Mark 1: 1-11

 

HERODS AND MESSIAHS - Jesus fervently yearned for an end of the exile and later, the end of foreign rule in Israel. Part of the anticipation that God was about to fulfill God’s promise of messiah to clean up such messes was the rebuilding of the Temple. Popular theology mingled in the idea of Temple rebuilding with Messiah. Herod initiated the rebuilding of the Temple, ingeniously hired and trained priests to be the builders, and used the old location, but more than doubled its size. Part of the strategy was to silence rebel Jews, but perhaps also to win the coveted title of "Messiah," or "King."

FULFILLMENT MANIA - Mark’s account of how Jesus obtained a donkey is remarkably detailed and shows up in all four gospels. Jesus is deliberately fulfilling centuries old prophecy. Virtually all of the details show up piecemeal in Hebrew thought (". . . colt tied there;" - Genesis 49:10-11; ". . . no one has ever ridden;" = Nu. 19:2; Dt. 21:3, 1 Sam. 6:7); ". . . he sat on it;" = Zech. 9:9; ". . . and threw their cloaks over it;" = 2 Kings 9:6-13).

NOT THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY - In 165 bce Judas Maccabee, out-number 10-1, defeated the Syrian troops who had occupied Israel and when he entered Jerusalem, he entered riding a donkey to fulfill Zechariah 9:9. Such a history may help to explain the events that we call "Jesus’ Triumphal Entry" that occurred over one hundreds after Judas M. rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

 

Recall your impressions of meeting a world leader or perhaps recall the last time you lunched with Eminem or Madonna.

What do you find most significant about the triumphal entry?

How did Jesus ride into your life? Conquering hero? Knight in shining armor? The lone custodian who tidies up the office after 5?

 

Recall the earlier "Triumphal Entry"-either of Solomon in 1st Kings 1 or perhaps tell the Juda Maccabeus’ story and his triumphal entry. God’s promise is given and at least partially fulfilled in establishing an everlasting kingdom.

Shift to Jesus’ triumphal entry - where the expectation jumps to high expectations not unlike Juda Maccabeus’ entry. The promise appear to once again be on track.

Freeze the story - we could celebrate with the well-wishers and enter their joyous anticipation except for what we know that they don’t know. We know, for example, the three passion predictions that Jesus has uttered; we also are privy to the story’s ending.

Return to the Celebration of Palm Sunday as Coronation Day. But with it comes Evil to extinguish our hope. Jesus will be condemned and murdered. God won’t come to overpower us or even override our human evil and force a king upon us. God still comes to us in the weakness of love, in hiddenness of suffering, and in the triumph of the Cross.