Jesus before Pilate

This is Palm Sunday. For Lent we are pausing reading the Bible beginning to end and are exploring a theme of Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John. In today’s scripture, Jesus and Pilate are face to face. Pilate leaves the encounter several times to consult with the high priest, both Pilate and the high priest representing earthly power to which they see Jesus as a threat. Jesus says his power (kingdom) is not of this earth. Jesus seems vulnerable, but his power is in his gift of his life to truth, love, and grace. It is an example for us of vulnerable love fighting against the powers of the world.