The Messianic Entrance

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 -- Week of Proper 19 (Theodore of Tarsus)

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 985)
Psalm 61, 62 (morning) // 68:1-20 (21-23) 24-36 (evening)
Job 40:1, 41:1-11
Acts 16:6-15
John 12:9-19

The tension tightens in John's version of Jesus' passion. The raising of Lazarus has been the tipping point for the Jewish authorities. They intend to find a way to kill Jesus. In today's reading we hear that they have added Lazarus to their death list. But the crowds are becoming excited about this new rabbi. There are probably 100,000 people in Jerusalem for the Passover. They meet him with Messianic cries, waving palm branches, symbols of national triumph and victory, not unlike a national flag. Their greeting is from Psalm 118, a psalm used at major festivals. The cry "Hosanna!" means "save us." For many, the rest of the unspoken sentence is "...from the Romans." They bless coming of "the king of Israel." This is nationalistic and messianic fever.

Jesus does something to confirm their hopes. He rides a young donkey into the city. He is acting out the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9-10: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." The rest of the prophecy continues to promise liberation of Israel's prisoners and the appearance of God who will lead Israel in battle to save his people. Then, "grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women."

Such greeting and acclamation helps explain the reversal of the crowd's affections just a few days later. Jesus simply did not live up to their expectations. He did not call for the overthrow of Israel's occupiers, the Romans. He did not lead Israel in battle. His humble message of peace was not what the itching nationalistic ears of the people wanted to hear. They wanted war, holy war, not this vulnerable man of gentle love.

This boisterous militant greeting was short lived. Such solutions often are. It takes greater courage to stand as Jesus did before Pilate, the authorities, and even the crowd in nonviolent resistance. He never betrayed his sole allegiance to the Reign of God. And he never stooped to violence to promote it. His will be the lasting victory. Today Rome is the center of his largest church.

Lowell
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