Daily Devotion for Thursday 17th October 2024

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters,  so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover.  So Pilate went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’  They answered, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’  Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.’ The Jews replied, ‘We are not permitted to put anyone to death.’  (This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’  Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’  Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’  Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from 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.’  Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’

Reflection

The temptation to power, explored yesterday,  means that the Church has, for most of its history, put aside Jesus’ Kingdom values.  There’s a tension here – of course we want to work for a better world, where the homeless are housed, the sick healed, the poor enriched, the outsiders and strangers welcomed.  These are all political imperatives which concern God’s Kingdom and the State.  There’s a difference, however, between taking the values and priorities of the Kingdom and yearning for political power.  

Mediaeval popes proclaimed themselves with ever more grand titles and held land known as the papal states.  Late 19th and early 20th century popes sulked when these states were incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy.  Luther needed Protestant princes to safeguard the freedom of his followers (and the suppression of those who continued as Catholics).  Zwingli died in battle – an odd way for a pastor to end his days showing a questionable allegiance to values of God’s Kingdom!  

A growing critique of American evangelicalism – from within that movement* – is about how political power has become the prime goal.  The offer of policies, and judges, which appeal to some Christians around abortion, immigration, and lgbt issues has trumped the moral failings of those who offer these inducements.  Instead of seeing proclamation, service, and persuasion as the Church’s mission, sections of the Church have become corrupt seeking to win a culture war.  These folk are useful to the political leaders who feed them their red meat but there’s no happy marriage in the pursuit of political power. 

At the supreme moment of crisis and temptation Jesus offers Pilate hard words.  With some defiant self confidence Jesus told Pilate what’s what.  If He had been interested in political power a mob could have been raised, angels dragooned, and the Romans defeated.  

Yet, for Jesus, power is seen in weakness, strength in service, faithfulness in care.  Can it be those things for the Church too?

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
crowned not with gold but thorns,
enthroned not in glorious state but on a shameful cross,
inspire Your people to use power wisely;
enable Your Church to see power in weakness
and give up the desire to rule.
Amen.