He
suffered the Just for the unjust. He was a Martyr for His country. He
died that it might live in a new order of men, under the banner of
Christianity.
5. He taught the right principles upon which the universal state
should be founded. Up to and at the time of Christ nations were
separated from each other not only by natural boundaries of rivers,
seas, plains, mountains, languages and racial differences but by
religions. One people worshipped one set of gods, while another
people bowed down to other gods. Jesus set forth the large ideal of
uniting all races and all peoples in one great spiritual kingdom (John
18:37; Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 1:8; 17:24-27). It is only as different
peoples and nations are united in a common religion that there can be
a proper political federation or union (John 4:20-24; 10:16). Jesus
taught His disciples to pray that God's kingdom, a reign of
righteousness, justice and peace, might come, not to one people only,
but to all peoples. This prayer, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done
in earth as it is done in heaven" (Matthew 6:10) means that the earth
and no one restricted part of it is to be occupied by the kingdom of
God. Jesus looked beyond the Jewish state and the Roman state and saw
the beginning of a kingdom of God which would embrace all nations.
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