Palm Sunday Year B 24th March 2024
Lectionary Readings: Psalm 118 v1-2, 19-29. Mark 11 v1-11.
A threat to national security?
I doubt whether Pontius Pilate enjoyed his visits to Jerusalem. As the Emperor’s local governor, charged with maintaining law and order, he was obliged to be present at major Jewish festivals. Pilate would travel on horseback, (from his main residence on the Mediterranean coast), in the company of a large number of troops, to reinforce those based in Jerusalem.
By riding into the city on the back of a donkey, Jesus was not only fulfilling an ancient prophecy (Zechariah 9v9) but also deliberately contrasting two kingdoms. One that relied on violence to conquer and oppression to rule and one that relied on love to conquer and compassion to rule.
The Roman authorities allowed the Jews to worship in the temple. In exchange, the leaders of the Jews were required to arrange collection of taxes, (money and produce), on behalf of the Romans.
Many ordinary Jews viewed their leaders as ‘collaborators’ and ‘agents’ of Roman oppression.
The leaders saw themselves as guardians of the Jewish faith and its traditions.
Jesus had preached about the coming kingdom of God. That God was doing something new. Something that would enable love to conquer evil. Jesus called for people to turn to God, to repent of their sins, to receive forgiveness and be reborn as children of God. To live, humbly, as God’s agents bringing love, hope and practical support to others, especially the poor and the marginalised.
A message the ‘chief priests and teachers of the Law of Moses’ took as criticism of their leadership and lifestyle, and a challenge to their status as leaders of the Jewish nation. Jesus had also exposed their hypocrisy, in bending the Law of Moses out of shape, and their exploitation of the poor.
Jesus was, in the eyes of the Jewish leadership, a threat to their national security. “They started looking for a way to kill him.” (Mark 11 v18). The leaders were reluctant to act in broad daylight because they were ‘afraid of the crowd’ (Mark 10 v33). They were afraid that Jesus’ followers would turn against them and start a riot, something the Romans would interpret as rebellion against authority and cause them to act swiftly and brutally to put down.
Mark suggests that Jesus had set himself on a collision course with the Jewish leaders, challenging them to choose between supporting the status quo, (the politically expedient option), or supporting Jesus (as the Messiah) in his mission to usher in the kingdom of God. Mark paints a picture of Jesus as the saviour of the poor and marginalised, welcomed into the city of God, as God’s chosen one.
The people had heard the voice of God in the preaching of Jesus and witnessed many healing miracles. They were in no doubt that Jesus was worthy of the sort of praise that the psalmist wrote about: “God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. The lord is our God and he has given us light. Start the celebration! March with palm branches all the way to the altar.”
(Psalm 118 v9b, 27).
If you had been a Jewish visitor in Jerusalem at that time, would you have supported the Jewish leaders in maintaining the status quo (collaboration with the Romans, the quiet life option) or Jesus in his non violent opposition to all forms of injustice and oppression. (collaboration with God, the dangerous option)?
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version