John 18, 33-37.
Jesus Christ, the King, was a different sort of king. He had no territory over which he ruled, no army to enforce his mandate, he imposed not taxes, sat on no throne, and wore no crown.
In today’s gospel reading taken from John we see why he was so different. To Pilate’s question as to whether he was “king of the Jews,” Jesus puts him on the spot by asking him about where he got the notion of his being a king. Was it Pilate’s own question? If so, then it was primarily a political question. Or was it a question raised with Pilate by the Jews? Then it was a religious or theological question about Jesus being the Messiah. Having heard Pilate’s disclaimer about Messiahship, Jesus then in reply, talks about his kingdom rather than about himself as king. His kingdom is not of this world because he is not of this world. Both are from above, the realm of the Spirit. Pilate, ever anxious and fearful of trouble, hearing Jesus speak of “my kingdom” repeats his question about Jesus being a king. Clarity is imperative for Pilate because any claim by Jesus to be a king is a political statement and has implications for the Romans. Jesus admits openly that he a is a king but immediately adds the qualification that his kingdom is not of this world, and that his interest is solely to bear witness to the truth, and not in territory, politics or power. Only those who are on the side of truth will follow him. They will know in what sense Jesus, who is full of grace and truth, is a king, and they will listen to his every word.
There is an implicit invitation to Pilate to consider the truth that Jesus is and stands for, the truth that will set him free.
Jesus (on trial) as king represents a set of values not of this world and completely foreign to Roman meritocracy. His power came from right rather than might, from truth rather than from force of arms. The only territory he wanted to rule was the human heart. The only crown he wanted was to give was glory to His Father through obedience to His will.
The Preface of the feast of Christ the King names 9 qualities intrinsic to Jesus’ Kingship –it is an eternal and universal kingdom; it is about truth and life, holiness and grace, justice, love and peace.
The truth to which Christ came to witness is primarily the truth of God the Father’s infinite, eternal, unconditional and gratuitous love for everyone and everything which He has created.
It is the truth that we are all his adopted sons and daughters and brothers and sisters in Christ our Saviour; free and equal in Christ and called to liberate all those who are in chains of their own or other’s making.
Whenever and wherever we promote these and related values we are building and bringing nearer the kingdom that Jesus Christ came to establish.
Every time we pray in the Lord’s Prayer –“thy kingdom come” – we remind ourselves about the kingdom which Christ came to establish, and our part in helping to bring it about in our broken world and especially in Ukraine and Gaza at the moment. Every time we support/promote truth, life, holiness, grace justice, love and peace we are helping God’s kingdom to come.
Fr Geoff O’Grady