Despite the violent imagery in this manically fast Rock song, lead singer Ronnie James Dio claims it is about a chess game. This originally "Kill the King" was Rainbow's debut in the UK singles chart, peaking at #44. After the commercial success of "Since You've Been Gone," "All Night Long" and "I Surrender," "Kill the King" was re-released in 1981 this time climbing to #41. Ritchie Blackmore was inspired to take up the Strat after seeing Jimi Hendrix in concert and he bought a second-hand Fender with a warped neck from Eric Clapton's guitar tech of the time.
There's a stranger, stranger and life about to spill
Oh no move me out of harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the wind
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Kill the king
Tear him down
Kill the king, yeah
Strike him down
Power, power it happens every day
Power, devour all along the way
Oh no, move me out of harm
I need a spell and a charm
And fly like the wind
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Kill the king
Treason, treason, the spectre looms again
Treason, reason, the realm is safe and then
Oh no, move away from harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the rainbow
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Kill the king
Tear him down
Kill the king, yeah
Got to take his crown
Crown
Kill the king
He'll rule no more
Strike him dead
The people roar
Kill the king, yeah
Take his head
Down, down, down, down
Oh, kill
Oh, kill
Oh, oh
"Kill the King" is about the overthrow of a king and his power by his queen. Metaphoprically it could be a song about any power, any authority, and any revolution. The over throw of power by another. It's the age old story of replacing one power for another. the queen could metaphorically be the kingdom revolting against the kind. We have seen this kind of thing before in history. In fact the history books are written on such over throws and revolutions. In today's devotion we find the words of the song reminicent of "Crucify Him, Crucify Him" in Marks Gospel and chapter 15. In this chapter of the plain writing Mark we find Jesus face to face with the roman frontman Pilate.
As a young follower of Jesus every year on Plam Sunday I was struck by the remarkable division and changing attitudes of the crowds in Jesus journey from the gates to the outskirts: At the beginning, the crowds holds palm branches and sing, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel. Hosanna in the highest,” while commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. A short time later the same congregation, with upheld fists cries out in unison, “Crucify him!” or "Kill the King"
As an adult, that still makes me uncomfortable—and it should.
Meditating on Mark 14:1 – 15:47, you cannot help but notice the instances of outright cruelty to which Jesus is subjected by his enemies. Motivated by jealousy, fear, and ignorance, they testify falsely against him, strike him, scourge him, spit on him, mock him, and taunt him, before finally killing him. Such things, unfortunately, can be expected of enemies.
But what of Jesus’ friends and followers—how are they portrayed? Judas betrays him, hands Jesus over to his enemies, seemingly motivated by greed. He is “one of the Twelve,” as Mark tells us repeatedly, which means he was an apostle, hand-picked by Jesus to accompany and assist him in his mission. These Twelve spent a lot of time together with Jesus, and knew each other well. Judas was a member of the “inner circle,” and is described by Jesus as, “one of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.” Led by Peter, the other eleven apostles vow that they will stand by Jesus come what may—even if it costs them their very lives. They are quite sincere in this resolution when they object to Jesus’ prediction that “all of you will have your faith shaken.” Almost immediately, Jesus’ words prove true. His three closest companions—Peter, James, and John—cannot stay awake in the garden of Gethsemane to console and comfort Jesus, who confides in them, “my soul is sorrowful even to death.” Three times, he asks them to keep watch with him, and three times they fail their sorrowful friend in his need.
After Judas leads Jesus’ enemies to him (betraying him with a kiss, no less), and Jesus is taken into custody, arises what I think is the most disheartening statement in the whole account: They all left him and fled. Surely, no one could expect Jesus’ followers to have taken on the armed mob in defence of their teacher. But true disciples, true friends, would surely at least remain by Jesus’ side during his ordeal, even if they were helpless to change his lot—wouldn’t they? And yet, out of fear for their own lives, and despite their earlier promises,they all abandoned Jesus when things got rough for him. I imagine this cut Jesus to the heart—all his friends and followers left him utterly alone in the grip of his tormentors (in human terms, at least; he was, of course, always in the Father’s hands).
A little later, Peter, the apostle whom Jesus had earlier called “the rock [upon which] I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18), denies even knowing Jesus—not once or twice, but three times. Then, of course, there is the crowd before Pontius Pilate, pleading with the Roman governor to release a hardened criminal rather than Jesus. “Crucify him!” they shout. I can’t help but wonder how many people in this crowd on Good Friday, thirsting (for whatever reason) for the self-proclaimed Messiah’s blood, also were among those on Palm Sunday singing, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” More than a few, I’d wager.
And so the drama continues to this very day. It seems to me that even the “best” of the followers of Jesus are studies in contradiction. We are Jesus’ present-day disciples, followers, and friends, all chosen by him. We profess Jesus, we claim to adore Jesus, and even preach Jesus. And yet, with the same mouth with which we “bless the Lord and Father,” “we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing” (James 3:9-10). Motivated by various factors, just like those followers of Jesus 2,000 years ago, we choose evil over good, or fail to do the right thing in our actions and interactions with one another. We betray Jesus in one another, we fail to “keep watch” with Jesus for one another, we abandon Jesus in one another. In multiple ways, given the choice, we deny even knowing Jesus, and yes, at times, we even shout unconsciously, “Crucify him!” Even though we’ve vowed to follow Jesus to the death, we’d really rather do things our own way, look out for Number One. We all do this, each and every day—and we are not Jesus’ enemies, but consider ourselves his friends!
Even so, at the foot of the Cross, hope springs from some unlikely sources after Jesus breathes his last. A centurion—i.e., a pagan, an “enemy”—has a revelation. “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” he proclaims. Several women, those who “had followed him” and “ministered to him,” remain present at the scene—one that Jesus’ male followers had long since abandoned. Then, Joseph of Arimathea—according to Mark’s Gospel, a member of the very Sanhedrin that had condemned Jesus—summons the courage to ask for Jesus’ body and has it laid in a tomb, where several women keep watch. According to the various gospel accounts, it is these women who, three days later, bring news of Jesus’ resurrection to the Eleven apostles (who require considerable convincing). It is these tiny seeds of faith that are watered by Jesus’ blood shed on the Cross, the blood of which Jesus told his sincere but unfaithful friends at the Last Supper, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:24-25). And they all drank from the cup with Jesus—all those who would eventually betray him, fail him, abandon him, and deny him. All those, who through the power of the Holy Spirit, would later become fearless pillars of the church.
Today as we reflect on the overthrow of Jesus at the hands of Pilate let us gratefully reflect on this —those of us who drink from the same cup, who call ourselves disciples, followers, and friends of Jesus. The tension of “Hosanna!” and “Crucify him!” will be there, to be sure. Yet, this only serves to remind us of our absolute need for salvation. Let us present that need to Jesus, as did Peter and the other apostles, and trust in God’s undying mercy. As St. Paul writes, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Mysteriously, the very blood Christ sheds on the Cross as a result of our sins is the blood that saves us. In this overthrow God gives his very life for ours. If we truly believe in this Love, we will be transformed by it as were Jesus’ very first friends and followers..........and hopefully his overthrowing enemies, the ones who cry "Kill The King" too.
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