The Death and Resurrection of the Kingናሙና

Was Jesus the King of the Jews?

“Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You have said so.’” (Matthew 27:11)

Jesus had been sentenced to death because He claimed to be the Son of God. But that was no ground for the Roman governor to have someone put to death. This man was not concerned with Jewish religious matters. Therefore the chief priests and elders brought another charge before governor Pilate: “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” (Luke 23:2). This was a serious charge, because if someone proclaimed himself king, that posed a political threat to the Romans.

When Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews, Jesus answered in the affirmative, but also somewhat evasively. He was indeed the King, but not in a political way. John 18:36 gives us more details. Jesus explained to Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world.”

The insinuation that Jesus posed a political threat was unfounded. Even Pilate soon realized that. Yet there was much truth in the statement that Jesus was a King. Do you know in what ways that was true? And what does that mean for you personally?