Proper 29 Series B

Proper 29 Series B

Christ the King 

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

Psalm 93 *antiphon; v. 2

Revelation 1:4b-8

John 18:33-37

Lord Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The signs of the end are all around us, constant reminders that “heaven and earth will pass away.” But all of these signs are centered in the Cross of Christ, whereby He has conquered sin and death, that we might be raised with Him in righteousness through His Word of the Gospel, which “will not pass away” (Mark 13:31). He is “the firstborn of the dead,” who in His great love “has freed us from our sins by His blood” (Revelation 1:5). His salvation is certain, because “His dominion is an everlasting dominion,” and His kingdom “shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14). For this purpose He came into the world, to reign in love through His voice of the Gospel, which is the truth (John 18:37). So is the righteousness of Christ “a light to the peoples,” which “will never be dismayed,” because it is the justice of His Cross and Resurrection (Isaiah 51:4–6). As He “is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory,” so wait upon “the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 20–24).

- Christ's kingship is totally other than this world. Jesus explains to Pilate that, though He is a king, His kingship is not of this world.  Pilate has Jesus inside his court and the Jews are outside. Pilate is torn between the two. He is trying to make up his mind by asking Jesus questions. His first question is whether Jesus is a king. This is a political term and thus it is very dangerous. Jesus dodges the question by asking Pilate if this was his or others' opinion.  

The other question concerns what Jesus has done. Jesus explains that His kingship is not of this world. This is proved by the fact that Jesus is not using force to defend Himself. Jesus explains that His mission in the world was to bear witness to the truth. 

But, only those of the truth and of God will accept His words as truth.  So, with Pilate we must ask, "what is truth?" Or, more telling, "can you handle the truth?" -From a few good men.

John 18:33-37

John 18:33

Εἰσῆλθεν οὖν [a]πάλιν εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον ὁ Πιλᾶτος καὶ ἐφώνησεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ• Σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων;  

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

John 18:34 

ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς• [c]Ἀπὸ σεαυτοῦ σὺ τοῦτο λέγεις ἢ ἄλλοι [d]εἶπόν σοι περὶ ἐμοῦ;

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

John 18:35 

ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Πιλᾶτος• Μήτι ἐγὼ Ἰουδαῖός εἰμι; τὸ ἔθνος τὸ σὸν καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς παρέδωκάν σε ἐμοί• τί ἐποίησας;

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

John 18:36 

ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς• Ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου• εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἦν ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμή, οἱ ὑπηρέται [e]οἱ ἐμοὶ ἠγωνίζοντο ἄν, ἵνα μὴ παραδοθῶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις• νῦν δὲ ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐντεῦθεν.

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

John 18:37 

εἶπεν οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Πιλᾶτος• Οὐκοῦν βασιλεὺς εἶ σύ; ἀπεκρίθη [f]ὁ Ἰησοῦς• Σὺ λέγεις ὅτι βασιλεύς [g]εἰμι. ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἵνα μαρτυρήσω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ• πᾶς ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀκούει μου τῆς φωνῆς. 

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

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