King Of The Jews

KING OF THE JEWS

a prayer to open

Open my eyes and help me to see you.

Open my heart and help me to know you.

Jesus, my Lord and my God.

The entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”

So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

Pilate . . . said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”

Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes.” . . .

Pilate sent [Jesus] to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.

Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping . . . to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. . . .

Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, and he announced his verdict. “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly . . . and find him innocent. . . . Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded.

Crowds calling for crucifixion. Religious leaders providing false testimony. Government officials making decisions to appease the masses and protect themselves. And the king of the Jews, the Son of God, stood silent in the midst of chaos. He refused to quiet the crowds, defend himself against the fake charges, or dissuade the wrong decisions. He had come to proclaim and introduce a new day—a new Kingdom. That meant facing the worst kind of suffering in order to defeat the values of the worldly kingdom—sin and death—once and for all.

• Review the words said to Jesus and the ways the government or religious leaders sought to humiliate him. What must Jesus have been feeling as he experienced all that is reported in this passage?
• Have you ever been publicly humiliated or accused of something you didn’t do? What reaction did you have, and what scars do you still carry from that incident?
• What does today’s passage reveal to you about Jesus?

Father, as I imagine the screaming crowds, the mocking, and the sneering laughter as Jesus stood before his people and government leaders, I feel heartsick. He took all this on himself willingly, this humiliation and degradation. For me. For love. Please help this truth sink into my heart. The only response I can think of, Lord, is to say thank you and hold out my hands for your use in this world. Let my every word and action today reflect my gratitude that Jesus suffered such great humiliation for me and for this world that you made and love. Amen.