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how did the roman presence influence jewish expectations of a king and kingdom in jesus's time?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

John 18:36

“Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here."”

This passage is from the Gospel of John, during Jesus's trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate is questioning Jesus about whether he is "King of the Jews," a title that would have carried political and insurrectionist implications under Roman rule.

What does it mean for a kingdom to be "not from here" when people are longing for tangible change?

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Read alongside it

Luke 17:20-21
Jesus also speaks of the Kingdom of God being 'within' or 'among' people, further distinguishing its nature.
Matthew 2:1-6
The Magi's search for the 'King of the Jews' at Jesus's birth already highlights the political tension surrounding this title.
Isaiah 9:6-7
This prophetic passage describes an eternal, just kingdom ruled by a powerful king, feeding Jewish expectations for a messiah.

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