Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked

Committing The Sins Of The Jews

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2016-11-18

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver argues that modern Christians commit the same sin as the Jews who crucified Christ: rejecting Jesus as King while wanting Him only as Savior. He demonstrates from Scripture that Jesus is the Messiah—Prophet, Priest, and King—and that salvation requires submission to all His offices. The Jews rejected Christ's kingship in favor of Caesar, and today many reject His rule while seeking only deliverance from sin's penalty. The message warns that rejecting God's kingship leads to tyranny and destruction.

[John Weaver] John chapter 18, the title of the message, listen carefully, it is Committing the Sins of the Jews. Committing the Sins of the Jews. John 18, look if you would please at verse 36 and 37. John 18 verse 36, Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world, If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence.

[John Weaver] Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Look at what our Lord said. Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. So Jesus Christ is claiming to be king. Look, if you would, in chapter 19, beginning there with verse 14. John 19, verse 14, and it was the preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour, and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your king.

[John Weaver] But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king. but Caesar. Skip down to verse 19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title then read, many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was not to the city.

[John Weaver] It was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priest of the Jews to Pilate, write not the King of the Jews, but that he said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written, committing the sins of the Jews. It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. But imitation is not always flattering, especially when it is imitation of sin, rebellion, and wickedness. And I want to demonstrate to you today from Scripture how that we in the 21st century or committing exactly the same sins that the Jews committed when they crucified Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Now, I know that it's not politically correct to refer to the scriptural fact that it was the Jews who crucified Christ.

[John Weaver] Even many Christians try to water that down by saying, well, you know, He died for all of our sins and Therefore, we were all responsible for his crucifixion. Well, it is true that he died for the sins of his people. But the scripture is exceedingly specific. And the scripture states it was the Jews who crucified Christ. It was the Jews who rejected his person. It was the Jews who sought his life. It was the Jews who delivered him unto Pilate. It was the Jews who demanded he be crucified.

[John Weaver] In John chapter 5 verses 16 and 18, listen carefully as I read this passage. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he did these things on the Sabbath day. Now verse 18, therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he not only had broken Sabbath but said also that God was his father making himself equal with God. And since you're in John 19, look at verse 11 at what Jesus Christ said to Pilate. When Pilate told Christ that he had power to crucify him and power to let him go, in verse 11, Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And it was the Jews who delivered Christ over to Pilate.

[John Weaver] Now, just to show you very quickly how specific Scripture is. Turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Acts chapter 2. In fact, we'll look at several passages in the book of Acts. But I want you to see how the Scripture specifically charges the Jews with crucifying Christ. In Acts chapter 2, verse 23, and I'll come back to this verse a little bit later. Acts 2 and verse 23, Peter is preaching and he says, Him, talking about Jesus Christ, Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Wow. Peter didn't pull any punches. If you look in Acts chapter 4 and verse 10, Peter says this. Acts chapter 4 verse 10. He says, Be it known unto you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him did this man stand here before you whole. And if you'll look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 10, Acts chapter 10 and verse 39, I want you to note if you would what Scripture says.

[John Weaver] Acts 10 verse 39, once again He's talking about Jesus Christ, verse 38, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him, Verse 39, and we are witnesses of all these things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Now, who does the Bible say killed Christ? It was the Jews. They used the Roman soldiers as instruments, but it was the Jews. Now, if you were to read Acts 7 and verse 52, here you would find that Stephen, in giving his defense, calls the Jews the betrayers and murderers of Jesus Christ. Look in verse 52, Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before the coming of the just one, of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers. Isn't that interesting? The Bible specifically states over and over that it was the Jews who crucified Christ.

[John Weaver] We may believe the politically correct version and try to say, well, no, they were not guilty. Or we may believe what the Bible states and say, yes, they were guilty of crucifying Jesus Christ. Now, as for me in my house, I prefer to believe the Bible. It was the Jews who were responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. The question has to be asked. Why did they want him crucified? We know that the death of Jesus Christ was foreordained by God the Father. In fact, the Bible tells us that every detail was worked out before the world ever began.

[John Weaver] Go back in your Bibles to Acts chapter 2, if you would please, and look beginning there in verse 22. Acts 2 verse 22. Peter is preaching and he says, You men of Israel, Hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you as you yourselves also know. Now look, him, Christ, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.

[John Weaver] You have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. It was no accident that Christ was crucified. God had determined and foreordained before the world ever began that His Son, Jesus Christ, would be the Messiah, the God-man, the Redeemer, the Savior, the Lord of Glory, and that He would give His life for His people. And in fact, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter 4, and beginning there, verse 26, you will see it explained even in greater detail. Notice Acts, chapter 4, beginning there, verse 26.

[John Weaver] Once again, the scripture says the kings of the earth stood up. Herod, Pilate, all of them, the kings of the earth stood up and the rulers, that is those elders of Israel, were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. Notice that. against the Lord and against His Christ, for of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, now look, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." Do you realize there was not one thing that happened to Jesus Christ that was not ordained before the foundation of the world? Nothing was left to chance, fate, or fortune Every aspect of the life of Jesus Christ was under the sovereign control and sovereign predestination of God the Father. Everything that happened according to the will of God.

[John Weaver] However, although God had foreordained his crucifixion and death, yet when the Jews crucified him, they did not do so in obedience to God, but in rebellion to God. They hated Christ, and they would not receive Him as their Messiah. In John 15 and verse 25, and I'll just quote it for you, our Lord says this, But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated Me without a cause. In other words, there was nothing in Jesus Christ that would merit or draw forth their hatred. They hated Him freely. without a cause. As Peter said to them in Acts chapter 2, which I've already quoted, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. So what they did, they did an absolute rebellion to God. So the Jews were responsible for the death of Christ. They crucified Him because they hated Him, despised Him, refused Him, and rejected Him. Plain and simple. Why did they want Him crucified? Do you realize in the book of Daniel chapter 9, and I'm not asking you to turn there, but I'll give you the scriptures.

[John Weaver] In Daniel chapter 9 verses 25 and 26, we read in those two verses about the Messiah. Now the word Messiah in the Hebrew is Mashiach, and in the Greek it is Messiahs. The same word that is translated twice as Messiah, and Daniel chapter 9 is translated anointed 37 times in the Bible. What does the word Messiah mean? It means the anointed one. When we say Jesus the Messiah, we're saying Jesus the anointed one. So once you call Jesus the Messiah, Once you refer to Him as the Anointed One, listen carefully, you're acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King.

[John Weaver] I want you to think about this just for a moment. Our Lord's earthly name is Jesus. That comes from the Hebrew word Yeshua, which simply means Savior. That is where we get the English name Joshua from? The word Joshua, like Jesus, just simply means Savior. When you come to the New Testament and you read about Jesus Christ, the word Christ in the Greek is the word Christos. Would you like to know what the word Christos literally means? Anointed. So when you say Jesus Christ, You're actually saying Jesus, the Messiah, or Jesus, the Anointed One. So Jesus Christ is the Messiah of God. Jesus Christ is the Anointed One. Now, I want you to remember something. In the Bible, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Now prophets were not anointed in exactly the same manner as priests and kings were. But yet they were anointed in the sense that God blessed them and bestowed upon them and gave them His Word to the extent that He put His Word in their mouths.

[John Weaver] For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18. Deuteronomy chapter 18. And let's begin reading there with verse 18. Here you find Moses making this statement referring to Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 18, beginning there of verse 18. Moses says, I will raise them up. In fact, he's speaking on an inspiration of scripture. In fact, verse 17, and the Lord said unto me. So the Lord is speaking to Moses.

[John Weaver] They have well spoken that which they have spoken. Here's what God says through Moses. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, that is like unto Moses, and will put my words in his mouth. and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." So what did God do? God put His words in the mouths of His prophets, but especially He put His words in the mouth of the prophet, Jesus Christ. Now, you've got to remember that Jesus Christ bears three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. As prophet, He declares unto us the true word of God. As priest, He makes intercession and atonement for us. As king, He rules over us.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say. One cannot divide the person of Jesus Christ. You cannot divide His person or His work without destroying salvation. Now, what do I mean that you cannot divide His person? Jesus Christ is one person with two natures. He is perfectly God and He is perfectly man. Hence, He is the God-man. Now, there have been some throughout history who want to deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Well, if you deny the deity of Christ, then all you have is the manhood of Christ. You thus destroy salvation. Others would deny the manhood of Christ. Well, you still destroy salvation. How can that be? Well, Jesus Christ must be God and man. He must be God to atone for our sins, and He must be man to be a substitute on our behalf. Thus, if you try to divide His person, either deny His deity or His manhood, you not only destroy the reality of Christ, you destroy salvation. Likewise, there are some who try to say, well, you know, Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king.

[John Weaver] And what we can do is this. We can pick which offices we want Christ to fill in our lives. Oh, what we will do is this. We will choose Christ as our prophet and our priest, but we don't want Him as king. In other words, we want to be saved, but we want to live the way that we please and the way that we desire. What we're going to do is we're going to bow to His office as prophet and priest, but we're not going to bow to His office as king.

[John Weaver] Well, you can't do that. And the reason you can't do that is Jesus Christ is God's Messiah, and as Messiah, He is prophet, priest, and king. You cannot pick and choose which nature you're going to have in Christ, neither can you pick and choose which office you're going to bow to in Jesus Christ. It is all or nothing. Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king. There is no such thing as having a halfway salvation. Nor is there any such thing as having one-half or one-third of the offices of Christ. Christ is one person with two natures who holds three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. And all three offices are absolutely necessary for salvation. To deny those three offices or deny the two natures of Christ is to deny God and to destroy salvation. I want you to listen to the Word of God because I want you to see how important it is that we understand the offices of Christ and see exactly how we're committing the same sins the Jews committed.

[John Weaver] If you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 2 and verse 36. Acts 2 verse 36. I can quote these verses but I do want you to see them. Look in Acts 2 in verse 36. Peter is preaching and he makes this statement. He says this, Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified.

[John Weaver] By the way, there he's blaming the Jews again. That's who he's preaching to on the day of Pentecost. He says, Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, the word Lord is kurios, which means boss, owner, master. The Greek word for Christ is christos, which is the anointed one.

[John Weaver] Now, look what he says. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God had made that same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now, the word assuredly is very important. It is the Greek word asphalos. which is also translated in our Bibles as safely. Let me show you what it means, all right? Whole Acts 2, but look back in your Bibles, if you would, to Mark chapter 14 and verse 44. Mark 14, verse 44. Then we're going back to the book of Acts. Look in Mark 14, verse 44. Judas is betraying Jesus Christ. Mark 14 verse 44. And he that betrayed him had given them a token saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss the same as he, take him away and lead him away safely. There's the word safely. It's the same Greek word asphalos. The word safely here does not mean without harm.

[John Weaver] That's what we normally think. But the word is actually rendered securely. Lead him away securely. In other words, don't let him escape. Don't let him get away. You say, how do you know it means that? Well, not only because of this verse and the context, but if you look in Acts chapter 16 and verse 23, you'll see the same exact Greek word again that is translated the same exact way. Notice Acts chapter 16 and verse 23. Acts 16 verse 23. Acts 16 verse 23.

[John Weaver] Paul and Silas have been thrust into prison. Watch what happens in verse 23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them, what? Safely? That doesn't mean without harm. They had just harmed them. They'd beat them with whips. Keep them securely. Make sure they do not escape. Now, are you listening? When Peter said in Acts 2 and verse 36, Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly. He's saying let all the house of Israel and everybody else know securely there is no escaping this truth that God has made that same Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. In other words, Jesus Christ is the sovereign He is the Messiah. He is the God-man. He is the Redeemer. He fills every office that has been ordained by God the Father.

[John Weaver] Now I want to read you the comments of two commentators on verse 36. When Peter said, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. Listen to what Albert Barnes wrote. He said, The word Lord properly signifies proprietor, master, or sovereign. Here it means clearly that God has exalted him to be king and that he'd given him dominion in the heavens, or as we should say, ruler of all things. The extent of this dominion may be seen in John 17 in Ephesians 1.

[John Weaver] In the exercise of this office, he now rules in heaven and on earth. and will yet come to judge the world. The truth was particularly fitted to excite their fear. They had murdered their sovereign, now shown to be raised from the dead and entrusted with infinite power. They had reason, therefore, to fear that he would come forth in vengeance and punish them for their crimes. Sinners opposing the Savior are at war with their living and mighty sovereign and Lord. He has all power and is not safe to contend against the judge of the living and the dead. Now notice what he said, the word Lord properly signifies proprietor, master, sovereign. It means that God has exalted him to be king and that he now rules in heaven and on earth.

[John Weaver] Listen to what John Gill wrote. Same verse, Acts 2.36, God the Father had not only constituted and appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, the Lord of lords and king of kings, and had invested him with that office, power and authority, but he had made him to manifest to be so by the Holy Spirit which he had received, and now poured forth the same, and not another, even him whom they had rejected with so much contempt, whom they had treated in such a scornful and brutish manner, had spit upon, buffeted, and scourged, and at last crucified. And yet now even he had all power in heaven and earth given him, and was exalted above every name, that in his name every knee should bow.

[John Weaver] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, absolutely securely, there is no escaping the fact, Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord. He is King of kings of heaven and earth.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31. I'm just trying to show you why the Jews crucified Christ. Look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31. At the same time, I want to show you how we're committing exactly their same sin. Acts 5, verse 31. In fact, let's read verse 30 so that you can see that Jesus Christ is the subject. Whom the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree, Him hath God exalted with or at His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Now here, Jesus Christ is referred to as the Prince.

[John Weaver] Now, the word prince is the Greek word archegos, which literally means prince or captain or author, someone who leads in some manner. Albert Barnes says on this verse, and he refers back to Acts 3 and verse 16, he says this, he, Christ, is called the prince of life. Now, listen to this. When God calls Jesus Christ prince, he says this, here it means that he is actually in the exercise of his office as a prince or a king at the right hand of his father. The title prince or king was one that was well known and applied to the Messiah.

[John Weaver] It denotes his dominion and power. And especially the power which is needful to give repentance and pardon of sin.

[John Weaver] Now isn't it interesting that the commentators say that Acts 5 and verse 31 and Acts 3 and verse 16 and you would have to include Acts 2 in verse 36, really demonstrates that Jesus Christ is in the actual exercise of the power of Lord and King. Now, we've got to ask a question. Why did the Jews crucify Christ? In order to answer that, let's ask another question. Why is it important to understand the significance of the exaltation of Christ in the New Testament? Let me ask it another way. Why did the apostles always emphasize in their preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? Why were they so adamant that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Is there a reason? And the answer is yes. Is there an important reason? And the answer is yes. Is there a reason important enough that would affect our view of salvation? And the answer is yes.

[John Weaver] I want you to look in your Bibles to John 20. And look if you would please at verses 30 and 31. I want you to see the significance. I want you to see the implications of Jesus, the Messiah, of calling Jesus the Messiah. I want you to look at it. Look in John chapter 20, verses 30 and 31. John 20, verse 30. John writes, and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book, that is, in the book of John. Look what he said, but these are written, that is the signs and the miracles that he did write about, but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name. Now I want you to look at John's argument. This argument is really very simple. John said, I've written the book of John for you to believe something. I've written the book of John so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

[John Weaver] Jesus is the Christ. Now, are you listening? If Jesus is the Christ, if Jesus is the Messiah, if Jesus is the anointed one, that means he is prophet, priest, and king. Are you listening? If Jesus Christ is the Messiah, if He is the prophet, priest, and king, it also means something else. In verse 31, it means He is the Son of God. Wow.

[John Weaver] Now, what is John saying? John is saying, in order to be saved, you must really believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then you also believe He's the Messiah, He's the prophet, priest, and king. And if you believe that, you're saved. He said, but if you don't believe that, then the opposite is true, then you're not saved. In other words, how can you be saved if you deny either His deity or His manhood or either of His offices? John said, I wrote this that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. and that believing, that is believing what he's written, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that you might have life through his name. It is impossible to be saved and deny the person of Jesus Christ. It is impossible to be saved and deny either of the offices of Jesus Christ. Why? Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Look back in your Bibles to the book of Romans, or over I should say, Romans chapter 1, and look in verse 4. And now I asked you earlier, why were the disciples so adamant on preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the exaltation of Christ, that Jesus Christ actually rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God? Why were they so adamant in preaching that? Well look in Romans chapter 1 in verse 4.

[John Weaver] Here's what the Bible says. Paul writes, In fact, let's read verse 3 once again so that you can see the context is Jesus. Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to flesh and declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. What did the resurrection from the dead It demonstrated, it manifested that Jesus Christ was indeed God in the flesh. Had Jesus been an imposter, He would have never been raised from the dead. He could not have raised Himself from the dead. But the very fact that He was raised from the dead by the power of God proves conclusively that He is the Son of God. And as the Son of God, He's King of kings and Lord of lords. So the emphasis in the Bible upon the exaltation of Christ, especially His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God, is not only an indication of His Godhood, but also of His kingship.

[John Weaver] Let me spell it out to you. We do not have a Savior who is not king. We do not have a mediator who is not king. We do not have a priest who is not king. The Son of God is king. Jesus the Messiah is King. Jesus the Savior is King. You cannot bow to Him as Savior without bowing to Him as King. They're one in the same person. You cannot bow to Him as Priest without bowing to Him as King. They're one in the same person.

[John Weaver] He fulfills all three offices. Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King. Why do the Jews crucify Christ? Are you listening? Christ said, I am the Messiah. As the Messiah, I am prophet, priest, and king. I have the absolute right to rule over you. I have the right to tell you what to do and what not to do. I have the right to teach you. I have the right to demand of you. I am king.

[John Weaver] You remember what Pilate kept saying? Shall I then crucify your prophet? No. Your priest? No. Your king. And what did they say? Crucify him. Crucify him.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you something from Scripture. Learn this lesson well. Are you listening? I want to demonstrate to you from the Scripture that when you reject the kingship of God, you reject His person. You say, where is that in the Bible? Well, turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 8 and just mark this passage because we're going to come back to this passage a little bit later. 1 Samuel chapter 8, so just mark it. And I want you to look beginning with verse 4 through verse 8. This is the passage where Israel is wanting a man to be king. And I'll tell you up front, they are rejecting God. Look in 1 Samuel 8, verse 4, Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways, Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. Look. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us.

[John Weaver] And Samuel prayed to the Lord. Now I want you to note what the Lord said. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people and all that they say unto thee. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, Even in this day where would they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now God said, Samuel, you give them what they want. But I want you to understand, Samuel, first and foremost, it is a rejection of me. Only secondly is it a rejection of you. And he said, and the reason they're doing this is because ever since they came up out of Egypt, all they wanted is idolatry and wickedness.

[John Weaver] Now, let me go a little further. If you look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, Samuel spells it out as a rejection of God. 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said unto me, Nay, but a king shall rule over us. Look, when the Lord your God was your king.

[John Weaver] Now, let's put this together. God was their king. But they said, we want a man to rule over us. And what did God tell Samuel? They've not rejected you, they've rejected me. A rejection of the kingship of God is a rejection of His person. The only God who exists is the God who is king. In 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 20, you don't have to read there. And Samuel said to all the people, fear not, you've done all this wickedness. What wickedness? The wickedness of rejecting God as their king. And he calls it wickedness, sin, revolt, rebellion, and idolatry. Now, let's go back in our Bibles to John chapter 19. That's where I started, and that's where I want to finish. I want you to look in John chapter 19.

[John Weaver] I've given you all this introduction just to preach a simple point or two. In John chapter 19, when Jesus Christ stood before Pilate, and Pilate asked him, Art thou a king? His answer basically was this. You said it, buddy. For this end was I born, and for this end came I into this world. I was born a king. I was sent into this world a king. I am a king. So, When Pilate then, look in John chapter 19, when Pilate then asked, what shall I do with your king?

[John Weaver] Of course they said, crucify him, crucify him. But look in verse 15. Verse 14 says, behold your king. Verse 15, but they cried out, away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, we have no king but Caesar. Now, hang on. The word have is like little Greek word echo, and it is translated have, but occasionally it is translated need.

[John Weaver] And in this instance, it is in the present tense, which means it's happening and it is continuing to happen. Here's what they were saying. We're not needing any king but Caesar. We're not wanting, we're not having any king but Caesar. Caesar is enough for us. I want you to think with me about the implications of such a declaration. We have no king but Caesar. I want to give you four things today. First of all, the declaration of John 19 in verse 15 is a denial of theological salvation. It is a denial of theological salvation. And when I use the word theological, I just simply mean that salvation is of God. Jonah 2 verse 9 said salvation is of the Lord. You know, as well as I do, that God promised His salvation way back in Genesis 3.15, the Protoevangelium, the first promise of Messiah. Then He gave that promise to Abraham by covenant, and all throughout Scripture, God's salvation is clearly taught.

[John Weaver] In fact, there are so many verses on the subject that one could spend a lifetime examining them and teaching them and never ever conquer all of them. But it's very clear that God has promised salvation. In fact, even the Apostle Paul talked about it when he talked about the hope of Israel. What was the hope of Israel? That God would send His Messiah. And when they are saying, we have no king but Caesar, and one fell swoop, They are denying God's salvation. They're saying salvation is not of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Let me read you what Calvin said on this verse. Listen. We have no king but Caesar. This is a display of shocking madness that the priest who ought to have been well acquainted with the law reject Christ and whom all the salvation of the people was wholly contained, on whom all the promises depended, and on whom the whole of their religion was founded, and indeed, by rejecting Christ, they

[John Weaver] deprived themselves of the grace of God and every blessing." Stop and think about that. We have no king but Caesar. We don't want God's salvation. We don't believe salvation. Their whole history, the whole truth of the Old Testament, Everything was totally denied. We're having no king but Caesar. Denial of Christ's kingship is equivalent to denial of Christ's salvation, for no salvation exists except that in which Jesus Christ is king. So first of all, there's a declaration of a denial of theological salvation.

[John Weaver] Secondly, as in 1 Samuel chapter 8, there is a desire for and satisfaction in a political or a governmental salvation. Wow. Hold on. Here's what they're saying. We don't need God. We don't want God. We don't want Christ. Caesar will do for us. Caesar will save us. Let's look to the emperor for bread and circuses. He will entertain us. He will take care of us.

[John Weaver] Now let me remind you of something. Peter made an amazing statement in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12. Let me just quote it for you. Here's what Peter said. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Now when Peter said that, Peter was preaching to the Sanhedrin in Acts chapter 4. But let me tell you what Peter was doing. Peter was declaring an all-out war against Caesar of the Roman Empire.

[John Weaver] You say, how can you say that? Here's how. Because when Peter said, neither is there salvation in any other, for there's none other name given among men, under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. When he said that in Acts 4 and verse 12, he was directly contradicting the words of Augustus Caesar, who in 17 BC had proclaimed, are you listening, salvation is found in none other save Augustus and there is none other name under heaven given to men whereby they must be saved. Augustus Caesar said, I am the Savior. Peter says, oh no you're not. Jesus Christ is the Savior. Peter was going head to head with the civil government.

[John Weaver] He was denying the kingship and lordship of the Roman Empire. How many preachers today that you know will take on the government head to head and say, no, you are not the highest authority. Jesus Christ is King. On January the 1st, 42 BC, the Roman Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity. a god of the Roman state and called him Divius Julius, Julius God, or Julius the Divine. Octavian, who followed him, had on his coinage Diviphilius, that is Augustus Caesar, the son of God. You've got to remember that Caesar claimed to be God. And Caesar, Augustus Caesar, had proclaimed throughout the Roman Empire, there's none of the name given among men whereby we must be saved other than the name of Augustus. Augustus Caesar was called Lord, God, and Savior. He referred to himself as the Just and Holy One and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He was claiming divinity for himself. What you had in the Roman Empire was a religious imperial cult. And in the Roman Empire, the cult was Caesar worship.

[John Weaver] It was the worship of government as God. In fact, the God was Rome itself and Caesar, the highest God, who sat upon the throne. And their priesthood, of course, consisted of all of those Roman senators and consuls who were elected from the provincial provinces around there. And these men were regarded as the loyal leaders of the local province because it was to these men that the Roman populace continually looked. Are you listening? They continually looked. They believed for the best interest of the Roman Empire. And so the people looked to these men as, you're set apart from us. you're there looking out for the best interest of the Roman Empire and in so doing looking out for our best interest. And as a consequence, those Roman consuls and senators tax the people and they tax them greater and greater, not only to satisfy their own excessive lifestyles, but also to promote their own programs. So much so, that the citizens of Rome understood what it meant really to be enslaved.

[John Weaver] And even, you've got to understand, the heaviest duty was upon those who claimed to be non-Romans because they looked to them to support and take care of the government. The imperial cult had risen to such a state as that the emperor was supposed to have superhuman power or divine power. The cult actually began with Julius Caesar, but it continued especially with Augustus Caesar, so much so that all of the Caesars were given the title Dominus et Deus, that is, Lord and God. It was Domitian, a Roman emperor who reigned from 86 to 96 AD, who actually demanded that he be worshipped as a god. And, of course, Christians were persecuted because they would not worship the Caesar as God. They would not acknowledge him as Lord. It is said that Tiberius did not want to be worshipped as God, but he said in a speech before the Senate, listen to what he said, here is his quote, I am immortal, and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind. The coinage of Rome evidenced that Augustus claimed to be God.

[John Weaver] Divi filius, the Son of God. Now listen, in the first century, the war was between Christ and Caesar. The question was, who is Lord? Who is King? Is it Christ or is it Caesar? Well, the Christians were persecuted because they refused to swear allegiance to the emperor cult. You see, in the Roman Empire, If you wanted to believe in Jesus Christ, that was fine. If you wanted to believe in Aphrodite, have at it. If you wanted to go for Zeus or Apollos, welcome, they could care less. Just so once a year you raised your hand or you offered an offering and you said, Caesar is Lord. Which meant Caesar gave you the right to believe whatever you wanted to believe. And so Christians then were put to death not because they were Christians, but because they were considered as unpatriotic and traitors and treasonous to the Roman Empire. Now, listen to me carefully. The war still exists between Christ and Caesar. You object and say, but pastor, this is not the Roman Empire. I understand.

[John Weaver] I know. But the same state religion of political correctness, the infallibility of government, the demands for total unlimited submission, and the confiscation of personal wealth for the benefit of government still exists. There is still a governmental religion where government is regarded as God. If you don't believe what I'm saying, You just take note, please, of the entity to which people cry when there is an emergency in this country. Do they cry to the one true and the living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ? Or do they cry to the federal government for federal funds and a declaration of emergency funds?

[John Weaver] What did those Jews say? We're having no King but Caesar. Why did they reject Christ? They rejected Him for the God of government. I'm going to answer that a little more fully in just a moment. But do you realize we're doing exactly the same thing today? We had rather have our sins than repent. We had rather lose our souls than look after ourselves and take personal responsibility for our lives. We don't want Christ to reign over us. We want government to take care of us. So first, when they said we're having no king but Caesar, it is a denial of theological salvation. But it is also a submission to and belief in a political or a governmental salvation. Thirdly, let me point this out, and I'm doing so quickly. We must understand that a king rules by his law. How do we know who our king is? Well, the answer is found in another question. Whose law do you obey? Why do you think the federal government is so precise in wanting every I dotted and every T crossed and you give unlimited submission to everything they say?

[John Weaver] Because they're God. And if we're God, you must understand we rule by our law And you must obey us. Well, if Jesus Christ is King, if Jesus Christ is God, what does that mean? We must obey Him. And you know, sometimes there comes a conflict between man's government and the government of Christ. What should be our attitude then? Well, Peter answered in Acts 5 and verse 29, he said, we ought to obey God rather than man. See, you've got to understand this, folks. This is vitally important, that a king rules by his law. Do you remember what Jesus Christ said in John 14, verse 21?

[John Weaver] He said, if you love me, keep my commandments. He said in verse 24, he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. You know what he said in verse John 5 and verse 3? He said, and this is the love of God, that you keep his commandments. And when you get to verse John 2, he said, once again, If we love him, we'll keep his commandments. But when you get to verse 4, he says this, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

[John Weaver] What is he teaching us? That a king rules by his law. You think government is fastidious concerning its laws and regulations? Well, you hear King Jesus. He is protected by his law as well. If he is our law, if he is our king, If He is our ruler, if He is our Messiah, we will obey Him. The war still exists between Christ and Caesar. Each one is claiming divinity, each one is claiming lordship and kingship and the right to rule. The question is, who will you obey? And the answer comes back, whose law are you keeping? So we must remember that a king rules by his law. Fourthly, we must remember the consequences of our actions. Listen carefully. When wicked men flee from Christ and his law, they rush headlong into the arms of tyrants and their laws.

[John Weaver] They bring misery and destruction to themselves and to their posterity. You've got to remember this, folks. We will either be ruled by God or by man. And we're going to discover this, that the severity of God is much milder than the tender mercies of wicked men.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles, 1 Samuel chapter 8. Hang on now. I've been asking you, why did the Jews crucify Christ? Well, you know the answer. They did not want Him as their Messiah. They would not recognize him as prophet, priest, and king. There are consequences to the rejection of God as our king. Well, let's begin reading in 1 Samuel chapter 8 in verse 7. And the Lord said unto Samuel, hearken unto the voice of the people and all that they say unto thee. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. His rejection of the kingship of God.

[John Weaver] According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day, wherewith they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore, hearken unto their voice, howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. You don't want me, says God? You want a man? I'll give you man, but let me show you what kind of king you're going to have. Now watch this. Here it is in verse 10, And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked him a king. Verse 11. And he said, this will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you.

[John Weaver] He will take your sons and appoint them for himself and for his chariots and do his horsemen. And some shall run before his chariots and he will appoint him captains over thousands and captains over fifties. and will set them to ear His ground, and reap His harvest, and to make His instruments of war, and His instruments of His chariots. And He will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks in the bakers. And He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to His servants. And He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to His officers, to His servants, and He will take your men's servants, and your maid's servants, and your goodly shunned men, and your asses, and put them to His work, and He will take the tenth of your sheep, and you shall be His servants. Are you looking?

[John Weaver] And you shall cry out in that day, because of your king which you have chosen you. And the Lord will not hear you in that day. You don't want me, says God? Fine. I'll give you what you want. And once you get it, You won't want it. And you're going to cry out. But God said, I'm not going to hear you. There's a price for rejecting the kingship of God.

[John Weaver] You remember what the Jews cried out when Caesar said, What shall I do with Christ? Shall I crucify your king? They cried, we are having no king but Caesar. Caesar is our king. We reject the deity of Christ. We reject the kingship of Christ. We don't want Christ. We want Caesar. We're going to look to Caesar to take care of us. We're going to look to Caesar to feed us and promote us and protect us. And Caesar took them. And he demonstrated his mercy to the Jews. in 70 A.D.

[John Weaver] when Titus went and destroyed their city and millions were slaughtered. The words of our Lord in Proverbs 8 and verse 36 rings true. Our Lord said, but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul, all they that hate me. love death. The only thing you can have outside of Jesus Christ is a society of death. The only kind of government you can have outside of Jesus Christ is a government of death. Are you listening? Those who trust in Caesar will always be crying, give us better government. But all Caesar can give you is more bureaucracies and more little Caesars who in the end will destroy us. It is impossible to have a righteous government apart from Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] He is the King of Kings. As the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence was being signed by the members of the Continental Congress on August the 2nd, 1776, Samuel Adams declared this. We have this day restored the sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting sun, let his kingdom come. Our founding fathers wanted a government where Christ would be king. Who is your Sovereign? Who is your Savior? Is Christ your King? Is Christ your Salvation? There is no other Salvation except that which is in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. I began this message by giving you the title, Committing the Sins of the Jews. How do we commit the sins of the Jews? Remember, the Jews did not want Christ to be their king. You know what they wanted? All the Jews wanted was a political or a governmental or a national deliverance. They did not want to be delivered from their sins. They just simply wanted to be delivered from the Roman Empire.

[John Weaver] Even the apostles of our Lord asked Him in Acts 1 and verse 6 this question, Will thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? What were they looking for? They were looking for someone to come on a white charger and deliver them from the yoke of the Roman Empire. That's what they wanted. They didn't want some suffering Messiah. They didn't want someone who would come and forgive them their sins. What? They didn't have any sins. They didn't need that kind of salvation. No, no, no, no. What they wanted was a national deliverance.

[John Weaver] We reject Christ as King. We don't want Him. He's not delivering us from the Roman Empire. He's trying just to deliver us from our sins. Now listen carefully. That's the sin of the Jews.

[John Weaver] On the other hand, In this day and age, we want to be delivered from our sins, or at least in one sense of the word. We want to be delivered from the penalty of our sins. We don't want to have to suffer. We don't want to be judged. We don't want to go to hell. Oh yes, we want Christ as our fire escape. We want Christ as our Savior. But we don't want Him to be our King. We don't want to have to bow to Him and obey Him. We don't want to have to conform our lives, our families, our churches, our society, and our government according to the dictates of King Jesus.

[John Weaver] You know what we're doing? We're committing the same sin the Jews did. They rejected Christ as Messiah, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And we're doing the same thing. Let me show you something. Look in your Bibles. One last passage. I want you to look to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. And look at this. I want you to understand that Jesus Christ came to save His people. That salvation not only included deliverance from our sins, but it also included deliverance from our enemies, if we would submit to Him as king. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, is prophesying in Luke chapter 1 in verse 67. Look what he said. Luke 1 verse 67. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying, now look what he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people, that is, through sending Christ, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, that is, Jesus Christ, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all them that hate us to perform the mercies promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant.

[John Weaver] I want you to remember something. When Zacharias is talking about our being saved from our enemies and from the hand of all them that hate us, he's referring to Christ's first coming, not His second coming. Jesus Christ will not be king sometime in the future, Jesus Christ is king now. He has always been king because He's always been God. The question is, will you bow to Him? Will you worship Him? Will you say, Lord Jesus, You are King of kings. and Lord of Lords, and God of Gods, and I will obey you." Who is King? Christ or Caesar? Let's not commit the sins of the Jews in rejecting Jesus Christ as our King.

[John Weaver] For to this end was He born. And to this end He came. He is King. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We ask, Lord, that You would help us to see the glorious greatness and majesty of King Jesus. May we see, Lord, the magnificence and beauty of His law and submit to His Word and worship Him and Him alone. Give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee effectively with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen and Amen.

Committing The Sins Of The Jews

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	dISqz39obZ8
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-11-18
Dictation Name
Book	Book 137: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 2 — Chapter 33
Source Timed Segments	79

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Jews Crucified Christ

Weaver establishes from John 18–19 and Acts that Scripture specifically charges the Jews with crucifying Jesus, not merely the Romans.

John chapter 18, the title of the message, listen carefully, it is Committing the Sins of the Jews. Committing the Sins of the Jews. John 18, look if you would please at verse 36 and 37. John 18 verse 36, Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Look at what our Lord said. Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. So Jesus Christ is claiming to be king. Look, if you would, in chapter 19, beginning there with verse 14. John 19, verse 14, and it was the preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour, and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your king.

But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Skip down to verse 19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city.

It was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. Committing the sins of the Jews. It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. But imitation is not always flattering, especially when it is imitation of sin, rebellion, and wickedness. And I want to demonstrate to you today from Scripture how that we in the 21st century are committing exactly the same sins that the Jews committed when they crucified Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Now, I know that it's not politically correct to refer to the scriptural fact that it was the Jews who crucified Christ.

Even many Christians try to water that down by saying, well, you know, He died for all of our sins and therefore, we were all responsible for his crucifixion. Well, it is true that he died for the sins of his people. But the scripture is exceedingly specific. And the scripture states it was the Jews who crucified Christ. It was the Jews who rejected his person. It was the Jews who sought his life. It was the Jews who delivered him unto Pilate. It was the Jews who demanded he be crucified.

In John chapter 5 verses 16 and 18, listen carefully as I read this passage. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. Now verse 18, Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. And since you're in John 19, look at verse 11 at what Jesus Christ said to Pilate. When Pilate told Christ that he had power to crucify him and power to let him go, in verse 11, Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And it was the Jews who delivered Christ over to Pilate.

Jesus as the Messiah: Prophet, Priest, and King

Explains that 'Messiah' means 'Anointed One,' and Jesus holds all three anointed offices; one cannot divide His person or offices without destroying salvation.

I want you to think about this just for a moment. Our Lord's earthly name is Jesus. That comes from the Hebrew word Yeshua, which simply means Savior. That is where we get the English name Joshua from. The word Joshua, like Jesus, just simply means Savior. When you come to the New Testament and you read about Jesus Christ, the word Christ in the Greek is the word Christos. Would you like to know what the word Christos literally means? Anointed. So when you say Jesus Christ, You're actually saying Jesus, the Messiah, or Jesus, the Anointed One. So Jesus Christ is the Messiah of God. Jesus Christ is the Anointed One. Now, I want you to remember something. In the Bible, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Now prophets were not anointed in exactly the same manner as priests and kings were. But yet they were anointed in the sense that God blessed them and bestowed upon them and gave them His Word to the extent that He put His Word in their mouths.

For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18. Deuteronomy chapter 18. And let's begin reading there with verse 18. Here you find Moses making this statement referring to Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 18, beginning there of verse 18. Moses says, I will raise them up. In fact, he's speaking on an inspiration of scripture. In fact, verse 17, and the Lord said unto me. So the Lord is speaking to Moses.

They have well spoken that which they have spoken. Here's what God says through Moses. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, that is like unto Moses, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. So what did God do? God put His words in the mouths of His prophets, but especially He put His words in the mouth of the prophet, Jesus Christ. Now, you've got to remember that Jesus Christ bears three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. As prophet, He declares unto us the true word of God. As priest, He makes intercession and atonement for us. As king, He rules over us.

Now, I want you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say. One cannot divide the person of Jesus Christ. You cannot divide His person or His work without destroying salvation. Now, what do I mean that you cannot divide His person? Jesus Christ is one person with two natures. He is perfectly God and He is perfectly man. Hence, He is the God-man. Now, there have been some throughout history who want to deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Well, if you deny the deity of Christ, then all you have is the manhood of Christ. You thus destroy salvation. Others would deny the manhood of Christ. Well, you still destroy salvation. How can that be? Well, Jesus Christ must be God and man. He must be God to atone for our sins, and He must be man to be a substitute on our behalf. Thus, if you try to divide His person, either deny His deity or His manhood, you not only destroy the reality of Christ, you destroy salvation. Likewise, there are some who try to say, well, you know, Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king.

And what we can do is this. We can pick which offices we want Christ to fill in our lives. Oh, what we will do is this. We will choose Christ as our prophet and our priest, but we don't want Him as king. In other words, we want to be saved, but we want to live the way that we please and the way that we desire. What we're going to do is we're going to bow to His office as prophet and priest, but we're not going to bow to His office as king. Well, you can't do that. And the reason you can't do that is Jesus Christ is God's Messiah, and as Messiah, He is prophet, priest, and king. You cannot pick and choose which nature you're going to have in Christ, neither can you pick and choose which office you're going to bow to in Jesus Christ. It is all or nothing. Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king. There is no such thing as having a halfway salvation. Nor is there any such thing as having one-half or one-third of the offices of Christ. Christ is one person with two natures who holds three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. And all three offices are absolutely necessary for salvation. To deny those three offices or deny the two natures of Christ is to deny God and to destroy salvation. I want you to listen to the Word of God because I want you to see how important it is that we understand the offices of Christ and see exactly how we're committing the same sins the Jews committed.

The Exaltation of Christ Proves His Kingship

The apostles emphasized Christ's resurrection to demonstrate He is both Lord and Christ, the sovereign King with all power.

If you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 2 and verse 36. Acts 2 verse 36. I can quote these verses but I do want you to see them. Look in Acts 2 in verse 36. Peter is preaching and he makes this statement. He says this, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, By the way, there he's blaming the Jews again. That's who he's preaching to on the day of Pentecost. He says, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now, the word Lord is kurios, which means boss, owner, master. The Greek word for Christ is christos, which is the anointed one. Now, look what he says. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now, the word assuredly is very important. It is the Greek word asphalos. which is also translated in our Bibles as safely. Let me show you what it means, all right? Whole Acts 2, but look back in your Bibles, if you would, to Mark chapter 14 and verse 44. Mark 14, verse 44. Then we're going back to the book of Acts. Look in Mark 14, verse 44. Judas is betraying Jesus Christ. Mark 14 verse 44. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. There's the word safely. It's the same Greek word asphalos. The word safely here does not mean without harm.

That's what we normally think. But the word is actually rendered securely. Lead him away securely. In other words, don't let him escape. Don't let him get away. You say, how do you know it means that? Well, not only because of this verse and the context, but if you look in Acts chapter 16 and verse 23, you'll see the same exact Greek word again that is translated the same exact way. Notice Acts chapter 16 and verse 23. Acts 16 verse 23. Acts 16 verse 23.

Paul and Silas have been thrust into prison. Watch what happens in verse 23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely. That doesn't mean without harm. They had just harmed them. They'd beat them with whips. Keep them securely. Make sure they do not escape. Now, are you listening? When Peter said in Acts 2 and verse 36, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly. He's saying let all the house of Israel and everybody else know securely there is no escaping this truth that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. In other words, Jesus Christ is the sovereign. He is the Messiah. He is the God-man. He is the Redeemer. He fills every office that has been ordained by God the Father.

Now I want to read you the comments of two commentators on verse 36. When Peter said, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Listen to what Albert Barnes wrote. He said, The word Lord properly signifies proprietor, master, or sovereign. Here it means clearly that God has exalted him to be king and that he'd given him dominion in the heavens, or as we should say, ruler of all things. The extent of this dominion may be seen in John 17 and in Ephesians 1. In the exercise of this office, he now rules in heaven and on earth. and will yet come to judge the world. The truth was particularly fitted to excite their fear. They had murdered their sovereign, now shown to be raised from the dead and entrusted with infinite power. They had reason, therefore, to fear that he would come forth in vengeance and punish them for their crimes. Sinners opposing the Savior are at war with their living and mighty sovereign and Lord. He has all power and is not safe to contend against the judge of the living and the dead. Now notice what he said, the word Lord properly signifies proprietor, master, sovereign. It means that God has exalted him to be king and that he now rules in heaven and on earth.

Listen to what John Gill wrote. Same verse, Acts 2:36, God the Father had not only constituted and appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, the Lord of lords and King of kings, and had invested him with that office, power and authority, but he had made him to manifest to be so by the Holy Spirit which he had received, and now poured forth the same, and not another, even him whom they had rejected with so much contempt, whom they had treated in such a scornful and brutish manner, had spit upon, buffeted, and scourged, and at last crucified. And yet now even he had all power in heaven and earth given him, and was exalted above every name, that in his name every knee should bow. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, absolutely securely, there is no escaping the fact, Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord. He is King of kings of heaven and earth.

Now, look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31. I'm just trying to show you why the Jews crucified Christ. Look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31. At the same time, I want to show you how we're committing exactly their same sin. Acts 5, verse 31. In fact, let's read verse 30 so that you can see that Jesus Christ is the subject. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Now here, Jesus Christ is referred to as the Prince.

Now, the word prince is the Greek word archegos, which literally means prince or captain or author, someone who leads in some manner. Albert Barnes says on this verse, and he refers back to Acts 3 and verse 16, he says this, he, Christ, is called the prince of life. Now, listen to this. When God calls Jesus Christ prince, he says this, here it means that he is actually in the exercise of his office as a prince or a king at the right hand of his father. The title prince or king was one that was well known and applied to the Messiah. It denotes his dominion and power. And especially the power which is needful to give repentance and pardon of sin.

Now isn't it interesting that the commentators say that Acts 5 and verse 31 and Acts 3 and verse 16 and you would have to include Acts 2 in verse 36, really demonstrates that Jesus Christ is in the actual exercise of the power of Lord and King. Now, we've got to ask a question. Why did the Jews crucify Christ? In order to answer that, let's ask another question. Why is it important to understand the significance of the exaltation of Christ in the New Testament? Let me ask it another way. Why did the apostles always emphasize in their preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? Why were they so adamant that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Is there a reason? And the answer is yes. Is there an important reason? And the answer is yes. Is there a reason important enough that would affect our view of salvation? And the answer is yes.

Rejecting the Kingship of God Is Rejecting His Person

Using 1 Samuel 8, Weaver shows that Israel's demand for a human king was a rejection of God Himself, not merely of Samuel.

And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. Now I want you to note what the Lord said. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now God said, Samuel, you give them what they want. But I want you to understand, Samuel, first and foremost, it is a rejection of me. Only secondly is it a rejection of you. And he said, and the reason they're doing this is because ever since they came up out of Egypt, all they wanted is idolatry and wickedness.

Now, let me go a little further. If you look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, Samuel spells it out as a rejection of God. 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king. Now, let's put this together. God was their king. But they said, we want a man to rule over us. And what did God tell Samuel? They've not rejected you, they've rejected me. A rejection of the kingship of God is a rejection of His person. The only God who exists is the God who is king. In 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 20, you don't have to read there. And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness. What wickedness? The wickedness of rejecting God as their king. And he calls it wickedness, sin, revolt, rebellion, and idolatry. Now, let's go back in our Bibles to John chapter 19. That's where I started, and that's where I want to finish. I want you to look in John chapter 19.

I've given you all this introduction just to preach a simple point or two. In John chapter 19, when Jesus Christ stood before Pilate, and Pilate asked him, Art thou a king? His answer basically was this. You said it, buddy. For this end was I born, and for this end came I into this world. I was born a king. I was sent into this world a king. I am a king. So, When Pilate then, look in John chapter 19, when Pilate then asked, what shall I do with your king?

The Jews' Declaration: 'We Have No King but Caesar'

In John 19:15, the chief priests deny Christ's kingship and declare allegiance to Caesar, which Weaver unpacks in four points.

Of course they said, crucify him, crucify him. But look in verse 15. Verse 14 says, behold your king. Verse 15, but they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Now, hang on. The word have is the little Greek word echo, and it is translated have, but occasionally it is translated need.

And in this instance, it is in the present tense, which means it's happening and it is continuing to happen. Here's what they were saying. We're not needing any king but Caesar. We're not wanting, we're not having any king but Caesar. Caesar is enough for us. I want you to think with me about the implications of such a declaration. We have no king but Caesar. I want to give you four things today. First of all, the declaration of John 19 in verse 15 is a denial of theological salvation. It is a denial of theological salvation. And when I use the word theological, I just simply mean that salvation is of God. Jonah 2 verse 9 said salvation is of the Lord. You know, as well as I do, that God promised His salvation way back in Genesis 3:15, the Protoevangelium, the first promise of Messiah. Then He gave that promise to Abraham by covenant, and all throughout Scripture, God's salvation is clearly taught.

Four Implications of Rejecting Christ's Kingship

1) Denial of theological salvation; 2) Desire for political/governmental salvation; 3) A king rules by his law; 4) Consequences: tyranny and destruction.

In fact, there are so many verses on the subject that one could spend a lifetime examining them and teaching them and never ever conquer all of them. But it's very clear that God has promised salvation. In fact, even the Apostle Paul talked about it when he talked about the hope of Israel. What was the hope of Israel? That God would send His Messiah. And when they are saying, we have no king but Caesar, in one fell swoop, They are denying God's salvation. They're saying salvation is not of the Lord.

Let me read you what Calvin said on this verse. Listen. We have no king but Caesar. This is a display of shocking madness that the priest who ought to have been well acquainted with the law reject Christ in whom all the salvation of the people was wholly contained, on whom all the promises depended, and on whom the whole of their religion was founded, and indeed, by rejecting Christ, they deprived themselves of the grace of God and every blessing. Stop and think about that. We have no king but Caesar. We don't want God's salvation. We don't believe salvation. Their whole history, the whole truth of the Old Testament, Everything was totally denied. We're having no king but Caesar. Denial of Christ's kingship is equivalent to denial of Christ's salvation, for no salvation exists except that in which Jesus Christ is king. So first of all, there's a declaration of a denial of theological salvation.

Secondly, as in 1 Samuel chapter 8, there is a desire for and satisfaction in a political or a governmental salvation. Wow. Hold on. Here's what they're saying. We don't need God. We don't want God. We don't want Christ. Caesar will do for us. Caesar will save us. Let's look to the emperor for bread and circuses. He will entertain us. He will take care of us.

Now let me remind you of something. Peter made an amazing statement in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12. Let me just quote it for you. Here's what Peter said. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when Peter said that, Peter was preaching to the Sanhedrin in Acts chapter 4. But let me tell you what Peter was doing. Peter was declaring an all-out war against Caesar of the Roman Empire.

You say, how can you say that? Here's how. Because when Peter said, neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. When he said that in Acts 4 and verse 12, he was directly contradicting the words of Augustus Caesar, who in 17 BC had proclaimed, are you listening, salvation is found in none other save Augustus and there is none other name under heaven given to men whereby they must be saved. Augustus Caesar said, I am the Savior. Peter says, oh no you're not. Jesus Christ is the Savior. Peter was going head to head with the civil government.

He was denying the kingship and lordship of the Roman Empire. How many preachers today that you know will take on the government head to head and say, no, you are not the highest authority. Jesus Christ is King. On January the 1st, 42 BC, the Roman Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity. a god of the Roman state and called him Divus Julius, Julius God, or Julius the Divine. Octavian, who followed him, had on his coinage Divi filius, that is Augustus Caesar, the son of God. You've got to remember that Caesar claimed to be God. And Caesar, Augustus Caesar, had proclaimed throughout the Roman Empire, there's none other name given among men whereby we must be saved other than the name of Augustus. Augustus Caesar was called Lord, God, and Savior. He referred to himself as the Just and Holy One and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He was claiming divinity for himself. What you had in the Roman Empire was a religious imperial cult. And in the Roman Empire, the cult was Caesar worship.

It was the worship of government as God. In fact, the God was Rome itself and Caesar, the highest God, who sat upon the throne. And their priesthood, of course, consisted of all of those Roman senators and consuls who were elected from the provincial provinces around there. And these men were regarded as the loyal leaders of the local province because it was to these men that the Roman populace continually looked. Are you listening? They continually looked. They believed for the best interest of the Roman Empire. And so the people looked to these men as, you're set apart from us. you're there looking out for the best interest of the Roman Empire and in so doing looking out for our best interest. And as a consequence, those Roman consuls and senators tax the people and they tax them greater and greater, not only to satisfy their own excessive lifestyles, but also to promote their own programs. So much so, that the citizens of Rome understood what it meant really to be enslaved.

And even, you've got to understand, the heaviest duty was upon those who claimed to be non-Romans because they looked to them to support and take care of the government. The imperial cult had risen to such a state as that the emperor was supposed to have superhuman power or divine power. The cult actually began with Julius Caesar, but it continued especially with Augustus Caesar, so much so that all of the Caesars were given the title Dominus et Deus, that is, Lord and God. It was Domitian, a Roman emperor who reigned from 86 to 96 AD, who actually demanded that he be worshipped as a god. And, of course, Christians were persecuted because they would not worship the Caesar as God. They would not acknowledge him as Lord. It is said that Tiberius did not want to be worshipped as God, but he said in a speech before the Senate, listen to what he said, here is his quote, I am immortal, and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind. The coinage of Rome evidenced that Augustus claimed to be God.

Divi filius, the Son of God. Now listen, in the first century, the war was between Christ and Caesar. The question was, who is Lord? Who is King? Is it Christ or is it Caesar? Well, the Christians were persecuted because they refused to swear allegiance to the emperor cult. You see, in the Roman Empire, If you wanted to believe in Jesus Christ, that was fine. If you wanted to believe in Aphrodite, have at it. If you wanted to go for Zeus or Apollos, welcome, they could care less. Just so once a year you raised your hand or you offered an offering and you said, Caesar is Lord. Which meant Caesar gave you the right to believe whatever you wanted to believe. And so Christians then were put to death not because they were Christians, but because they were considered as unpatriotic and traitors and treasonous to the Roman Empire. Now, listen to me carefully. The war still exists between Christ and Caesar. You object and say, but pastor, this is not the Roman Empire. I understand.

I know. But the same state religion of political correctness, the infallibility of government, the demands for total unlimited submission, and the confiscation of personal wealth for the benefit of government still exists. There is still a governmental religion where government is regarded as God. If you don't believe what I'm saying, You just take note, please, of the entity to which people cry when there is an emergency in this country. Do they cry to the one true and the living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ? Or do they cry to the federal government for federal funds and a declaration of emergency funds? What did those Jews say? We're having no King but Caesar. Why did they reject Christ? They rejected Him for the God of government. I'm going to answer that a little more fully in just a moment. But do you realize we're doing exactly the same thing today? We had rather have our sins than repent. We had rather lose our souls than look after ourselves and take personal responsibility for our lives. We don't want Christ to reign over us. We want government to take care of us. So first, when they said we're having no king but Caesar, it is a denial of theological salvation. But it is also a submission to and belief in a political or a governmental salvation. Thirdly, let me point this out, and I'm doing so quickly. We must understand that a king rules by his law. How do we know who our king is? Well, the answer is found in another question. Whose law do you obey? Why do you think the federal government is so precise in wanting every I dotted and every T crossed and you give unlimited submission to everything they say?

Because they're God. And if we're God, you must understand we rule by our law And you must obey us. Well, if Jesus Christ is King, if Jesus Christ is God, what does that mean? We must obey Him. And you know, sometimes there comes a conflict between man's government and the government of Christ. What should be our attitude then? Well, Peter answered in Acts 5 and verse 29, he said, we ought to obey God rather than man. See, you've got to understand this, folks. This is vitally important, that a king rules by his law. Do you remember what Jesus Christ said in John 14, verse 21?

He said, if you love me, keep my commandments. He said in verse 24, he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. You know what he said in 1 John 5 and verse 3? He said, and this is the love of God, that you keep his commandments. And when you get to 1 John 2, he said, once again, If we love him, we'll keep his commandments. But when you get to verse 4, he says this, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. What is he teaching us? That a king rules by his law. You think government is fastidious concerning its laws and regulations? Well, you hear King Jesus. He is protected by his law as well. If he is our law, if he is our king, If He is our ruler, if He is our Messiah, we will obey Him. The war still exists between Christ and Caesar. Each one is claiming divinity, each one is claiming lordship and kingship and the right to rule. The question is, who will you obey? And the answer comes back, whose law are you keeping? So we must remember that a king rules by his law. Fourthly, we must remember the consequences of our actions. Listen carefully. When wicked men flee from Christ and his law, they rush headlong into the arms of tyrants and their laws.

They bring misery and destruction to themselves and to their posterity. You've got to remember this, folks. We will either be ruled by God or by man. And we're going to discover this, that the severity of God is much milder than the tender mercies of wicked men.

Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles, 1 Samuel chapter 8. Hang on now. I've been asking you, why did the Jews crucify Christ? Well, you know the answer. They did not want Him as their Messiah. They would not recognize him as prophet, priest, and king. There are consequences to the rejection of God as our king. Well, let's begin reading in 1 Samuel chapter 8 in verse 7. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. His rejection of the kingship of God.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. You don't want me, says God? You want a man? I'll give you man, but let me show you what kind of king you're going to have. Now watch this. Here it is in verse 10, And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. Verse 11. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you.

He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. Are you looking?

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day. You don't want me, says God? Fine. I'll give you what you want. And once you get it, You won't want it. And you're going to cry out. But God said, I'm not going to hear you. There's a price for rejecting the kingship of God.

You remember what the Jews cried out when Pilate said, What shall I do with Christ? Shall I crucify your king? They cried, we are having no king but Caesar. Caesar is our king. We reject the deity of Christ. We reject the kingship of Christ. We don't want Christ. We want Caesar. We're going to look to Caesar to take care of us. We're going to look to Caesar to feed us and promote us and protect us. And Caesar took them. And he demonstrated his mercy to the Jews. in 70 A.D.

Modern Application: Committing the Same Sin

Today people want Christ as Savior from sin's penalty but reject Him as King, mirroring the Jews who wanted political deliverance without submission.

Even the apostles of our Lord asked Him in Acts 1 and verse 6 this question, Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? What were they looking for? They were looking for someone to come on a white charger and deliver them from the yoke of the Roman Empire. That's what they wanted. They didn't want some suffering Messiah. They didn't want someone who would come and forgive them their sins. What? They didn't have any sins. They didn't need that kind of salvation. No, no, no, no. What they wanted was a national deliverance.

We reject Christ as King. We don't want Him. He's not delivering us from the Roman Empire. He's trying just to deliver us from our sins. Now listen carefully. That's the sin of the Jews. On the other hand, In this day and age, we want to be delivered from our sins, or at least in one sense of the word. We want to be delivered from the penalty of our sins. We don't want to have to suffer. We don't want to be judged. We don't want to go to hell. Oh yes, we want Christ as our fire escape. We want Christ as our Savior. But we don't want Him to be our King. We don't want to have to bow to Him and obey Him. We don't want to have to conform our lives, our families, our churches, our society, and our government according to the dictates of King Jesus.

You know what we're doing? We're committing the same sin the Jews did. They rejected Christ as Messiah, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And we're doing the same thing. Let me show you something. Look in your Bibles. One last passage. I want you to look to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. And look at this. I want you to understand that Jesus Christ came to save His people. That salvation not only included deliverance from our sins, but it also included deliverance from our enemies, if we would submit to Him as king. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, is prophesying in Luke chapter 1 in verse 67. Look what he said. Luke 1 verse 67. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, now look what he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, that is, through sending Christ, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; that is, Jesus Christ, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant.

Conclusion: Christ Is King Now

Jesus is King at His first coming, not just in the future; believers must bow to His rule and not repeat the Jews' rejection.

I want you to remember something. When Zacharias is talking about our being saved from our enemies and from the hand of all them that hate us, he's referring to Christ's first coming, not His second coming. Jesus Christ will not be king sometime in the future, Jesus Christ is king now. He has always been king because He's always been God. The question is, will you bow to Him? Will you worship Him? Will you say, Lord Jesus, You are King of kings. and Lord of Lords, and God of Gods, and I will obey you. Who is King? Christ or Caesar? Let's not commit the sins of the Jews in rejecting Jesus Christ as our King.

For to this end was He born. And to this end He came. He is King. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We ask, Lord, that You would help us to see the glorious greatness and majesty of King Jesus. May we see, Lord, the magnificence and beauty of His law and submit to His Word and worship Him and Him alone. Give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee effectively with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen and Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Rejection of Christ's Kingship

Summary: The central sin of the Jews was rejecting Jesus as King, and modern Christians repeat this by wanting salvation without submission to His rule.

Evidence: John 19:15: 'We have no king but Caesar.' Weaver states, 'We reject Christ as King. We don't want Him.'

Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King

Summary: Jesus holds all three messianic offices inseparably; to deny any is to destroy salvation.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'You cannot pick and choose which office you're going to bow to in Jesus Christ. It is all or nothing.'

Salvation Requires Submission to Christ's Rule

Summary: True salvation involves deliverance from sin and enemies, but only through submission to Christ as King.

Evidence: Luke 1:71,74: 'That we should be saved from our enemies...' Weaver: 'Jesus Christ will not be king sometime in the future, Jesus Christ is king now.'

Government as a False God

Summary: The Jews turned to Caesar as a substitute king, and today people look to government for salvation, repeating the same idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver: 'We had rather have our sins than repent... We want government to take care of us.'

Consequences of Rejecting God's Rule

Summary: Rejecting God's kingship leads to tyranny, misery, and destruction, as seen in 1 Samuel 8 and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 8:11-18 describes the oppressive king; Weaver references Titus's destruction of Jerusalem.

Key Arguments

The Jews, not the Romans, were primarily responsible for Christ's crucifixion.

Summary: Scripture repeatedly charges the Jews with crucifying Jesus, using the Romans as instruments.

Evidence: Acts 2:23: 'ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain'; Acts 7:52: 'betrayers and murderers.'

Jesus' resurrection and exaltation prove He is both Lord and Christ, the sovereign King.

Summary: The apostles emphasized the resurrection to demonstrate Christ's divine kingship and authority.

Evidence: Acts 2:36: 'God hath made that same Jesus... both Lord and Christ.' Romans 1:4: 'declared to be the Son of God with power... by the resurrection.'

Rejecting God's kingship is rejecting God Himself.

Summary: In 1 Samuel 8, Israel's demand for a human king was a direct rejection of God's rule, not merely a political choice.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 8:7: 'they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.'

The declaration 'We have no king but Caesar' denies theological salvation and embraces governmental salvation.

Summary: By choosing Caesar, the Jews rejected God's promised Messiah and looked to human government for deliverance.

Evidence: John 19:15; Weaver: 'They are denying God's salvation. They're saying salvation is not of the Lord.'

A king rules by his law; obedience reveals who our king is.

Summary: If Christ is King, believers must obey His commandments; otherwise, they prove they serve another master.

Evidence: 1 John 2:4: 'He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.'

Modern Christians commit the Jews' sin by wanting Christ as Savior but not as King.

Summary: Many seek forgiveness without submission, desiring a 'fire escape' from hell while rejecting Christ's rule over all of life.

Evidence: Weaver: 'We want Christ as our fire escape... But we don't want Him to be our King.'

Scripture References

John 18:36-37

Context: Jesus declares His kingdom is not of this world and that He came to bear witness to the truth.

John 19:14-15,19-22

Context: Pilate presents Jesus as king; the chief priests answer, 'We have no king but Caesar.'

John 5:16,18

Context: The Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him for healing on the Sabbath and claiming equality with God.

John 19:11

Context: Jesus tells Pilate that the one who delivered Him has the greater sin.

Acts 2:23

Context: Peter charges the men of Israel with taking Jesus and by wicked hands crucifying Him.

Acts 4:10

Context: Peter tells the people of Israel that they crucified Jesus, whom God raised from the dead.

Acts 10:39

Context: Peter testifies that the Jews slew Jesus and hanged Him on a tree.

Acts 7:52

Context: Stephen calls the Jews the betrayers and murderers of the Just One.

Acts 2:22-23

Context: Jesus was delivered by God's determinate counsel, yet taken and crucified by wicked hands.

Acts 4:26-28

Context: Herod, Pilate, Gentiles, and Israel gathered to do what God's hand determined before.

John 15:25

Context: Jesus says the word might be fulfilled, 'They hated me without a cause.'

Daniel 9:25-26

Context: Prophecy of the Messiah being cut off.

Deuteronomy 18:18-19

Context: God promises to raise up a Prophet like Moses and put His words in His mouth.

Acts 2:36

Context: God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ.

Mark 14:44

Context: Judas's betrayers are told to lead Jesus away 'safely' (securely).

Acts 16:23

Context: The jailer is charged to keep Paul and Silas 'safely' (securely).

Acts 5:31

Context: God exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Savior.

John 20:30-31

Context: These are written that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life.

Romans 1:3-4

Context: Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.

1 Samuel 8:4-8

Context: Israel demands a king; God says they have rejected Him from reigning over them.

Historical References

Augustus Caesar's claim to be savior and son of God

Context: Weaver notes that Augustus proclaimed salvation in no other name, directly contradicting Peter's message in Acts 4:12.

Roman imperial cult and Caesar worship

Context: The Roman Empire had a state religion where Caesar was worshiped as Lord and God; Christians were persecuted for refusing to swear allegiance.

Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70

Context: Weaver cites Titus's destruction of Jerusalem as the consequence of the Jews rejecting Christ and choosing Caesar.

Samuel Adams's statement at the signing of the Declaration of Independence

Context: Adams declared they had restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient.

Important Quotes

We have no king but Caesar.

Significance: The chief priests' declaration rejecting Christ's kingship, which Weaver uses as the central text for the message.

They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Significance: God's words in 1 Samuel 8 showing that rejecting His rule is rejecting Him.

We want Christ as our fire escape. We want Christ as our Savior. But we don't want Him to be our King.

Significance: Weaver's diagnosis of the modern church's sin mirroring the Jews' rejection.

The war still exists between Christ and Caesar.

Significance: Highlights the ongoing conflict between allegiance to Christ and allegiance to human government.

He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Significance: Proverbs 8:36 quoted to show the self-destructive nature of rejecting Christ.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do modern Christians subtly reject Christ's kingship while still wanting His salvation?

Context: Weaver argues that many want Christ as Savior but not as King, mirroring the Jews' sin.

How does the Roman imperial cult parallel modern governmental overreach and the temptation to look to the state for salvation?

Context: Weaver draws parallels between Caesar worship and contemporary reliance on government.

What does it mean practically to submit to Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King in daily life?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that Christ's offices cannot be divided; true faith embraces all three.

Why is the resurrection central to demonstrating Christ's kingship and deity?

Context: Weaver explains that the resurrection proves Jesus is the Son of God with power.

How should Christians respond when human law conflicts with the law of King Jesus?

Context: Weaver cites Acts 5:29: 'We ought to obey God rather than men.'

Applications

Examine your allegiance: Is Christ truly your King?

Summary: Believers must honestly assess whether they submit to Christ's rule in every area of life or merely seek His benefits.

Evidence: Weaver: 'We want Christ as our fire escape... But we don't want Him to be our King.'

Obey Christ's commandments as evidence of His kingship.

Summary: Since a king rules by his law, obedience to Scripture demonstrates that Christ is Lord.

Evidence: 1 John 2:4: 'He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.'

Reject the idolatry of looking to government for ultimate salvation.

Summary: Christians must resist the temptation to trust in political power or human leaders instead of God.

Evidence: Weaver: 'We had rather have our sins than repent... We want government to take care of us.'

Embrace the whole Christ—Prophet, Priest, and King—for salvation.

Summary: Salvation requires accepting Jesus in all His offices; a partial Christ is no Christ at all.

Evidence: Weaver: 'It is all or nothing. Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:22:20Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:50:57Z

Clean Transcript

Committing The Sins Of The Jews

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

John chapter 18, the title of the message, listen carefully, it is Committing the Sins of the Jews. Committing the Sins of the Jews. John 18, look if you would please at verse 36 and 37. John 18 verse 36, Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
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Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Look at what our Lord said. Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. So Jesus Christ is claiming to be king. Look, if you would, in chapter 19, beginning there with verse 14. John 19, verse 14, and it was the preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour, and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your king.
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But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Skip down to verse 19. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city.
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It was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. Committing the sins of the Jews. It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. But imitation is not always flattering, especially when it is imitation of sin, rebellion, and wickedness. And I want to demonstrate to you today from Scripture how that we in the 21st century are committing exactly the same sins that the Jews committed when they crucified Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Now, I know that it's not politically correct to refer to the scriptural fact that it was the Jews who crucified Christ.
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Even many Christians try to water that down by saying, well, you know, He died for all of our sins and therefore, we were all responsible for his crucifixion. Well, it is true that he died for the sins of his people. But the scripture is exceedingly specific. And the scripture states it was the Jews who crucified Christ. It was the Jews who rejected his person. It was the Jews who sought his life. It was the Jews who delivered him unto Pilate. It was the Jews who demanded he be crucified.
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In John chapter 5 verses 16 and 18, listen carefully as I read this passage. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. Now verse 18, Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. And since you're in John 19, look at verse 11 at what Jesus Christ said to Pilate. When Pilate told Christ that he had power to crucify him and power to let him go, in verse 11, Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And it was the Jews who delivered Christ over to Pilate.
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Now, just to show you very quickly how specific Scripture is. Turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Acts chapter 2. In fact, we'll look at several passages in the book of Acts. But I want you to see how the Scripture specifically charges the Jews with crucifying Christ. In Acts chapter 2, verse 23, and I'll come back to this verse a little bit later. Acts 2 and verse 23, Peter is preaching and he says, Him, talking about Jesus Christ, Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Wow. Peter didn't pull any punches. If you look in Acts chapter 4 and verse 10, Peter says this. Acts chapter 4 verse 10. He says, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. And if you'll look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 10, Acts chapter 10 and verse 39, I want you to note if you would what Scripture says.
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Acts 10 verse 39, once again He's talking about Jesus Christ, verse 38, How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Verse 39, And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Now, who does the Bible say killed Christ? It was the Jews. They used the Roman soldiers as instruments, but it was the Jews. Now, if you were to read Acts 7 and verse 52, here you would find that Stephen, in giving his defense, calls the Jews the betrayers and murderers of Jesus Christ. Look in verse 52, Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers. Isn't that interesting? The Bible specifically states over and over that it was the Jews who crucified Christ.
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We may believe the politically correct version and try to say, well, no, they were not guilty. Or we may believe what the Bible states and say, yes, they were guilty of crucifying Jesus Christ. Now, as for me and my house, I prefer to believe the Bible. It was the Jews who were responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. The question has to be asked. Why did they want him crucified? We know that the death of Jesus Christ was foreordained by God the Father. In fact, the Bible tells us that every detail was worked out before the world ever began.
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Go back in your Bibles to Acts chapter 2, if you would please, and look beginning there in verse 22. Acts 2 verse 22. Peter is preaching and he says, Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Now look, him, Christ, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.
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Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. It was no accident that Christ was crucified. God had determined and foreordained before the world ever began that His Son, Jesus Christ, would be the Messiah, the God-man, the Redeemer, the Savior, the Lord of Glory, and that He would give His life for His people. And in fact, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter 4, and beginning there, verse 26, you will see it explained even in greater detail. Notice Acts, chapter 4, beginning there, verse 26.
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Once again, the scripture says, The kings of the earth stood up, Herod, Pilate, all of them, the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers, that is those elders of Israel, were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. Notice that. against the Lord, and against his Christ, for of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, now look, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Do you realize there was not one thing that happened to Jesus Christ that was not ordained before the foundation of the world? Nothing was left to chance, fate, or fortune. Every aspect of the life of Jesus Christ was under the sovereign control and sovereign predestination of God the Father. Everything that happened according to the will of God.
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However, although God had foreordained his crucifixion and death, yet when the Jews crucified him, they did not do so in obedience to God, but in rebellion to God. They hated Christ, and they would not receive Him as their Messiah. In John 15 and verse 25, and I'll just quote it for you, our Lord says this, But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. In other words, there was nothing in Jesus Christ that would merit or draw forth their hatred. They hated Him freely. without a cause. As Peter said to them in Acts chapter 2, which I've already quoted, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. So what they did, they did in absolute rebellion to God. So the Jews were responsible for the death of Christ. They crucified Him because they hated Him, despised Him, refused Him, and rejected Him. Plain and simple. Why did they want Him crucified? Do you realize in the book of Daniel chapter 9, and I'm not asking you to turn there, but I'll give you the scriptures.
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In Daniel chapter 9 verses 25 and 26, we read in those two verses about the Messiah. Now the word Messiah in the Hebrew is Mashiach, and in the Greek it is Messiahs. The same word that is translated twice as Messiah, and Daniel chapter 9 is translated anointed 37 times in the Bible. What does the word Messiah mean? It means the anointed one. When we say Jesus the Messiah, we're saying Jesus the anointed one. So once you call Jesus the Messiah, Once you refer to Him as the Anointed One, listen carefully, you're acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King.
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I want you to think about this just for a moment. Our Lord's earthly name is Jesus. That comes from the Hebrew word Yeshua, which simply means Savior. That is where we get the English name Joshua from. The word Joshua, like Jesus, just simply means Savior. When you come to the New Testament and you read about Jesus Christ, the word Christ in the Greek is the word Christos. Would you like to know what the word Christos literally means? Anointed. So when you say Jesus Christ, You're actually saying Jesus, the Messiah, or Jesus, the Anointed One. So Jesus Christ is the Messiah of God. Jesus Christ is the Anointed One. Now, I want you to remember something. In the Bible, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Now prophets were not anointed in exactly the same manner as priests and kings were. But yet they were anointed in the sense that God blessed them and bestowed upon them and gave them His Word to the extent that He put His Word in their mouths.
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For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18. Deuteronomy chapter 18. And let's begin reading there with verse 18. Here you find Moses making this statement referring to Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 18, beginning there of verse 18. Moses says, I will raise them up. In fact, he's speaking on an inspiration of scripture. In fact, verse 17, and the Lord said unto me. So the Lord is speaking to Moses.
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They have well spoken that which they have spoken. Here's what God says through Moses. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, that is like unto Moses, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. So what did God do? God put His words in the mouths of His prophets, but especially He put His words in the mouth of the prophet, Jesus Christ. Now, you've got to remember that Jesus Christ bears three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. As prophet, He declares unto us the true word of God. As priest, He makes intercession and atonement for us. As king, He rules over us.
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Now, I want you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say. One cannot divide the person of Jesus Christ. You cannot divide His person or His work without destroying salvation. Now, what do I mean that you cannot divide His person? Jesus Christ is one person with two natures. He is perfectly God and He is perfectly man. Hence, He is the God-man. Now, there have been some throughout history who want to deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Well, if you deny the deity of Christ, then all you have is the manhood of Christ. You thus destroy salvation. Others would deny the manhood of Christ. Well, you still destroy salvation. How can that be? Well, Jesus Christ must be God and man. He must be God to atone for our sins, and He must be man to be a substitute on our behalf. Thus, if you try to divide His person, either deny His deity or His manhood, you not only destroy the reality of Christ, you destroy salvation. Likewise, there are some who try to say, well, you know, Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king.
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And what we can do is this. We can pick which offices we want Christ to fill in our lives. Oh, what we will do is this. We will choose Christ as our prophet and our priest, but we don't want Him as king. In other words, we want to be saved, but we want to live the way that we please and the way that we desire. What we're going to do is we're going to bow to His office as prophet and priest, but we're not going to bow to His office as king.
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Well, you can't do that. And the reason you can't do that is Jesus Christ is God's Messiah, and as Messiah, He is prophet, priest, and king. You cannot pick and choose which nature you're going to have in Christ, neither can you pick and choose which office you're going to bow to in Jesus Christ. It is all or nothing. Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king. There is no such thing as having a halfway salvation. Nor is there any such thing as having one-half or one-third of the offices of Christ. Christ is one person with two natures who holds three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. And all three offices are absolutely necessary for salvation. To deny those three offices or deny the two natures of Christ is to deny God and to destroy salvation. I want you to listen to the Word of God because I want you to see how important it is that we understand the offices of Christ and see exactly how we're committing the same sins the Jews committed.
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If you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 2 and verse 36. Acts 2 verse 36. I can quote these verses but I do want you to see them. Look in Acts 2 in verse 36. Peter is preaching and he makes this statement. He says this, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
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By the way, there he's blaming the Jews again. That's who he's preaching to on the day of Pentecost. He says, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
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Now, the word Lord is kurios, which means boss, owner, master. The Greek word for Christ is christos, which is the anointed one.
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Now, look what he says. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now, the word assuredly is very important. It is the Greek word asphalos. which is also translated in our Bibles as safely. Let me show you what it means, all right? Whole Acts 2, but look back in your Bibles, if you would, to Mark chapter 14 and verse 44. Mark 14, verse 44. Then we're going back to the book of Acts. Look in Mark 14, verse 44. Judas is betraying Jesus Christ. Mark 14 verse 44. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. There's the word safely. It's the same Greek word asphalos. The word safely here does not mean without harm.
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That's what we normally think. But the word is actually rendered securely. Lead him away securely. In other words, don't let him escape. Don't let him get away. You say, how do you know it means that? Well, not only because of this verse and the context, but if you look in Acts chapter 16 and verse 23, you'll see the same exact Greek word again that is translated the same exact way. Notice Acts chapter 16 and verse 23. Acts 16 verse 23. Acts 16 verse 23.
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Paul and Silas have been thrust into prison. Watch what happens in verse 23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely. That doesn't mean without harm. They had just harmed them. They'd beat them with whips. Keep them securely. Make sure they do not escape. Now, are you listening? When Peter said in Acts 2 and verse 36, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly. He's saying let all the house of Israel and everybody else know securely there is no escaping this truth that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. In other words, Jesus Christ is the sovereign. He is the Messiah. He is the God-man. He is the Redeemer. He fills every office that has been ordained by God the Father.
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Now I want to read you the comments of two commentators on verse 36. When Peter said, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Listen to what Albert Barnes wrote. He said, The word Lord properly signifies proprietor, master, or sovereign. Here it means clearly that God has exalted him to be king and that he'd given him dominion in the heavens, or as we should say, ruler of all things. The extent of this dominion may be seen in John 17 and in Ephesians 1.
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In the exercise of this office, he now rules in heaven and on earth. and will yet come to judge the world. The truth was particularly fitted to excite their fear. They had murdered their sovereign, now shown to be raised from the dead and entrusted with infinite power. They had reason, therefore, to fear that he would come forth in vengeance and punish them for their crimes. Sinners opposing the Savior are at war with their living and mighty sovereign and Lord. He has all power and is not safe to contend against the judge of the living and the dead. Now notice what he said, the word Lord properly signifies proprietor, master, sovereign. It means that God has exalted him to be king and that he now rules in heaven and on earth.
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Listen to what John Gill wrote. Same verse, Acts 2:36, God the Father had not only constituted and appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, the Lord of lords and King of kings, and had invested him with that office, power and authority, but he had made him to manifest to be so by the Holy Spirit which he had received, and now poured forth the same, and not another, even him whom they had rejected with so much contempt, whom they had treated in such a scornful and brutish manner, had spit upon, buffeted, and scourged, and at last crucified. And yet now even he had all power in heaven and earth given him, and was exalted above every name, that in his name every knee should bow.
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Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, absolutely securely, there is no escaping the fact, Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord. He is King of kings of heaven and earth.
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Now, look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31. I'm just trying to show you why the Jews crucified Christ. Look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31. At the same time, I want to show you how we're committing exactly their same sin. Acts 5, verse 31. In fact, let's read verse 30 so that you can see that Jesus Christ is the subject. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Now here, Jesus Christ is referred to as the Prince.
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Now, the word prince is the Greek word archegos, which literally means prince or captain or author, someone who leads in some manner. Albert Barnes says on this verse, and he refers back to Acts 3 and verse 16, he says this, he, Christ, is called the prince of life. Now, listen to this. When God calls Jesus Christ prince, he says this, here it means that he is actually in the exercise of his office as a prince or a king at the right hand of his father. The title prince or king was one that was well known and applied to the Messiah.
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It denotes his dominion and power. And especially the power which is needful to give repentance and pardon of sin.
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Now isn't it interesting that the commentators say that Acts 5 and verse 31 and Acts 3 and verse 16 and you would have to include Acts 2 in verse 36, really demonstrates that Jesus Christ is in the actual exercise of the power of Lord and King. Now, we've got to ask a question. Why did the Jews crucify Christ? In order to answer that, let's ask another question. Why is it important to understand the significance of the exaltation of Christ in the New Testament? Let me ask it another way. Why did the apostles always emphasize in their preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? Why were they so adamant that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Is there a reason? And the answer is yes. Is there an important reason? And the answer is yes. Is there a reason important enough that would affect our view of salvation? And the answer is yes.
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I want you to look in your Bibles to John 20. And look if you would please at verses 30 and 31. I want you to see the significance. I want you to see the implications of Jesus, the Messiah, of calling Jesus the Messiah. I want you to look at it. Look in John chapter 20, verses 30 and 31. John 20, verse 30. John writes, And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: that is, in the book of John. Look what he said, But these are written, that is the signs and the miracles that he did write about, but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Now I want you to look at John's argument. This argument is really very simple. John said, I've written the book of John for you to believe something. I've written the book of John so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah.
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Jesus is the Christ. Now, are you listening? If Jesus is the Christ, if Jesus is the Messiah, if Jesus is the anointed one, that means he is prophet, priest, and king. Are you listening? If Jesus Christ is the Messiah, if He is the prophet, priest, and king, it also means something else. In verse 31, it means He is the Son of God. Wow.
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Now, what is John saying? John is saying, in order to be saved, you must really believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then you also believe He's the Messiah, He's the prophet, priest, and king. And if you believe that, you're saved. He said, but if you don't believe that, then the opposite is true, then you're not saved. In other words, how can you be saved if you deny either His deity or His manhood or either of His offices? John said, I wrote this that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. and that believing, that is believing what he's written, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that you might have life through his name. It is impossible to be saved and deny the person of Jesus Christ. It is impossible to be saved and deny either of the offices of Jesus Christ. Why? Let me show you.
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Look back in your Bibles to the book of Romans, or over I should say, Romans chapter 1, and look in verse 4. And now I asked you earlier, why were the disciples so adamant on preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the exaltation of Christ, that Jesus Christ actually rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God? Why were they so adamant in preaching that? Well look in Romans chapter 1 in verse 4.
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Here's what the Bible says. Paul writes, In fact, let's read verse 3 once again so that you can see the context is Jesus. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. What did the resurrection from the dead do? It demonstrated, it manifested that Jesus Christ was indeed God in the flesh. Had Jesus been an imposter, He would have never been raised from the dead. He could not have raised Himself from the dead. But the very fact that He was raised from the dead by the power of God proves conclusively that He is the Son of God. And as the Son of God, He's King of kings and Lord of lords. So the emphasis in the Bible upon the exaltation of Christ, especially His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God, is not only an indication of His Godhood, but also of His kingship.
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Let me spell it out to you. We do not have a Savior who is not king. We do not have a mediator who is not king. We do not have a priest who is not king. The Son of God is king. Jesus the Messiah is King. Jesus the Savior is King. You cannot bow to Him as Savior without bowing to Him as King. They're one and the same person. You cannot bow to Him as Priest without bowing to Him as King. They're one and the same person.
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He fulfills all three offices. Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King. Why do the Jews crucify Christ? Are you listening? Christ said, I am the Messiah. As the Messiah, I am prophet, priest, and king. I have the absolute right to rule over you. I have the right to tell you what to do and what not to do. I have the right to teach you. I have the right to demand of you. I am king.
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You remember what Pilate kept saying? Shall I then crucify your prophet? No. Your priest? No. Your king. And what did they say? Crucify him. Crucify him.
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Now let me show you something from Scripture. Learn this lesson well. Are you listening? I want to demonstrate to you from the Scripture that when you reject the kingship of God, you reject His person. You say, where is that in the Bible? Well, turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 8 and just mark this passage because we're going to come back to this passage a little bit later. 1 Samuel chapter 8, so just mark it. And I want you to look beginning with verse 4 through verse 8. This is the passage where Israel is wanting a man to be king. And I'll tell you up front, they are rejecting God. Look in 1 Samuel 8, verse 4, Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. Look. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us.
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And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. Now I want you to note what the Lord said. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now God said, Samuel, you give them what they want. But I want you to understand, Samuel, first and foremost, it is a rejection of me. Only secondly is it a rejection of you. And he said, and the reason they're doing this is because ever since they came up out of Egypt, all they wanted is idolatry and wickedness.
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Now, let me go a little further. If you look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, Samuel spells it out as a rejection of God. 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king.
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Now, let's put this together. God was their king. But they said, we want a man to rule over us. And what did God tell Samuel? They've not rejected you, they've rejected me. A rejection of the kingship of God is a rejection of His person. The only God who exists is the God who is king. In 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 20, you don't have to read there. And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness. What wickedness? The wickedness of rejecting God as their king. And he calls it wickedness, sin, revolt, rebellion, and idolatry. Now, let's go back in our Bibles to John chapter 19. That's where I started, and that's where I want to finish. I want you to look in John chapter 19.
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I've given you all this introduction just to preach a simple point or two. In John chapter 19, when Jesus Christ stood before Pilate, and Pilate asked him, Art thou a king? His answer basically was this. You said it, buddy. For this end was I born, and for this end came I into this world. I was born a king. I was sent into this world a king. I am a king. So, When Pilate then, look in John chapter 19, when Pilate then asked, what shall I do with your king?
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Of course they said, crucify him, crucify him. But look in verse 15. Verse 14 says, behold your king. Verse 15, but they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Now, hang on. The word have is the little Greek word echo, and it is translated have, but occasionally it is translated need.
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And in this instance, it is in the present tense, which means it's happening and it is continuing to happen. Here's what they were saying. We're not needing any king but Caesar. We're not wanting, we're not having any king but Caesar. Caesar is enough for us. I want you to think with me about the implications of such a declaration. We have no king but Caesar. I want to give you four things today. First of all, the declaration of John 19 in verse 15 is a denial of theological salvation. It is a denial of theological salvation. And when I use the word theological, I just simply mean that salvation is of God. Jonah 2 verse 9 said salvation is of the Lord. You know, as well as I do, that God promised His salvation way back in Genesis 3:15, the Protoevangelium, the first promise of Messiah. Then He gave that promise to Abraham by covenant, and all throughout Scripture, God's salvation is clearly taught.
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In fact, there are so many verses on the subject that one could spend a lifetime examining them and teaching them and never ever conquer all of them. But it's very clear that God has promised salvation. In fact, even the Apostle Paul talked about it when he talked about the hope of Israel. What was the hope of Israel? That God would send His Messiah. And when they are saying, we have no king but Caesar, in one fell swoop, They are denying God's salvation. They're saying salvation is not of the Lord.
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Let me read you what Calvin said on this verse. Listen. We have no king but Caesar. This is a display of shocking madness that the priest who ought to have been well acquainted with the law reject Christ in whom all the salvation of the people was wholly contained, on whom all the promises depended, and on whom the whole of their religion was founded, and indeed, by rejecting Christ, they
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deprived themselves of the grace of God and every blessing. Stop and think about that. We have no king but Caesar. We don't want God's salvation. We don't believe salvation. Their whole history, the whole truth of the Old Testament, Everything was totally denied. We're having no king but Caesar. Denial of Christ's kingship is equivalent to denial of Christ's salvation, for no salvation exists except that in which Jesus Christ is king. So first of all, there's a declaration of a denial of theological salvation.
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Secondly, as in 1 Samuel chapter 8, there is a desire for and satisfaction in a political or a governmental salvation. Wow. Hold on. Here's what they're saying. We don't need God. We don't want God. We don't want Christ. Caesar will do for us. Caesar will save us. Let's look to the emperor for bread and circuses. He will entertain us. He will take care of us.
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Now let me remind you of something. Peter made an amazing statement in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12. Let me just quote it for you. Here's what Peter said. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when Peter said that, Peter was preaching to the Sanhedrin in Acts chapter 4. But let me tell you what Peter was doing. Peter was declaring an all-out war against Caesar of the Roman Empire.
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You say, how can you say that? Here's how. Because when Peter said, neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. When he said that in Acts 4 and verse 12, he was directly contradicting the words of Augustus Caesar, who in 17 BC had proclaimed, are you listening, salvation is found in none other save Augustus and there is none other name under heaven given to men whereby they must be saved. Augustus Caesar said, I am the Savior. Peter says, oh no you're not. Jesus Christ is the Savior. Peter was going head to head with the civil government.
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He was denying the kingship and lordship of the Roman Empire. How many preachers today that you know will take on the government head to head and say, no, you are not the highest authority. Jesus Christ is King. On January the 1st, 42 BC, the Roman Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity. a god of the Roman state and called him Divus Julius, Julius God, or Julius the Divine. Octavian, who followed him, had on his coinage Divi filius, that is Augustus Caesar, the son of God. You've got to remember that Caesar claimed to be God. And Caesar, Augustus Caesar, had proclaimed throughout the Roman Empire, there's none other name given among men whereby we must be saved other than the name of Augustus. Augustus Caesar was called Lord, God, and Savior. He referred to himself as the Just and Holy One and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He was claiming divinity for himself. What you had in the Roman Empire was a religious imperial cult. And in the Roman Empire, the cult was Caesar worship.
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It was the worship of government as God. In fact, the God was Rome itself and Caesar, the highest God, who sat upon the throne. And their priesthood, of course, consisted of all of those Roman senators and consuls who were elected from the provincial provinces around there. And these men were regarded as the loyal leaders of the local province because it was to these men that the Roman populace continually looked. Are you listening? They continually looked. They believed for the best interest of the Roman Empire. And so the people looked to these men as, you're set apart from us. you're there looking out for the best interest of the Roman Empire and in so doing looking out for our best interest. And as a consequence, those Roman consuls and senators tax the people and they tax them greater and greater, not only to satisfy their own excessive lifestyles, but also to promote their own programs. So much so, that the citizens of Rome understood what it meant really to be enslaved.
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And even, you've got to understand, the heaviest duty was upon those who claimed to be non-Romans because they looked to them to support and take care of the government. The imperial cult had risen to such a state as that the emperor was supposed to have superhuman power or divine power. The cult actually began with Julius Caesar, but it continued especially with Augustus Caesar, so much so that all of the Caesars were given the title Dominus et Deus, that is, Lord and God. It was Domitian, a Roman emperor who reigned from 86 to 96 AD, who actually demanded that he be worshipped as a god. And, of course, Christians were persecuted because they would not worship the Caesar as God. They would not acknowledge him as Lord. It is said that Tiberius did not want to be worshipped as God, but he said in a speech before the Senate, listen to what he said, here is his quote, I am immortal, and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind. The coinage of Rome evidenced that Augustus claimed to be God.
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Divi filius, the Son of God. Now listen, in the first century, the war was between Christ and Caesar. The question was, who is Lord? Who is King? Is it Christ or is it Caesar? Well, the Christians were persecuted because they refused to swear allegiance to the emperor cult. You see, in the Roman Empire, If you wanted to believe in Jesus Christ, that was fine. If you wanted to believe in Aphrodite, have at it. If you wanted to go for Zeus or Apollos, welcome, they could care less. Just so once a year you raised your hand or you offered an offering and you said, Caesar is Lord. Which meant Caesar gave you the right to believe whatever you wanted to believe. And so Christians then were put to death not because they were Christians, but because they were considered as unpatriotic and traitors and treasonous to the Roman Empire. Now, listen to me carefully. The war still exists between Christ and Caesar. You object and say, but pastor, this is not the Roman Empire. I understand.
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I know. But the same state religion of political correctness, the infallibility of government, the demands for total unlimited submission, and the confiscation of personal wealth for the benefit of government still exists. There is still a governmental religion where government is regarded as God. If you don't believe what I'm saying, You just take note, please, of the entity to which people cry when there is an emergency in this country. Do they cry to the one true and the living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ? Or do they cry to the federal government for federal funds and a declaration of emergency funds?
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What did those Jews say? We're having no King but Caesar. Why did they reject Christ? They rejected Him for the God of government. I'm going to answer that a little more fully in just a moment. But do you realize we're doing exactly the same thing today? We had rather have our sins than repent. We had rather lose our souls than look after ourselves and take personal responsibility for our lives. We don't want Christ to reign over us. We want government to take care of us. So first, when they said we're having no king but Caesar, it is a denial of theological salvation. But it is also a submission to and belief in a political or a governmental salvation. Thirdly, let me point this out, and I'm doing so quickly. We must understand that a king rules by his law. How do we know who our king is? Well, the answer is found in another question. Whose law do you obey? Why do you think the federal government is so precise in wanting every I dotted and every T crossed and you give unlimited submission to everything they say?
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Because they're God. And if we're God, you must understand we rule by our law And you must obey us. Well, if Jesus Christ is King, if Jesus Christ is God, what does that mean? We must obey Him. And you know, sometimes there comes a conflict between man's government and the government of Christ. What should be our attitude then? Well, Peter answered in Acts 5 and verse 29, he said, we ought to obey God rather than man. See, you've got to understand this, folks. This is vitally important, that a king rules by his law. Do you remember what Jesus Christ said in John 14, verse 21?
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He said, if you love me, keep my commandments. He said in verse 24, he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. You know what he said in 1 John 5 and verse 3? He said, and this is the love of God, that you keep his commandments. And when you get to 1 John 2, he said, once again, If we love him, we'll keep his commandments. But when you get to verse 4, he says this, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
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What is he teaching us? That a king rules by his law. You think government is fastidious concerning its laws and regulations? Well, you hear King Jesus. He is protected by his law as well. If he is our law, if he is our king, If He is our ruler, if He is our Messiah, we will obey Him. The war still exists between Christ and Caesar. Each one is claiming divinity, each one is claiming lordship and kingship and the right to rule. The question is, who will you obey? And the answer comes back, whose law are you keeping? So we must remember that a king rules by his law. Fourthly, we must remember the consequences of our actions. Listen carefully. When wicked men flee from Christ and his law, they rush headlong into the arms of tyrants and their laws.
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They bring misery and destruction to themselves and to their posterity. You've got to remember this, folks. We will either be ruled by God or by man. And we're going to discover this, that the severity of God is much milder than the tender mercies of wicked men.
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Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles, 1 Samuel chapter 8. Hang on now. I've been asking you, why did the Jews crucify Christ? Well, you know the answer. They did not want Him as their Messiah. They would not recognize him as prophet, priest, and king. There are consequences to the rejection of God as our king. Well, let's begin reading in 1 Samuel chapter 8 in verse 7. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. His rejection of the kingship of God.
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According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. You don't want me, says God? You want a man? I'll give you man, but let me show you what kind of king you're going to have. Now watch this. Here it is in verse 10, And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. Verse 11. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you.
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He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. Are you looking?
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And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day. You don't want me, says God? Fine. I'll give you what you want. And once you get it, You won't want it. And you're going to cry out. But God said, I'm not going to hear you. There's a price for rejecting the kingship of God.
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You remember what the Jews cried out when Pilate said, What shall I do with Christ? Shall I crucify your king? They cried, we are having no king but Caesar. Caesar is our king. We reject the deity of Christ. We reject the kingship of Christ. We don't want Christ. We want Caesar. We're going to look to Caesar to take care of us. We're going to look to Caesar to feed us and promote us and protect us. And Caesar took them. And he demonstrated his mercy to the Jews. in 70 A.D.
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when Titus went and destroyed their city and millions were slaughtered. The words of our Lord in Proverbs 8 and verse 36 rings true. Our Lord said, but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. The only thing you can have outside of Jesus Christ is a society of death. The only kind of government you can have outside of Jesus Christ is a government of death. Are you listening? Those who trust in Caesar will always be crying, give us better government. But all Caesar can give you is more bureaucracies and more little Caesars who in the end will destroy us. It is impossible to have a righteous government apart from Jesus Christ.
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He is the King of Kings. As the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence was being signed by the members of the Continental Congress on August the 2nd, 1776, Samuel Adams declared this. We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting sun, let his kingdom come. Our founding fathers wanted a government where Christ would be king. Who is your Sovereign? Who is your Savior? Is Christ your King? Is Christ your Salvation? There is no other Salvation except that which is in Jesus Christ.
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Now, let me show you. I began this message by giving you the title, Committing the Sins of the Jews. How do we commit the sins of the Jews? Remember, the Jews did not want Christ to be their king. You know what they wanted? All the Jews wanted was a political or a governmental or a national deliverance. They did not want to be delivered from their sins. They just simply wanted to be delivered from the Roman Empire.
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Even the apostles of our Lord asked Him in Acts 1 and verse 6 this question, Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? What were they looking for? They were looking for someone to come on a white charger and deliver them from the yoke of the Roman Empire. That's what they wanted. They didn't want some suffering Messiah. They didn't want someone who would come and forgive them their sins. What? They didn't have any sins. They didn't need that kind of salvation. No, no, no, no. What they wanted was a national deliverance.
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We reject Christ as King. We don't want Him. He's not delivering us from the Roman Empire. He's trying just to deliver us from our sins. Now listen carefully. That's the sin of the Jews.
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On the other hand, In this day and age, we want to be delivered from our sins, or at least in one sense of the word. We want to be delivered from the penalty of our sins. We don't want to have to suffer. We don't want to be judged. We don't want to go to hell. Oh yes, we want Christ as our fire escape. We want Christ as our Savior. But we don't want Him to be our King. We don't want to have to bow to Him and obey Him. We don't want to have to conform our lives, our families, our churches, our society, and our government according to the dictates of King Jesus.
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You know what we're doing? We're committing the same sin the Jews did. They rejected Christ as Messiah, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And we're doing the same thing. Let me show you something. Look in your Bibles. One last passage. I want you to look to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. And look at this. I want you to understand that Jesus Christ came to save His people. That salvation not only included deliverance from our sins, but it also included deliverance from our enemies, if we would submit to Him as king. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, is prophesying in Luke chapter 1 in verse 67. Look what he said. Luke 1 verse 67. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, now look what he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, that is, through sending Christ, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; that is, Jesus Christ, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant.
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I want you to remember something. When Zacharias is talking about our being saved from our enemies and from the hand of all them that hate us, he's referring to Christ's first coming, not His second coming. Jesus Christ will not be king sometime in the future, Jesus Christ is king now. He has always been king because He's always been God. The question is, will you bow to Him? Will you worship Him? Will you say, Lord Jesus, You are King of kings. and Lord of Lords, and God of Gods, and I will obey you. Who is King? Christ or Caesar? Let's not commit the sins of the Jews in rejecting Jesus Christ as our King.
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For to this end was He born. And to this end He came. He is King. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We ask, Lord, that You would help us to see the glorious greatness and majesty of King Jesus. May we see, Lord, the magnificence and beauty of His law and submit to His Word and worship Him and Him alone. Give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee effectively with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen and Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:22:20Z

Committing The Sins Of The Jews

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver argues that modern Christians commit the same sin as the Jews who crucified Christ: rejecting Jesus as King while wanting Him only as Savior. He demonstrates from Scripture that Jesus is the Messiah—Prophet, Priest, and King—and that salvation requires submission to all His offices. The Jews rejected Christ's kingship in favor of Caesar, and today many reject His rule while seeking only deliverance from sin's penalty. The message warns that rejecting God's kingship leads to tyranny and destruction.

Introduction: The Jews Crucified Christ

Weaver establishes from John 18–19 and Acts that Scripture specifically charges the Jews with crucifying Jesus, not merely the Romans.

Jesus as the Messiah: Prophet, Priest, and King

Explains that 'Messiah' means 'Anointed One,' and Jesus holds all three anointed offices; one cannot divide His person or offices without destroying salvation.

The Exaltation of Christ Proves His Kingship

The apostles emphasized Christ's resurrection to demonstrate He is both Lord and Christ, the sovereign King with all power.

Rejecting the Kingship of God Is Rejecting His Person

Using 1 Samuel 8, Weaver shows that Israel's demand for a human king was a rejection of God Himself, not merely of Samuel.

The Jews' Declaration: 'We Have No King but Caesar'

In John 19:15, the chief priests deny Christ's kingship and declare allegiance to Caesar, which Weaver unpacks in four points.

Four Implications of Rejecting Christ's Kingship

1) Denial of theological salvation; 2) Desire for political/governmental salvation; 3) A king rules by his law; 4) Consequences: tyranny and destruction.

Modern Application: Committing the Same Sin

Today people want Christ as Savior from sin's penalty but reject Him as King, mirroring the Jews who wanted political deliverance without submission.

Conclusion: Christ Is King Now

Jesus is King at His first coming, not just in the future; believers must bow to His rule and not repeat the Jews' rejection.

Committing The Sins Of The Jews

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	dISqz39obZ8
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-11-18
Dictation Name
Book	Book 137: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 2 — Chapter 33
Source Timed Segments	79

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Jews Crucified Christ: Weaver establishes from John 18–19 and Acts that Scripture specifically charges the Jews with crucifying Jesus, not merely the Romans.
Jesus as the Messiah: Prophet, Priest, and King: Explains that 'Messiah' means 'Anointed One,' and Jesus holds all three anointed offices; one cannot divide His person or offices without destroying salvation.
The Exaltation of Christ Proves His Kingship: The apostles emphasized Christ's resurrection to demonstrate He is both Lord and Christ, the sovereign King with all power.
Rejecting the Kingship of God Is Rejecting His Person: Using 1 Samuel 8, Weaver shows that Israel's demand for a human king was a rejection of God Himself, not merely of Samuel.
The Jews' Declaration: 'We Have No King but Caesar': In John 19:15, the chief priests deny Christ's kingship and declare allegiance to Caesar, which Weaver unpacks in four points.
Four Implications of Rejecting Christ's Kingship: 1) Denial of theological salvation; 2) Desire for political/governmental salvation; 3) A king rules by his law; 4) Consequences: tyranny and destruction.
Modern Application: Committing the Same Sin: Today people want Christ as Savior from sin's penalty but reject Him as King, mirroring the Jews who wanted political deliverance without submission.
Conclusion: Christ Is King Now: Jesus is King at His first coming, not just in the future; believers must bow to His rule and not repeat the Jews' rejection.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

The Jews, not the Romans, were primarily responsible for Christ's crucifixion.

Scripture repeatedly charges the Jews with crucifying Jesus, using the Romans as instruments.

Acts 2:23: 'ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain'; Acts 7:52: 'betrayers and murderers.'

Jesus' resurrection and exaltation prove He is both Lord and Christ, the sovereign King.

The apostles emphasized the resurrection to demonstrate Christ's divine kingship and authority.

Acts 2:36: 'God hath made that same Jesus... both Lord and Christ.' Romans 1:4: 'declared to be the Son of God with power... by the resurrection.'

Rejecting God's kingship is rejecting God Himself.

In 1 Samuel 8, Israel's demand for a human king was a direct rejection of God's rule, not merely a political choice.

1 Samuel 8:7: 'they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.'

The declaration 'We have no king but Caesar' denies theological salvation and embraces governmental salvation.

By choosing Caesar, the Jews rejected God's promised Messiah and looked to human government for deliverance.

John 19:15; Weaver: 'They are denying God's salvation. They're saying salvation is not of the Lord.'

A king rules by his law; obedience reveals who our king is.

If Christ is King, believers must obey His commandments; otherwise, they prove they serve another master.

1 John 2:4: 'He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.'

Modern Christians commit the Jews' sin by wanting Christ as Savior but not as King.

Many seek forgiveness without submission, desiring a 'fire escape' from hell while rejecting Christ's rule over all of life.

Weaver: 'We want Christ as our fire escape... But we don't want Him to be our King.'

Scripture References

John 18:36-37: Jesus declares His kingdom is not of this world and that He came to bear witness to the truth.
John 19:14-15,19-22: Pilate presents Jesus as king; the chief priests answer, 'We have no king but Caesar.'
John 5:16,18: The Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him for healing on the Sabbath and claiming equality with God.
John 19:11: Jesus tells Pilate that the one who delivered Him has the greater sin.
Acts 2:23: Peter charges the men of Israel with taking Jesus and by wicked hands crucifying Him.
Acts 4:10: Peter tells the people of Israel that they crucified Jesus, whom God raised from the dead.
Acts 10:39: Peter testifies that the Jews slew Jesus and hanged Him on a tree.
Acts 7:52: Stephen calls the Jews the betrayers and murderers of the Just One.
Acts 2:22-23: Jesus was delivered by God's determinate counsel, yet taken and crucified by wicked hands.
Acts 4:26-28: Herod, Pilate, Gentiles, and Israel gathered to do what God's hand determined before.
John 15:25: Jesus says the word might be fulfilled, 'They hated me without a cause.'
Daniel 9:25-26: Prophecy of the Messiah being cut off.
Deuteronomy 18:18-19: God promises to raise up a Prophet like Moses and put His words in His mouth.
Acts 2:36: God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ.
Mark 14:44: Judas's betrayers are told to lead Jesus away 'safely' (securely).
Acts 16:23: The jailer is charged to keep Paul and Silas 'safely' (securely).
Acts 5:31: God exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Savior.
John 20:30-31: These are written that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life.
Romans 1:3-4: Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.
1 Samuel 8:4-8: Israel demands a king; God says they have rejected Him from reigning over them.

Historical References

Augustus Caesar's claim to be savior and son of God: Weaver notes that Augustus proclaimed salvation in no other name, directly contradicting Peter's message in Acts 4:12.
Roman imperial cult and Caesar worship: The Roman Empire had a state religion where Caesar was worshiped as Lord and God; Christians were persecuted for refusing to swear allegiance.
Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70: Weaver cites Titus's destruction of Jerusalem as the consequence of the Jews rejecting Christ and choosing Caesar.
Samuel Adams's statement at the signing of the Declaration of Independence: Adams declared they had restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient.

Important Quotes

We have no king but Caesar.

The chief priests' declaration rejecting Christ's kingship, which Weaver uses as the central text for the message.

They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

God's words in 1 Samuel 8 showing that rejecting His rule is rejecting Him.

We want Christ as our fire escape. We want Christ as our Savior. But we don't want Him to be our King.

Weaver's diagnosis of the modern church's sin mirroring the Jews' rejection.

The war still exists between Christ and Caesar.

Highlights the ongoing conflict between allegiance to Christ and allegiance to human government.

He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Proverbs 8:36 quoted to show the self-destructive nature of rejecting Christ.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways do modern Christians subtly reject Christ's kingship while still wanting His salvation?

[Context]

Weaver argues that many want Christ as Savior but not as King, mirroring the Jews' sin.

[Question]

How does the Roman imperial cult parallel modern governmental overreach and the temptation to look to the state for salvation?

[Context]

Weaver draws parallels between Caesar worship and contemporary reliance on government.

[Question]

What does it mean practically to submit to Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King in daily life?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that Christ's offices cannot be divided; true faith embraces all three.

[Question]

Why is the resurrection central to demonstrating Christ's kingship and deity?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the resurrection proves Jesus is the Son of God with power.

[Question]

How should Christians respond when human law conflicts with the law of King Jesus?

[Context]

Weaver cites Acts 5:29: 'We ought to obey God rather than men.'

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:50:57Z