Into Jerusalem

Our message from the Gospel of John follows chapter 11’s declaration that from the day when Jesus raised Lazarus, the chief priests and the Pharisees planned to put Jesus to death.  Jesus was now under a death sentence, and he knew it because the next verse says that he no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went into wilderness.  But, Jesus knew his destiny, his calling, his birthright.  Jesus was inexplicably drawn to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, even knowing the populace there had been told to turn him in.  Jesus sensed God’s destiny there.

Will you pray with me?  “God of Palm Sunday, God of celebratory parades, God who draws us to our own destiny, be with us and bless us on this Palm Sunday, as we take the final steps with Jesus into Jerusalem.  Amen.”

So Jesus decides to return to Jerusalem for Passover.  Dangerous business.  I imagine Jesus thinking and praying about how he will enter Jerusalem.  He could sneak in.  He had been sneaking around in the hills northeast of Jerusalem around Ephraim.  But he decided not to do that.  He could have strode defiantly into town, flaunting the chief priests and Pharisees who knew he was very, very popular, so they could not to touch him while the crowds watched.  He did not choose this route either.  He decided to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.  A plain, simple donkey.  Now just to be clear, this is how someone in Jerusalem would have expected an old farm hand to ride into town.  This was a very powerful signal to the crowds.  Riding a docile farm animal into Jerusalem was a very visible sign that Jesus did not intend to incite a riot or excite the crowds into rebellion.  Jesus actively signaled peace, humility and non-violence on that donkey.  Jesus came into Jerusalem just the way he lived: humbly, peacefully and glorifying God instead of himself.

Scholars Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan add in their book, “The Last Week,” that across town, also in preparation for the Passover crowds pressing into Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate was also coming into town from his headquarters in Caesarea Philippi to ensure the Passover crowds were well behaved and docile.  Pontius Pilate rode the finest and most majestic warhorse in his army, and was accompanied by flashing Roman soldiers meant to strike fear into the Jews by their power and presence.  Pontius Pilate signaled power, oppression and the domination of Rome on that warhorse.

Into Jerusalem, Jesus rode a donkey signaling non-violence.  Into Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Pharisees vowed to put Jesus to death.  Into Jerusalem, the Romans pledged swift violent punishment if any Jew stepped out of line that Passover week.  So on a peaceful donkey, Jesus rode courageously into the perfect storm of controversy that Palm Sunday 2000 years ago.

The parade that followed Jesus into town threw down branches and tossed their tattered cloaks into the road, encouraging Jesus to become their military and political savior, begging Jesus to save them from the double oppression of the taxation of the temple and the Roman Empire.  But even though Jesus signaled peace on his humble donkey, the crowds shouted out the very thing that condemned Jesus—“Here comes the King of Israel” according to John.  The crowds were joyous, but Jesus knew the crowds were giving the chief Priests and Pharisees and the Romans the very reasons to sweep Jesus away.  Jesus was now far too popular, too threatening, and much too anti-establishment. 

Would you have returned to Jerusalem knowing certain arrest and probable death awaited there?  Or would you have gone into Jerusalem courageously on a donkey like Jesus?  Jesus knew his destiny lay waiting in Jerusalem, and Jesus responded by heading into town on a peaceful humble donkey.  Jesus’ choosing the Kingdom of God even facing death is amazing.  Now begins Holy week, and we will follow Jesus deeper into Jerusalem.  Amen.