Christ the King, Year B
Lectionary 34, Proper 29 The last Sunday before Advent, between November 20 and 26 Revised Common Lectionary, Year B, the year of Mark White
Next read on .
The Gospel: John 18:33–37
Pilate asks if Jesus is King of the Jews, and Jesus says his Kingdom is not of this world and he came to testify to the truth.
What is going on
This is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year. The Gospel goes back to Good Friday morning, when Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate.
Pilate asks him whether he is the King of the Jews. Jesus answers that his kingdom is not from this world; if it were, his followers would be fighting to free him.
Pilate asks again, So you are a king? Jesus says he was born and came into the world to testify to the truth, and everyone who belongs to the truth listens to his voice.
John 18:33-37
Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.
The passage
33 Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered him, “Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
The other readings
In the order they are read on Sunday, before the Gospel.
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
In a vision, Daniel sees the Ancient of Days on a fiery throne, and one like a son of man is given an everlasting kingdom.
Read it here
9 “I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came out from before him. Thousands of thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was set. The books were opened.
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom that which will not be destroyed.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Psalm 93
A song of praise to the LORD, who reigns in majesty and is mightier than the roaring floods and waves of the sea.
Read it here
1 The LORD reigns! He is clothed with majesty! The LORD is armed with strength. The world also is established. It can’t be moved. 2 Your throne is established from long ago. You are from everlasting. 3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice. The floods lift up their waves. 4 Above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty. 5 Your statutes stand firm. Holiness adorns your house, O LORD, forever more.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Revelation 1:4b-8
John greets seven churches with grace from Jesus, who is coming with the clouds, and the Lord God calls himself the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty.
Read it here
4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood— 6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Some congregations follow the RCL’s other track this Sunday, which reads an Old Testament book straight through over several weeks: 2 Samuel 23:1–7 and Psalm 132:1–12 [13–18] in place of the first reading and psalm above.
A question to carry into the week
Jesus is a king who does not fight to save himself. What does that kind of king ask of you?
For your newsletter or sermon notes
These readings are told as stories on our sister site, Free Scripture, one scene at a time in plain words. The lines below are ready to paste. The next eight Sundays, and every story.
Christ the King (Lectionary 34, Proper 29) · Revised Common Lectionary, Year B · the same Sunday at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Scripture text: World English Bible, public domain.
Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org Used by permission.