ose of freeing the country from the Roman occupation, and the very
first duty of these soldiers would have been to defend the person of
their king; but it could be proved that at His arrest there had been no
fighting on His behalf, and that He had ordered the one follower who
had drawn a sword to sheathe it again. It was not a kingdom of force
and arms and worldly glory He had in view.

Yet, even in making this denial, Jesus had used the words, "My
kingdom." And Pilate broke in, "Art Thou a king then?" "Yes," replied
Jesus; "to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the
world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." This was His
kingdom--the realm of Truth. It differs widely from that of Caesar.
Caesar's empire is over the bodies of men; this is over their hearts.
The strength of Caesar's empire is in soldiers, arms, citadels and
navies; the strength of this kingdom is in principles, sentiments,
ideas. The benefit secured by Caesar to the citizens is external
security for their persons and properties; the blessings of Christ's
kingdom are peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost. The empire
of Caesar, vast as it was, yet was circumscribed; the kingdom of Christ
is without limits, and is destined to be established in every land.
Caesar's empire, like every other earthly kingdom, had its day and
passed out of existence; but the kingdom of Truth shall last for
evermore.

It has been remarked that there was something Western rather than
Oriental in this sublime saying of Christ. What a noble-minded Jew
longed for above all things was righteousness; but what a noble-minded
Gentile aspired after was truth. There were some spirits, in that age,
even among the heathen, in whom the mention of a kingdom of truth or
wisdom would have struck a responsive chord. Jesus was feeling to see
whether there was in this man's soul any such longing.

He approached still nearer him when He added the searching remark,
"Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice;" for it was a hint
that, if he loved the truth, he must believe in Him. Jesus preached to
His judge. Just as the prisoner Paul made Felix the judge tremble, and
Agrippa the judge cry out, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a
Christian," so Jesus, with the instinct of the preacher and the
Saviour, was feeling for Pilate's conscience. He who fishes for the
souls of men must use many angles; and on this occasion Jesus selected
a rare one.

There