Prophet, Priest, King. These are the titles Christians traditionally ascribe to Jesus. These titles go as far back as Eusebius1 who lived 260/2265 CE to 339 CE. Thinking about Jesus as King is not a new idea. And yet to proclaim Jesus as King can cause us no end of trouble, because we have such difficulty believing the sort of king Jesus actually is.
In this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus has been arrested. The religious elites have questioned him and then transferred custody of Jesus to the Roman official, Pilate2.
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:33-37 NRSVue
Pilate’s concern is to discover what sort of “king” Jesus is claiming to be. Herod, who was appointed and therefore approved by the Roman Emperor, is the current king. There can, of course, only be one king on a throne at a time. If Jesus does intend to take over the throne, that will cause problems for Pilate, who has a vested interest in having Roman rule continue without incident.
John’s gospel is full of stories where Jesus and the person his is speaking with misunderstand each other.3 In the gospels people, not least the disciples, are confused and perplexed about what Jesus is doing, and what the kingdom of God is actually like. Pilate is just the latest confused person.
Jesus says, “My kingdom does not belong to this world”. You may have read other translations that said, “My kingdom is not from this world” or “My kingdom is not of this world.” Sometimes people read this dualistically and take Jesus’ words to mean his kingdom is not “earthly”. Jesus kingdom is only in heaven and will be active on earth at some future time. This interpretation can cause us to excuse inaction about current problems. We might reason that this world doesn’t matter because Jesus will be coming with his new kingdom. Our actions don’t matter that much because Jesus will replace this world with his kingdom. We just have to wait.
Others think Jesus means something else. Jesus’ kingdom and authority come from God, not from this world. Warren Carter points out that in John’s gospel, “world” has both positive and negative connotations. Carter writes, ” ‘the world’ denotes life not as God intends it, life in opposition to God’s purposes… ‘The world’ then, comprises the hierarchical, unjust society that the ruling authorities have established for their own benefit and defend with violence (18:36). It is contrary and opposed to God’s purposes”.4 Jesus kingdom does not “belong”, is not “from” or “of” a world that opposes God’s will. Jesus kingdom is in full alignment with God’s will.
Jesus is making a distinction between the world as it is and the world as it ought to be. The current world was and is filled with injustice, greed, and violence. Jesus’ kingdom is different. It holds different values- justice, joy, and well being. Jesus brings the truth of God’s love and care and redemption. As Jesus has been teaching and living, the kingdom of God emerged. It continues to emerge non violently out of the actions of the people of God. As our life in the world shifts from living in fear and seeking power to living in love and seeking the wellbeing of all, the kingdom of God draws nearer.
This is, of course, the mistake, the heresy, at the heart of Christian Nationalism. KIng Jesus does not rule by imposing his will. He does not force others into compliance. Jesus does not make people act or think or live in particular ways. King Jesus does not privilege some people over others because of their gender, race, ethnicity, or their political or religious beliefs. He does not rule by force or military or political might. At his request, his followers do not fight on his behalf. The reign of God is not imposed from on high, forced by decree.
The reign of God resembles Jesus life. It spreads simply through relationships and community. Christ’s power is power that is freely shared. And Christ calls us to use whatever power we have for the wellbeing of all. In God’s kingdom, where Jesus is king, people are fed, people are healed and people are reconciled into community. Power in the kingdom of God lifts others up and it invites everyone in; spiritually, mentally, physically, materially. The kingdom grows like yeast in dough, or scattered seeds. It is a treasure that is discovered. It is the lost and strayed sought, found and welcomed.
Not only that, Jesus aligns himself with truth. For Christians, truth is not a set of doctrines to learn and obey. For Christians truth is a person- Jesus. And so, we look at Jesus’ life and learn how to live, how to act, and how to treat each other in this world.
The kingdom that Jesus brings is nearly impossible to imagine. The truth of the kingdom is utterly unlike anything the world has experienced. The embodied Truth of Jesus is unimaginable good news. We can, if we have our eyes and hearts open catch glimpses of the kingdom of God. We catch glimpses of the Spirit at work.
And yet we live in a world that is overwhelmingly not in alignment with God’s will. We see ample evidence of forces at work that oppose God’s desires for the world. Life in this world can feel overwhelming and even hopeless.
What do we do? All I know to do is to do my best to follow Jesus. To follow the Jesus we discover in the gospels. To resist the false savior of Christian Nationalism. To resist the politics and systems that devalue and harm God’s beloved people and beloved creation. I’m not a powerful person. I won’t be enacting any laws. I am certainly not an “influencer”. I can encourage and support people who can make state and national level policy. I can do the work that is mine to do, in my home, in my neighborhood, my city as I try to imagine and participate in the kingdom Christ brings.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebius ↩︎
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_Pilate ↩︎
- for example: John 3:1-10 Jesus and Nicodemus, John 4: 7-17 the Woman at the well. John 6-7 Jesus as bread of life, John 9:1-41 the man born blind, and , the religious elites who do not see ↩︎
- Carter, Warren, John: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist, Hendrickson Publishers:2006, page 91. ↩︎
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