John 18:37

37 Pilate, therefore, said to him, `Art thou then a king?' Jesus answered, `Thou dost say [it]; because a king I am, I for this have been born, and for this I have come to the world, that I may testify to the truth; every one who is of the truth, doth hear my voice.'

John 18:37 Meaning and Commentary

John 18:37

Pilate therefore said unto him
Upon this free and full declaration of Christ, concerning his kingly office, and the nature of his kingdom: art thou a king then?
or thou art a king then: for, from his having a kingdom, it might be very justly inferred that he was a king: Jesus answered, thou sayest that I am a king;
and which was very rightly said; and Christ by these words owns and confesses, that he was one: adding, to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth.
The end of Christ's being born, which was of a virgin, in a very miraculous manner, and of his coming into the world, which was by the assumption of human nature, among many other things, was to bear testimony to truth in general; to the whole Gospel, the word of truth, and every branch of it, which he brought with him, constantly preached in life, and confirmed by his death; and particularly to this truth, that he was a King, and had a kingdom in a spiritual sense: everyone that is of the truth;
that is of God, belongs to the sheep of Christ, knows the truth as it is in Jesus, and is on the side of truth, and stands by it: heareth my voice;
the voice of his Gospel; and that not only externally, but internally; so as to approve of it, rejoice at it, and distinguish it; and the voice of his commands, so as cheerfully to obey them from a principle of love to him.

John 18:37 In-Context

35 Pilate answered, `Am I a Jew? thy nation, and the chief priests did deliver thee up to me; what didst thou?'

36 Jesus answered, `My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my officers had struggled that I might not be delivered up to Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence.'

37 Pilate, therefore, said to him, `Art thou then a king?' Jesus answered, `Thou dost say [it]; because a king I am, I for this have been born, and for this I have come to the world, that I may testify to the truth; every one who is of the truth, doth hear my voice.'

38 Pilate saith to him, `What is truth?' and this having said, again he went forth unto the Jews, and saith to them, `I do find no fault in him;

39 and ye have a custom that I shall release to you one in the passover; will ye, therefore, [that] I shall release to you the king of the Jews?'