Some reject the portrayal of
Christ the king. They have difficulty
with this idea, suggesting that the metaphor is too hierarchical and distant
for the loving shepherd. They want to
emphasise a different view of Jesus.
Perhaps, if Jesus had fitted the traditional profile, the criticisms
would be merited. But Jesus is not an
ordinary king. He is vested not in fine
silks and jewels, but in garments of humility and suffering. He is concerned not with power, but with
liberation. The traditional king doesn’t
fit the bill. But the idea of a shepherd
king, or a servant king, touches a deep chord in us. There is a rightness of balance, a wholesome
combination of authority and practical caring, which rings true and speaks of
safety and security. And the tradition
is already there in David, the shepherd boy made king, a tradition that is now
given an even more powerful meaning.
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