King Jesus

In John 18, the Holy Spirit grants us access into one of the most interesting conversations of Scripture. Here, we find the captured Christ conversing with Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea. In spite of himself, Pilate was both perplexed and entraced by Jesus. It's as if he knew that there was something very special about Jesus, and yet his flesh (intellect, will, sinful-self) prevented him from fully seeing the truth. Like King Agrippa in Acts 26:28, I get the impression that Pilate was "almost persuaded." Almost, but lost!

It was this spirit of perplexity and wonder that prompted Pilate to ask Jesus about the rumors floating around Jerusalem that He claimed to be a king. Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice (John 18:37). Not only does Jesus here affirm that He is a King, He boldly proclaims what is already inherent in kingship, that as King, He possesses the standard of truth (law). He came to proclaim that truth and makes the point in the latter part of verse 37 that all who embrace Him will necessarily embrace His standard of truth.

Again, this shouldn't come as a surprise to us for this is what kings do; kingship and authority go hand in hand. What earthly king wouldn't proclaim and uphold some form of law? None. What earthly king would reign over an intangible, lawless mass of people? None. Without the implementation and enforcement of law there can be no proper king. Otherwise, he is just a man - perhaps a good man - but just a man who is equal in authority with every other man.

Jesus does identify Himself as our brother, our friend and our Savior, among other more positive terms of endearment, but He also identifies Himself as our King. And as our King, we are subject to His rule...and to His standard of truth.

Upon hearing these words in John 18:37, Pilate understood the implications of Jesus' claim. Did he order one of his soldiers to strike Jesus? No. Did he rebuke Jesus? Not really. Even though these words were technically treasonous, Pilate, again, was oddly perplexed by this man who had allegedly performed miracles for years throughout the land of Israel and whose spirit was governed both by unparalleled peace and confidence. His response, though simple and direct, reveals to us Pilate's inner-struggle. "What is truth?" he asked rhetorically in verse 38. In other words, Pilate rejected - albeit weakly - Jesus' authority and therefore His kingship. But He rejected Jesus' authority by merely casting doubt on the nature of truth itself.

This conversation between Pilate and Jesus is a microcosm of a greater conversation taking place between religious people today. Folks today are asking, "What is truth?" Some are disputing the reality of divine law. Others question the intended purpose of the New Testament: is it a pattern for our conduct today or merely a narrative of the events of the first century that has no real authoritative value or purpose? How do we establish biblical authority? How should we approach the "silence" of the Scriptures? These and other questions are being heavily debated within churches, between churches and on Social Media websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Unfortunately, religious people are trending away from an acceptance of Scriptural authority, choosing instead to embrace what many call the "new hermeneutic." The argument is that there is no law or pattern to which Christians are bound. More emphasis is being placed on sincerity and zeal and less on obedience. We're being encouraged to be more tolerant of diversity in matters of doctrine and worship. Both overtly and covertly, Jesus' authority and kingship are being challenged more amd more.

This should come as no surprise to any of us, for Psalm 2 predicted that this would happen. In Psalm 2:1-3, the nations are portrayed as plotting against the plan of God; they're working to undermine not only God's plan, but the authority of King Jesus. And yet God laughs at them (vs. 4) because, despite their efforts, the King was placed upon the holy hill of Zion as a sign of victory (vs. 6). Jesus is reigning as King (Acts 2:33; 1 Cor. 15:24-25; Col. 1:13-14; 1 Tim. 6:15). He has all authority and power (Matthew 28:18). And yet despite the wisdom of God's plan and the undeniable authority of His Son, Jesus Christ, Psalm 2 describes the ongoing failure of men to totally subject themselves to His authority.

"What is truth?"

It's not that this isn't a valid question; it is! But I'm afraid that, like Pilate, the folks who ask (or imply) this question are often only seeking to muddy the waters in their subtle effort to undermine the authority of the King. And like the "nations" and "people" of Psalm 2, there are even religious people who rage and plot against the Lord by undermining and weakening His authoritative power. And that, dear reader, is quite serious! Again, when we challenge the authority of the King, we're challenging the King Himself.

Throughout the month of April, I'd like to elaborate on this issue of divine authority. What is truth? How do we establish biblical authority? These are questions that are especially relevent today. I hope that you'll follow this series of articles and that your life will come more and more into alignment with the will of the King...that King being Jesus Christ.

Click here to access the next article in this series.