This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. Pilate has tried several times to control the situation. His offer to release Jesus or a criminal has failed. His gambit to scourge Jesus and show that the man has been harshly punished has failed – and the people are demanding crucifixion: ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God’ (Jn 19:7).  Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. Pilate attempted to placate the Jewish leaders and people by offering them the choice to release Jesus or a infamous thief. When the people did not choose Jesus, in Jn 19:1-4, Pilate ordered Jesus scourged as part of a plan for Jesus’ release.  Before and after this episode, Pilate affirms that Jesus is not guilty; therefore, we must suppose that Pilate is having Jesus reduced to a bloody and battered figure in order to placate the assembled crowd and to persuade them that Jesus is too helpless to be a threat.  Roman scouring was more than a beating.  Continue reading →