During the week Jesus continued to go to the temple court yard, speaking truth boldly and provocatively. His amazing language was pointed and direct and passionate. You should read it. I read out of Matthew 23-25 today. There is far too much to summarize.
Jesus had made the message clear. The religious authorities had perverted what God had entrusted to them. The poor, oppressed, and outcast had a special place in his heart, and a special place in God's kingdom. If one desired to be with Jesus, with God, one should stand among the least, the last, the lost.
Any different way would lead to destruction.
And that destructive way was the choice of the powerful people that week.
As the plot against him was being hatched, Jesus planned and served a final meal for his disciples, as if there were still more that he wanted them to know, that they must know. It was the night of the Passover meal. Jesus served his friends. At one point in the meal Jesus said that one of them would betray him. He was right, of course, and Jesus told Judas to go do what he will do. But Jesus continued with the meal. Remarkably, he washed their feet. And towards the end of the Passover ritual, Jesus added something. He blessed the bread, broke it, and served it to his friends, telling them it was his body that was broken for them. He then took the cup of wine, blessed it, and asked his friends to drink, saying that it was his blood that was shed for them, for forgiveness. He asked his friends to share this meal often, and when they did, always remember him.
There wasn't a whole lot left to say, or maybe the time for talk was over. Surely the disciples were speechless, except maybe Peter. They did a little singing, as often happens after the conversation lulls, and then they walked to the Mt. of Olives. Jesus, always trying to prepare his friends for what lay ahead, warned them that they would all betray him, but even so, he would meet them later in Galilee. Peter, bless his heart, spoke up and said that he would never betray Jesus. Jesus told him that he would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed.
One can only imagine the mood of the group as Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He had spoken of death and betrayal. Yet he seemed to have no plan to escape. Jesus prayed so hard he was sweating blood. Peter, James and John dozed off. Jesus prayed some more, asking God for a different way, if there was one. There was none.
Then the quiet of the night was shattered by an armed crowd, sent by the religious leaders to arrest Jesus. Judas, who had been with Jesus for a couple of years, was with them. He identified Jesus, betraying him with a kiss. Peter, bless his heart, drew his sword to protect Jesus. Jesus told Peter to put it away, reminding Peter that Jesus had a heavenly band of angels if he wanted to use them, but it was not the thing that had to be done. Then Jesus healed the wound Peter had inflicted on his captor.
Jesus was arrested and taken away to the High Priest.
His friends deserted him and ran away.
..
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Holy Week, episode 3: "Oh no you dident . . ."
Previously, on Holy Week: Jesus rides into Jerusalem in what, to the Jews of the day, would be a clearly Messianic fashion . . . on the back of a donkey. Huge crowds gathered and welcomed Him shouting, "Hosanna, Save Us, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord . . ." Jesus went straight to the temple and confronted those who were making obscene profits in the name of God by selling sacrificial animals to travelers and the poor. He destroyed their kiosks and drove them out of the temple court with a rope whip, charging that they had turned His house of prayer into a robbers' den. .(See prior two posts for complete episodes, or better yet, get out your Bible and read it). Now to today's episode.
Like any good kindergarten teacher, Jesus knew that before He could be heard, it was necessary to get the attention of those to be taught. After putting the temple dove vendors out of business, he turned his attention to others in the courtyard. There were many in need. He healed the blind and lame. Their numbers grew as they marveled at what Jesus was doing, and to whom. Jesus left no doubt He was doing all these things as the Messiah, the son of God.
So all eyes and ears were on Jesus as He challenged the authority and actions of the religious leaders in the temple, the Pharisees and the Saducees, while at the same time giving importance and assistance to the poor, sick, and outcast.
This kind of thing was simply not done. The dove vendor kiosks were not the only thing Jesus turned upside down. Everything the temple goers knew was suddenly topsy-turvy.
Jesus life was in danger. Religious authorities conspired to find a way to destroy Him before He destroyed their way of life. But they had to be subtle. They were men of God, after all. So, like hunters stalking a wily prey, they spent the next few days setting theological traps for Jesus so that he could be charged under religious law.
There are a lifetime of lessons to learn from Jesus' few days in the temple courtyard. It was if Jesus was desperate to say all the things he wanted us to know in the space of a couple of days. But perhaps the most obvious is that you cannot win an argument with the guy. We can come up with the most clever questions for Jesus to justify ourselves, our actions, our petitions.
And then He answers us with one of those darn questions.
Should we pay taxes to Caesar? Whose picture is on the coin?
Who gives you the authority to say these things? Was the baptism of John from man or God?
If a woman marries several brothers in succession after each dies, whose wife will she be in the resurrection?
Is this not why you are wrong, that you do not know the scriptures or the power of God?
The religious leaders failed miserably in their efforts to trap Jesus. The dialogues only revealed the truth about who they were, and who He was. And the huge crowds in the courtyard heard or heard about it all. It only made leaders more fearful, and more angry.
Then Jesus began to tell parables. He told of tenants who had been entrusted with a vineyard, but had murdered the owner's servants and son instead. He told of well to do folks who had been invited to a wedding feast by the master but did not RSVP nor did they come, so the invitations were sent to ordinary street folk. Story after story, dialogue after dialogue, Jesus' condemned the actions and failures of the status quo religious structure in carrying out the will of God and elevated the powerless.
And then he said it out loud. Many times. In different direct ways. But a couple of the briefest and most pointed were,
"Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it."
and
"Beware the scribes, who go about in long robes, and love to have salutations in the market places,and the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Theirs will be the greater condemnation."
And then he heard a sound. The clank of a small coin being dropped against stone. At first all He could see were apparently rich people, dressed in their finery and enlarged phylacteries, proudly placing large sums into the temple treasury. But then he saw the source of the sound that got His attention . . . a poor widow who had dropped two small copper coins into the pile of money. It was worth about a penny.
"This poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they contributed out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, her whole living."
The temple court was buzzing. The religious leaders were fuming. And all were wondering, more than ever before, is He the Messiah?
And the buzz echoes even now. Is He the Messiah?
Who is a Pharisee?.
Oh crap. Here we go. Another question I probably shouldn't ask.
.
.
Like any good kindergarten teacher, Jesus knew that before He could be heard, it was necessary to get the attention of those to be taught. After putting the temple dove vendors out of business, he turned his attention to others in the courtyard. There were many in need. He healed the blind and lame. Their numbers grew as they marveled at what Jesus was doing, and to whom. Jesus left no doubt He was doing all these things as the Messiah, the son of God.
So all eyes and ears were on Jesus as He challenged the authority and actions of the religious leaders in the temple, the Pharisees and the Saducees, while at the same time giving importance and assistance to the poor, sick, and outcast.
This kind of thing was simply not done. The dove vendor kiosks were not the only thing Jesus turned upside down. Everything the temple goers knew was suddenly topsy-turvy.
Jesus life was in danger. Religious authorities conspired to find a way to destroy Him before He destroyed their way of life. But they had to be subtle. They were men of God, after all. So, like hunters stalking a wily prey, they spent the next few days setting theological traps for Jesus so that he could be charged under religious law.
There are a lifetime of lessons to learn from Jesus' few days in the temple courtyard. It was if Jesus was desperate to say all the things he wanted us to know in the space of a couple of days. But perhaps the most obvious is that you cannot win an argument with the guy. We can come up with the most clever questions for Jesus to justify ourselves, our actions, our petitions.
And then He answers us with one of those darn questions.
Should we pay taxes to Caesar? Whose picture is on the coin?
Who gives you the authority to say these things? Was the baptism of John from man or God?
If a woman marries several brothers in succession after each dies, whose wife will she be in the resurrection?
Is this not why you are wrong, that you do not know the scriptures or the power of God?
The religious leaders failed miserably in their efforts to trap Jesus. The dialogues only revealed the truth about who they were, and who He was. And the huge crowds in the courtyard heard or heard about it all. It only made leaders more fearful, and more angry.
Then Jesus began to tell parables. He told of tenants who had been entrusted with a vineyard, but had murdered the owner's servants and son instead. He told of well to do folks who had been invited to a wedding feast by the master but did not RSVP nor did they come, so the invitations were sent to ordinary street folk. Story after story, dialogue after dialogue, Jesus' condemned the actions and failures of the status quo religious structure in carrying out the will of God and elevated the powerless.
And then he said it out loud. Many times. In different direct ways. But a couple of the briefest and most pointed were,
"Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it."
and
"Beware the scribes, who go about in long robes, and love to have salutations in the market places,and the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Theirs will be the greater condemnation."
And then he heard a sound. The clank of a small coin being dropped against stone. At first all He could see were apparently rich people, dressed in their finery and enlarged phylacteries, proudly placing large sums into the temple treasury. But then he saw the source of the sound that got His attention . . . a poor widow who had dropped two small copper coins into the pile of money. It was worth about a penny.
"This poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they contributed out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, her whole living."
The temple court was buzzing. The religious leaders were fuming. And all were wondering, more than ever before, is He the Messiah?
And the buzz echoes even now. Is He the Messiah?
Who is a Pharisee?.
Oh crap. Here we go. Another question I probably shouldn't ask.
.
.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Holy Week, episode 2, Spring cleaning . . .
So like I said yesterday, Jesus the Messiah rode stately into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey which had been reserved for a couple hundred years. But the Grand Marshall of this parade was not here for the palm frond ticker tape parade. Some of my United Methodist pastor friends are anxiously awaiting appointments, or not, to new churches, new lives, within a few days. Perhaps they can appreciate more than most the chaos and upheaval of Jesus' final week in His current appointment. Perhaps they understand how it feels to look at the congregation you were sent to serve, to teach, to lead, and wonder what went wrong, why they didn't get it. Perhaps they weep over the place they are leaving behind, even as they are honored at a covered dish supper. But not for long. There is too much to do to prepare for the future.
And so it was for Jesus. There was so much to do. So little time. But the time had come.
Jesus' and my mother's first step in preparation for Easter Sunday were the same. The first priority is to clean house.
Jesus went directly to the Temple, the Holy place where the Jewish people gathered to worship God, a tradition and command born of centuries of Jewish history with God. In the courtyard of this Holy place there were vendors' booths set up. The vendors were selling doves or whatever animal was appropriate for sacrifice, to those who had none. The mark up on the prices for the offerings would have made Pay Day Loans or Cash Advance proud. Poor folks and travelers, who had no animals, seemed to have little choice. God required a sacrifice after all. It was a sellers' market. Obscene profits were being made in the name of God. But there was no profit for God.
It was a dirty business.
And the House had to be cleaned before Easter.
So Jesus began to scrub. And he got angry. (Another thing he and my mother have in common when cleaning up the mess created by others right before a holiday). His house of prayer had become a robber's den. Jesus turned over the tables of the profiteers in the Holy Courtyard and ran them out with a rope whip.
Sometimes you have to make a mess before you can get things clean.
Don't get me wrong. My mother is a dear, sweet woman. But her house needed to be clean. And sometimes, if those who had made the mess were slow to help in correcting the situation, perhaps continuing to watch TV while eating chips and spilling Coke on the floor while she attempted to clean around that person, or persons, she might lose her temper. She might even start pushing people out of the room with a broom.
It seemed unlike her. Out of character.
But, she got our attention.
And that's how this week was suddenly different.
Jesus' got their attention. All of Jerusalem's attention. Our attention.
And that was just the beginning.
.
And so it was for Jesus. There was so much to do. So little time. But the time had come.
Jesus' and my mother's first step in preparation for Easter Sunday were the same. The first priority is to clean house.
Jesus went directly to the Temple, the Holy place where the Jewish people gathered to worship God, a tradition and command born of centuries of Jewish history with God. In the courtyard of this Holy place there were vendors' booths set up. The vendors were selling doves or whatever animal was appropriate for sacrifice, to those who had none. The mark up on the prices for the offerings would have made Pay Day Loans or Cash Advance proud. Poor folks and travelers, who had no animals, seemed to have little choice. God required a sacrifice after all. It was a sellers' market. Obscene profits were being made in the name of God. But there was no profit for God.
It was a dirty business.
And the House had to be cleaned before Easter.
So Jesus began to scrub. And he got angry. (Another thing he and my mother have in common when cleaning up the mess created by others right before a holiday). His house of prayer had become a robber's den. Jesus turned over the tables of the profiteers in the Holy Courtyard and ran them out with a rope whip.
Sometimes you have to make a mess before you can get things clean.
Don't get me wrong. My mother is a dear, sweet woman. But her house needed to be clean. And sometimes, if those who had made the mess were slow to help in correcting the situation, perhaps continuing to watch TV while eating chips and spilling Coke on the floor while she attempted to clean around that person, or persons, she might lose her temper. She might even start pushing people out of the room with a broom.
It seemed unlike her. Out of character.
But, she got our attention.
And that's how this week was suddenly different.
Jesus' got their attention. All of Jerusalem's attention. Our attention.
And that was just the beginning.
.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Jerusalem was already crowded for spring break . . .
Jesus had a long to-do list stuffed in his cloak pocket, or perhaps tucked in his tefillin, as he triumphantly entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Only a true Messiah could look triumphant riding on the back of a donkey, but there He was, huge crowds lining his route into the City, laying palm branches in the pathway and shouting "Hosanna, Hosanna." "Save Us, Save Us." They were hoping, longing for a Messiah. Times for the Jews had gotten tough under the rule of the Romans. Only a people desperate for a Messiah could believe He would ride into town on a donkey. Except they were Jews, and the prophets had told them hundreds of years before this is the way it would be.
For almost three years Jesus had held back, ministering in a strange secrecy, or at least as much secrecy as can be maintained when you run around healing, multiplying fish and loaves to feed thousands, walking on water, and yes, even raising the dead. Often the miracles were followed by a Messianic shush. "Shhhhh, don't tell anybody about this . . ." Okay, that's not really in the gospels anywhere, but before entering Jerusalem, Jesus often gave similar post-miracle instructions. (His patients were about as obedient as I am with those post doctor visit instructions, but like my doctor, he tried) He had spoken in parables, almost in riddles, about who He was. When things had gotten too dangerous, He had slipped out of towns, mysteriously unseen by the crowds. When his own Blessed Mother simply asked for a little wine, He responded "Woman it is not yet my time." And after her long hours of labor in a cattle stall, and on Christmas Day, no less.
For almost three years, this had been Jesus' response. It is not quite time.
But this week things are different. The time had come. Jesus' time had come.
All of creation was waiting.
And there was much to do to get ready for Easter Sunday.
...
For almost three years Jesus had held back, ministering in a strange secrecy, or at least as much secrecy as can be maintained when you run around healing, multiplying fish and loaves to feed thousands, walking on water, and yes, even raising the dead. Often the miracles were followed by a Messianic shush. "Shhhhh, don't tell anybody about this . . ." Okay, that's not really in the gospels anywhere, but before entering Jerusalem, Jesus often gave similar post-miracle instructions. (His patients were about as obedient as I am with those post doctor visit instructions, but like my doctor, he tried) He had spoken in parables, almost in riddles, about who He was. When things had gotten too dangerous, He had slipped out of towns, mysteriously unseen by the crowds. When his own Blessed Mother simply asked for a little wine, He responded "Woman it is not yet my time." And after her long hours of labor in a cattle stall, and on Christmas Day, no less.
For almost three years, this had been Jesus' response. It is not quite time.
But this week things are different. The time had come. Jesus' time had come.
All of creation was waiting.
And there was much to do to get ready for Easter Sunday.
...
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