GOSPEL READING: LUKE 23:35-43
Israel was a theocratic community (society). ‘One God; one people’ was the beginning of their history as a society. God revealed through the prophets that he was not at all pleased to appoint kings over them. Because of the insistence of the people and because the neighbouring states had kings over their people; Israel was also allowed to have kings over them.
Kings in Israel were to be ruling the nation as the God of Israel would do. One of the important duties of the kings was to care for the orphans; widows and the strangers. Kings was to give relationship to the people who had lost their relations. Because, this was the work of God. God was always gave relating to giving care and concern the people who had lost their relationship. Rightly so Jesus was the king of the Jews. As such this king was special; he was not saving himself instead he was saving others at the expense of his own life.
இஸ்ராயேல் மக்கள் கடவுளை அரசராகக் கொண்டு வாழும் சமூகம். கடவுள்தான் அவர்களின் அரசர். அரசர்களும் கடவுளால் நியமிக்கப்பட்டவர்களே (சூழலினால்). அரசர்களின் தலையான பணிகளில் ஒன்று: உறவற்ற மக்களுக்கு உறவு கொடுப்பதே. இயேசு அதைத்தான் செய்தார். தன்னை அழித்து இறை-மனித உறவை வளர்த்தார். மனிதரிடையேயும் உறவை வளர்த்தார். ஆகவேதான் அவர் அரசர்.
