The newborn king

We are in the season when Christians around the world are invited to celebrate the King of kings, just as the wise men of the east did: «Since Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea in the time of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem and said, Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We have seen his star rise and have come to worship him »(Matthew 2,1-2).

Matthew attaches great importance to including the Gentiles in the gospel narratives because he knows that Jesus came not only for the Jews but for the whole world. He was not born with the hope of one day becoming king, but was born a king. Therefore, his birth was a great threat to King Herod. The life of Jesus begins with the contact of the Gentile sages who worship and acknowledge Jesus as King. Shortly before his death, Jesus was brought before the governor; and the governor asked him, saying, Are you the king of the Jews? But Jesus said: You say it »(Matthew 27,11).

Anyone who walked past the hill of Golgotha ​​and saw the raised cross on which they had nailed Jesus could read on a large plaque above Jesus' head: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". The high priests found it uncomfortable. A king without honor, without power, without people. They asked Pilate: The sign must not say that this one of the Jews is King! But Pilate could no longer change his mind. And it soon became clear: He is not only the King of the Jews, but the King of the whole world.

The wise say very clearly that Jesus is the rightful King. The time will come when all people will recognize his kingship: "Before Jesus all must kneel on their knees - all who are in heaven, on earth and under earth" (Philippians 2,10 Good News Bible).

Jesus is the King who came into this world. He was worshiped by the wise and one day all people will bow their knees and do him honor.

James Henderson