What is the Meaning of Palm Sunday covers the dramatic conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders. This sermon lesson reveals how Jesus purposely forced His enemies to act.
Harmony Of The Gospels Series-34, Mark 11
For more information about Jesus see these books on the History of Jesus Christ.
Our one-year journey through the life of Jesus is reaching it's climax in what's popularly called "Passion Week", the last week before Jesus is crucified, but won't stay dead. Over the next 6 lessons, we'll cover some of the highlights of this last week. We could spend a year and not completely cover all the events and their meaning, so, if it seems a bit rushed, you'll understand. This lesson covers the installation of the new King of Israel and His first acts as King. Many hundreds of years before, the Scriptures foretold of a Ruler who's Kingdom would never end, One who would bless all nations and lead all nations. This week we study the day that marks the beginning of His kingdom, but something doesn't seem right.
Everyone expected a military ruler, like the Judges of old, who would protect Israel and defeat all her enemies. Instead, Jesus comes out, "in your face" and attacks the existing rulers of Israel, the religious leaders, the Priests, Pharisees and the religious Lawyers. He flaunts His credentials as the true King of Israel, and attacks at the heart of the religious leaders' stronghold…the money. Jesus removed any doubt the religious leaders had about killing Him. He ushers in a whole new kingdom, a Spiritual Kingdom…but first, He has some unfinished business with the worldly kingdom of Israel. We're studying Mark 11, so please stop here and read the entire chapter so you'll understand what we're talking about. In our study today, and for the next several weeks, Jesus is making it clear to everyone:
The time is here when we no longer worship in a place, but in spirit and in truth.
1. The King: This was not a "humble entry" as many would like to portray it, but a Royal Entry as the new King of Israel. Many, if not most commentaries and preachers like to say how lowly Jesus was, to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. Well, the lowly didn't have a donkey to ride…they walked. Zech 9:9 says He was gentle, yes, but it also says He's their righteous King who brings salvation. No one at that time missed the prophetic symbol represented by Jesus' entry on a donkey's colt. He was proclaiming Himself the Messiah, the promised King, who would free Israel and bring everlasting peace. The people recognized His gesture and began to shower the road with their blankets and branches. They began to yell praises to Him, which the religious leaders protested. Why would they protest their Messiah? Because they had cushy positions of honor and authority, allowed them by the existing power structure. They had a good thing goin' and they didn't want a new work of God to mess things up. Jesus' very existence threatened their whole gravy train. Ever wonder how things might have been for everyone in the world if the leaders at that time had chosen to honor Him and declare Him King? Jesus said He had longed to gather Jerusalem under His wing like a hen gathers her chicks. Even this proclamation of love brought criticism from the religious leaders, but the people considered Him King.
Jesus, as King, stood in sharp contrast to King Herod, the current King. Herod's family had climbed to and held power through murder, intrigue and strongly maintained political ties to the Roman Empire. His predecessor had killed all the male babies under 2 years old, in an effort to kill Jesus as a baby, and prevent Him from growing up to become King. Jesus gained power by following God, healing the sick and raising the dead…by teaching people to love. Herod was King to serve and enrich himself. Jesus was King to serve God, and to bless everyone who would accept His blessing. He maintained no political ties, held no wealth, power or position in a worldly sense…yet He claimed to be King. It was more than a claim. It was and is fact…Jesus is King of the only kingdom that matters, the spiritual Kingdom…the Kingdom of God. Sadly, by their actions, the religious leaders proved they didn't believe in God's Kingdom, even as a Spiritual reality. That's probably why their work was spiritually fruitless.
We conclude What is the Meaning of Palm Sunday by applying their conflict to our lives as Christians, today.
What Is The Meaning Of Palm Sunday-2
Continued from What Is The Meaning Of Palm Sunday
2. The Crop: I believe it was this spiritual fruitlessness of Israel's religious leaders that led to Jesus killing the fig tree. Many a commentary ponders this story as if it doesn't fit in the gospel. Why would Jesus kill a tree for not bearing fruit in the spring? I've heard modern-day religious leaders use the fig tree as a reason to suspect the gospels, because it's foreign to the nature of God to kill something out of selfish motives. Well, they must be assuming they can gauge the motives of God. I believe His motives were not selfish. For me, the tree represents Israel, who, after 1,500 years, should have produced the fruit of blessing to all the nations of the world. Instead, it chose isolationism, idolatry, and finally, religious cultism and hypocrisy. Once, God's Chosen people, by the time of Christ…His bitter enemy. Once, the Vine God would use to bless the world, now…a fruitless, dead fig tree. Maybe this fig tree was a reminder to the disciples of what John the baptizer said, "the ax is at the root. Any tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down." Maybe Jesus wanted to add an object lesson to His story of the fruitless fig tree that got fertilized and cultivated for one final year to give it the best chance to produce fruit…"if not, then cut it down." I believe by killing the fig tree, Jesus was visually announcing the fate of Israel.
Unlike Israel, then, we must pay attention to the lesson of the fig tree. Too many of us who profess to follow God, like Israel, do so only because it serves our political, financial, or social interests. Too many of us, like Israel, follow visible religious leaders, rather than the invisible God. Too many of our religious leaders, like theirs, would kill any move of God, rather than risk their position of honor and authority. Jesus said fruitless trees like these will be cut down. Too many of our religious leaders, like theirs, care more about our money than our ministry needs. That brings us to our final point…
3. The Crooks: There is no better place to hurt religious leaders than at their profit center. Maybe that's why Jesus chose the money-changing tables. Many today understand these tables to be places of routine business, and, therefore, a defilement of the temple of God. In fact, the defilement goes much deeper. You couldn't worship God according to their custom, without giving a special coin, called the "sanctuary shekel" and offering a special animal, approved by Priests. This is where the money changers came in. Though it's not spelled out in Scripture, it's rather widely believed that the money-changers were relatives of the priests who sold shekels for much more than they were worth in whatever currency the worshiper had with him. The priests, it's believed, would declare any animal brought to Jerusalem unfit for offering. Of course, the money-changers would be happy to buy defective animals at a discount and sell "pre-approved" offerings at a premium, so you can worship. Think about that! People coming to worship God, being denied their opportunity unless they paid more than God had asked of them.
Can you imagine, being denied the opportunity to join with others in worship because you hadn't given a certain amount of money to some human? Can you imagine not being allowed to serve God because some power-hungry group decided you had to give more than God had told you to give? Can you see why Jesus overturned the tables and called the religious leaders thieves? They'd taken people's love for God and held it as a hostage for ransom. God forbid! He did forbid! He even whipped 'em and kicked 'em out..
Many years have come and gone since Jesus overturned those tables, since He killed that fig tree and since He rode into Jerusalem as the new King. They were his first acts to overturn the old worldly kingdom by forcing them to action for one side or the other. We celebrate the action they took every Easter, because, in trying to protect the old kingdom, they ushered in the New. Yet much of the old kingdom has returned, only with new names. The Bible says Jesus is the same today as He was then. Though ancient Jerusalem seems distant and foreign, we're no different, either. Even those of us who profess to follow Jesus, cling to the worldly trappings of religion and power, rather than the Spiritual reality of His kingdom. Jesus said, back then, that the day had come when people would no longer go to a place to worship God, but His true worshipers would worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. As we march toward this year's celebration of His victory, let's stay committed to His Spiritual Kingdom. Let's not be distracted by worldly kingdoms, discouraged by fruitless, worldly priests or deceived by worldly crooks, claiming we have to pay them to get a "share" of God. Let's continue to worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
Dear God. Help us to see past this world into your kingdom. Help us live in the reality of you. Free us from man's worldly religion. Let us continue to live free, in you. Pour your Spirit out upon us God and expand us, Spiritually, so that worldly kingdoms and authority and religions no longer fit. Instead of paying our dues to man's religion, let us give all of ourselves to you, just as you have given all of yourself to us.
PALM SUNDAY: JESUS WEEPING OVER THE CITY OF JERUSALEM
"The capacity to mourn is the measure of our humanity." - Johann Baptist Metz.
Scripture: Luke 19:41-42
Every year we celebrate Palm Sunday, another important event in the life of Jesus. It is a Sunday to recall the triumphant entry of Jesus on a borrowed donkey into the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was at the Mount of Olives, when the disciples arrived with a colt. As Jesus rode into the city, onlookers spread their cloaks on the road to Jerusalem. As Jesus descended from the Mount Olives, he saw a multitude of people. They praised God and shouted: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!"
Let us walk to see the other side of the story. As Jesus neared the city and saw the city, he wept over it. He recognized unforeseen things to come, including its destruction at the hands of Caesar. He looked intently at the city, heaved a sigh and said, "If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:41).
He foresaw the wounds to be inflicted on the city. Thirty years after Jesus' earthly life ended, the Romans left in Jerusalem only the loftiest towers, Phasael, Hippicus, and Mariamne, and a portion of the western wall. The rest of the city was erased to the ground.
Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He wept over its impending wounds and attacks. His heart broke in compassion and tenderness, but Jesus did not stop there. His kindness is always interspersed with justice. He asked why Jerusalem did not know the things that make for peace. Tears of compassion led to a question of justice.
As members of a faith community, we too must shed tears over the recent calamity. We must also offer help and relief to the suffering and the families of the dead.
Moreover, we must ask why we do not know the things that make for peace. Let us not ask simplistic questions. For instance, a question, "Who killed Jesus?," has resulted in the massacre of Jews over the centuries. That question has incited anti-Semitism and negative stereotyping. Rather, a question such as "What are the forces that killed Jesus?" help us address root causes.
In Jesus’ case, Pontius Pilate’s expediency, religious leaders' narrow interpretation of religious laws and sacred scriptures, along with power politics led to his death.
Twentieth century history provides an example of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran minister in Germany, who asked some justice questions before the onset of World War II. He asked:
How does peace come about?
Through a system of political treatises?
Through the investment of international capital in different countries?
Or through universal, peaceful rearmament in order to guarantee peace?
Through none of these...for the single reason that all of them confuse peace with safety.
There is no way to peace along the way of safety.
For peace must be dared.
Peace is the great venture.
It can never be safe.
Peace is the opposite of security.
Peace must be dared.
Daring peace is an upstream calling, a difficult calling, in times such as this. Restorative justice and not retributive justice is today’s imperative. Identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those who committed acts of terrorism through courts of justice is a compelling need. Special tribunals like Nuremberg and Tokyo once tried crimes against humanity from WW II. More recently, special international tribunals were set up to try war atrocities committed in Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
In 1998 the Rome Statute was adopted to establish a permanent International Criminal Court in the Hague, the Netherlands. Canada has ratified the Rome Statute and incorporated its provisions into national law as have more than forty other countries. The US has not yet signed or ratified it.
Collective punishment of women and children is retributive justice. Restorative justice and not retributive justice is the upstream calling of the hour.
Christ's compassionate tears and searching question at once show the inseparability of God's justice and God's kindness.
REFLECTION:
(1) The story of Palm Sunday, like that of Christmas, has a subordinate story which we often fail to see. Read the story in Luke 19: 28-39 & 19: 41-44. Narrate it in your own words. Pray to God to lead you further in your faith journey. Look for other stories which contain both celebrative and tragic elements at once.
PRAYER:
Loving Jesus, teach us to weep as you do. Help us to ask questions of justice the way you ask, in true humility and compassion. Give us the strength to do both works of mercy and works of justice simultaneously. Amen
Holy Week: What Happened on Sunday?
Posted By Justin Taylor On April 4, 2010 @ 12:00 am In Holy Week | Comments Disabled
With help from Craig Blomberg’s Jesus and the Gospels [1], here’s a reconstruction of events on Easter Sunday. This is my final installment in the Holy Week series [2].
Some women arrive at Jesus’ tomb near dawn, probably with Mary Magdalene arriving first.
Matthew 28:1
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
Mark 16:1-3
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another,
“Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
Luke 24:1
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.
John 20:1
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
Mary and the other women, instead of finding Jesus’ body, are met by two young men who are angels; one of them announces Jesus’ resurrection.
Matthew 28:2-7
And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women,
“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
Mark 16:4-7
And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them,
“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
Luke 24:2-7
And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them,
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
The women, fearful and joyful, leave the garden—at first unwilling to say anything to anyone about this but then changing their mind and going to tell the Eleven.
Mark 16:18
And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Matthew 28:8
So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Mary Magdalene likely rushes ahead and tells Peter and John before the other women arrive.
John 20:2
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
The other women, still en route to tell the disciples, are met by Jesus, who confirms their decision to tell the Eleven and promises to meet them in Galilee.
Matthew 28:9-10
And behold, Jesus met them and said,
“Greetings!”
And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
Then Jesus said to them,
“Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
The women arrive and tell the disciples that Jesus is risen.
Luke 24:8-11
And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
Peter and John rush to the tomb (based on Mary Magdalene’s report) and discover it empty.
John 20:3-10
So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Luke 24:12
But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
That afternoon Jesus appears to Cleopas and a friend on the road to Emmaus; later Jesus appears to Peter
Luke 24:13-35
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them,
“What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?”
And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
And he said to them,
“What things?”
And they said to him,
“Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
And he said to them,
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying,
“Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.”
So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other,
“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying,
“The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
That evening Jesus appears to the Ten (minus Thomas) in a house (with locked doors) in Jerusalem
Luke 24:36-43
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them,
“Peace to you!”
But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.
And he said to them,
“Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them,
“Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
John 20:19-23
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again,
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Article printed from Justin Taylor: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor
URL to article: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/04/04/holy-week-what-happened-on-sunday-2/
URLs in this post:
[1] Jesus and the Gospels: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805444823/bettwowor-20
[2] the Holy Week series: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/category/holy-week/
Online reserach information 1-4-2012 ~ Online reserached by
Rev. Garry W. Cuthbert
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