He is talking about here is the nature of His reign, the nature of His rule. Not its location, or its time. Remember that He refused to give even His disciples an indication of time. He certainly was not going to give it to Pilate. However, that can be included in the understanding of the verse, but it is not primary.

Jesus is concerned about the nature of the Kingdom here. What He was telling Pilate is, "Pilate, My Kingdom isn't political. You have nothing to worry about from Me. I'm not here to overthrow the government and establish a competing power before you." So He is saying then, "I am not a rival. I'm not here for political reasons." If He had been, what would His servants have been doing? They would have been making war.

When we put this together with other verses, we can understand that Jesus is saying—to you and me—that, "My Kingdom is spiritual! It is, indeed, beginning now." He says, "I am a King!" You are not a king over nothing. He was a king over something; and that Kingdom was beginning. But its installation as a power on this earth was not yet. We are talking about something that is not, at this time, a rival to governing authorities.

Articles
Born Again or Begotten? (Part One)
Should We Pray for the World?
The Sixth Commandment (Part 2): War! (1997)
Why Did God Command Israel to Go to War?

Bible Studies
Does I John 5:7-8 Support the Trinity Doctrine?
The Sixth Commandment
The True Gospel
Would Jesus Christ Vote? (Part One)
Would Jesus Christ Vote? (Part Three)
Would Jesus Christ Vote? (Part Two)

Essays
A Heavenly Homeland (Part Two)
Is Patriotism Biblical?
Jesus, Paul, and the Christian Right
Submission (Part Two)
Truth and God's Governance (Part One)
Why We Do Not Vote

Sermons
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part 3)
A Son Is Given
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part 4)
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part 5)
Do You Recognize This Man? (Part 1)
Ministerial Misleading
Resuming Ecclesiastes (Part Two)
Pope Francis Is Elected (Part Two)
Jesus Christ's Trial (Part Three)
Jesus Christ's Trial (Part Three)
Who Deserves Our Loyalties?
Biblical Principles of Justice (Part Three)
The Thinking Mind
Sincerity and Truth (Part Three)
Is America a Christian Nation? (Part Five)
Christians and Politics
Preventing the Warfare State
Preventing the Warfare State
Discerning Signs and Redeeming Time
How Much Do You Value the Kingdom of God?
Would Our God Do That?
Simplifying Life (Part One)
From Both Sides Now and the Feast of Tabernacles
A Rewired Society (Part Two): A Post-Truth World
All Sifted Like Wheat (Part Two)
'But I Say to You' (Part Five): Oaths
Watch and Vigilantly Prepare
The Kingdom of God
The Christian and the World (Part Two)
Politics and Christ's Return
The Sixth Commandment
New Covenant Priesthood (Part 2)
Why We Do Not Vote
Should a Christian Go To War? (Part 2)
What Would You Die For?
Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part 12)
John (Part 14)
John (Part Twenty-Seven)
Man's Greatest Challenge (Part 1)
Peace With God

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