April 2, 2023
Misunderstanding Kingship
“So, Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:15 (NASB)
Years ago in ministry, we met a younger couple. They had a fairly large family of five children and became fairly regular attenders. They said they were having trouble making their monthly commitments and needed help. With a limited church budget, a very wealthy lady in the church began helping them financially. She paid back payments in rent and other utilities which were long overdue. She even helped the couple move into a bigger, more expensive home to rent. I cautioned her about creating a bigger, debt to income ratio. She continued. I offered to help the couple with some personal accounting help. They declined. It was too personal to know their finances. Over the course of about a year, the couple kept asking for more money from her. She finally told them she could not help them. It was apparent these problems would continue until the couple made changes. It never happened. To this day, I know of churches this couple has visited for financial help. It was a shame the couple never realized the house of God was more than a financial institution. Their time in the house of God proved the misunderstanding of God in their lives. They had other intentions. Today, we see this happening with Jesus.
“So, Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king…” Jesus knew the crowd were intending Him to become their provider. They would never have a need for food again. Healings could become a part of the normal life with Jesus. The idea of kingship was shallow though. The people were looking for a king who would allow them to rise up against the Roman army. This would allow them to live in an ultimate welfare state. “They were intending to come and take Him by force.” The word “force” here is harpazō. The root word is harp meaning to seize, catch up, or snatch away.[1] It is the same word used in Matthew 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.” The people were attempting to take Jesus, make Him their king, without even consulting him. If He were agreeable to the circumstance, it might be one thing, but it wasn’t. To install a king on a throne without His consent, would only allow those who placed Him there to control His actions as king in the future.
Within this story is an interesting thought. The people knew what they wanted Jesus to become, a king in the earthly realm. One who could make their lives easier, more secure, more happy, more free. Their misunderstanding though would only suffice for their earthly needs and conveniences. He could become their “lucky rabbit’s foot,” at any given time. I think this the same misunderstanding which occurs today with folks who visit churches. Some want eternal giving. Some want what Jesus can offer, but don’t expect to give anything in return. They want him to be King in areas of life, but not allowed access into others. They want a God of convenience. He must be a God who can be there when I need Him. This isn’t the way God works though. He is sovereign. I challenge you today, would you take time today to define this word? I left the link below for you to investigate for yourself. You might be surprised by how much you learn about God and His sovereignty.[2]
[1] Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
[2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-sovereignty-of-god/