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Bible Reading: John 18:28-40 #

Key Verse:

Mark 10:43 — But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

Jesus Before Pilate: The Earthly and Eternal Conflict #

No one in Jerusalem’s Jewish leadership wanted Jesus to be king. They took him before Pilate, the Roman ruler, and he made the most of it. Pilate followed the crowd and condemned Jesus to death even though he could not discover any grounds to accuse him. Last but not least, Pilate branded Jesus of Nazareth, the Jewish king, with a sign that he had set on the crucifixion.

John 19:19 — Pilate also had a notice written and fastened to the cross, which read: “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.”

Pilate also challenged Jesus, asking, “Are you the king of the Jews, right?” “You suppose a king has sword-wielding warriors at his command?” Jesus said, turning down the bait. However, my realm (kingdom) is not like that.

Looking at the church, however, you would not know that. Long ago, the church reconciled itself with the world’s kingdoms. For the sake of earthly kingdoms, the church in the previous ages even sent its children to fight wars in the name of Christ.

The Nature of Jesus’ Kingdom #

Yet Jesus said his kingdom would be “not from this world.” His kingdom’s methods are unique and not modelled after Rome’s or another kingdom’s.

John 18:36 — Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

Living Out the Kingdom of God #

The path to Jesus’ kingdom is peace, not strife, joy rather than sorrow, and reconciliation rather than enmity. Destroying a community to save it is not his kingdom’s way. The king chooses to rescue the world by enduring death on the cross himself.

This is a fundamental difference between this worldly kingdom and the kingdom of God.

Blessings,

Shaliach.