March 13: Jesus our King

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Jesus as our King has two aspects to His reign. The final stage when He returns in power and glory is graphically described in the book of Revelation. The second, the spiritual side, was brought about by His sacrifice for sin and the requirement for faith on the part of believers. The four incidents highlighted in today’s study lay the groundwork for His supreme sacrifice.

• John’s Gospel presents Jesus as King in being displayed for the public (12:12-15). The people called Him “the King of Israel,” a designation used first by Nathanael after Jesus, apparently supernaturally, saw him under a fig tree (John 1:48- 49). The Bible later described a scene as people took branches of palm leaves to spread before Him proclaiming Him the King of Israel (v. 13), fulfilling the prophecy in Zecharia 9:9.

John carefully notes the time factor. The event occurred on what we call Palm Sunday, but for the Jews the date fell on the 15th of Nisan (cf. 12:1 with 12), five days before the passover, the day for sacrificing the passover (pashal) lamb. The law specified for the lamb to be placed in a public place for constant scrutiny (Exod. 12:6). The spotless Lamb of God was displayed for five days before His coming crucifixion. No wonder He said the rocks would cry out their affirmation if the people withheld theirs (Luke 19:40).

• Further, the royal position of King Jesus was affirmed before Pilate (18:33-37). Studying John’s purpose in Chapters 18- 19 reveals a startling pattern. In 18:1-3a, he presented evidence for Jesus being a genuine prophet rejected by Pilate and the Jews. In 19:23-37, the people rejected Him as a priest. In 18:33 to 19:22, Pilate and the people refused to honor Him as King. Nevertheless, Jesus adamantly stood by His assertion of His standing as a King. When Pilate attempted to bait Him about His claims to royalty (v. 33), Jesus asked whether he sought information or was merely parroting the claims made by His jewish accusers.

Pilate attempted to evade a direct answer, hiding behind a legal maneuver that the Jews were bringing charges against Jesus, a fellow Jew. Our Lord’s rebuttal took two forms. First, His Kingdom was spiritual, not military. Otherwise His disciples would defend Him. Second, He is a born-King, coming to earth to witness to the truth.

• The sham trial continued as Jesus was mocked by the soldiers (19:1-3). Picking up on the theme which Pilate legitimized, the soldiers decided to have some fun at our Lord’s expense. Feeling a king should have a crown, they made one of thorns and placed it on His head. Obtaining a purple robe, symbol of royalty, they clothed Him in it and derided Him with saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.” Their actions not eliciting the response they expected, they struck Him with their hands.

Pilate was more than an innocent bystander because he had Jesus whipped (v. 1). Making a dramatic exit from the hall of judgment (18:28), he had Jesus stand before the crowd, weakly asserting he found no fault in Him (v. 4).

• In the final stage of this tragic episode, King Jesus was rejected by the Jews (vv. 14-16). Pilate, perhaps by what he failed to prevent, tried again to placate the accusers. Earlier he had said, “Behold the man,” (v. 5), He then tried a different formula proclaiming, “Behold your King!” The Jews would have none of it. Stirred up by religious passions, they showed contempt for Jesus by shouting, “We have no king but Caesar.” Knowing they posed no threat to his position, Pilate delivered Jesus to the soldiers to be crucified.