Holy Week: Pilate’s question and the decision we, too, must make
By Dean Collins
Following the king is a much wiser path than trying to be the king. But pride often gets the best of us. And people can change their allegiance quickly.
The many of us who observed Palm Sunday in worship yesterday remembered that Jesus was treated like royalty on that Sunday so long ago. Crowds gathered and placed palm branches and even their coats on the ground that he might ride through the city in glory. Praise was lifted loudly and often as so many watched this small parade pass by. But emotions and motives shifted from Sunday to Thursday. Even the closest friends and disciples of Jesus caved to the pressures of the crowd, and their loyalty quickly crumbled in fear and shame.
There is much to think about this Holy Week. This week each year we consider the events that lead up to the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We intentionally focus on the suffering Jesus endured and the sacrifice he offered on our behalf. And since our tendency is quickly to move from one thing to another in our high tech and the social-media-driven world, we must choose to slow down this week and consider the significance of forgiveness and salvation that Jesus brought to the world that Holy Week.
Pilate’s question
Today I am struck by the conversation of Jesus with Pilate. We have all heard and read these events many times. What catches my mind today is Pilate’s question of Jesus and his response: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said so.”
Pilate and pretty much everyone else had missed both who Jesus was and what he was accomplishing. The Jewish people lived under the weight of Roman rule. It was not their choice to be controlled by Caesar. By the time of Jesus, it had been decades since Rome had taken control of Israel. Over time the Jewish people had hoped for the day when someone would rise up and be a warrior king who would allow them to control their own destiny.
We can relate. How do we long for and seek the same? We spend much of our life trying to be the captain of our ship, the lord of our manor, and the master of our destiny.
We spend much of our life trying to be the captain of our ship,
the lord of our manor, and the master of our destiny.
When Jesus gave his instructions to his disciples in anticipation of his Palm Sunday ride into Jerusalem, he declared his kingship by quoting the prophet Zechariah: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Those who participated in the original Palm Sunday did not understand that this ride was not the beginning of an overthrow of the Roman government. This ride was much more significant. It ushered in the reign of a king, but not one of this world. Jesus resisted the temptation to rule for a season. By going to the cross, he made it possible that a new way of life could be ushered in now under his rule that would span eternity.
Our goal
We must consider whether our goal is to be in charge for our short season of life or if we will choose to participate with Jesus in extending his reign of all things for all time. There is a big difference in these decisions. One focuses on the here and now and what I can accomplish by my talents and efforts. The other is a choice that can see transformation not of a moment but for eternity.
To take the view of Jesus, we must choose to bow before him in all matters of life. We cannot be focused simply on our preferences and pleasures. As followers of King Jesus, our goals are different than those of the world. Seeking political and positional power is short-lived and has limited effectiveness in the things that truly matter. But when we surrender our lives to Jesus we can participate in meaningful work now, transformative in nature, and lasting for eternity.
Human strategies
As we read Matthew 27, we quickly see that the adoration of the world one day can quickly turn to hatred on another day when expectations are not met. The human condition is filled with selfishness, envy, and the pursuit of human solutions. Human strategies will never satisfy our longing for meaning and flourishing. But when we follow Jesus, everything and every action we take can have eternal ramifications, not just for us but for everyone.
Lord, in this Holy Week we surrender the many ways we still attempt to be king. Forgive us for clinching our fists around things that matter little in the long run. We open our hands in surrender to you as King. Open our hearts and minds to the things you want to teach us as we journey to the cross where you gave your life for us. Renew us by your spirit that we might walk with you spreading your love to all we encounter today and every day moving forward.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Matthew 21:1-6; Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 27:11-27, 29-31 ESV
Photo by Avel Chuklanov at Unsplash
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