Mocking the Powers

March 20, 2018

Christians around the world are approaching Holy Week, commemorating the last week of Jesus’ earthly life, beginning with the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, and culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Those of other faiths and those of no faith at all don’t understand all the fuss and bother, but there is ample reason to observe this week with special services and celebrations.

For years, the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem didn’t make a lot of sense to me.  Why celebrate a rag-tag parade where the cheers would turn to jeers inside of a week? At first glance, it seems a lot like the runner who celebrates crossing the finish line prematurely, only to find to his chagrin that he was passed by the second place athlete.

If we examine the texts carefully, we see Jesus running what looks like a clandestine operation, sending his disciples out two-by-two with special passwords and detailed instructions on what they are to do and not to do. Luke 10 details much of this. And now in the 19th chapter of Luke, he sends them ahead into the city to look for a specific donkey, and again, with a password that releases the animal for his use. Nothing was left to chance; this was a carefully planned mission, for he was finally coming out in the open. It was time to act, and act, he did.

This parade was a deliberate lampooning of Rome’s power. The rulers of the various provinces would parade into conquered territory on war horses, often riding over the bodies of vanquished prisoners as their banners and standards fluttered in the wind. Jesus is mocking this show of power, riding instead on a donkey over the cloaks of his followers who wave the symbol of Jewish independence—palm branches while chanting “God save!” (Hosanna). The authorities watching from a distance would have understood exactly what he was doing; symbolically mocking their power and might. They would have their revenge on Friday, but Jesus had the last laugh. 

Confronting the powers of this world is always dangerous business. The powers don’t like to be challenged, much less mocked. They will have their revenge, but the last word always is with Jesus. Whatever power we confront today, whether addiction, lust, greed, pride, education, politics, or religion—they will fight back, but in the darkest night we can take courage because Jesus always has the last word. That makes me thankful tonight.