Let us reflect on what was an incredibly momentous day in the history of God’s Creation. Events transpired on Good Friday that had never happened before, and will never happen again. The Son of God hung on a cross and died, the heavens were torn open and the division between human and divine was laid bare. When we consider what took place that day, I think the only appropriate response is to fall flat on our faces in wonder and worship.

The incredible mystery and apparent absurdity of it all – the God-man Jesus Christ abused, abandoned, tortured and killed. And yet – in the midst of it all, Pilate’s question keeps ringing in our ears, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Six times in this chapter, we find that title used in some relation to Jesus. Is he the King? And if he is, what kind of King is this? Power, pomp, praise and pageantry are what usually comes to mind when we think of royalty, but as we’ll see, the only regal symbols bestowed on Jesus were objects of ridicule and disdain, and the only words of praise were uttered by an executioner.