A Roman politician wrote perhaps the greatest inscription ever written. As a prisoner marched to his execution, the Roman custom was to carry a sign before him so that all could know the man’s name and his crime. “Murderer” or “Thief” might precede the man. When Jesus was led away, Governor Pilate wrote the now famous inscription: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” This inscription then hung above the cross (Jn. 19:19).
During the trial, Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus confirmed that he was a king, but that his kingdom was “not of this world.” This satisfied Pilate (Jn. 18:33-38), but not the malicious chief priest. Ultimately, Pilate got it right, and his inscription told the world the truth: Jesus was “The King” of a spiritual kingdom!
Of all the words inscribed in stone on major buildings, of all the speeches written for presidents, in all the writings of Shakespeare or poems of Robert Frost, none had ever compared to this simple inscription placed above this crucified king. Have words ever been displayed in a greater setting, ever spoken a greater truth, or announced such a world-changing event than those placed above Jesus’ head? Every Lord’s Day, this kingdom assembles to recall Pilate’s inscription and to remember our resurrected King!
-Dennis Doughty