My Kingdom is Not of This World
By Rev. Jennifer Cumberbatch
A few weekends ago, “No Kings” marches took place all over the country. Presidents are not kings. was the message. Americans are often fascinated by royalty, captivated by the pomp and splendor. Yet, Americans also fancy voting for their leaders.
I have been rereading the book of John during Holy Week, 2026, and meditating on the passage where Jesus is brought before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea during Jesus’ ministry. Pilate asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews.
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:36-37 NJK)
The Message translation of the Bible interprets Jesus as saying that his kingdom does not consist of what is visible. The kingdom to which Jesus refers in this passage is heavenly, governed by God’s truth, justice, and mercy.
Earlier in the apostle John’s gospel account, John narrates the plot of the chief priests and the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, because they feared losing power if the people followed Jesus in mass. But God’s intent from the beginning of humanity’s fall has always been to redeem and save the whole world. God wants to return humanity to “good.” `
John 11:48-52
If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
It is important to recognize that the plot to kill Jesus was not from the Jews in general. Rather, powerful and wealthy Jewish leaders hatched the plot to maintain favor with Rome and thus their wealth and power.
There are kingdoms within kingdoms displayed within John’s narrative: the Roman world power, the Jewish nation (the people), and the fiefdom of the chief priest and the ruling class of the Jewish people.
And, Jesus declared to Pilate that his kingdom is not obvious. Jesus’ quote in the apostle John’s narrative means that his kingdom is not like the kingdoms represented in the Roman Empire or any other era. War or plots to maintain power by murderous violence do not establishJesus’ kingdom. Jockeying for favor with the powers that be does not legitimize Jesus’ kingdom. God, the maker of heaven and earth and all that is in it, establishes Jesus’ kingdom and authority.
So, from this point of view, even democracies are kingdoms whose rules and premises are observable. Christ’s kingdom is different from all other kingdoms.
I am glad to live in a democracy. I enjoy the privilege of voting for our leaders. But as the great devotional writer, Oswald Chamber said, (I am paraphrasing). The first thing a follower of Christ gives up is nationalism, because Jesus died for the whole world. Chamber contends that we give up personal rights in following Christ. This includes nationalism and selfish ambition, which contradict full allegiance to Christ and God’s kingdom in Christ.
The people of the nation may rage against their leaders. And the nations and their leaders have and continue to imagine vain things.
God has ordained, established, and given Christ authority to rule the earth and humanity. And Christ shall reign, sovereign in God’s loving kindness and tender mercy forever and ever. Amen!