If ever we should be placed in like circumstances, may we be able to witness a good confession too! We may never, like Paul, be made to plead before Nero but, if we should, may the Lord stand by us, and help us to play the man before the lion! In our families, or among our business acquaintances, we may have to meet some little Nero, and answer to some petty Pilate may we then also be true witnesses. He vindicated both the spirituality and the essential truthfulness of his sovereignty. He claimed his crown rights, and, at the same time, declared that his kingdom was not of this world, nor to be sustained by force. He witnessed a good confession also, as to the matter of it for, though he said but little, that little was all that was needful. In his patience he possessed his soul, and remained the model witness for the truth- both in his silence and in his speech. His spirit was not cowed by Pilate’s power, nor exasperated by his sneers.
It was a good confession as to the manner of it, for our Lord was truthful, gentle, prudent, patient, meek, and yet, withal, uncompromising, and courageous. We are told, by the apostle Paul, that our Lord Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. THE season is almost arrived when by the custom of our fellow-citizens we are led to remember the birth of the holy child Jesus, who was born “king of the Jews.” I shall not, however, conduct you to Bethlehem, but to the foot of Calvary there we shall learn, from the Lord’s own lips, something concerning the kingdom over which he rules, and thus we shall be led to prize more highly the joyous event of his nativity. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice.”- John xviii.
To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Presumably reborn in Christ, Jesus Is King reframes Kanye West as a work in progress and, despite the controversies, demonstrates (as humbly as his ego will allow) that he's at least trying.“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. Considering his new message, the reinvigorated production, and the communal spirit that courses through the album, West seems to be in a healthier place. West even manages to match a reunited Clipse with saxman Kenny G. Well-utilized guests Ty Dolla $ign and Ant Clemons bridge the secular with the religious, joining gospel singer Fred Hammond and the Sunday Service Choir to add further heft to the proceedings. From the rapturous choral sweep on "God Is" and the slapping beat of "Follow God" to the digital swirling "On God" and the languid flow of "Water," the true power of this set lies in what West has accomplished with all his meticulous studio tinkering, crafting an immersive sonic experience that only improves upon repeated listens. Despite the occasional lyrical misstep, Jesus Is King is a wonder of production, housing some of West's most focused and inspired work since 2013's Yeezus. While his grasp of Christ's teachings is elementary - giving detractors further ammunition to question his true intentions (which he tackles on "Hands On") - his seeming sincerity and vulnerability help temper embarrassing rhymes about fast food chicken sandwiches ("Closed on Sunday") and his troubling alignment with prosperity gospel teachings ("Water," "On God"). No longer the scumbag of "Runaway," West - born again and repenting past sins - fully commits to this direction, forgoing curse words and lewd rhymes in a complete turnaround from the rest of his catalog. With all that in mind, the loaded Jesus Is King proffers a new Kanye, one loudly dedicated to Jesus Christ and the fruits of faith. Praising the Lord but also selling expensive branded merchandise, West proved that, beneath the talk of faith and a life turned around, this is still business and religion is often just a tool. At one point, he even threatened to quit the rap game, citing the genre as "the Devil's music." During that period, West also recommitted himself to Christianity, spreading his personal gospel throughout the land with his trademarked Sunday Service crusade.
Between 2018's complicated Ye and this 2019 gospel rebirth, West's position as a cultural firebrand and his own worst enemy was further amplified by inflammatory interviews and controversial political stances. His game-changing ninth album, Jesus Is King, was no different. For the better part of a decade, a cavalcade of headlines and controversy accompanied each fresh Kanye West release, causing as much of a stir as the rabid anticipation from diehard fans.