"And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS." (Matthew 27:37-- the capital letters are in the text)
The word for, "accusation," in our text comes from a root word for, "crime." Matthew realized that what Pilate had written was the declaration of a crime "against Him." And, as far as I can research, the word translated, "Jews," in our text encompasses more than just individuals. It describes the nation, the Land. It could read, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF JUDEA," or, "THE KING OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL." Do you see the gravity of "the accusation against Him?" Jesus, not Caesar, is "KING OF THE JEWS," KING OF THE LAND, KING OF THE EMPIRE! It must have mocked the Jews crying, "We have no king but Caesar." Johns' Gospel reveals that the Jews even argued with Pilate over the wording. And poor Pilate, he had no idea of the extent of his declaration----but Father did. "THIS IS JESUS;" and whether the Jews or any other people group acknowledge Him as King, He is still, "JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS," King of the City, the earth-------- the universe.
Some years ago I was prayer pastor in an interracial congregation in Pittsburgh. One Sunday I was asked to preach. I read all of Matthew 27. We had sung "Holy, Holy, Holy" in the first service, and between the services I asked the music minister if I could read the text first, then sing the hymn. It was very powerful worship for me------- "They led him away to crucify him....Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour...And Jesus cried with a loud voice,...'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'...And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints...were raised....When the centurion and those who were with him...saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
"Holy, Holy, Holy." Amen.
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"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
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