In John 18:28-40, Jesus stands before Pilate as the innocent King while the world around Him rejects the truth standing right in front of them. As Pilate wrestles with the question, “What is truth?”, Jesus reveals that His kingdom is not of this world and that He came to testify to the truth. Truth is not merely something to understand. It is found in the person of Jesus Christ.
The passage culminates in a striking picture of the gospel. The crowd chooses Barabbas, a guilty man, to go free, while the sinless Christ is condemned. Barabbas walks away because another man takes his place, which is precisely what Christ would accomplish for sinners at the cross. The guilty are set free because the innocent Son of God willingly stands in their place.
