Psalms 8:1 and 16:1-2

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Luke 23. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind on Christ’s answer to Pilate’s question: “Art thou the king of the Jews”?

Luke 23:3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

In August of AD 28, Jesus enquired of His disciples: “Whom do men say that I the Son of man Am?” (Matthew 16:13). At that time, some thought He was John the Baptist risen from the dead, others thought He was Elias (Eliajh), Jeremias (Jeremiah) or one of the other prophets returned from the dead (Matthew 16:14). Jesus then asked His disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). And Peter declared the foundational doctrine of the Church: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). After Jesus declared that upon this truth He would build His church, He charged the disciples that “they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ” (Matthew 16:20).

About four months later (December 14-15, AD 28), the Pharisees impatiently demanded of Him, “If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24). And then, four months after that, Caiphas pressed Him on this question coming into Passover (April 14-15, AD 29): “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63).

Jesus stood before Pilate the next morning and was asked: “Art thou the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered: “Thou sayest it” (Luke 23:3; Mark 15:2; Matthew 27:11; see John 18:33-36).

Along the still waters, I reflected on all of this. In every instance, Jesus refused to assert the declaration personally. He deferred to the testimony of His Father, and the works He did, and to the witness of Scripture concerning Him, but He never declared this of Himself openly. And this is what frustrated and even infuriated the rulers of the Jews. The closest He came to an exception to this rule was when He solicited a declaration from His own disciples, and even then He told Peter that the revelation came to him from His Father (Matthew 16:17). No man calleth Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3—calling Jesus Lord, like calling Him Christ (which is to call Him King) is something received from the Spirit of God the Father).

The point is that the declaration that Jesus is the Christ (the anointed King) is something for us to proclaim, not Him. When the Father glorifies the Son, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess it, but Jesus will never assert this of Himself (John 5:31-40).*

When Caiaphas demanded that Jesus say whether He was Christ, and Pilate asked Jesus if He was King of the Jews, and then later asked, “Art thou a king then?” Jesus’ response seemed like a dodge to them.

I know that usually Jesus’ response is taken to be an affirmation, as if Jesus said, “Yes, I am Christ.” It certainly was not a denial, and the implication of His response would be reasonably taken as affirmation, but in fact, Jesus did not declare Himself to be Christ. He deferred to the Father’s witness concerning Him, the works that He did, and the witness of Scripture concerning Him.

I think Jesus was telling the Jews, Caiaphas, and Pilate that it was for them to say! He did not even reveal this directly to His disciples —it was for them to say. Jesus said “Thou sayest” to Caiaphas, and to Pilate, and the question is, when did Caiaphas or Pilate say Jesus is Christ the King? Without getting too technical, “Thou sayest” may rightly be taken as “that’s for you to say.” Caiaphas demands, art thou Christ, the Son of the living God?” and Jesus says, That’s for you to say! Pilate asks Him the same question, and Jesus says to Pilate, “That’s for you to say.”

It is for us to declare Jesus is Christ, the King. He forbade His disciples from making this public before the Cross. But He is now risen, and seated on the right hand of power, and we wait for Him to return in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 26:63-64). The gag order has been lifted. We are free to declare Jesus is the Christ of God to all men everywhere.

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I heard Him say, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I remembered this exhortation was first given in connection with Peter’s declaration that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God, and immediately following his failure to embrace the cross Jesus was called to bear on our behalf (Matthew 16:16, 21-27). I denied myself, took up my cross, and followed my Shepherd to His table.

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed close as we went together into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live probably sometime after noon today.

https://rumble.com/v728a5w-shepherds-pasture.html

[*When Caiaphas demanded that Jesus say whether He was Christ, the King of the Jews, Jesus’ response was “Thou hast said.” Then Jesus declared that “hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 27:63-64 —Essentially, Jesus told Caiaphas that His answer would be when he saw the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven). The High Priest jumped on His words and accused Him of blasphemy, yet Jesus merely testified to what Scripture said of Him; He did not, in fact, make this declaration of Himself.]

PS: Ryan Case, Missionary to Mexico, responded during the livestream, reminding me of John 4, where the Samaritan woman, whose life was a shipwreck, said she knew that when the Messiah comes, He would reveal all things. Jesus answered her and said, “I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:25-26). Then she went about telling everyone she found the Christ (John 4:28-29).