Somewhere along the line, Pilate was aware of the root issue at hand. Either he knew about Jesus by reputation, or the leaders had said something to him that is not recorded.

So he cut to the chase, asking Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

And isn’t this the key issue we all want to know? Is Jesus who he said he was? We still wonder that today, doubting that someone could really be God. We assume Jesus was a good person, a kind healer, a teacher, and leader. But to accept that he was, and is, the Messiah, the Son of God, is still out there.

Even the concept of God is still out there. The theory of evolution began with the premise that there is no God, and with that assumption, if there is no God, how could the earth have come into existence?

But it doesn’t answer the question of whether there is a God.

And yet, people have grabbed hold of this theory and others out there and claimed victory, as if to say, “See! There is no God. So then, how could there be a Son of God?”

Can you picture Jesus’s response? I picture a quiet, reserved Jesus, unrattled by his circumstances or his company. I imagine him locking eyes with Pilate as he asks Pilate in return, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”

Jesus answers a question with a question. He wants to know why Pilate is asking him this. Is this intellectual curiosity? Is it because he wants to figure out how to appease others? Or could it be because he personally wants to know?

And isn’t this true about us? When we want to know the truth about Jesus, is it for our intellectual knowledge, to satisfy our curiosity? Or are we asking to align our opinions with others so that we can “win” with them? Or is it because we have a sincere, questioning heart that wants real answers?

How would you answer Jesus’s question?

Comment: How would you answer Jesus’ question? Do you want to know the truth about Jesus personally, or are you curious about how he compares to the rest of the world’s great thinkers?