Luke 22-23: Son of God; King of the Jews

It's almost Christmas and blogger's including myself have been pouring our posts about Jesus Christ's birth.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

And if we need any confirmation of Jesus' sonship, read:

Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my belovedSon, in whom I am well pleased.

Mat 17:5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is mybeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Mar 9:7  And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

Luk 9:35  And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This ismy beloved Son: hear him.

After his arrest, Jesus was asked these questions...do we find it odd the way he answers?

Luk 22:70  Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

Luk 23:3  And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

Let's look how John Gill describes this response.

and he said unto them, ye say that I am; or rather the words may be rendered, "ye say it", and ye say right; it is the very truth: "for I am"; that is, "the Son of God", as the Ethiopic version here adds; which sense agrees with Mar 14:62 and the following words seem to require this sense and version.

and he answered him and said, thou sayest it; that is, thou sayest well; it is as thou sayest, I am the King of the Jews; See Gill on Mat 27:11 though he did not leave this without an explanation; without informing him what sort of a king he was, and what kind of a kingdom he had; see Joh 18:36 which made Pilate perfectly easy, and desirous to release him, as appears by what follows.

Mat 27:11  And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Joh 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

and Jesus said unto him; thou sayest; which is all one as if he had said, "I am"; see Mat 26:25, compared with Mar 14:62, and that this was the sense of his answer is clear from Joh 18:36, though, at the same time, he let him know that his kingdom was not of this world; that he was not a temporal king, nor did he lay any claim to any earthly dominions; and therefore neither he, nor his master Caesar, had anything to fear from him: he was only a king in a spiritual sense, over the Israel of God; such as received him, as the Messiah, and believed in his name.

These verses clarify the seemingly odd wording: 

Mat 26:25  Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

Mar 14:60  And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

Mar 14:61  But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Mar 14:62  And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Peter was later to preach the first sermon with the power of this knowledge.

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Act 2:40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Act 2:41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.