In George R. R. Martin’s novels, A Game
of Thrones, which has become an HBO television series, the nobles from the
Seven Kingdoms of the continent of Westeros battle it out to determine which
family will emerge victorious and sit on the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, wildlings from the north of
Westeros, driven by need and an advancing army of the dead, also prepare to
attack. Across the Narrow Sea, a new
queen rises, backed by her own forces and the power of three dragons. Martin’s sweeping fantasy epic is marked by
constant intrigue, murders, lies, betrayals, and couplings of many kinds. In a titular quote, Cersei Lannister says, “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”
A lot of people feel this way about
the thrones they protect. They feel like
their lives depend on their upwardly mobile career, their influence on the
school board, or the little territories they control in the local church or
civic organizations. For these folks,
winning is everything, and control is what it’s all about. Toward the end of John’s Gospel, powerful
players strut and fret their hour upon the stage, determined to keep their
thrones and defend their power in the face of a new threat—a Carpenter from
Nazareth, whom many people called the King of the Jews.
As in Martin’s books, the priesthood
in John’s Gospel is both corrupt and just as interested in wielding political
power as they are leading the people spiritually. Jealous of Jesus’ popularity, incensed by His
unorthodox teaching, and threatened by the fear of a failed revolt against the
Romans, the High Priest decides it’s better to have Jesus killed than allow Him
to continue. Jesus is betrayed and
arrested, then tried by the High Priest.
After that, Jesus is sent to Governor Pilate, who is reluctant to pass
sentence because he is afraid of the real power—not the religious leaders or
even the soldiers he commands—but the people.
Yet, Pilate is between a rock and a hard place, because he must also
answer to Rome. In Pilate’s inquisition
of Jesus in chapter eighteen, the reader observes, “With all this talk of
kingdoms and thrones, it doesn’t look like the one who has the power is really
in charge.”
Jesus is
quick to point out that God, not Pilate, is in charge. “My
Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep
me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this
world (John 18:36[i]).” Even so, Jesus is brutally treated, and in
a real-life scene that rivals the violence of George R.R. Martin’s books, he is
scourged so badly that the flesh is ripped from His back.
In chapter nineteen, the game of
thrones continues, with Pilate and the people trying to figure out who’s really
in charge. In a mockery of majesty,
Roman soldiers press a crown of thorns on Jesus’ brow, set a purple robe on
him, slap him across the face, and shout, “Hail,
King of the Jews!” Even though he
sits on the throne, Pilate lets the people tell him what to do as they shout
for Jesus’ crucifixion. Never mind that
only Roman law could call for the death penalty—and even then, for criminal
actions and not religious opinions—Pilate allows the priests to tell him, “By our law he ought to die because he
called himself the Son of God (v. 7).”
The Bible
says that when they say this, Pilate becomes more frightened than ever, because
while he had known the people were demanding the crucifixion of a heretic, he
had no idea that they were asking him to kill a god. So he asks Jesus where He is from. But Jesus does not answer. Pilate asks, “Why don’t you talk to me?...Don’t you realize that I have the power to
release you or crucify you (v. 10)?”
Jesus
replies, “You would have no power over me
at all unless it were given to you from above (v. 11).” With this one statement, Jesus shows that
He may be beaten, but He is not defeated.
The One who seems powerless is about to take His throne on the
cross. The thorns He wears are more
valuable than gold, because while He already was the Son of God, this crown
earns Him the title of Savior. Pilate
may have at his disposal a legion of soldiers, but if His Father had willed it,
Jesus could have commanded a legion of angels to come to His aid. The priests may have influence, the people
may have power, but God is in control.
But, still
the game of thrones goes on, with only one of its players knowing the final
score. The religious leaders remind
Pilate that if he lets Jesus go, he is no friend of Caesar’s. Pilate feels the weight of the Roman crown
bearing down on him, but he also fears the people—so he lets them decide. They call for Jesus’ execution, and the
governor capitulates, even though he finds no fault with the accused. They take Jesus away and crucify Him. Pilate has a sign placed above Jesus’ head
that reads, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King
of the Jews (v. 19).”
Again, the
game of thrones continues. The religious
leaders that Pilate’s inscription actually labels Jesus as their king. They can’t quite tell if he’s being sarcastic
or serious, so they offer a correction. “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to
‘He said, I am King of the Jews (v. 21).’”
Pilate retorts, “No, what I
have written, I have written (v. 22).” So
Jesus, already recognized as Son of God by many, is crowned, enthroned on the
cross, and literally declared to be royalty by a representative of the greatest
empire the world has ever known. The
game of thrones is complete—In what looks like defeat, Jesus has
triumphed. Cersei Lannister said, “When
you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.” But Jesus has done both!
In this
game, Jesus proves that when each player thinks they have the power, the
religious leaders, the people, the soldiers, and Pilate are really living a
farce. In fact, God is maneuvering for
the win. The Bible says it’s all about
Jesus, not us. “Through [Jesus]God created…the things we can see and the things we
can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the
unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him (Colossians 1:16).” Because it’s all about Jesus, Revelation 4:10
depicts twenty-four rulers casting their crowns at His feet, and rejecting
their own glory. In our lives, we must be careful lest we think too highly of
our own position and power as well.
Don’t even bother trying to play the game of thrones, setting yourself
up as if you’re in control—because God is on the throne. Instead, trust the One who was willing to
bear the scourge, the thorns, and the cross for you. Let Him be the King of your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment