Pilate’s question could be a simple request for information, but it is more likely an ironic declaration which affirms the truth of Christ’s royalty.

Jesus gives what Paul calls “the good confession” (1 Tim 6:13). His “I” stands in contrast to the “you” referring to Pilate. There is a purpose to Christ’s life and that purpose is to testify to the truth. Jesus was not born to be an earthly king or He would have responded that he was born to rule the nations, or to conquer lands, or the such. His purpose is closely related to His identity (John 14:6). Jesus constantly testified to the truth (John 3:11, 32, 7:7, 8:14, Rev 1:5). The witness that Jesus bears to the truth elicits a response from all who are of the truth: they will hear what Jesus says and put it into practice.

1 Timothy 6:13  In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you

John 14:6  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:11  I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

John 3:32  He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no-one accepts his testimony.

John 7:7  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.

John 8:14  Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.

Revelation 1:5  and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

Jesus says here that He has been born and that He has come into the world. These statements by themselves would not be unusual, but together would be quite unexpected. Jesus is speaking of a very unusual coming into the earth and a pre-existence before that coming. Pilate could not have apprehended all of the meaning of the statement of Jesus, but he surely would have been impressed that this Jesus was certainly an unusual person!

Jesus declared before the religious court of the Sanhedrin that He is the Son of God and before the secular court of Pilate that He is the King. Each court was shown an aspect of His position of which the judges were able to determine the truthfulness of each claim, but none even tried. Their minds were made up and they were convinced they alerady knew the truth, without further investigating the claims of Jesus.