Long Live The King!

            “Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”  Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek.  So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”  Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”” (John 19:19–22).

            The kingship of Jesus remained a matter of vigorous debate to the very end of His life, even to the point of arguing over the inscription to be affixed to His cross.  There were those like Nathanael who, even early on, were convinced of Jesus’ kingship (John 1:49).  Later on, following a display of His miraculous powers, a large crowd decided that this was the kind of king they needed.  They planned to force Jesus into a kingly role that clashed with His own vision of what God desired, so He refused to be crammed into their mold (John 6:14-15).  Then, as He entered Jerusalem for the final time, the Passover crowd hailed Him as the fulfillment of their expectations of a coming Messianic king (John 12:12-13).

            But most of the Jewish leadership was not so favorably disposed toward this “king.”  They deliver Jesus to the Roman authorities in hopes of having Him executed.  Pilate, the Roman governor, questions Jesus about His kingship and the Lord affirms that He is indeed king of a spiritual kingdom (John 18:33-37).  After questioning Him, Pilate knows Jesus is innocent of the charges against Him and tries to have Him released.  But the opponents of Jesus respond with a telling statement: “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).

            Ironically, the death and resurrection of Christ proved to be the stage for His exaltation to His kingly throne (Acts 2:29-36).  God turned the tables on the resisters.  Long live the King!

 

God loves you!

Mike