The Last Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 29B), Nov. 26, 2006

BCP: Dan. 7:9-14; Psalm 93; Rev. 1:1-8; John 18:33-37 or Mark 11:1-11

RCL: 2 Sam. 23:1-7 and Psalm 132:1-13(14-19) or Dan. 7:9-10,13-14 and Psalm 93; Rev. 1:4b-8; John 18:33-37

The psalm appointed for this day sets forth unequivocally the theme of the lessons for the Last Sunday After Pentecost, commonly called “Christ the King.” The psalm praises the power of the Lord, accepting no limits to his authority. The whole world and all its waters are under his command. They have been “ever since the world began,” and holiness will adorn the Lord’s house “for ever and for evermore.”

The vast sweep of the authority of Christ is set forth in the lesson from Revelation, the beginning of that book. He is the “ruler of the kings of the earth,” who will be seen by “all tribes of the earth.” He is referred to as “the Alpha and the Omega,” the beginning and end of all things, and “the Almighty.”

A similar vision is given in the lesson from Daniel, in which a “son of man” is presented to the Ancient of Days and receives an everlasting and all-encompassing kingdom.

These images of spectacular power and dominion are in sharp contrast to the final lesson, however, when we move from prophecy to the descriptions of actual events in both selections from the gospel. The lessons from John and Mark both present us with scenes from Holy Week: John gives us Jesus’ trial before Pilate and Mark gives us the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It is noteworthy that the accusations made against Jesus by the Jewish council that turned him over to Pilate were accurate: He was, indeed, a king, and he does not deny it before Pilate. In their discussion, Pilate tries to discern the nature of the accusation and whether it is a threat to Rome. Jesus teaches the truth to one who has no understanding that there is such a thing. It is portentous that when Pilate asks, “So you are a king?” Jesus replies with the enigmatic “You say that I am a king. Could this mean that in Pilate’s very words and actions he is indeed, all unwittingly, saying and doing what is necessary for the kingship of Jesus to be accomplished?

The crowd in Mark’s gospel cried out, “Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming!” Surely they expected an earthly kingdom to be established, a political entity of some kind. And just as surely, Jesus knew that they would misunderstand his triumphal entry in this manner, yet accepted it as a proper first step to learning the truth. In both lessons from the gospel, the people do not understand the source and nature of his kingship. Yet through his humble actions he does indeed prove to be the king described and prophesied in the other lessons.

Look It Up

According to the lesson from Revelation, how does one become a “member” of Christ’s kingdom?

Think About It

In a country that fought for independence from a king and has since disdained any kind of official royalty or rule by class, why does royalty intrigue so many Americans? How do we understand “kingship,” even when it is applied to Jesus?

Next Sunday

The 1st Sunday of Advent, Year C, Dec. 3, 2006

BCP: Zech. 14:4-9; Psalm 50 or 50:1-6; 1 Thess. 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-31

RCL: Jer. 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-9; 1 Thess. 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36