Double Vision

I have been experiencing double vision. Double vision is when there is a simultaneous perception of two images of a single object. I have had it happen twice lately - once when I was reading about Jesus standing before the high priest and then it happened again when I was reading about Jesus standing before Pontius Pilot.

I read in Mark 14:60-62, "Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, 'Don't you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?' But he kept silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest questioned him, 'Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus, 'and all of you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds.'" While I read these words I simultaneously had a perception of another image.

This was the other image that came to my mind as I read about Jesus before the high priest. Daniel 7:13-14, " I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him." I wonder if the high priest perceived the same thing I did? I wonder if that is why he responded to what Jesus said by tearing his robes and saying that no more witnesses were necessary because Jesus had blasphemed. Surely he knew the prophecy of Daniel and that when Jesus said that they would all see by the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds he was also saying that he was the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The second time I experienced this double vision was when I read the account of Jesus standing before Pontius Pilot. Jesus stood bruised and bloody before Pilot and Pilot asked him if he was the king in of Jews. "Jesus replied, 'My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would fight to prevent me being handed over to Jewish authorities. But now my kingdom is not from here.' Then Pilate said, 'So you are a king!' Jesus replied, 'You say that I am a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason-- to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.'" (John 18:37) While I read these words I simultaneously had a perception of another image.

I no longer saw Jesus standing before Pontius Pilot instead, "As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him, a thousand thousands severed him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened."(Daniel 7:9,10) I wonder if Jesus contrasted his standing before Pitious Pilot and his standing before the Ancient of Days?

Jesus told Pilot the truth when he said that he was a king. In Daniel we see that when the Son of Man was presented to the Ancient of Days, "to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:14) Jesus also told Pilot that everyone who belongs to the truth listens to his voice. How did Pilot respond?

Pilot responded to Jesus by asking, "What is truth?" I think that Pilot's problem was not only that he didn't know what truth was. I think he also was suffering from myopic vision. He didn't perceive who was standing before him. What he needed was double vision.