Palm Sunday 2023

Matthew 21:1-11 & Matthew 27:11-54

Rev. Neli Miranda

 

Welcome to Jerusalem…the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!

The city of Jerusalem was founded by King David in 1000 BCE, and he made it the capital of the joint Kingdom of Israel. Years later, King Solomon built a magnificent temple there where all the people of Israel came to worship God. Jerusalem then was considered God’s dwelling place and was called “The City of God”, “The Holy City”.  But, over time, despite being a consecrated place to worship God, Jerusalem became a center of economic and political power from where the powerful oppressed the people. The prophets denounced the corruption in Jerusalem and how the monarchy and religious leaders used religion to control and oppress people and how the innocent and God’s messengers suffered in their hands. Human corruption had turned a sacred place into an oppressive human system. No wonder, at the entrance of Jerusalem, we hear Jesus saying that Jerusalem is the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!!

In Jesus’ time, Jerusalem was a “center of power” sacralized by the Jewish leadership and protected by the Roman Empire. During the coming week Jesus is going to face this system. He is going to denounce the religious leadership that made the house of God a robber’s den and how the leaders oppressed the people in the name of God.

The name Jerusalem in Hebrew translates to "City of Peace”. However, this city has not lived many periods of peace. In the feast of Passover when Jesus enters Jerusalem, it had not been long since the Roman general Pompey had entered Jerusalem (63 BCE) on a war-horse, followed by the Roman army, chariots, and weapons. He destroyed the city and damaged the temple. Since then, Roman military troops were deployed to Jerusalem and other cities to control people and any revolts. Some scholars also point out that during Passover it was the custom of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, to make a militaristic triumphal entry to Jerusalem on a war-horse, with chariots and weapons. It was a message to the pilgrims that Rome was in charge and that it would prevent the people from organizing uprisings amid this meaningful celebration.

Today, Jesus is preparing to enter Jerusalem, and his preparation intrigues us. He sends his disciples to bring him a donkey with a little colt… Dominic Crossan a renown Bible scholar says, “Jesus does not ride a stallion or a mare, a mule or a male donkey, and not even a female donkey. He rides the most unmilitary mount imaginable: a female nursing donkey with her little colt trotting along beside her.”[1] Please, imagine this tender and moving image!

By entering Jerusalem in such a way, Jesus embodies the prophetic tradition of Zechariah, “Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (9,9).”  Jesus’ message to the Roman military occupation and the Jewish leadership is clear. He comes to the City of Peace proclaiming peace to the violent system that co-opts the City of God.

Jesus, riding a female nursing donkey with her little colt trotting along beside her, awakens the memory of his followers who recognize him as the triumphant and victorious king announced by Zechariah. Thus, imbued with joy, Jesus’ followers begin to shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! (21,9). Originally “Hosanna” meant “Save us, we beseech Thee”. The people following Jesus know this meaning and address it to Jesus, the new David, as a plea for salvation.

 This passage ends by telling us that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the entire City was in turmoil and was asking who was this one entering Jerusalem in such a way. Jesus’ followers proclaimed, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." (21,11).  Truly, for Jerusalem Jesus was a prophet…!

Are you willing to follow Jesus to Jerusalem? Are you willing to join the subversive procession that proclaims peace in the midst of a violent world?

This Sunday we also read the account of Jesus’ Passion, which is the only Sunday of the year when it is read. This account foretells the outcome of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. After being arrested, Jesus was brought to the Jewish religious authorities, who handed him over to Pontius Pilate. Matthew presents us with an impacting image that describes the reigning injustice in Jerusalem.  On the one side we see the prophet Jesus from Nazareth bound and tortured by the Jewish leadership. He had been humiliated by the High Priest who tore his clothes while others spat on him and struck him on his face. On the other side, we see a display of evil human power. This is Pilate wearing imperial clothes, sitting on the judgment seat, supported by the Roman army and the Jewish authorities. What an image! Doesn’t this image represent our daily reality when we see the powerful displaying their power over the poor and weak?

The die has been cast and Jesus is going to be condemned by the corrupt and violent system prevailing in Jerusalem.  All have colluded to condemn an innocent man: the religious leaders, the manipulated crowd and the Roman Governor. Pleased by the political theater, Pilate washed his hands indicating he is not responsible for Jesus’ execution, even as he consigns Jesus to his fate.  Pilate’s and the Jewish leadership’ actions are not strange in our world. We see them in those who silence and crucify the innocent in order to uphold the status quo.  There are many actors in this scene…  Where do we stand? Where do we stand when the powerful collude to condemn the innocent?  

Are we willing to join and support today’s prophets of God?  How can we resist the human power that oppresses and murder?  Jesus resisted the destructive human power with the transformative power of God who raised him from death.

Today, Jesus invites us to join his peaceful movement that announces justice and resists the evil powers of this world. There is no end to the story we begin today but an empty tomb that proclaims the transformative power of God.  Welcome to Jerusalem! AMEN.

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[1] Quoted by Gregg, C. (2011). Lectionary Commentary: “Jesus, a Donkey, and Jon Stewart’s Rally for Sanity” (for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011).  https://www.patheos.com/blogs/carlgregg/2011/04/lectionary-commentary-%e2%80%9cjesus-a-donkey-and-jon-stewart%e2%80%99s-rally-for-sanity%e2%80%9d-for-palm-sunday-april-17-2011/

 

image: https://essentialchurch.net/2018/01/29/jesus-rode-into-jerusalem-on-one-or-two-donkeys-the-triumphal-entry-in-the-gospels/