阅读经文 

耶稣是人，和我们一样。然而，耶稣也与众不同，因为祂是一个王。我们谁能这样介绍自己呢？

天使在宣布耶稣的降生时，说祂是一个王。（参路 1:32-33）Magi（智者）前往寻找耶稣时，他们也在寻找一位王。（参太 2:2）

但耶稣最终看起来并不像一个王。祂没有忠实的追随者，而是有一帮门徒背叛了祂，否认祂，甚至直接抛弃了祂。祂没有一支强大的军队，而是被殖民者的士兵嘲笑、殴打和唾弃。祂没有黄金和珠宝，而是戴着荆棘的冠冕。祂没有坐在高高的宝座上，而是被抬上了高高矗立的十字架。

我们可能更期望耶稣是一个超级英雄，一个居高临下的人，一个拥有超能力的人，一个能抵御任何侵犯并击败所有仇敌的人，一个永远不会失败的人。这才是我们想要的王！

但我们在耶稣身上看到的王和我们自己一样脆弱，祂像我们每个人一样会死去。这意味着我们的王是人，是和我们一样的人。而祂才是我们所需要的王。

Jesus is a human being, like any of us. Yet Jesus is extraordinary too. Because Jesus is a king. Who of us can say that?

When an angel announces the birth of Jesus, he is described as a king (Luke 1:32-33). When the Magi (wise men) journey to find Jesus, they are seeking a king (Matthew 2:2).

But Jesus winds up not looking much like a king. Instead of faithful followers, he has a band of disciples who betray him, deny him, or just abandon him. Instead of having a loyal army, he is mocked, beaten, and spit on by enemy soldiers. Instead of gold and jewels, he wears a crown of thorns. And instead of sitting high on a throne, he is lifted up onto a cross.

We might prefer to have Jesus be a superhero. Someone who stands tall. Someone who has extraordinary powers. Someone who can deflect any attack and defeat every enemy. Someone who never loses. That's the kind of king we want!

But the King we get is as vulnerable as any of us. The King we get dies like any of us, like all of us. This means our King is human, as human as any of us. And he's just the King we need.