Thomas Aquinas

Above was set forth the examination by which Pilate examined Christ in the presence of his accusers; but here the Evangelist sets forth how Pilate examined Christ by himself. And first the Evangelist treats of Pilate's interrogation as he examined him; second, of the response of Christ as he was examined, at the place, "Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world." As to the first, he does two things. First he sets forth Pilate's interrogation; second, the cause of the interrogation, or the examination, at the place, "Jesus answered: Do you say this of yourself?"

As to the first, it must be known that Pilate, as a just judge, and treating everything with exactness, did not straightway acquiesce in the accusation of the high priest. Exodus 23:2: "You shall not follow the crowd to do evil, nor shall you yield to the judgment of the many in a case, so as to turn aside from the truth." But he entered again into the praetorium and called Jesus, namely apart by himself, because he had a great suspicion concerning him. He called Christ to himself for this reason: that he might more exactly search out everything, and that Christ might answer more quietly, the tumult of the Jews having been removed. Job 29:16: "The cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently." And then he said to him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" From which it is clear, as Luke relates in chapter 23:2, that the Jews laid this charge against him; although John says only, "If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to you," and they brought many other charges against him. But this one touched Pilate's heart the more, and therefore he questions him about this alone. Matthew 12:34: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Consequently, when he says, "Jesus answered," etc., the examination by questioning is set forth, and first Christ's questioning is set forth; second, Pilate's answer, at the place, "Am I a Jew?" He says therefore, "Jesus answered," questioning in his turn, "Do you say this of yourself?" Here it must be known that a man questions for a twofold cause. Sometimes in order to know a thing which he did not know before, and thus a disciple questions a master; sometimes he questions about a thing already known, in order that he may know the answer of him whom he questions, and thus a master questions a disciple. But the Lord knew both that about which he himself was questioning and that which was to be answered; and therefore he did not question as one ignorant, since "all things are naked and open to his eyes" (Hebrews 4:13), but he questions so that we might know what opinion the Jews and the Gentiles held, and at the same time that we might be instructed concerning that kingdom.

Consequently, when he says, "Pilate answered," etc., Pilate's response is set forth. But why does he answer thus? Namely because the Lord had asked him whether he had said this of himself. And so Pilate shows that it did not pertain to him to inquire whether he was king of the Jews, but rather to the Jews, whose king he called himself; giving one to understand by this that this had been told him by others. And therefore he adds, "Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me," namely, making this accusation against you. And he says "your own nation," because he had been born of the Jews, according to his humanity. Jeremiah 20:10: "For I heard the reproaches of many, and terror on every side: Persecute him, from all the men that were my familiar friends"; Micah 7:6: "A man's enemies are they of his own household." And he says "chief priests," because the greater they were in power, the more guilty in the crime. 1 Esdras 9:2: "The hand of the princes and of the magistrates has been first in this transgression"; Jeremiah 5:5: "I will go to the great men, and I will speak to them; for they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God: and behold, these have altogether broken the yoke, they have burst the bonds." "If therefore they have delivered you to me, what have you done?" As if he were to say: it is not to be believed that they would have delivered you to me except for a great cause.

Here Christ's response is set forth, and first he removes the falsity of the suspicion about his kingdom; second, he establishes the truth, at the place, "Pilate therefore said to him: Are you a king then?" As to the first he does two things. First he excludes the false suspicion; second, he brings forward the proof by a sign, at the place, "If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews." He removes the false suspicion, saying, "My kingdom is not of this world." Understanding this wrongly, the Manichaeans said that there are two gods and two kingdoms: namely a good God, who has his kingdom in the region of light, and an evil God, who has his kingdom in the region of darkness; and they said that this present world is that latter region, because they said all bodily things are darkness. And according to this the sense would be: "My kingdom is not of this world," as if he were to say: the Lord my Father, who is good, and I, do not have our kingdom in the region of darkness. But against this is what is said in Psalm 46:8: "For God is king of all the earth." And again: "Whatsoever the Lord pleased, he has done, in heaven and in earth." And therefore it must be said that Christ said this on account of Pilate, who believed that Christ aspired to an earthly kingdom, by which he would reign bodily, as earthly men do; and that on this account he would be liable to death, because he had illicitly aspired to a kingdom.

Now it must be known that "kingdom" is sometimes said of that people which reigns, sometimes of the royal power itself. Taking "kingdom" in the first way, Augustine expounds it, and says "my kingdom," that is, my faithful ones — Revelation 5:10: "You have made us a kingdom to our God" — "is not of this world." He does not say: is not in this world; above, John 17:11: "and these are in the world," but it "is not of this world," by affection and imitation, having indeed been snatched away by the election of grace. For thus God rescued us from the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of his charity. But Chrysostom expounds it taking "kingdom" in the second way, and says: "my kingdom," that is, my power and authority by which I am king, "is not of this world," that is, it does not have its origin from worldly causes and the choice of men, but from elsewhere, namely from the Father himself. Daniel 7:14: "His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away, and his kingdom that shall not be corrupted."

Here he brings forward evident signs to prove that his kingdom is not of this world, and first he sets forth the sign; second he concludes what he intends, at the place, "but now my kingdom is not from here." As to the first, it must be known that whoever has an earthly kingdom, whether justly or by violence, must have companions and servants, by whom he is upheld in his power. The reason for this is that he is not powerful of himself, but through his servants. 2 Kings 3:1: "There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily." But the King on high, since he is powerful of himself, bestows power upon his servants; therefore he does not need servants for his kingdom. And therefore he says that his kingdom is not of this world: "for if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews." Whence also Peter, wishing to fight for Christ, did not perceive that he himself was not of this world — see above, at the same place. Yet the Lord did have other servants, namely the Angels, who could have snatched him from the hands of the Jews; but the Lord did not wish to be snatched away. Matthew 26:53: "Can I not ask my Father, and he will give me more than twelve legions of angels?" "But now my kingdom is not from here." That is, since he does not seek such servants, he concludes that his kingdom is not from here, that is, it does not have its beginning from this world; yet it is here, because it is everywhere: for "it reaches from end to end mightily, and orders all things sweetly" (Wisdom 8:1); Psalm 2:8: "Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for your possession"; Daniel 7:14: "He gave him power and glory and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes, and languages shall serve him."

Here the Lord manifests the truth about his kingdom, that it exists, and first the occasion of the manifestation is set forth; second, the manifestation itself, at the place, "Jesus answered him," etc.; third, the effect of the manifestation, at the place, "Pilate said to him, What is truth?" As to the first, it must be known that Pilate, understanding from the Lord's aforesaid words that the kingdom was, as it were, carnal and yet removed from those regions — as in 1 Corinthians 2:14: "The sensual man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God" — nonetheless longed to know the truth; and therefore he says, saying, "Are you a king then?" Namely, even the Lord.

Consequently, answering, he says, "You say that I am a king," where first he confesses himself to be a king; second, he shows the ground of his kingship, at the place, "For this I was born... that I should give testimony to the truth"; third, he intimates over whom he reigns, at the place, "Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice." As to the first, it must be known that the Lord, answering the question about the kingdom, so tempered his answer that he neither openly confessed himself to be a king — since he was not a king in the way Pilate understood — nor denied it, since he was spiritually King of kings. He says therefore, "You say that I am a king," namely, carnally, in which manner I am not a king, but in another manner I am a king. Isaiah 32:1: "Behold a king shall reign in justice, and princes shall rule in judgment."

But he shows the manner and ground of his kingdom, saying, "For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth"; which is expounded in two ways. In one way, according to Augustine, so that the kingdom of Christ consists of the faithful, as was said above; and thus Christ reigns over the faithful, and he came into the world for this, that by gathering the faithful to himself he might acquire a kingdom for himself. Luke 19:12: "A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom." And thus the sense is: "For this," that is, unto this, "I was born," namely by carnal birth. And he expounds this, saying, "and for this I came into the world," by being born carnally; for thus he came into the world — Galatians 4:4: "God sent his Son into the world" — "that I should give testimony to the truth," namely to myself, who am the truth (above, John 14:6). "And if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true" (above, John 8:14). And insofar as I manifest myself as the truth, so far do I acquire a kingdom for myself. For this cannot come about except through the manifestation of the truth, and it was not fitting that this manifestation should be made except through me, who am the light. Above, John 1:18: "The only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him." Hebrews 2:3: "Which, having begun to be declared by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing witness by signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and distributions of the Holy Spirit."

In another way Chrysostom expounds it thus: you ask if I am a king, and I say that I am; but by divine power, because "for this I was born," by an eternal birth from the Father, so that as God from God, so King from King; Psalm 2:6: "But I am appointed king," and he adds, "This day have I begotten you." But as for what he adds, "and for this I came into the world," this is not put expositively, but is understood of the temporal birth; as if he were to say: although I am an eternal king, nevertheless I came into the world for this, that I should give testimony to the truth — namely, to myself, that I am king from God the Father.

Here he shows over whom he reigns. Where it must be noted that above, John 10:1, he called himself a shepherd, and called his subjects sheep, which is the same as what he here calls himself a king and his subjects a kingdom: because the proportion of a king to his subjects is the same as that of a shepherd to his sheep; and just as a shepherd feeds his sheep — Ezekiel 34:2: "Should not the flocks be fed by the shepherds?" — so too a king sustains his subjects. And especially, among other things, he said, "My sheep hear my voice"; whence here too he says, "Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice," not only outwardly, but by believing inwardly and by loving and by fulfilling in deed. Above, John 6:45: "Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me." But whence does a man have this, that he should hear my voice? From this, namely, that he is of the truth, which is God. But since all are from God, all are of the truth and hear his voice. I answer. It must be said that some are from God by creation, and thus all are from God. Some are also said to be from God by affection and imitation; whence above, John 8:47, it is said: "You are not of God," namely according to affection, though you are of him by creation. He, therefore, hears the voice by believing and loving, who, namely, is of the truth, that is, who has received this gift, that he should love the truth. But note that he does not say: everyone who hears the voice is of the truth, because it would follow that we would be of the truth because we believe; whereas rather we believe because we are of the truth, inasmuch, namely, as we have received the gift of God by which we believe and love the truth. Ephesians 2:8: "By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: for it is the gift of God"; Philippians 1:29: "To you it is given, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him."

He sets forth the effect of the response, in which it is given to be understood that Pilate, the suspicion of an earthly kingdom having been driven off, and understanding Christ to be a king in the doctrine of truth, desires to know the truth, and to become part of his kingdom; whence he says, "What is truth?" Not asking what the definition of truth might be, but what truth was, by whose power he might become part of his kingdom: giving one to understand by this that truth was unknown to the world, and had almost vanished from all, since they were unbelieving. Isaiah 59:14: "Truth has fallen down in the street, and equity could not come in"; Psalm 11:2: "Truths are decayed from among the children of men." But Pilate did not wait for the answer.

And therefore, as regards this question, it must be known that we find a twofold truth in the Gospel: one uncreated and making; and this is Christ — above, John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life" — the other made, above, John 1:17: "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." For truth, by its very nature, imports a commensuration of the thing to the intellect. Now the intellect is compared to things in two ways. For a certain intellect exists as the measure of things, namely that which is the cause of things; while another is measured by the thing, namely that whose knowledge is caused by the thing. Truth, therefore, is not in the divine intellect because it itself is made equal to things, but because things are made equal to the divine intellect itself. But in our intellect there is truth for this reason, that it understands things as things are. And thus the uncreated truth, the divine intellect, is a truth not measured nor made, but a truth measuring and making a twofold truth: one, namely, in things themselves, insofar as it makes them according as they are in the divine intellect; and another which it makes in our souls, which is a truth only measured and not measuring. And hence it is that the uncreated truth of the divine intellect is appropriated to the Son, who is the very conception of the divine intellect and the Word of God. For truth follows upon the conception of the intellect.

Then, when he says, "And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews," he treats of Pilate's judgment concerning Christ, and first he declares his innocence; second he intends to extend mercy, at the place, "Now there was a custom that I should release one to you at the Passover." As to the first, it must be known that Pilate, as Augustine says, gladly wished to free Christ, and when he had asked Christ, "What is truth?" it suddenly came into his mind how, by a certain custom, he could free Christ — the custom by which it was usual for one to be released to them at the Passover; and so, not waiting entirely for the answer, he betook himself to procuring this, and therefore he says, "And when he had said this." He heard the tumult of the Jews, and believing that he could restrain it and afterward more quietly hear the answer to the difficult question, he went out again to the Jews, and setting forth Christ's innocence, said to them, "I find no cause in him," namely, of death. 1 Peter 2:22: "Who did no sin." And yet, if there were some cause in him, I, in whom the power resides, and especially the power of judging those things which are done against the king, wish to free and absolve him. Whence he says, "Now there is a custom that I should release one to you at the Passover." Where first he offers Christ's release; second the Evangelist sets forth the Jews' response. Now it must be known that this custom was introduced by Pilate, or by other Roman governors, for the favor of the people. And so, according to this custom, wishing to release him, he says, "Will you, therefore, that I release to you the king of the Jews?" He does not say this as though he had found him guilty concerning the kingdom of the Jews, but in order to aggravate their malice; as if he were to say: even if he is king of the Jews — which it does not pertain to you to judge, but to me — nevertheless, if you wish, I will release him to you. But the Jews themselves cried out again, all saying, "Not this man, but Barabbas." And in order to show the malice of the Jews, he immediately adds the crime of him whom they were asking to be freed, saying, "Now Barabbas was a robber." Isaiah 1:23: "Your princes are faithless, companions of thieves." In this is fulfilled that saying of Jeremiah 12:8: "My inheritance has become to me as a lion in the forest"; Acts 3:14: "You denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be given to you."