By Lisa Wilmore
Scripture: Early in the morning the chief priest met hurriedly with the elders, the teachers of the law, and the whole council, and made their plans. They put Jesus in chains, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered, “So you say”. The chief priests were accusing Jesus of many things, So Pilot questioned him again, aren’t you going to answer? Listen to all their accusations. Again, Jesus refused to say a word, and Pilate was amazed (Mark GNT).
My Dear Friends,
Jesus, our Savior, was accused of many things He was completely innocent of. Can you imagine being put in chains, led away, and handed over to a judge and jury to stand trial for something you did not do? Sadly, this has happened to many African American men who were wrongfully charged and convicted. Some have been exonerated and shared their stories of how they were falsely accused, while others spent years in prison, steadfast in their innocence.
Jesus, our eternal and unchanging Savior, was accused by the chief priests-the very people who should have recognized Him and understood His purpose due to their knowledge of God’s Word. Yet, because of their jealousy and envy, they handed Him over to be tried by the Roman government, ultimately declaring Him guilty. But when Pilate asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus calmly replied, “So you say.”
My mother always taught us that when others call you names, you do not have to respond to the name they give you. When someone calls you something other than your real name, you are under no obligation to answer. As I grew older, I learned that people can be rude and inconsiderate, often trying to provoke you. Though Pilate was attempting to stir the situation by asking Jesus if He was the King of the Jews, Jesus did not directly answer. Instead, He acknowledged Pilate’s words, delicately turning the question back to him. In that moment, Pilate was correct-Jesus is the King of the Jews.
Do you recognize that Jesus is our King? He is our Lord and Savior, the only One who could save us from our sins. Even though many have been wrongly called names, Pilate got this one right: Jesus is the King!
And the church said, “Thank You, Father, for our Everlasting, Eternal and Endless Savior. Our King of kings and Lord of lords.” Scripture declares, “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name in which He is called is The Word of God…On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:13-16 ESV)).”
Jesus is great and worthy to be praised!
