Herodian coin from Judea with palm branch (right) and wreath (left), 34 AD.
And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” – Luke 23:3
They had remembered hearing the indictment of this gentile governor
while hiding their faces from his Roman judgment seat. Although complicit in Jesus’ prosecution, an illegitimate half-jew Herodian sat powerless while Roman troops ruled the streets of Jerusalem.
While Jesus was not the kind of Messiah King they had expected, He did acknowledge the title bestowed by Jews accusing Jesus of treason against Judah and Rome.
Most amazingly, Jesus has now appeared to these disciples after His resurrection! He continues to appear to hundreds of disciples; here and there, even in the locked rooms of Jerusalem.
Herod’s rule as tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, holds no authority over Judea, ruled by Marcus Pontius Pilatus, Roman prefect (governor) under the emperor Tiberius.
Captive Israel, now named Judea, Samaria, Galilee and Perea had no king, only legions of Rome. Most people lamented for the days of their strong kings, David and Solomon. Occasionally some rebelled against Rome, led by misguided ambitious young lions in hope of glory.
Judge or King?
From the day Israel crossed the Jordan its people encountered many kings of surrounding kingdoms. The Hebrew people had followed the Lord, but judges would become unable to rule this stiff-necked and proud people.
15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the Lord.
“… Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
More than a thousand years before Pilate judged Judea, here marks the beginning of kings of the Jews. Samuel was no more inclined to accept a king of the Jews than the Roman governor Pilate.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel,
“Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”
A King to rule over Israel
A risen Christ Jesus must have reminded disciples of the Lord’s anointing of their kings. Its truth had not been as their traditions recalled, but rather a concession to the desires of their forefathers.
… “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.” …
5 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.”
A Humble King and Triumphant Return
What was it worshipers near Jerusalem had sung while laying palm branches before Jesus?
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
It had been a week of anointing for the King of the Jews.
The Cross had not been the anticipated breaking of Israel’s oppressors, but the Lord’s embracing forgiveness for mankind.
And now with a resurrection begins the ascent to His Kingdom of righteousness and everlasting reign. Jesus certainly must have repeated stories of the kings and predictions of the Prophets. For the Gospels retell those very scriptures.
His disciples hear their beloved friend, the risen Messiah, tell why He had to be crucified on a cross and sacrificed for our sins.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
How do leaders under constant scrutiny of the public eye handle controversy?
Perhaps a leader or two from our times may come to mind. A typical scenario: A leader makes a statement, then media analyze endlessly, opponents criticize constantly and the controversy recycles. It’s always an “us versus them” scenario, with spins in the marketplace of public opinion. What is true, what’s best, what is or should have been required?
I could point out the obvious that God is a ruler or leader above all things and all mankind. Yet many would question even this prerequisite to leading others in the paths of righteousness and prevailing in the truth.
No man has ever been such a controversial leader as Christ Jesus. He was proclaimed as ‘King of the Jews.’ We won’t see many leaders follow in His example; for our Lord was crucified on a Cross.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ seems like our biggest loss of any leader ever, but in truth His Sacrifice is a victory over sin. No other man could do that!
Jerusalem in the time of the Passover
Few places become more important for celebrations of religious festivals than Jerusalem. Israel’s most important celebration is the Passover, a celebration of the miracles of the Lord in Egypt. When the Hebrew people escaped Pharaoh they could not have done it without the Lord. Moses may be given much credit, but the scriptures record how many miracles of God made freedom possible.
Two-thousand and some years ago an upcoming leader among the captive jews in their own landchallenged the teaching of Jerusalem’s authorities. Jesus of Nazareth made pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover festival from another captive part of Rome’s empire.
No man was ever so controversial as Jesus and even to this day no man is more controversial than Jesus.
Jesus, Son of Man, has been teaching among the Jews for three years. He had taught in Jerusalem before, but by now Jesus has crowds following Him. Christ Jesus creates not only converts but also controversy.
A Triumphal King of Controversy
Crowds of worshipers lay palm branches before this King of the Jews, followed by multitudes to the gates of Jerusalem guarded by Romans. The good news spreads quickly to those who do not know Him. Jesus spoke truly the words of controversy many suppressed in their hearts. His words ignited a new hope in their down-trodden lives.
Furthermore, many followers witness the recent resurrection of Lazarus in nearby Bethany to others in the crowd. Here comes a King with power!
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword… 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household… 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 11:
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? …18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
Matthew 12:6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Jesus IS Controversial
No human intellect can stand against the immeasurable knowledge of God. Yer many attempt to find flaws in scripture or in the answers of Jesus. In fact, the religious authorities do not even agree with each other.
For three years Jesus of Nazareth challenges pharisees, sadducees, scribes and rabbis. He taught on the mountains, by the seashore and in synagogues throughout Galilee, Samaria and Judea. Even the names of these Roman provinces differed from cultural references by the captive jews.
Controversy: who rules over this captive promised land?
After making the entrance of a King and entry into the Temple with all Authority, Jesus will answer accusations of those in power. He answers with truth, even though Jerusalem’s powerful leaders seek to murder the innocent Son of Man.
Matthew 22:
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think…
The Passover Sacrifice
The true controversy of Christ will be a Passover Sacrifice which changes the relationship of Almighty God to created sinners.
Jesus Christ IS the Good News of Easter and the resurrection. The King or Kings and Lord of Lords leads His subjects differently than every man.
He IS God With Us! Controversial to any created man or flesh, who will not bow down to the Creator King.
We have explored wisdom in this series for the most part from the Bible’s book of Proverbs. Solomon’s fame, fortune and riches brought leaders to his court seeking ‘words of wisdom.’
I suppose they would ask: What can I learn about the success of this wise King? Perhaps if I could be wise like Solomon I could replicate his riches.
Powerful leaders point uninformed others to places which will keep them in their place. The masses of humanity for the most part have remained uneducated and therefore cared little about wisdom. Even the faithful have not been told God’s truth. So few have have read the truth recorded in scripture.
A thousand years after David and Solomon the Messiah Jesus came into this world and proclaimed:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ – John 14:6
Just like those who had come to Solomon for wisdom, people often asked Jesus about the Kingdom of Heaven, His Kingdom.
An uncomfortable truth
One day I saw a friend preparing for a great banquet for a wedding of important guests. As guests began to arrive in their tuxedos and gowns I asked a well-dressed guard at the door if I could enter briefly to greet my friend. The attendant guard of the door graciously agreed.
I becameincreasingly uncomfortable as guests arrived, knowing that I had not dressed in the formal attire of arriving guests. We didn’t belong at this celebration for the bride and groom, which was about to begin.
At the time I couldn’t help recalling the uncomfortable ending of Jesus’ parable about the wedding feast.
Just as the truth of wisdom makes us a little uncomfortable, so do the truths of death, judgment and eternal life.
Until the days of Luther (and Gutenberg) most men could not read the Bible. Women rarely could read at all. Yet even now men and women who claim to seek wisdom fail to read the wisdom of the Bible.
Perhaps a few will make brief inquiry about God in an uncomfortable place, a church. Doesn’t it make us feel like the uninvited wedding guest?
2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast…
As pointed out previously in this series:
“they would not come.”
Other servants invited them again, but the invited guests refused.
Some ignored the invitation and went back to work.
Others of the chosen killed the messengers!
7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
He sent messengers to invite as many as they could find.
Other guests filled the wedding hall.
Now the King enters the festivities. As he looks about the room with joy the King notices a man like me (not appropriately prepared for the great feast).
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants,
‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.
The outer darkness of the fool
Are you fearful? Here is the wise and all-powerful King and He judges you unfit for the feast. The King’s servants cast you into eternal darkness.
Solomon and the Bible have had much to say about darkness, which is always contrasted with light and good.
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble. – Proverbs 4:19
Surely the deep darkness of which Jesus speaks is Hell!
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Are you invited?
Such a staggering thought that the King of Kings would judge your sin! (And mine, as well.) Therefore we fear Hell, the place of eternal punishment so much deserved by all.
Are you an ‘outsider’ who is invited, OR do you just tiptoe in the door of the King to hear His wisdom?
Because no family ties, riches or religious displays will get you into the banquet of the Lord, an invitation is required.
Other wisdom of the Son
Jesus IS the Son of Man and Son of God! Christ came to sinners as a sacrifice for our innumerable sins. Jesus frequently speaks wisdom to the crowds and Apostles, even explaining the meaning of parables.
Have you read the Gospel? Find your invitation to the banquet of the King and embrace His righteous wisdom in this Good News for all.
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Herod’s rule as tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, holds no authority over Judea, ruled by Marcus Pontius Pilatus, Roman prefect (governor) under the emperor Tiberius.
In fact no reprieve can be bought, which was