A Doctrine to Die For
July 11, 2011
Dear Friends,
Jesus was tried for three crimes. They presented these crimes to Pontius Pilate as follows:
They started accusing him and said, “We caught this man trying to get our people to riot and to stop paying taxes to the Emperor. He also claims that he is the Messiah, our king.”(Luke 23:2 CEV)
As you follow the trials, the first two charges are quickly dropped. They are dropped for the simple fact that they weren’t true. Jesus had never incited a riot and had encouraged the people to pay their taxes. The third accusation, however, became the “crime” that Jesus would confess to and would pay for with his life. It is important to understand as you read through the sequence events that the term Messiah or Christ is synonymous with the term “king” (as evidenced in the quote above and many other passages).
The people knew that Jesus was a king. When Jesus came into Jerusalem, Jesus’ disciples fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah by proclaiming his kingship.
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”(Luke 19:37-40 NIV)
Interestingly, the Pharisee tried to get Jesus to quell this proclamation. Certainly if the people were speaking false doctrine Jesus would have quickly acquiesced, but instead tells the Pharisees that if the people were silenced the rocks themselves would cry out this truth.
In the Jewish trial, Jesus remains silent until the High Priest invokes the name of God. In these circumstances Jesus confesses that he is indeed a king.
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. (Matt. 26:62-64 NIV)
When questioned by Pontius Pilate, Jesus again freely confesses to being a king.
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:36-37 NIV)
Jesus’ crime is plastered above his head when he is crucified. What is interesting the Jews’ response. The passage reads,
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” (John 19:19-21 NIV)
The Jews did not acknowledge Jesus as their king. They claimed Caesar as their king (see John 19:15). The Jews did acknowledge that Jesus claimed to be a king.
We have then this testimony. The disciples declared that Jesus was a king (and had they not, the rocks would have!) Pilate said Jesus was a king. The Jews said that Jesus claimed to be a king. Jesus not only said he was a king but was willing to die rather than deny this fact.
The disciples of Christ would face similar consequences as did Jesus for declaring his Kingship. We have this testimony in Acts.
But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”(Acts 17:6,7 NIV)
How is it then that some today who claim to be followers of Christ deny that Jesus is a king and like the Pharisees try to stop others from proclaiming it? Jesus was willing to die for this truth. In fact, he DID die for this truth!
I will close with Jesus own words for which he died!
I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.strong>
Have a great week,
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