Reflection from Rev Trevor Lloyd

Reflection for October 26 2026 - John 18.33–37

Today is the day when we celebrate the life and work of Alfred the Great, king of the West Saxons and eventually half of England, who died on this day in the year 899. The Gospel set for today is the dialogue between Pilate and Jesus recorded in John chapter18 verses 33–37.

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’

‘Is that your own idea,’ Jesus asked, ‘or did others talk to you about me?’

‘Am I a Jew?’ Pilate replied. ‘Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?’

Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’

‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate.

Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’ (NIV)

Reflection

Did you watch the Graham Norton show on Friday evening? One of the guests was Prince William, who gave a master-class in modern monarchy – cool, laid back, not standing on his dignity (‘call me what you want’), engaged, listening and vulnerable. Enough to start a debate on the nature of kingship – and leadership in general.

So what could William – and we – learn from a ninth century English king? Perhaps not a lot about baking: the one thing most people know about Alfred is that he burnt the cakes, perhaps a sign of vulnerability or ignorance – or something else? Crossing the Somerset levels, exhausted with fighting the Danes around Exeter he accepts hospitality from a peasant woman who asks him to watch the cakes she is cooking and he falls asleep.

Interesting that the story is recorded at all, as Asser, Alfred’s biographer, was a friend and commissioned by the king himself. But it’s also an indicator of the tension and danger of leading a country that is being invaded. The last half of the ninth century is a time of continual Viking raids and sees the four Anglo Saxon kingdoms reduced to one. But Alfred, youngest son of Ethelwulf, coming to the throne in 871 after his brothers Bald, Bert and Red, is a determined fighter and leader, re-establishing the navy and building a system of army roads linking garrison towns, burhs which became boroughs (the smallest of which was our Pilton). As well as his gifts in planning and recruiting, Alfred is a merciful negotiator, so when Guthrum the Danish king is defeated, the treaty he signs commits him to following Christ instead of the heathen god Thor and he and his leaders are baptized the next day – perhaps slightly high pressure evangelism...

This is typical of Alfred, who never treats the secular and Christian responsibilities he has as two separate entities. Though he only learnt to read at twelve, ten years before becoming king, he is a massive enthusiast about education, and education in English in particular, translates part of Exodus for the introduction to his legal code and also translates Gregory’s book on pastoral care for his bishops to read. We get a picture of a king and government devoted not just to the defence of the realm but to the pastoral and spiritual care of his people, an amazingly integrated view of leadership. ‘My kingdom is not of this world’ said Jesus, and there are certainly unworldly elements about Alfred’s kind of kingship.

We need to pray for all leaders, in whatever kind of work, community or country, for our King Charles III, for William Prince of Wales, and for all the royal family, for peace and harmony and a vision of care for the whole community

We pray

God our redeemer,
who inspired Alfred to witness to your love
and to work for the coming of your kingdom:
may we be fired by your Spirit

to proclaim the gospel in our daily living
and never to rest content until your kingdom come,
on earth as it is in heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

And as we pray we can echo the word of today’s psalm, Psalm 21:

The king shall rejoice in your strength, O Lord;
how greatly shall he rejoice in your salvation!
You have given him his heart’s desire
and have not denied the request of his lips. 

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England (2000) is copyright ©The Archbishops' Council 2000