(John 18:37)

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying that I am a king. In fact for this reason I was born and for this reason I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked.

Introduction (anecdotes)
I had my weekly glimpse of reality according to St Stephens School on Monday. I asked the school what they would do if they saw someone being bullied. Up shot a hand and one of the children squealed out “See something, say something.” It was different at Canberra where I heard one young person telling another that Jesus had been married. He knew that was the case because he had seen it on the Da Vinci Code. Incidentally, I referred a few weeks ago to a pupil who had called me ‘Potato Head’. On Monday I was called this name once more and so it does now seem to be my official nickname.

Context
The lectionary finishes off before starting again at Advent. Here we have Jesus arrested and put on trial in front of Pilate.

Caiaphas (the High Priest) wanted Jesus executed. However, they weren't allowed to convey the death penalty. Only the Roman authorities could execute. So Caiaphas referred Jesus to Pilate - Roman governor, reputation for rough dealings with Jews (Luke 13:1 -- Galileans executed while offering sacrifice at temple).

Pilate has only one legitimate concern, and that is whether Jesus poses a threat to Rome.  If Jesus is assuming the role of king, that is treason -- punishable by death. If He were Messiah, that would make Him King of the Jews. To Pilate, the title King of the Jews would mean a political leader. To the Jews, it meant the Messiah.

It is at this point that Jesus makes the clearest most unambiguous statement about his kingship anywhere in the Gospels. He is on trial for his life and it is here that he makes his claim to be Messiah King of the Jews. All the time that he was preaching and healing people he said nothing. The crowds were hanging off his every word and would have done anything he asked them to but he said nothing. It is only know when in human terms it is already too late that he speaks

1. Reflections

If he had spoken earlier people would have labelled him and stopped listening

Jesus was not the type of kingly messiah they wanted. He was not going to throw the Romans out by force. This is our God the servant king. As Jesus’ life is subversive, so also is his death. It depicts in deed what Jesus taught in word: the last is first; the king is the servant. This subverted image of kingship is not a passivity, which surrenders, a kind of discipline, which learns to find fulfilment in being a doormat. It is not about most other traditional understandings of power and authority. It is an upside down kingdom.

We are now different to the Jews in that we all want our powerful kingly lives. It is attractive and easy to live by the loud voices:

• Claims of work – no one will say I wish I spent more time in the office. For me it is Respect not authority
• Claims of self and family –
• Negative claims are just as powerful and Kingly: anti-bullying week – we get used to being treated in a certain way.

What I want from you is courage:

• Guilt – impostor syndrome; feeling as if you are not good enough and that you will be found out
• Anxiety – unsure about your place in the world; you are not sure what you might be able to achieve and answer this through busyness.
• Worry – what is the point of everything

What I am looking for is something far more elusive – listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit like listening to a piece of music.