Day 25: Wednesday, April 1

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium [the governor’s palace]. And it was morning, and they themselves entered not into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. Then Pilate went out to them and said, What accusation do you bring against this Man? They answered and said to him, If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to thee. Then Pilate says to them, Take ye Him and judge Him according to your law. Therefore the Jews said to him, It is not permitted for us to kill anyone; that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He said, signifying by what death He was about to die.

Then Pilate came again into the Praetorium, and called Jesus and said to Him, Art Thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell thee of Me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee up to me; what hast Thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My attendants would strive that I should not be delivered up to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore says to Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest it, because I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. Pilate said to Him, What is truth?

And saying this, he again went out to the Jews and he says to them, I find no guilt in Him. But you have a custom that I should release to you one at the Passover; do you intend then that I release to you the King of the Jews? Then they all again cried out, saying, Not this Man, but Barabbas; and Barabbas was a robber. John 18:28-40

If [Christians] would make love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor the principal of faith, doctrinal matters would then be only varieties of opinion concerning the mysteries of faith, which truly Christian men would leave to everyone to hold in accordance with his conscience, and would say in their hearts that a man is truly a Christian when he lives as a Christian, that is, as the Lord teaches. Thus, from all the differing churches, there would be made one church; and all the dissensions that come forth from doctrine alone would vanish; indeed, all hatreds of one against another would be dissipated in a moment, and the Lord’s kingdom would come upon the earth. Arcana Coelestia 1799:4

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