The Gospel of John | A World of Kings or King of the World – John 19:1-16
Jesus Christ stood against. the affirmation of the world in His rightful authority as King of the Universe.
The situation in Jerusalem had been profoundly tense between the people of Israel and Rome. The city stood on the brink of full chaos and rioting between the two organization. Yet, in this moment, the interests of both seemed to align with one another or at least could be useful to one another. Jesus Christ claimed to be God made flesh and a King over all things. This would have conflicted with the view of Roman that Caesar represented a god in the flesh for the people. Furthermore, Caesar demanding full devotion to himself as King. For Christ to claim divinity and Kingship would have stood in stark opposition to the rule of Rome, especially in the nation of Israel. For the Pharisees, a person claiming to be God represented blasphemy of the highest kind (unless of course, it were true). Jesus being fully God challenged the supremacy of the Pharisees stating that they had missed the will of God even though God stood right in front of them. Jesus accused them of being power hungry and misleading the people with continued and oppressive burdens that they themselves did not follow. Jesus, branded a heretic needed to die instead of continuing to grow in influence and reach.
The Jewish people brought Jesus to Pilate for the expressed purpose of having Him crucified. After a trial in which no real evidence had been brought up, the consequence had long been decided before any defense could be made. Now, standing before Pilate, Jesus presented a problem to the Roman representative. Pilate, seeing no evidence to convict this man to death remaining the only thing preventing the disruption of Israel. To claim that Jesus had been innocent would be to disagree with the Jewish people and, in essence, affirm the claim that Jesus Christ is God. Yet, to declare Him guilty would be to willfully execute the innocent in a complete abrogation of justice. The Kingship and Lordship of Jesus Christ reigns over all creation without finding any limit to its rule and reign. To align with Christ means distinction and rejection of the world for the sake of an eternal life spent in the glory of Jesus Christ. The question everyone must face, from Pilate, to the Pharisees, to even ourselves, is what kind of King do we affirm in Jesus Christ.
Against Affirming the World
The truth, which Pilate sought within more private conversations between himself and Jesus, had been to affirm the Kingship and Divinity of Jesus Christ. The Jewish people had provided no clear evidence and yet demanding that Jesus be crucified. Public flogging and shame had not satisfied the blood lust of the Pharisees nor had releasing a prisoner provided an option to both condemn yet set Jesus free. The Pharisees, though, knowing the impossible situation that Pilate had been in, set up a scenario that any affirmation of Jesus Christ would be a rejection of Rome. For Pilate to refuse to execute Jesus would been interpreted as an act against Rome and Pilate would have affirmed another supposed King. Pilate had to decide where his loyalty lay and whether he had the confidence to stand with the side of truth or whether he would cave to the pressures of the world for the sake of a supposed false peace.
Affirming Jesus Christ as King and Lord puts them at enmity with the rest of the world. The idea that following Christ has no cost is absolutely untrue to what the Gospel proclaims. The Gospel calls a person to crucify themselves and follow Christ. It costs a person everything ad everything must be laid at the foot of the cross in total submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Personal status. Safety. Security. Riches. Following Christ will consume a person entirely. Yet, though following Jesus Christ costs a person everything, it offers the fullness of life as originally intended in the holy and glorious presence of a loving God. Yet, there will be no peaceful coexistence between a world that indulges the flesh and rebels against the holiness of God. The world cannot be affirmed while following Jesus Christ and affirming His Lordship. A Christian then must choose what King they will affirm. A person may choose to affirm the Kingship of the world and the indulgence of society for personal and fleshly gain but it will do so at the expense of the soul. Or, the Christian can choose to affirm the Kingship of Jesus Christ who will rule for all eternity with grace and justice held simultaneously. The promises of the world will always fail to deliver but the promises of Jesus Christ will endure for all eternity.
- Describe the challenges and pressure that Pilate faced and how he was challenged in his decision?
The Authority of Jesus Christ
Throughout this portion of John 19, Jesus’ claims represent a clear assertion of His own divinity and His own right to rule over all creation. As he stood before Pilate, the person who held Jesus’ life and death in his hands, Jesus still refused to bow in submission to Pilate. There had been no begging for His life. Rather, Jesus refused to even answer the questions of Pilate, an apparent outrage to the one who thought of himself as the ruler of this land. Jesus even proclaimed that Pilate’s authority came from Jesus Christ first as the ruler over all creation. Pilate, choosing to have Jesus flogged publicly, mocked for claims of Kingship, and humiliated in front of His own people. Pilate’s actions to describe Jesus as the King of the Jews, the crown of thorns, and the purple robes had not been an affirmation of the truth of Christ’s Kingship but rather of an assertion of dominance that even the King of the Jews bows before Rome. Pilate attempted to assert his dominance over the situation. Yet, even Pilate, plagued by the question of what the truth of the situation actually is, knew that his actions were nothing short of cowardly. They only sought to protect his own position and his own authority. Jesus though, stood and bore the punishment given to Him with the authority of a King who willingly took the punishment. Everything that Christ endured, He endured for the sake of His people, willingly an by His own authority.
It can be easy to become bogged down by the circumstances of the world and think that the enemy is winning. Jesus standing before Pilate though reminds us that the Kingship of Jesus Christ reigns fully sovereign over all circumstances. All authority stems from the reality that Jesus Christ rules over all creation. Nothing happens that is beyond the reach of God’s rule. Even the things that happen that seems to be horrible and evil do not escape the hand of God. God is capable of even using the brokenness of the world to reveal His glory in all creation. Yet, in the most evil of moments, the condemnation of the innocent and of God who took on flesh, God uses this for His glory and our salvation. He is not a God who has to panic or react to the changing winds of the storm but comes as one who would calm the storm. In gracious love, Jesus submitted to the actions of Pilate, knowing that this had been in the will of God to die for the unjust so that they might know the peace of being freed from the grip of sin and restored to right relationship with our Heavenly Father.
- Identify all the expresses of authority from the different groups in this story. How do they relate to one another and express their authority?
Discussion Questions
- Name the displays of God’s identity and expression of His divinity from this passage. How does Jesus Christ assert his divinity and royalty throughout this passage?
- How did the Pharisees craft and impossible situation for Pilate? What reasons did they give for wanting Jesus to be crucified? What assumptions of Jesus did they get wrong?
- Where have you experienced the tension between what the world pressures people to do and what God commands of His people? Why do people give in to this tension and pressure? How does the world tempt us?
- How can we submit to the Kingship and authority of Jesus Christ? Where do we struggle to submit to the Kingship and authority of Jesus Christ?
- In what ways does a life submitted to the authority of Jesus Christ look different than people submitting to the will of the world?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
