“Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” All four of the Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) tell us about the written notice of the charge against Jesus—and for which Pontius Pilate crucified him. It’s a small but important detail from the Friday that we call good. Does anyone recall the additional information about the sign that only John gives us in his Gospel? He tells us that the sign fastened to the cross above Jesus was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. Why is that significant? Yes, Pilate wanted everyone to know why he condemned Jesus to death. But knowing the back story of those three languages also helps us to understand how the people who read the sign likely reacted to it.
Aramaic is dialect (or a variation of Hebrew) that only the Jews spoke. It represented their identity as a people and to a certain extent their religion. Latin was the language of the mighty Roman Empire. It was by their authority that Jesus was crucified. And at that time in history they ruled over a large slice of the world. Greek was the language of commerce, entertainment, and philosophy.
Perhaps we can use those three languages to illustrate what the people who read them might have thought of the guy crucified under that written notice. Those who spoke Aramaic (again, primarily the Jews) had rejected Jesus as their King—and therefore as their Messiah. In fact, remember that John tells us in his Gospel that the chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate about the sign. They said, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” The Latin speakers would have gotten a good laugh over the idea of Jesus being a king. He had no kingdom and no army—and from what we know of Roman crucifixion he didn’t even have any clothes! And finally, the people of the world that spoke Greek would have judged Jesus to be a fake, a failure, and a fool.
I think you would agree that the ideas about Jesus haven’t changed much in 2000 years. Many still reject him as their King for those same reasons. And even among some of those who claim to be his followers there are those who try to change him into a king of their choosing. The governments and authorities of the world still view him as the Romans did. He appears to be weak and irrelevant. And finally, most of the people in the world still view “the king of the Jews” either with scorn, humor, or pity.
So, what about us? On this Christ the King Sunday what do we make of the charges posted above Jesus? Has the thinking of those who read the notice whether in Aramaic, Latin, or Greek invaded our hearts? Let’s use our Second Lesson for today from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians as an invitation to:
“CONSIDER THE TRUE GLORY OF OUR KING!”
I. King of Creation – (vv. 15-16a)
II. King of the Nations – (vv. 16b-17)
II. King of Salvation – (vv. 13-14, 18-20)
From what we can piece together, false teachers had been leading the Christians in the city of Colossae away from the true Christian faith as they had learned it from Paul and other Apostles. To put it bluntly the Colossians had become confused about how they were saved. False teachers were insisting that what Jesus did was not enough to save a person. They said that a person also needed to keep the Old Testament laws of the Jews. Some added the idea of “special wisdom” that was needed to be saved. The Apostle Paul directed the Colossians back to the basics of the Christian faith. He reviewed the undeserved love that God showed the world by sending his Son as the substitute for sinners. He again declared that those who put their faith in Jesus receive the benefit of his sinless life and sacrificial death.
I.
Before we look at what Jesus did to save us let’s consider the true glory our Savior shows as the King of creation. Start with verses 15-16 of Colossians Chapter 1. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…” That’s a big contrast to the Jesus we saw in our Gospel Lesson for today! But here we are reminded that one on the cross created the metal in the nails that held him in place. It was his Word that had called into existence the tree that had been made into his cross. Those soldiers that crucified him. He made them and gave them their body and soul. The people who shouted, “Crucify him!” Jesus gave them the ability to speak. These facts defy our understanding. But that is the true glory of our king—Jesus is the King of Creation!
Now let’s go back to the speakers of the three languages that Pilate used to declare the charges against Jesus of Nazareth. The Aramaic speakers—the Jews—laughed at the idea that the Rabbi from Galilee was the creator God in human flesh. It seemed absurd that the one who made the universe. The Latin speakers—the Romans—were sceptics. They had all kinds of myths and legends about “the gods” appearing in human form. But those false gods behaved like them! And as far as creation goes, they would have scoffed at the idea that the guy they just crucified was the creator. The Greek speakers—those who loved philosophy and all the ideas their minds could propose also would have rolled their eyes at the idea that a Jews named Jesus made the universe. They might have acknowledged some invisible force in the universe behind all that exists but again they would have denied that it was the work of the man hanging on a cross.
So what about us English speakers? We are not in the dark about creation. The Bible tells us how God made the world out of nothing—calling into being everything that exists. But do we forget that our Savior is also our creator? Let the reminder in our lesson lead us to praise him and worship him. After the service today when we eat some of the traditional (and some non-traditional) Thanksgiving foods will we recall that Jesus provided them for us. In the overabundance that is present in our nation we may forget that. Do we recognize Jesus as the one who designed our bodies and regularly thank him for whatever abilities he has given us? The familiar hymn Beautiful Savior summarizes a believer’s wonder and awe at Jesus. And it also declares how his followers offer themselves back to Jesus in Thanksgiving. “Beautiful Savior, King of creation, Son of God and Son of Man! Truly I'd love Thee, truly I'd serve thee, Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown. // Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands, Robed in flow’rs of blooming spring; Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer; He makes our sorr’wing spirit sing. // Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight, Bright the sparkling stars on high; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer Than all the angels in the sky. Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations, Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, Praise, adoration, Now and forevermore be Thine!” The last verse of that hymn serves as a good transition to the next aspect of our Savior’s true glory that we will consider. He is the King of the nations as well as the King of creation.
II.
Let’s go back to our verses from Colossians. “…whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Once again, what a contrast this is to the picture of Jesus hanging on the cross! And once again let’s consider the reactions of those represented by the three languages on the sign above Jesus. The Aramaic speakers—the Jews—had very different ideas about the Messiah. They wanted him to set up a kingdom on earth. Even Jesus’ disciples had that misguided hope. Remember how James and John asked (or put their mother up to ask for them) to sit at Jesus’ right hand and left hand in his Kingdom. And then think of those two disciples on the road to Emmaus on Easter Sunday. They said that they had hoped that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. In other words, they wanted Jesus to bring back the “glory days” of Israel as nation. Perhaps like it was under King David or King Solomon. And even on the day that Jesus ascended into heaven the disciples asked if he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. For the Latin speakers—the Romans—the fact that Jesus was hanging on one of their crosses, under the authority of one of their governors, was all the evidence they needed to reject us nothing more than a delusional fool. It would have been the same for the Greek speakers! The King on the cross would not have been worth the time to even look at him. When life is all about pleasure and success why even think about life’s losers!
I am assuming that our scorn for Jesus doesn’t follow the thinking of those who read the sign above his head on Good Friday. But when the governments of the world seem set on destroying each other do we see Jesus as helpless as they did? Do we live in fear of social and economic forces either for ourselves, or for our children, or for our grandchildren? Brothers and sisters let’s see this for what it is. It’s sin. When we think and act as if Jesus was still on the cross and not the one who rules the nations we are sinning. We need the Scriptures to reaffirm the truth about Jesus. He is King of the nations! And that reminder calls us to repentance and renewed faith in him. Instead of living in fear and uncertainty may words of Psalm 2 be in our hearts and minds. “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” Jesus, the King of the nations lives and reigns eternally. Let’s live each day with confidence in that truth!
III.
Thinking about our need for forgiveness and a renewed mind from King Jesus leads us to his greatest glory. In addition to being the King of Creation, and the King of the Nations, he is also the King of Salvation. Our verses from Colossians continue, “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” We know how Good Friday ended. Jesus bowed his head and died. His enemies thought that was the end of him. Although at least one of the Romans said that he believed Jesus was the Son of God it must have seemed like it was too late to do anything about it. The world just moved on. But once again, what their eyes saw wasn’t the whole story. Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews suffered in their place. He took their sins on himself. Yes, even those who asked for his crucifixion and even those who carried out his crucifixion. Through Jesus’ death in the place of sinners Jesus conquered death. And that’s why Jesus is called the “firstborn from among the dead” in these verses. Our King rose from the dead and so will we.
The Apostle Paul added some details about how Jesus became King of Salvation. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Since we have been speaking about the sign above Jesus on Good Friday perhaps it would be helpful to learn a little more about it meant. It was customary in Roman judicial system that when a man was judged guilty, condemned for a crime and put in prison, to have a certificate nailed to the prison door. It was called a CERTIFICATE OF DEBT. On that certificate of debt would be written the crime for which the man was guilty, the number of days, months or years that he would stay in prison. Then, when he had fulfilled his duty to the law, his certificate of debt was marked paid in full. It was taken, given to the judge, who would have it notarized; and, the freed man would carry it with him. And, if anybody were to accuse him of that crime again, he could pull out the certificate of debt, and say, “Yes, I may have been guilty, but I have paid in full. You’re not going to bring me into double jeopardy; I’ve already paid for that crime.” Now, what happened to a man who was guilty of a capital offense? They would take the offense that he’d done, and they would nail it to his cross above his head. That’s the reason that Pilate nailed above the head of the Lord Jesus, “This is Jesus,” or, “Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews”—it was sarcasm. Here was a man who made Himself King; and, that’s why Pilate allowed Him to be crucified—because it was insurrection against Caesar; it was a crime worthy of death. Of course, those charges against Jesus weren’t true. But they remind us of how God’s justice worked for our good. God the Father charged his one and only son with all our sins so we could be set free. We hear that described in the first two verses of our lesson. “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We have been redeemed—that is bought back. We have been forgiven. We are now and forever in Jesus’ Kingdom!
Perhaps when you saw the Gospel Lesson for today you thought it must have been a mistake. Why would we read about Jesus’ crucifixion on Christ the King Sunday? Standing at the foot of the cross and reading the sign above his head point us to the true glory of our King. Yes, he is “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” And on Good Friday I am sure everyone who read that sign was confused by what they saw. How could that guy who was bleeding and dying be a king? The Holy Spirit enables us to see the true glory of our King. He is the King of Creation! He is the King of the Nations! He is the King of Salvation! Amen.
