Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum (INRI)

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read:

JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."

Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

John 19:19-22

On Sunday I was looking at the paraments in church. I noticed the one on the altar had letters above it, and I wondered what they stood for. So at the end of the service, I asked VA Moyer, the pastor who had preached that day. He told me it was the Latin letters that had been written on the cross. So I looked it up.



Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum

Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews

So often we see symbols and don't know what they mean. It was interesting to find out why those letters were on the parament. As I was looking up the Bible verse, I read the next few verses as well, which are included above. I find it fascinating that Pilate, who crucified Christ because he was afraid of the people, also feared God. I may be reading a lot into these two verses, but Pilate was willing to admit that Jesus was who he said he was. If a man that was not a Christian can do that, cannot we as well?

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Sharing Our Faith

This was the second of two personal reflections I wrote for a retreat this past weekend.

Open your journal and write down your response to these questions. Spend as much or little time as you need to answer these questions. When you are done please sit quietly until your small group leader tells you it is time to come back.

Have you ever tried to share your faith with someone?

Have you ever had someone share their faith, Christian or otherwise, with you? How did you respond?

Jesus tells us that we are to share the faith in a passage called the Great commission. Read Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations.

What’s your first response to this? Is it fear, nervousness, excitement, or something else entirely?

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. Why do you think they apply to us as well?

Often when we are not prepared for a question, it is difficult or impossible to answer it. Take a few minutes and write down what you would say if someone asked you what you believe in. There is no right or wrong answer here. If someone asked you what you believe, what would you tell them?


http://kairosverse.blogspot.com