As an old time two-kingdom guy, (two-kingdom as in "Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world'"),I recently got a kick out of Luke 13:31-35. Some Pharisees come to Jesus and give him a supposed warning, perhaps just to get a reaction, perhaps to get him out of the area, or, could it be possible, even out of concern for his welfare. The warning: "get away from here, for Harod wants to kill you."
I suppose that sounded plausable. Harod wasn't known for taking kindly to trouble makers and some powerful people saw Jesus as just that. He had John the Baptist executed because of a siily vow to a young dancing girl so it likely wouldn't take much for him to do the same to John's cousin.
Jesus had a beyond clever answer that not only disarmed the informers no matter their motivation, but also went to the heart of his relation to the powers that be as well as his mission and modus aporandi. "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.'"
Whatever personal respect Jesus may have had for the high and mighty he would have the people know that whatever political agenda or security concerns Harod might have they were irrelevant to what Jesus, himself, was up to. Whatever Patriot Acts or wars on terrorists Harod might be waging Jesus wasn't one bit fearful or even thinking of endorsing. That is the typical concern of Kings and Emperors which they will work at it with great bravado. It has nothing, zilch, zero to do with Christ's agenda.
Jesus says, "here is what I have on my plate; this is my what I have scheduled. Today I will be casting out demons and performing cures. That goes for tomorrow too. Oh, and on the day after tomorrow I will be doing it on the way to Jerusalem. To Jerusalem, because that's where prophets like me end up--at the disposal of Herod. So, please tell Herod I may see him around but meantime, his big-time operation of keeping the world safe for Pax Romana I will leave to my Father's discretion while I am simply bringing in a whole new kingdom by giving Satan fits as I overpower his work and by healing some poor people who can't afford medical insurance.
Obviously Jesus did not have anything at stake in the success, failure or even survival of the Roman Empire, nor even of a revival of the state of Israel. Those political entities were not his responsibility. Why should they be ours?
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