“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ 3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.” – Matthew 2:1-3
The magi were happy to search for Jesus, but Herod? Not so much!
Under Roman authority, Herod was the official king of the Jews. There’s not supposed to be any competition! So we can see why Herod got rankled, and when the king is upset, so is everyone around him. The city was in turmoil.
Jesus has that effect!
Yet this person the magi were looking for might be nothing more than a religious guide or a priest. But Herod wasn’t taking any chances.
“When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written: 6“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.”’” – Matthew 2:4-6
Notice what Matthew reports here. He refers to “the Messiah” who is “a Ruler.” The leader God will send will be more than a Bible preacher. He’s going to govern the Jewish people.
So Herod felt threatened!
“Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’” – Matthew 2:7-8
Of course, Herod had no such desire. His only interest was in preserving his own reign. This tyrant intended to kill Jesus as soon as he found Him.
But God intervened!
“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the Child and His mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.’” – Matthew 2:13
The Father told the stepfather to protect His Son. And that’s what Joseph did. It wasn’t Christ’s time to die. Not yet anyway.
Having lost his chance, Herod didn’t take it too well.
“When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.” – Matthew 2:16
Brutal and unrestrained, Herod killed anyone who he thought might endanger his status. He failed, but his hostility toward God’s Messiah remained. It lived in Judea even after Herod died.
Three decades later, Jesus was on trial for the crime of being “the king of the Jews.” Pontius Pilate investigated the claim.
“Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied.” – Matthew 27:11
Unlike Herod, Pilate felt more entertained by Jesus than imperiled. In the governor’s mind, anyone who displeased the Jewish leaders had to be a decent guy. But the religious authorities wouldn’t let Pilate get away with it.
“From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, ‘If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.’” – John 19:12
That was Pilate’s weak spot. To befriend Jesus was to alienate Caesar. He’d have to choose between the two.
Pilate gave it one last try.
“But they shouted, ‘Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!’ ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ Pilate asked. ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the chief priests answered.” – John 19:15
The highest loyalty of the priests was supposed to be toward God, but they had a pretty comfortable situation under Roman rule. As long as there was peace in Jerusalem, the government would not interfere with how the Jewish authorities handled the religious affairs of the people. And within a corrupt system, temple life resembled a racket.
Jesus jeopardized the system, so He had to go. Except the priests couldn’t kill Him; only Rome had that authority. So they warned Pilate that siding with Jesus would risk his own security. And like Herod, he wouldn’t tolerate that.
So the Roman soldiers ridiculed Jesus Christ.
“Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him. 28They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, 29and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said.” – Matthew 27:27-29
Finally, under Pilate’s charge, the soldiers executed Him.
“Above His head they placed the written charge against Him: This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” – Matthew 27:37
Herod, the priests, Pilate, and the soldiers–they all resisted the royalty of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of His life and at its end, our Lord was hunted and attacked for being “the king of the Jews.” What was supposed to be good news cost Jesus everything.
Even after His resurrection, antagonism to the majesty of Christ endured.
In the Greek city of Thessalonica, Paul preached the gospel to the Jews living there. Some believed, but others rejected it. Not content with disagreement, they formed a mob and began searching for Jewish converts.
“But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: ‘These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.’” – Acts 17:6-7
From His birth, to His death, to the spread of the gospel by the apostles, the royal status of Jesus Christ faced opposition. To declare Jesus as King is to call the world to repentance. Those who suffer injustices find the Lordship of Jesus to be great news. But those who prosper at the expense of others fear the call to surrender everything to Him.
Christ’s royalty was resisted. At His birth. At His death. At the proclamation of His message.
Rather than fighting what God has done, why not accept it? The Father gave us His Son that we might receive the greatest gift possible–new life!
This Christmas, celebrate our King Jesus and share the good news. The crucified King lives forever and through Him, we can, too.
Merry Christmas!
