Thoughts on Kings

Today I preached on John 19:14-16 which is the final exchange between Pilate and Jesus, Pilate and the Jews and the High Priests and Pilate. Pilate in a clear effort to release Jesus again, brings the bloody and battered , mocked and crowned Jesus, barely recognizable, and says “Behold your king.” The Jewish mob respond by telling Pilate to crucify Jesus and Pilate retorts, “You would crucify your king?” Then the Chief Priests, who were the cardinals of ancient Israel, shout out, “We have no king but Caesar.” That is enough for Pilate and Jesus is led down the Via Delarosa to Golgotha and nailed to a cross, he dies.

Annas and Caiaphas were in a tough position. The Law found in the book of Leviticus states that a High Priest would serve for life. The Romans did not like that so they made them change every year. Therefore Caiaphas and his father-in-law Annas alternated. Their second in command, usually blood relatives would could step in if the High Priest was incapacitated, were like the cardinals of the Catholic Church. The Pope is chosen from the cardinals, the high priest was chosen from the chief priests. So this whole group of priests hated Rome, hated their polytheism and hated their immorality, both sexually and ethically. Their hatred from Rome and Pilate, it seems is only surpassed by their hatred for Jesus.

James Boice says that this circus of false trials, acquittals and buck passing, that ended up with a crucifixion is the clearest showing of the sovereignty of God more than any other place in Jesus life. God was going to get Christ in that cross and Pilate’s indecision and acquittals and Caiaphas’ hatred could not stop it.

And so, in the heat of shouting at Pilate, the Jewish leadership vows complete fealty to the most corrupt, immoral, vicious government on earth at that time. Within 40 years, the Jews will start a riot, killing several Roman soldiers. The retaliation tears down the temple, not leaving one stone on another. In 132 AD, Christianity, still believed to be a Jewish sect by the Romans, is outlawed, but only Jews are held accountable, so Christianity spread through the gentile planet. All of this from a people, in a moment of pure hatred, vowed loyalty to Caesar.

Of course the lesson for Christians is clear. Who or what do we hold king over areas in our life that Christ is already king. We need to say, with deep conviction, every day, I have no king but Christ. Yet we give our loyalty, our emotions, our homage to all sorts of people, whether it be celebrities, TV personalities, news, politics or, God forbid, the government, at any level.

If Christ is king, we must treat him as king. We must seek his kingdom and his righteousness, as I said before. We must know what he expects from us and we must do it. So that when we say, “I have no King but Christ” people will not mock and scoff because our lives do not reflect that.

#Thoughts on Kings#