As We Enter Holy Week

Many people often wonder, myself included how things can turn and go in our opinion, so wrong so quickly?  On Palm Sunday the people are shouting “Hosanna”, and just a few days later, they are shouting “crucify him, crucify him!”  How does that happen?  Well often times when we are disappointed because of our expectations, we can turn away from those who we support.  Jesus in fact is no different.  But it is not his fault that they become disappointed, it is really their own, and often times when we are disappointed in our expectations of God in Jesus, its not his fault, it is our own. But it is easier to blame someone else, including God.

All along Jesus had been telling them that he would be killed and raised if there was not a marked change in society.  Jesus had been offering his grace and love to the foreigner and the Jew alike.  He had been eating with sinners, and associated with the outcast sending the message that everyone was a child of God.  Those on the outside loved him for it, especially when he would take on those who would challenge his authority to do these things.  He would trap them in their own deceit, and leave them walking away, accused and convicted rather than convicting him who they accused.  Who wouldn’t love a guy like that?  He will put an end to this religious corruption, but in the same token, he would also put an end to their oppression that these corrupt people had been complicit in. So they shout Hosanna, and call him blessed and even in this moment Jesus does probably what is expected, and he revels in it.  He even retorts to the Pharisees if his followers didn’t shout it out, the stones would cry out.  That’s then.

But in a few days those shouts will diminish.  People will see that Jesus has no intention of overthrowing anyone in the conventional sense.  He does not seek power in the world because in fact he already has it. The stories of them temptation in the wilderness are all about just that, power and what we think it looks like.  Jesus was tempted with power, to feed himself, to save himself, and to be a conqueror of sorts of the kingdoms of the earth.  But Jesus refusal to do so does not so much reflect how strong Jesus was in his will power (which one must admit it does), but he demonstrates more so that he does not need to give into these temptations because Jesus is being offered something by Satan that is not his to offer.  The very presence of Jesus himself is proof enough that he has all the power.  But his presence will also show how that power is used. Satan we are told by Luke, withdraws for a more opportune time, and this week will be it.  The reason it is more opportune is not because it is the best chance to get rid of Jesus, but because of the expectations and emotions of those surrounding him.  The time was ripe to turn them against Jesus.  And so it will be.