The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Luke 23:1-2a,
"Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation.'"
We are told in the previous chapter that the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, Luke 22:2. Having come up with a way by paying Judas for his act of betrayal, and arresting Jesus, this was their official complaint. Jesus was "subverting" the nation. While the arrest and trial of Jesus was a mockery of justice and a false pretense, there is something of truth to their complaint against Jesus. He was "subverting our nation." Not only had Jesus invaded Israel and invited the people to a new kingdom, the "kingdom of God", his intent was to take this subversive message to the entire world through Israel.
The world has its own structure, its own hierarchies, its own way of doing things, all in opposition to its Creator since the garden of Eden. The world, in its sinful rebellion and animosity toward God shuns the things of God. I am reminded of how the world is characterized in Psalm 2:1-3, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. 'Let us break their chains,' they say, 'and throw off their fetters.'"
In this sense Jesus came as a subversive. He was subversive toward the world of sinful mankind, a world living in opposition to the things of God. The religious leaders saw their lofty positions in society endangered, the teachers of the law saw their "wisdom" tied in knots when they attempted to challenge Jesus. The rulers and authorities found themselves threatened as the Lord captured the hopes, the hearts and the minds of many people.
Truly, this world of lost and sinful man was subverted by the Son of God who came as a penetrating light into its darkness, breaking its hold on people and freeing them to embrace a new nation, a new kingdom that he offers to all who will embrace him in faith!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation.'"
We are told in the previous chapter that the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, Luke 22:2. Having come up with a way by paying Judas for his act of betrayal, and arresting Jesus, this was their official complaint. Jesus was "subverting" the nation. While the arrest and trial of Jesus was a mockery of justice and a false pretense, there is something of truth to their complaint against Jesus. He was "subverting our nation." Not only had Jesus invaded Israel and invited the people to a new kingdom, the "kingdom of God", his intent was to take this subversive message to the entire world through Israel.
The world has its own structure, its own hierarchies, its own way of doing things, all in opposition to its Creator since the garden of Eden. The world, in its sinful rebellion and animosity toward God shuns the things of God. I am reminded of how the world is characterized in Psalm 2:1-3, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. 'Let us break their chains,' they say, 'and throw off their fetters.'"
In this sense Jesus came as a subversive. He was subversive toward the world of sinful mankind, a world living in opposition to the things of God. The religious leaders saw their lofty positions in society endangered, the teachers of the law saw their "wisdom" tied in knots when they attempted to challenge Jesus. The rulers and authorities found themselves threatened as the Lord captured the hopes, the hearts and the minds of many people.
Truly, this world of lost and sinful man was subverted by the Son of God who came as a penetrating light into its darkness, breaking its hold on people and freeing them to embrace a new nation, a new kingdom that he offers to all who will embrace him in faith!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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