The King on Trial

Introduction

Our country doesn’t have royalty, but we seem to like the idea. We have those who are designated kings and queens. Most of the designations have to do with one’s prowess in a certain field. For instance in music in the 1940s there was the king of swing (Benny Goodman). The king of rock and roll (Elvis Presley). The king of pop (Michael Jackson). The queen of soul (Aretha Franklin). People are designated as kings and queens of business or sports.

Many of you have met famous people. Some of you have met and know people who are not famous but are highly respected in their fields. These people are seen as experts and demand respect and attention. I’m not sure how I would act in the presence of a great person. I have long admired some obscure folks who challenged me with their writing. Most of them are now dead but I have wondered what it would be like to sit and have a conversation with one of them. I would like to hear from any of you later about your experiences with “famous” people. I look forward to the one experience that will far outweigh any earthly experience. As the words of the Mercy Me song “I Can Only Imagine” will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all.

Two weeks ago I spoke about Gethsemane and the anguish of that experience. No words were adequate to properly describe or explain that scene. That is equally true for me this week. I am to speak about the early part of Jesus’ crucifixion. But how does one put into words the intensity of the scenes which leads up to the crucifixion. The trial with Pilate; the crowd crying out “Crucify him”; being told you are innocent but being given over to death; the scourging; the carrying of the cross; the ridicule by observers. How do we give adequate words to such? How do we speak of such things without emotion? How can we be detached from such things?

Mark wrote about the Son of God. The one who revealed the plan of God; the one who preached, mentored, and healed; the one who called people to follow him; the one who lived among his creation without sin; the one who did not deserve to be treated as a common criminal; the one who is the lamb of God. It is this Jesus that we think about today and choose once again to follow him in this world that constantly beckons for us to choose something else.

The Events

Mark does not elaborate on the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. Once taken into custody things happen quickly. The other gospel writers add other details but for Mark it is a quick path to the cross. The trial with Pilate has little intrigue. The opportunity to release Jesus is rejected by the people and Jewish leaders. Jesus is given over to the soldiers who beat him almost to the point of death. He is led to the place of crucifixion. Mark describes various scenes of mocking and ridicule. The one thing that is particular about Mark as compared to the other gospel writers is the mention of the sons of Simon who was compelled to assist in carrying the cross to the place of execution. We know nothing about either one of his sons but the belief is that Mark must have included their names because they were known by the initial readers. Mark wrote his gospel in Rome. In Romans 16:13, Rufus is mentioned and some speculate that this is one of the sons of Simon. We do not know with certainty.

For the initial readers crucifixion was not only well-known it was spoken of with disdain. It was not merely a horrible way to die; it was the means by which ruling authorities for over 500 years had been using to keep people in check. The Persians began the practice; the Greeks continued it; but the Romans perfected the practice. The practice of crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminals and the poor. While the practice was intended to execute one deemed guilty of some crime, it was also intended to keep people compliant and in subjection. Even the Jews used this form of execution around 100 B.C. following a Jewish Civil War, the king of that time had 800 Pharisees crucified as punishment for opposing his rule. Mark doesn’t need to say much about crucifixion. Its use and intent was well known.

What Mark focuses on is the description “King of the Jews.” In 14:61-62, Jesus has already admitted to being the Messiah. In his trial before Pilate he also acknowledges that he is King of the Jews but he means something very different than Pilate means by the phrase. In verses 2, 9, 12, 18, 26, and 32 this phrase is used. The soldiers ridicule him as a king. Pilate in 15:14 admits that Jesus has done no evil deserving death. Jesus is innocent. The guilty one goes free. The innocent one is killed. Just as he said in 10:45 he was giving his life for many. In contrast the religious leaders’ motives are transparent. Even Pilate in 15:10 knows that their actions are based in envy. They will not give away their power. For Mark the death of Jesus is as one writer notes “eloquently understated.”

Why?

Mark’s focuses on Jesus in a way that accentuates the intensity of God’s plan. Jesus says only one thing in our text. He confesses that he is king. He cannot deny who he is. But from that point on we see the response of others toward the one who admits what is true about himself. Jesus is God’s chosen one. He is the one who will give his life so that God’s creation may be forgiven and redeemed.

And with each response to Jesus, we see our own response. There are those who are like Pilate. They know that there is no evil in him. They admit that this is a good man but there is no desire to follow this man. There are those who like the religious leaders envy him and lie about him. They refuse to give up their power and will instead say things which are not true about Jesus so that they can remain distant from him. There are those who are like the soldiers who pretend Jesus is king. They go through the motions of bowing down but it is all part of the game. There is no sincerity in their pretending. Their hearts are filled with deceit not reverence. There are those who are like the crowd who are easily swayed by the words of others rather than remembering what Jesus has done. There are those who are like the crowd at the cross who blaspheme Jesus. They trust only what they see at the moment and demand that God do something because it will satisfy their selfish desires and they promise that they will believe if God would do what they demand but they refuse to trust God who has already done what only He can do for them.

In Jesus’ silence we are faced with one stark reality—what will you say about him? It was God’s plan that Jesus die. And one by one each person must decide what they will believe about God’s plan. Some would say Jesus was too wimpy. Some will say Jesus needs to be more direct. Some will say Jesus should have done this or that. But God’s plan was to bring forgiveness through defeat. To bring wholeness through death. And this seems foolish to us. The sinless one; the perfect God/man; the divine plan was fulfilled and we must decide how we will respond to Jesus. Will he be the king of your life? What you decide doesn’t change that he is already king. The day will come when we all will confess that he is Lord.

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