“And a superscription also was written over him in the letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise”
Luke 23 : 38-43
The inscription on top of Jesus’ cross has evoked many interpretations and mysteries over the years. It is said that the inscription, which is considered normal for people who were sentenced to death by crucifixion at that time, was written by Pontius Pilate. It stands for ‘Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum’, which means “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”. The inscription is meant to show the conviction of Jesus, the reason why he is crucified there. And the reason is clear: because He declared himself the king of the Jews.
And why is that act so wrong? After all, Jesus did meet with the real king of the Jews just hours before crucifixion – King Herod. He is in fact the real king of the Jews, isn’t he? Then why declaring himself as a King is such a sinful act that deserves crucifixion? That’s the whole point. Jesus was innocent. But in times where many innocent people are punished to death, why did this ‘felt’ so wrong for so many people? Remember, this is not the US – there is no human rights organization in Rome. These people are used to orgies, bathing themselves in blood because it is believed to make people look younger, they have slaves, whom they can slaughter or even torture without any conviction. So, another innocent person hangs on the cross – what’s the big deal?
Reading through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we have to realize that it is the teachings of Jesus that is emphasized. Very little is discussed or written about the ‘personal’ Jesus – how He lived, what He eats, what He does every day. If His travels are recorded, it is mainly because He performs a miracle or teaches there – so it is about teaching again. The debate about Jesus having a wife, a family, and even a bloodline, has gotten so intense and widespread, simply because we don’t even know if Jesus, or most of the disciples, have married or have their own families. The gospels then, are definitely not a biography. They do not describe the life of Jesus. Instead, they describe the teachings, thoughts, and groundbreaking ideas of Jesus Christ.
So when Jesus was crucified, it is not only His body which was crucified – it is more about His ideas. His ideas, that people should love God more than anything, and love each other as they love themselves. That Sabbath is made for men and not men for Sabbath. That God so loved the world, that He gives his only begotten Son to save it. The very ideas that sharply criticize and shakes the establishment at that time – the Pharisees, Jewish Religious Leaders – to the ground. Jesus always had an answer – to every testing questions, inquiries, traps, and riddles prompted by these people designed to embarrass Him. How would He respond to the ultimate trap – death by crucifixion?
This is why Jesus’ innocent death has touched many people deeply at that time. Because Jesus was always there for the people – the ordinary, weak, poor people who have been the subjects of the Jewish and Roman establishment. So when His ideas were crucified, it spells death also to the poor being happy, the weak being strong, the sinners being saved. The so-called ‘King’, is now hanging helplessly on a cross, bowing down to the power of the establishment, whereas the reluctant Roman Empire stood by and watch. The inscription, acting as a cynical referral to Jesus’ claim as a King, stood there arrogantly, even in three different languages, as if so that everyone in the whole world can read and understand what is written there. The establishment can feel secure now, their power is safe. Or is it?
The discussion between two convicts who were crucified together with Jesus reflects the minds of the ordinary people who follow Jesus. One, the skeptic, posed a bold question, asking Jesus to demonstrate His power as a real King and free Himself from the cross. The other one, the believer, understood that it was not Jesus as a person, but it is Jesus’ teachings, ideas, that matter. Therefore he said, Jesus was innocent, and yet He died for ordinary people. So he is the King! What He said is true! He understands this as he asks Jesus to remember him, when He comes to His Kingdom – which is of course, not of this world. And Jesus applauded him, saying that paradise is reserved for him: because he understood His teachings, His ideas. He understands Jesus’ visions. He understands the meaning of the cross.
Today, a cross has a very different meaning. A cross has been taken as a symbol of Christianity, now the world’s largest religion by number. Instead of symbolizing violent death and shame for evildoers, a cross has received a transformation, acting now as a symbol of peace and salvation. A red cross has even become an international symbol for act of mercy, which even in the most violent wars, an attack towards people bearing this mark will receive international condemnation. If Caiaphas and the establishment at that time are still alive today, they would be furious and ashamed of themselves. Their orchestrated mockery of the ‘King of Jews’, in a form of crucifixion, which is supposed to kill Jesus and his ideas once and for all, has turned against them. Jesus’ teachings did not died off like many others. It flourished, creating a new establishment, a world of much better human rights standards. A new religion, which is based on His very ideas: that the poor is helped, the weak is nurtured, and the sinners are forgiven. It has become, in the end, Jesus’ triumphant reply to their final and ultimate trap.
Kedoya, 22.11.2010
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