On that Good Friday in the Roman barracks in Jerusalem, the Lord, as he sat there bleeding from the scourge and receiving the derisive homage of the troopers, was more truly King than when he lay in Mary’s arms in the house in Bethlehem and received the royal gifts at the hands of the Wise Men.

For now, as he entered on his sufferings, so he entered on his Kingdom, which thenceforth spread irresistibly from Jerusalem to the uttermost part of the earth.  For now “…God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…” (RSV, Philippians 2:9,11, our emphasis), “…King of kings and Lord of lords” (RSV, Revelation 19:16).