Accusations and Reality: The Rejection of Christ
Accusations and Reality: The rejection of Christ
John 19:1-7.
"He made Himself out to be the Son of God."
Who is Jesus? There is no more fundament question in religion. If Jesus is who he claims to be, there is no option but to worship and surrender to him. If he was a false pretender, he is to be rejected as either a gross liar or a raving lunatic. In the trial of Jesus, we see both the accusations and the irony. Little did the participants realize that in their accusations, they were testifying of who Jesus really was. There were three participants that day: The soldiers, Pilate, and the Jewish leaders. Each of them brought a different voice to affirm the core reality of who Jesus is.
First, we find the soldiers who, in their own twisted cruelty, mocked Jesus with a crown of thorns and a purple robe. In their spitefulness, they beat and struck Jesus and began to mock him with false allegiance, "Hail, King of the Jews!" But herein lies the irony, by mocking Jesus, they were proclaiming the central truth of who Jesus was. This Jesus, while rejected by the Jews, had come as the messianic King. At the very beginning of his life, Magi came from the east, testifying that Jesus was born as the King of the Jews. Now at the end, these soldiers again testify that he was the King of the Jews. But little did they realize that Jesus' death would not thwart his rise to his eternal reign. Instead, his death would become the means by which he would attain his position now only as the King of the Jews but also as the ruler of the whole universe (see Phil. 2:8-11).
Second, we hear the statement of Pilate. He presents Jesus as a battered and broken individual who was a threat to no one. In Pilates' mind, Jesus was a broken man who deserved more pity than condemnation. Therefore, he announces to the people, "Behold, the man," thus pointing to the humanity of Jesus. Here again, we find echoes in this statement of the fundamental awareness of who Jesus was. In John 1:14, John affirmed that Jesus was indeed the Man, the Word made Flesh. In establishing Jesus' humanity, Pilate was unknowing, pointing to the glory of the one and only son God. Jesus came to identify with us as one who was fully human so that he might take upon himself our judicial punishment.
Last, the voice of the religious leaders revealed the third aspect of Christ's identity, that he was in fact God himself. They were demanding his death because Jesus had claimed not only to be the messianic King, but also that he was God himself. They recognized that Jesus was not just claiming to be the Messiah, but he was claiming to have the rights and authority of God (see 1:34; 5:19-23).
We see in their affirmation the scope of who Christ is, that he is the messianic King who is God himself come in the flesh to die for our sins. Jesus was not merely a prophet or religious leader; he was not just an itinerate preacher proclaiming spiritual truths and godly morality. He was God come in the flesh to save us from our sins and become our King to whom we must give our allegiance (John 1:1, 14, 29, 41). By using the accusations of those opposing Christ, John takes us back to the very beginning and reaffirms what he has said throughout the book. The critical question then is not "who is Jesus?" The question is, "How will we respond to him?" Are we going to embrace him as our savior and surrender to him, or are we going to reject and mock him like those that accused him that day?
John 19:1-7.
"He made Himself out to be the Son of God."
Who is Jesus? There is no more fundament question in religion. If Jesus is who he claims to be, there is no option but to worship and surrender to him. If he was a false pretender, he is to be rejected as either a gross liar or a raving lunatic. In the trial of Jesus, we see both the accusations and the irony. Little did the participants realize that in their accusations, they were testifying of who Jesus really was. There were three participants that day: The soldiers, Pilate, and the Jewish leaders. Each of them brought a different voice to affirm the core reality of who Jesus is.
First, we find the soldiers who, in their own twisted cruelty, mocked Jesus with a crown of thorns and a purple robe. In their spitefulness, they beat and struck Jesus and began to mock him with false allegiance, "Hail, King of the Jews!" But herein lies the irony, by mocking Jesus, they were proclaiming the central truth of who Jesus was. This Jesus, while rejected by the Jews, had come as the messianic King. At the very beginning of his life, Magi came from the east, testifying that Jesus was born as the King of the Jews. Now at the end, these soldiers again testify that he was the King of the Jews. But little did they realize that Jesus' death would not thwart his rise to his eternal reign. Instead, his death would become the means by which he would attain his position now only as the King of the Jews but also as the ruler of the whole universe (see Phil. 2:8-11).
Second, we hear the statement of Pilate. He presents Jesus as a battered and broken individual who was a threat to no one. In Pilates' mind, Jesus was a broken man who deserved more pity than condemnation. Therefore, he announces to the people, "Behold, the man," thus pointing to the humanity of Jesus. Here again, we find echoes in this statement of the fundamental awareness of who Jesus was. In John 1:14, John affirmed that Jesus was indeed the Man, the Word made Flesh. In establishing Jesus' humanity, Pilate was unknowing, pointing to the glory of the one and only son God. Jesus came to identify with us as one who was fully human so that he might take upon himself our judicial punishment.
Last, the voice of the religious leaders revealed the third aspect of Christ's identity, that he was in fact God himself. They were demanding his death because Jesus had claimed not only to be the messianic King, but also that he was God himself. They recognized that Jesus was not just claiming to be the Messiah, but he was claiming to have the rights and authority of God (see 1:34; 5:19-23).
We see in their affirmation the scope of who Christ is, that he is the messianic King who is God himself come in the flesh to die for our sins. Jesus was not merely a prophet or religious leader; he was not just an itinerate preacher proclaiming spiritual truths and godly morality. He was God come in the flesh to save us from our sins and become our King to whom we must give our allegiance (John 1:1, 14, 29, 41). By using the accusations of those opposing Christ, John takes us back to the very beginning and reaffirms what he has said throughout the book. The critical question then is not "who is Jesus?" The question is, "How will we respond to him?" Are we going to embrace him as our savior and surrender to him, or are we going to reject and mock him like those that accused him that day?
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