Presbyter's Ramblings

PRESBYTER'S RAMBLINGS

The 2023-24 liturgical year concludes in November. The last Sunday in Pentecost is known as Christ the King Sunday. Jesus as king is not a title he uses. In answer to Pilate’s accusation “Are you King of the Jews?”, Jesus states “So you say.” To proclaim one’s own kingship, even if only spoken of in spiritual terms was to ask for trouble. It would have been treasonable in the Roman Empire.

Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God. In tradition the term ‘Christ’ does have regal implications. However, Jesus’ reign is antithetical to our notions of kingship and kingdoms as they were understood in his time. Jesus makes the claim “my kingdom is not of this world … my kingdom is not from here.” (John 18:36)

In the West today constitutional kingdoms and realms are somewhat benign, but not all. In the East we have the dynastic order of North Korea which reminds us that such rule can be tyrannical and debasing of humanity. There remain kingdoms that don’t share what we might call a more enlightened monarchy.

Throughout our 2000 years of history, we have tended to shape the Church as a kingdom, at times even into an empire. This was never what Jesus, the Christ, would have had in mind for his disciples. In many ways this was the trade-off for the ending of the horrors of persecution.

Rex Hunt helpfully refers to Christ the King Sunday as The Kingdom of Nobodies. Indeed, he refers to this celebration as Jesus the Nobody. This is somewhat provocative and confronting. But this is in line with Jesus’ teachings on humility and servanthood as the highest ideal. Jesus constantly reminds his disciples that the greatest among you must be the servant of all.

Regarding his death, Jesus is not killed as a royal interloper. He is crucified in his status as a nobody in Roman eyes. In modern times some have argued that there is no evidence for the person of Jesus. No evidence for the historical Christ. For some then, Jesus continues to be a nobody. As if He had never existed. While intellectually there has been some merit in the argument, it is simply not true. It is a    red herring. The slave in Ancient Rome is literally a nobody. Yet we proclaim this nobody as king, one who liberates and saves. The king who refuses to be known as such. Where He does identify himself, rather than as a king He refers to himself with the simple term friend. (John 15:15)                          

Andrew