“Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.

John 19: 9

Pilate speaking.  He was in great distress.  His conscience pulled him toward Jesus, his political position pulled him to join the Jewish leaders to do away with Jesus.  In the end, he made it clear that he saw no fault in Jesus that would have justified crucifixion, but he would not stand in their way if they wanted to kill Jesus.

And so it was.  Pilate walked away from truth, swayed by the fear that the Jews would turn against him if he insisted on what he believed, that Jesus is who he says he is.  Poor Pilate.  He represents the choice many will make then and, in the future, concerning this Jesus Christ.  Do I believe what Jesus said about who he is or do I deny it?  This is life’s central question, through the ages and in all cultures.

I think it all comes down to Pilate’s question to Jesus, “Where do you come from?”  In other words, who is Jesus?  Not necessarily what he can do, nor whether he is a good person, but where do you come from?  If he is who he claims he is, he is God’s son among us, fully God and fully human.   Who is he to me, to you?