The King

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

THE KING

Mark 15:1-5

15:1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. 2 "Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. 3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of." 5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

NIV

We are here at an historical event, not a teaching of Jesus which we can hang our hat on, yet there is truth here for us to gain insight. This is not a truth we are unfamiliar with but perhaps one we do not spend as much time as we should focused on. We first should notice these chief priests, elders and the teachers of the law, who know full well any man who blasphemes God is, should be stoned as in accordance with the Law that was given to them by God through Moses. We also know that because of the other gospel accounts there were attempts by the Jews to stone Jesus, but he slipped away. Now they actually have him in custody, bound and able to do with as they wish, they do not stone him for the offense they claim he has committed which is worthy of stoning. They take him to the government, hoping the Romans would do their dirty work, thus remaining in their self-righteous clothing. Even though we might learn that church affairs, disputes and the such be handled in the assembly and not taken to the government for settlement, the truth we should focus on is the question of Pilate and the response of Jesus. Jesus had told the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law that he was the Christ, the Messiah, which would mean nothing to an unbelieving government official. But when asked if he were the king of the Jews, he said, “Yes, it is as you say.” Jesus is in fact the king of the Jews, but he is also the King of kings, the Lord of lords, he is God in the flesh. Perhaps we have become way to familiar with the King of kings, the Lord of Lords, the one who is mighty and full of power, the one who will judge the Earth, the one who will come in all his glory and bring justice to all who have done evil in his sight. Even though Jesus told his disciples that he calls them friends, after he told them that no greater love in for a man to lay down his life for his friend, we should not forget he is also our King and as such he deserves our absolute honor, respect, allegiance, submission to his authority over our lives. Should we really claim friendship with a deity who created us? Isn’t that a little strange to be friends with the King of kings the Lord of lords? Yes, he laid down his life for us showing us the greatest love a man could have for a friend, but he did that as our King, as our Lord, as our Savior. He is the King!