The Subversive Kingship of Jesus and Christian Social Witness

Jesus rode into Jerusalem, announcing his kingship on a borrowed donkey. He had no palace, much less a place to lay his head, and lacked a transportation service. This subversive king exorcized the temple, set limits on Caesar's authority, publicly declared that a poor widow's minimal offering was greater than all others, and redefined servanthood as beneficial for the needy rather than the benefactor. Jesus refused to directly answer interrogations from religious and political authorities about his messiahship and kingship. He demonstrated that authentic faith is at its best when it is able to resist. Though passively and actively noncooperative toward corrupt human authority, Jesus did not call for a revolt. He rebuked the disciple who struck with the sword, challenging the assumption that God is automatically on our side at the expense of people we do not know. Jesus ushered in an alternative kingdom through a countercommunity that did not operate according to the accepted standards of authority and hierarchy, but one that treated all people fairly and justly.