John 18:37

Pilate understands only so far as to interrupt with Οὐκοῦν … σύ; “So then you are a king?” On οὐκοῦν see Klotz's Devarius, p. 173. To which Jesus replies with the explicit statement: Σὺ λέγεις … ἐγώ. “Thou sayest.” This, says Schoettgen (Matthew 26:25), is “solennis adfirmantium apud Judaeos formula”; so that ὅτι must be rendered with R.V [92] marg. “because” I am a king. Erasmus, Westcott, Plummer, and others render, “Thou sayest that I am a king,” neither definitely accepting nor rejecting the title. But this interpretation seems impossible in the face of the simple σὺ λέγεις of the synoptists, Matthew 27:2; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3. We must then render, “Thou art right, for a king I am”. In what sense a king, He explains: ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι κ. τ. λ. “For this end have I been born, and for this end am I come into the world;” the latter expression, by being added to the former, certainly seems to suggest a prior state. Cf. John 1:9. The end is expressed in ἵνα μαρτυρήσω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, “that I might witness to the truth,” especially regarding God and His relation to men. The consequence is that every one who belongs to the truth (moral affinity expressed by ἐκ) obeys Him, ἀκούει in a pregnant sense, cf. John 10:8-16. They become His subjects, and form His kingdom, a kingdom of truth. For which Pilate has only impatient scorn: τί ἐστιν ἀλήθεια; “Tush, what is Aletheia?” It was a kingdom which could not injure the empire. What have I to do with provinces that can yield no tribute, and threaten no armed rebellion?

[92] Revised Version.