Today's Reading: Old Testament: Leviticus 7 - 8
New Testament: John 19
Focus Verses: John 19:16-22
16Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read:|JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20Many 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. 21The 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." 22Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
Insight:
Jesus was very straightforward in his claim to authority. In response to Pilate's questions and assertions, Jesus said, "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" (John 18:37). When Pilate, irritated at Jesus' silence, warns Jesus that he (Pilate) is a man of great authority, Jesus says, "You wouldn't have any authority if I didn't allow you to have it." The soldiers who mocked Jesus showed their understanding of Jesus' claim by turning symbols of kingship (crown, robe, scepter) into symbols of contempt. The Jews who handed Jesus over to Pilate said, "He claimed to be the Son of God." Pilate purposefully uses the word "King" to provoke and annoy them.
The "King" claims of Jesus seem to annoy people today too. How many people today would raise their voices in objection to Pilate and say, "Don't write King Jesus. Instead, write Teacher Jesus, or Prophet Jesus, or Philosopher Jesus, or maybe even Savior Jesus."
Response and Action:
Belief in Jesus requires the acceptance of his authority. He must be recognized as King.
I want Jesus to be the King of my life. I will commit myself to yielding to him in every choice, action, circumstance, opportunity, goal, direction, and relationship. In all my ways I need to acknowledge his authority over me -- his rightful place of leadership.
O God, help me to follow Jesus in thought, word, and deed. Help me to live in complete surrender to Christ. Help me to submit to his authority and to trust his loving and gracious reign as my king. Amen.
Proverbs: 27:10
As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.
Resources:
The Man Born to Be King
by Dorothy L. Sayers
