JESUS IS KING
JOHN : 18:33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here."
The very notion of the kingship of Jesus had two pillars very much different from each other, though they could sound similar. The bigger title is the King of Israel. The United Kingdom of Israel began with King Saul anointed by prophet Samuel around 3,000 years ago, though the Prophet Samuel was very much opposed to the very establishment of any Kingdom in the land of Israel. Its peak was reached under the rule of King David and his son Solomon. After them the kingdom became divided as 10 tribes under the name of Israel parted from Judah. The secessionist Israeli Kingdom had survived only for 200 years till the Assyrian army annihilated it in 722 BCE. So at the time of Jesus and his contemporaries the Kingdom of Israel couldn't have had earthly connotations as it had ceased to exist more than 700 years before their time.
The secessionist Kingdom of Israel had no good reputation at all as his first king Jeroboam built an alternative Temple in Samaria and erected huge Golden bull statues and the gates of his kingdom. Thus the notion of the Kingdom of Israel goes back to the United Kingdom of Israel and goes back to the kingship of David the king as the poster King who ruled, at least mostly, according to the will of God.
Thus the notion of the King of Israel became an apocalyptic prophetic vision, that at the end times for at least when the Messianic era comes, the united kingdom of Israel, the Kingdom of David will be re-established in the land of Israel.
There's a prophecy of the Lord's promise that although the 10 tribes out of the 12th perished in the Assyrian wars, still at the end times the Lord will recall the 12 tribes of Israel from the end corners of the Earth the establishing the kingdom of David not only for David tribe, Judah but for all the 12 tribes of Israel.
That is why Jesus told his disciples that I was not sent to any other nations but only to the 12 tribes of Israel. That it was also the very reason to select 12 disciples as his inner circle as they were told they will be the 12 judges over the 12 tribes of Israel.
Talking about the 12 tribes of Israel in Jesus time it was like talking about the Messianic era, AKA The reestablishment of the kingdom of David.
That is why his disciples asked him, master, master, when will you reestablish the kingdom?
That is why it is written in the Gospel of John, chapter one, that, when Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, `Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!`
Nathanael said to him. `How do you know me?` Jesus answered him, `Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.`
Nathanael answered him, `Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!`
Nathanael did not say that you are the king of Jerusalem or the king of Judah but the King of Israel, which in that context was an apocalyptic, metaphorical term, to say that you are the Messiah.
That is why Jesus said to him that `Because I told you, `I saw you underneath the fig tree,` do you believe? You will see greater things than these!`
He said to him, `Most certainly, I tell you, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.` From this answer is clearly understandable that Jesus' kingdom is not here, but the kingdom to come.
That is why on the cross, the thief begged Jesus:
`Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.`
And that is why Jesus answered the thief on the cross that 'Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.` The answer shows that the Kingdom is not yet tangible, it is a Kingdom to Come.
However, the other notion of kingship, aka the King of the Jews was also presented in the Gospels. Right around the birth of Jesus, at beginning chapters of the Gospel of Matthew, it is written, that the envoys of a world power the Parthian empire sent his envoys to find the King of the Jews. Not the king of Israel but the king of the Jews.
Only two contemporary households claimed this title, King Herod, and the former royal family, the so called Hasmoneans, the last Jewish Kings over Jerusalem, whose royal House was exterminated by Herod.
Claiming the very title of the King of the Jews by Jesus, or by his peers, by his disciples for Jesus, or by the Parthian envoys for the boy, or even as an accusation made by the Sanhedrin or stated by Pontius Pilate, meant an immediate life danger for the throne claimant candidate.
Exactly this claim and title caused the first deadly threat against the life of Jesus, when the Parthian envoys announced in Jerusalem that `Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.`
as it is written, that “When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” Technically, Herod issued a dead or alive warrant on Jesus' life.
The same claim was written by Pontius Pilate on the tag tablet of Jesus, that this is Jesus Nazarenus the King of the Jews. The authorities rebuked the Roman governor, why he had written that, as he should have written that Jesus claimed the he is the King of Jews.
Jesus never claimed it, but he did not reject the other title, the Messianic, title the King of Israel.
Between the two titles, the Messianic King of Israel or the King of the Jews in Judea there was some overlapping issue. As the Jews hoped that a time will come, when they will be able to depose the Edomite, non-Jewish House of Herod from the throne and together with them they will be able to drive away the Romans for Jerusalem and Judea, in order to reestablish an independent Jewish Kingdom and the rule of a Jewish King.
The contemporary tradition said, that this liberating King must have been or must be a direct descendant of King David. That is why the gospels were very eager to try to create family trees to show that Jesus was a descendant of King David.
Beside that the Jewish hopes of liberation from the Roman yoke by a great revolt led by a Messianic King like David never happened, in fact all revolts were brutally crushed, indeed, the Messianic Era and the Messianic Kingdom is still remained a Kingdom to Come.
Practically, we are very frequently pray for the Kingdom to Come, as we pray it with the Lord’s Prayer, which practically lists the prerequisitions of the Kingdom.
1. We have to acknowledge God over us. 2. We have to sanctify God’s name 3. We must mean it that Your Kingdom Come. We have to see to it, that God’s will be dome not only in Heaven but on earth, as well. May it be so, ASAP, AMEN.
