Whatever we do, let's not leave out Pilate's question in v.38. The question of Truth is integral to Jesus' kingship.

Ending the 'Year of Mark' on a Johannine note makes me mildly resentful. I think it's something to do with a perception that JN is 'personal'. Great for private reading & devotion, but not so easy to discuss in an open-ended, practical life-centred way as the synoptics. Not so immediately relevant to those out there in the margins. An excuse, a justification to 'spiritualise' Jesus' teaching. Does it shock you if I wonder aloud whether in Group explorations of Scripture & also in preaching, JN can appear to be like Jesus' Kingdom - not of this world?

When Pilate answers Jesus' response to his own opening gambit with "Am I a Jew? - 'Judean' if you prefer - he's speaking for most of us. We aren't Jewish either. The ancient simmering issues brought to court before Pilate can puzzle, even divide us as much as they puzzle him. Especially those of us not well versed in the Hebrew Bible. Preachers & teachers can no longer assume H.B. background. (Which poses the question: How are we to put in that background without going on & on - & on?) Jesus must stand - or fall -  before us today as he does before Pilate - on his own merits. It is a divine irony that the culture & stories of ancient Israel from which Jesus springs may 'prove' as little to those of us not  from a Jewish background today as they did to his fellow Jews, not least the religious heavies who  disown him.

When Jesus says his kingdom "isn't of this world" he's not throwing us a life-line with which to spiritualise & opt out of life's struggles. (Remember the "Show me the coin!" of a couple of weeks back?)

The different inflections we can give Pilate's question about being a king come each give their own shade of meaning to the question. Practising such inflecting, the one that makes most sense to me is a contemptuous: "Are you the king of the Jews?" (Go on! Pull the other leg!) The kind of Ruler Jesus is is still a problem for those of us pleading his cause. Jesus is still easily brought low, trampled on, despised & rejected.... As is his Rule. In a world that always wants win win win, gold gold gold, in every field, not just the sporting ones, few even think to question, "Why?"  Jesus always asks us awkward questions & calls us to an awkward discipleship.

Pilate's "What is truth?" makes as much sense today amidst our personal & corporate greed as it did back then. Pilate represents all of us who when faced with that question in any sense are all too easily tempted to take his path of contemptuous, "Truth? Who needs it?!"