His Path

Jesus arrived in Galilee proclaiming the “Kingdom of God” – “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand.” In his ministry, the reign of God was invading the Earth, but his realm was different from the governments and ideologies of this fallen world, and on more than one occasion, he refused political power, especially when Satan tempted him in the wilderness.

The Devil offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world.” To attain absolute power, all he needed to do was to bow before the Tempter and submit to his overlordship. That was the price of political power, and according to him, the kingdoms of this age “have been delivered to me and I give them to whomever I will.”

[Photo by KaLisa Veer on Unsplash]

Jesus did NOT dispute the “right” of Satan to grant political power, but he refused it all the same, instead, embracing the path of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh - (Matthew 4:8-11, Luke 4:5-7).

Since then, his disciples must face the same test whenever the opportunity to obtain political power presents itself. The choice is whether to succumb to the temptation to wield power over others or to choose the same self-denying path that Jesus did. Yet how could God’s appointed king reign over the rebellious nations of the Earth without the military and economic might of the State? - (Psalm 2:6-8).

Rather than resorting to the political methods of this evil age, Jesus embraced the way of the Cross. In the “Kingdom of God,” victory is achieved through self-denial and sacrificial service for the Kingdom. Rather than dominating others through force, he “gave his life as a ransom for many,” a practical example for his disciples to follow.

However, the temptation in the “wilderness” was not the end of Satan’s political intrigues. Following his rebuff, “the Devil departed from him until an opportune time.”

After he miraculously fed a multitude, certain men plotted “to seize him and make him king,” but he walked since the mob was determined to crown him by force. By refusing political power, he turned many minds against him.

The Messiah would not become the militaristic leader bent on destroying Rome that so many of his contemporaries desired. The closer he came to his death, the more the fickle crowds rejected him. A ‘Suffering Servant’ who sacrificed his life for friend and foe was the last thing they wanted - (Luke 4:13, John 6:15).

Contrary to his contemporaries, Jesus “took on the form of a slave” and became “obedient unto death, even death on a cross,” therefore, God bestowed on him “the name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” and his followers are summoned to adopt the same mind that he demonstrated when he gave his life as a “ransom for many” - (Philippians 2:6-11, Mark 10:45).

The choice before us is between the cruciform and rough pathway that Jesus walked or the expedient and smooth superhighway offered by Satan. Christ declared that when he was “raised” on the Cross he would “draw all men to me,” not by seizing Caesar’s throne or con querying the nations through military and economic might.

Jesus of Nazareth is summoning us to “deny ourselves, take up the cross,” and follow him on that same cruciform road, the only one that ends in the Kingdom of God. If we refuse to do so we make ourselves “unworthy” of him and unfit for citizenship in his Kingdom.

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RELATED POSTS:

• Embracing the Cross - (To be the Messiah of Israel meant suffering and death for others, and Jesus summoned his disciples to follow that same path – Mark 8:31)

• Road to Calvary - (On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus explained what it meant to be the Messiah and the destiny of the suffering Son of Man - Mark 8:27-38)

• Ransom for Many - (The submission of Jesus to an unjust death becomes the paradigm for the love and service to others that disciples are summoned to manifest)