Triumph of Christ

Palm Sunday seemed to be the ultimate triumph of Jesus of Nazareth. He entered the city of Jerusalem to shouts of acclaim. “Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord,” the crowds shouted. Jesus was welcomed as a conquering King. Many churches will re-enact the Palm Sunday procession today. Some with palms in church, others with an actual donkey and costumed actors. It is a vivid reminder of the way the people of Jerusalem welcomed Jesus. The event has been replayed since at least the 4th century and depicted in art in many ways, including this Russian icon from the 15th century.

The crowds expect God to act in a mighty way. God is victorious and will overcome the Romans, like the Egyptians generations before. But, wait, his triumphal entry is on a donkey, not a warrior’s horse. Thus Jesus fulfills the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jesusalem! Lo, your king comes to you: triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.”

Jerusalem, capital and religious center of Israel welcomes Jesus as conqueror and Messiah. Within the city walls, and above the city homes stood the Temple. This was not Solomon’s Temple, destroyed by the Assyrians. This was the Temple of limestone built by Herod the Great. He doubled the size of the edifice and according to John 2:20 “took 46 years to build [it].” The Jewish priests were forced to live with the Fortress of Antonia on the north side of the Temple. This housed the Roman cohert and overlooked the holy precincts. They worked hard to maintain a working relationship with the Roman authorities, in order to preserve the status quo and safety of the nation.

Just as there is a Palm Sunday procession on Palm Sunday, many churches also read one of the Passion Gospel accounts during the service. This reminds us that there is but a short step from the triumphal entry to betrayal, conviction, and the Cross.
Jesus threatened the balance of power. As Caiphas prophecied “it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” (John 11:49-50) He was articulating the concerns of the Sanhedrin. The leaders found a traitor in Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus for “thirty pieces of silver.”

Jesus is arrested, tried by the Sanhedrin, Herod, and finally sent to Pilate for judgement. Trumped up charges are presented: “They began to accuse him, saying, ‘We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribut to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.’” (Luke 23:2. Pilate bows to the political necessity and orders Jesus put to death when the crowds cry out to “crucify him.”

The Roman government used crucificion as a punishment for notorious crimes and deterent to criminals. Outside of most large cities were places for crucificion. North of Jerusalem, on a small hill called Golgotha the uprights for this punishment stood. Criminals were forced to carry their own cross bar to their place of execution. Jesus, too, after he was whipped and beaten and mocked (Matthew 27:27-31), had to shoulder the cross and carry it to Golgotha (Calvary). Crucificion is a slow and painful process as death gradually comes from suffocation when the victim is unable to lift himself up to breathe. In order to hasten death, the legs were sometimes broken. Those crucified with Jesus had their legs broken, but his were not. (John 19:31-37)

After he died, Joseph of Arimathea “took courage” went to Pilate and asked for the body. He and Nicodemus, another member of the Sanhedrin, buried Jesus in his tomb in a Garden. (John 19:38-42). It is probable that as a wealthy trader, as well as member of the Jewish council, Joseph was known to Pilate. In class we discussed whether it took more courage for Joseph to go to Pilate or to take a stand against the Sanhedrin. What do you think?

It would seem that the triumph of Jesus of Nazareth was short lived and that he was doomed to be forgotten as were the other would-be Messiahs of the era. Think about these questions from the class.

Jesus fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament. In what ways are we blind to the prophets among us?
The priests hand Jesus over to the Roman authorities. Pilate tries to pass the blame back to the people who respond ‘Crucify him’. Would you have shouted with the crowd or not?

We know the rest of the story, but his disciples did not. They were devastated. Next Sunday we celebrate the real Triumph of Jesus, the Christ of God. However, before we get to Easter, we have to walk the events of Holy Week. If your church has services during the week commemorating Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, you may want to take advantage of the opportunity to walk with Jesus the last few days of his life. Or maybe you can find time yourself to read through the Passion in each of the four Gospels. Meditate on the mighty acts of God who turned the world upside down.

God's Covenant Meal

During the class this week, we discussed the words ‘covenant’ and ‘testament.’ They are similar, yet different. According to a dictionary of Biblical usage, the word ‘testament’ is more often used in relation to dealing between humans, while ‘covenant’ is used for agreements between God and humanity. Both are from the Hebrew "berith." 

A covenant is more than a contract. A covenant established by God is not negated by our failure or defaulting on our part of the agreement. God's blessing will still happen-aren't we glad that is true! This is true because God's covenants are based in Grace. Our response should be similar to Psalm 51, which is often prayed (read or sung) during Lent to remind us of our need to repent.

With the Psalmist, we pray, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love...Against thee, thee only, have I sinned...Hide thy face from my sins...and blot out all my iniquities...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me...The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

Ancient peoples often sealed a treaty or covenant with a meal. One example is the meal Jacob and Laban share (Genesis 21:51-54) God also covenanted with God’s people again and again. Examples are the Rainbow covenant in Genesis 9:8-17 and the meal Abraham shared with the 3 visitors (angels) in Genesis 18. Joseph shared a meal with his brothers after he was reconciled with them.

Passover is the most important of the Old Testament covenant meals. Exodus 12 tells the institution of the Feast of Passover. Despite 9 different plagues, Pharaoh refuses to let the Children of Israel leave Egypt. Finally, God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites to mark their doorframes with the blood of a lamb and to prepare a feast to be eaten with “your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand.” The Angel of the Lord comes to Egypt and the “Lord smote the all first born in the land of Egypt…there was not a house where one was not dead.” However, the families of the Hebrews are spared because as the Lord promised, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you.”

From that time forward, the Jewish people have repeated the Passover meal every year. It is now a week long remembrance, culminating with the Seder meal. It usually falls near Easter. This year, Passover starts on April 19. In the class on Thursday, we did a slightly simplified Seder. There are two parts to a Seder-the symbolic, one could say liturgical, part and the meal itself. It was during this symbolic remembrance that Jesus instituted the Eucharist. (Matthew 26:26-29, Mark14:17-25, Luke 22:19-20) During class we repeated the ancient symbolic remembrance of the Passover event. There are four distinct parts to the Seder:

The First Cup, of Thanksgiving, followed by the hand washing and breaking of the first matzo and hiding the Afikomen.

The Second Cup of Haggadah or Telling (of the events of Passover and the symbolism of the foods) and the Blessing of the Foods

The Third Cup, of Redemption, where the hope for Messiah (for the Jewish people) is expressed with the chair for Elijah. This is when the hidden matzo (Afikomen) is found and shared.

The Fourth Cup of Melchizedek and Blessing ends the remembrance part of the Seder. In the context of a family gathering, a real meal would be shared then. On Saturday, I was privileged to be at Epiphany Episcopal in Socorro where we also recreated the Seder and then had lunch.

All of us at the class on Thursday and in Socorro found it very moving to participate in recreating the meal. Everyone agreed that the Eucharist or Communion itself will be more meaningful this Sunday after experiencing the Seder. If you get the chance, participating in a Seder will help you understand more clearly what our Lord meant when he said “this is my Body” and “this is my Blood.”

I close today with the ancient blessing that ends the Seder: "The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The Lord make His face to shine upon thee and have mercy on thee! May the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace!” To which all respond “Amen, Amen, Amen.”

Next week we will look at the Triumph of Christ in Jerusalem as we enter Holy Week.

Kingship of Christ

What words, thoughts, feelings come to mind when you think of “king,” “ruler,” “soveriegn”? What about the term “monarchy”?

The southern part of Israel, called Judea, was the homeland of the historic kings of Israel, starting with David. Although the kingdom divided into Judah in the south and Israel in the north around 922BC, the people still remembered the glorious days of David. Messiah, prophecied and longed for, would restore the Kingdom and usher in a new and glorious reign.

Even though the area of Judea was given by Herod the Great to his son Archelaus, Rome exiled the inept king to Gaul because too many riots and incidents of civil unrest plagued his ten-year rule. Rome installed a procurator to keep the fragile peace. Pontius Pilate was installed in the year 26CE. The Roman presence was hated and the Roman fortress of Antonia was a constant reminder of the Roman occupation, overlooking the Temple itself.

As Jesus moved into Judea, toward the capital, he knew he would be challenged. He confronted the priests and rulers of the people with his parables and was perceived as a threat to the status quo. Some of these conversations are found in Luke 20:1-41.

Bethlehem is where it all started, in a stable 30 some years earlier. It is not recorded in the Gospels that Jesus ever returned to Bethlehem, but the town was important to all Jews as the ancestral home of King David. It was also the prophesied birthplace of Messiah. Jesus’ birth there was a link to the lineage of David-the once and future king. (Matthew 1:1-18) This postcard image from 1886 is an artist's rendering of the town at that time.

Bethlehem is a little town nestled in the hills five miles south of Jerusalem. It was closely linked to the capital. The name Bet Leven means House of Bread and the wheat grown here was used for the shewbread in the temple. The nearby hills were home to the temple shepherds and their flocks. The little fat-tailed sheep were raised to provide the lambs for the temple sacrifices. The animals for the sacrifice had to be entirely white, without any spot of another color. During lambing season, the numerous hill caves were used to shelter the ewes and newborn lambs from the chill spring winds.

North of Bethlehem lies Bethany. This small village is almost a suburb of Jerusalem. The name means House of Dates and indeed there are many date palm trees in the area. Scribes and some temple priests made their home in Bethany because it was close to Jerusalem and the duties of the temple, without the dust and crowds of the larger city. Many wealthy families lived in the estates in and around the town.

Bethany was home to friends of Jesus-Lazarus and his sisters. It is not surprising that he stayed here while visiting Jerusalem. His raising of Lazarus offered proof of his supreme power and was a threat to the rulers of the day. (John 11:1-44 )45-53. This miracle was the catalyst that convinced the Jewish leaders that Jesus had to die.

During class this week we had a very lively discussion, especially about “protecting the vineyard” (i.e. church, tradition, faith). It is a struggle to know how to be ‘good stewards’ of the vineyard. The priests of Jesus’ time were trying to protect the faith and life of Israel. Caiphas prophecied, “it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation should not perish.” In his efforts to maintain the peace with Rome and preserve the nation of Israel, he was willing to hand over this troublemaking rabbi to death. We talked about the difficulty of determining where, when, and how to stand up for God vs. trusting God to bring everything to the proper conclusion. What are your answers to these questions?

The parable of the vineyard was a warning to the religious leaders of Israel. Are there ways you try to protect you corner of the vineyard?


Being of the house of David was an honor to the ancient Jews. How much greater honor is it to be of the ‘house and lineage’ of Christ?


Where is Christ’s reign found in your ministry?

Next week we will look at the Passover and Last Supper.

Power of Christ

This week we visit Samaria and Jericho and look at the Power of Christ manifest in changing lives in these not quite Jewish areas of Israel.

What does power mean to you? A look at the news recently gives us a look at the 'power of nature' and the abuse of power by some world leaders. There is also power in the form of energy, accomplishment, doing good and being an effective leader.

In class this week, we looked at some sayings about power:
"Courage is fear that has said its prayers." – Dorothy Bernard
"Failure is success if we learn from it." – Malcolm Forbes
"A goal without a plan is just a wish." – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this; that power belongs to God." – Ps. 62:11
"Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever…" – Matthew 6:13
"And they were astonished at his teaching for his word was with authority." – Luke 4:32

Read through these and see which one speaks to you, then consider why you identify with that 'power quote'. Jesus is the "power of God unto salvation," according to Paul (Romans 1:16). He demonstrated power in what we might call the Pseudo-Jewish areas of Samaria and in Jericho.

Between Galilee and Judea is an area that is not Gentile, but also not Jewish. Around 922BC Israel split into two parts: Judah and Israel. Only 200 years later, 722BC, the Kingdom of Israel—the northern part of the country—fell to the Assyrians. A portion of the Israelites were deported and peoples from around the Assyrian Empire were resettled in the area. These hybrid settlers established a form of Judaism that incorporated worship of the Greek gods as well as Yahweh. This is Samaria.

Samaria was an area to be avoided as unsafe by observent Jews. The residents built their own temple on Mt. Gerazim around 500BC. The competition with the 'true' Temple in Jerusalem was cause for long-standing emnity between Samaritans and Jews. Although it was destroyed during the Macabbean revolt in 110BC, Samaritans still worshipped in the ruins.

The city of Sychar was originally called Shechem. The great patriarch Jacob settled briefly almost 4000 years before Christ. Jesus’ encounter with the Woman of Samaria (pictured here by Anselmi) at that well would change her life forever. (John 4:1-42) In the story of the 10 lepers who were healed in the area of Samaria, (Luke 17:11-19) the only one who was thankful was a Samaritan.

Jericho was another town that was not really Jewish. There is evidence of a town on the site of Jericho from 9000BC. The location gave the town a strategic advantage on the NW shore of the Jordan. It underwent numerous conquests, shown by layers of razing and rebuilding. It fell to the Assyrians, like Samaria, and was repopulated by Cyrus the Great of Persia when Jewish exiles were allowed to return in 539BC. Below are ruins of one of the early portions of Jericho.

Jesus travelled through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem and healed Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, who showed great persistence (Luke 18:35-43). Zacchaeus, the ‘wee little man’ of Sunday school fame, lived in Jericho as well. (Luke 19:1-10)
Here are the class discussion questions to consider:
Jesus tells the Woman of Samaria “I am he.” Why did he choose a despised, foreign woman to reveal his Messiahship?
Zacchaeus and Bartimeaus were persistent. Do you give up on God too soon?
Do you trust the power of Christ in your ministry?

Next week we will take a brief jog south of Jerusalem.

Recognition of Christ

Recognition comes when we begin to understand, identify with, and acknowledge the truth of someone or some teaching. Recognition involves a response of some kind. Sometimes it is a negative response, or even confusion. A response can be joyful or not. During our class on Thursday we discussed our response to things like words. For instance the word "fool" can have many different connotations.

Recognition of Jesus of Nazareth also came in many ways. It can be difficut to recognize truth in something new. The people Jesus knew best didn’t understand and it was people in the “Gentile” areas who first really recognized him as one with power and authority.

On the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee were the predominantly Gentile areas of the Decapolis (meaning 10 cities) and the Tetrarchy of Philip, final son of Herod the Great. It might seem odd for a Jewish rabbi to travel into these foreign areas, but that is what Jesus did.

Northeast of the Sea of Galilee and at least two or three days brisk walk from Cana (50 miles) lies the Gentile town of Caesarea Philippi. Located at the headwaters of the Jordan, this was the capital of the Tetrarchy of Philip. Now it is just ruins (below) Once known as Paneas, Philip renamed the city in honor of himself and the Emperor. Although raised in Rome, Philip was allowed to rule the resident nomadic tribes in the area bordering Syria.

Jesus astounded the traditional among his Jewish neighbors by visiting the Gentile towns of Caesarea Philippi and Tyre (on the coast). It was near Caesarea Philippi that Jesus asked his disciples. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:13-21) Peter’s recognition of Jesus as Messiah, Son of the Living God probably surprised him as much as the other disciples.

The eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee is not part of Judea. It is known as the Decapolis, a group of ten widely scattered towns under Roman control but separate from Judea and south of Philip’s territory. The area long ago came under Gentile rule and residents were of mixed ethnic background due to being in the path of invading forces such as the Babylonians, Assyrians, and even Alexander the Great. The residents even, to the disgust of all orthodox Jews, raised pigs to sell to the Roman troops.

When Jesus passed through the area, he healed a man of many (a legion) of demons. The Legion of demons in the man at Gaderenes (Gadera) recognized Jesus as Lord and asked to be sent into the swine. (Mark 5:1-20) The response of the people was fearful. This was no ordinary rabbi. They asked him to leave. On the plains east of the Jordan he preached and fed 5000 people (at least that is one location postulated for the Sermon on the Plain) mentioned in Luke 6:17-19. People in the Tetrarchy and in the Decapolis recognized Jesus when they saw what he did.

In the class this past week, we talked about Peter’s response to Jesus and noted that almost immediately he is reprimanded by Jesus for not understanding that Jesus must suffer and die in Jerusalem. Even when we recognize someone as important, we don’t necessarily understand their whole mission. The people of the Gaderenes also didn’t understand Jesus, but were fearful of his power.

Here are the questions we discussed this week.
Jesus asks each of us “Who do you say I am?” What answer are you willing to give?
The people were afraid of what happened to the demoniac and asked Jesus to leave. Do you think there are times when you are afraid of the changes or demands God might make if you let him?
What is your understanding of Christ’s work in your life?

Next week we will visit Samaria and Jericho, where Jesus again astonished the authorities.

Call of Christ

What do you think of when you receive an invitation? Most of us have questions:

Should I go, what to wear, who will be there, does it fit my schedule? Jesus invites (calls) us each into ministry with him. He called men and women from the Lake District of Galilee as his first disciples.

The Sea of Galilee is actually a large lake (5 miles east to west & 15 miles north to south) in the northern part of Israel. Surrounded by fishing villages and fish processing towns, the area was the center of export for both fresh and cured fish as far away as Rome where the fish were highly prized by Roman society. Fish included sardine, carp, perch, catfish and even eels. Even though Jews are forbidden by Levitical law from eating catfish and eels, they exported them to the Gentiles. Wealthier fishermen used boats up to 26 feet long and 7 feet wide, crewed by four rowers and carrying up to fifteen men. Others used smaller craft or even hooks. Most of the fish were caught in seine nets, thrown out over the water and tightened to enclose the fish, which was then dragged to shore or pulled into the boat.

This is where Jesus called his first disciples, who were fishermen. Something about this young preacher called to their hearts and they didn’t hesitate to accept the call. (Mark 1:16-20) The Lake District was familiar territory to men like Peter and Andrew, James and John who left the family business to follow Jesus. Another of the men called to be a disciple was a despised tax collectors from Capernum.

Capernum is a lake village about 15 miles from Cana. Homes and even the synagogue were constructed of the black volcanic basalt rock found nearby. The prosperity of this town was due to its location on the trade route running between the tetrarchy of Herod Antipas in Galilee, and his capital, Tiberius, and the tetrarchy of his brother Philip on the northeast side of the Sea.

Antipas, like other rulers throughout the empire, minted his own coinage. Merchants used the Roman currency even though it had the image of the emperor (which was against Jewish law). Tax collectors also used coinage or in-kind items as payment of the onerous taxes. Each catch of fish was taxed as was every other item that passed through Capernum. Tax collectors were considered a necessary if unsavory part of the economy. Most tax collectors were known to be thieves, charging more than is due and pocketing the extra. Even though tax collectors were despised, it was a lucrative job and not to be abandoned lightly.

Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector. He left his job when Jesus called him to the life of discipleship. (Mark 2:13-17) Jesus’ association with Matthew appalled the scribes and Pharisees, but Jesus says he came to ‘call sinners, not righteous’.

During the Thursday evening class, we discussed how easy it is to see ourselves as ‘righteous’ and look down on those who don’t go to church or live an alternative life-style. Jesus’ comment gave us a lot to discuss about how we judge one another.

Magdala is found at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee. This was more of a farming center with fertile soil west of the lake providing farm land where date palms, olive, walnut and sycamore trees as well as rich grain fields and vineyards were cultivated.

Women, including Mary of Magdala were drawn to follow Jesus like the men. There is no record of Jesus actually calling a woman as his disciple, but there are several references to the women who followed him. One of the more famous women was Mary of Magdala who history has named prostitute, although the Bible only says she was demon possessed. (Luke 8:1-3) This painting called Repentant Mary Magdalene by Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) 1565 shows the traditional interpretation of Mary. It is possible, even probable, that she was an independent woman of wealth rather than a prostitute. This would have made her suspect to her neighbors because women were not supposed to have any interaction with men not in their family. As a trader, she would have needed to meet with men, even Gentile men.

On Ash Wednesday many people attended services and heard the stark reminder that we are all sinners, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” The Bishop of the Diocese of the Rio Grande noted that repentence is necessary and different from guilt. Guilt holds us captive, while repentence (literally turning again) means leaving behind sin and starting over. Therefore, Lent is a hopeful season not a time for bemoaning how awful we are. God’s love gives us a chance to start afresh again and again. Fishermen, tax collectors, women with a reputation, and others left homes and employment when Jesus said “Follow me.” God’s love calls us to follow, too.  Think about these questions from the class.

Levi left his position with the Roman government to follow Jesus. Would you be able to give up a prestigious position if Jesus called you?
Many who followed Jesus had been healed. What healing have you felt in your life as you follow Jesus?
What is your response to God’s call on your life?

Awareness of Christ

This week starts a new series to take us through Lent. It is based on a study I'm doing at the Cathedral. Over the next 7 weeks or so we'll look at various towns, people, and aspects of Christ's life and ministry on his way to Jerusalem.

What is awareness, or being aware? It is becoming conscious of, responsive to, and recognize something or someone as important. We also become aware of God’s love and our own calling. So did Jesus. Before we go further, I suggest you take time to sit quietly and consider how aware you are of things around you right now. The light in the room, the sounds you hear, what you smell or taste, are you touching something or feeling deep emotion. At the class this week, we took time to sit and study this photo of one of the Cathedral windows. Each person was aware of different things in the window picture.

How aware are you on a daily basis of what is going on around you and within you? How aware are you of Christ in your life and ministry?

Christ grew up in Galilee, the northernmost part of what once was the Kingdom of Israel. The country was now under Roman control and Galilee itself was considered somewhat of a 'dirt water' town (to use a favorite expression of my mother). It was out in the boonies and the residents were not all Jews. Many Gentiles had settled there as traders and merchants. The area was nominally under the rule of Herod Antipas, but the real power was Rome. Trade routes to Syria, Jerusalem, and the Jordan River valley passed through Galilee. The local crops of grain and fruit were sold locally, and traded even as far away as Jerusalem.

It was this provincial area that first became aware of the new rabbi, Jesus, son of Joseph of Nazareth. The residents of Nazareth, however, were not very receptive to the idea that the carpenter's son was claiming to be the one who would fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah. Read Luke 4:16-30 for their reaction.

It was Jesus' mother who actually encouraged his first act of ministry. The family was invited to a wedding in Cana, about 10 miles north of Nazareth. (Some scholars think the wedding was for a relative of Jesus, but the Bible doesn't say that.) Known for its grapes and wine, this small town was also in Galilee. Sometimes it takes the urging of someone else to push us into our ministry or calling. Mary did that for her son by telling him the bride and groom had run out of wine. (John 2:1-11) This was a social faux pas of the highest degree, but at first Jesus refuses to act. His mother's faith in him, however, made him give in. He felt compassion for the embarrassment of the couple and turned over 120 gallons of water into wine.

In the class discussion this week, someone noted that some Bible commentators equate this miracle with the Last Supper and with Holy Communion. In each of these acts of ministry and worship, wine is shared in community and we are transformed into new 'wine'. I think that is an interesting thought to contemplate.  The picture of the Cana window at Canterbury Cathedral does almost look like a rendition of the Last Supper until you notice the servant filling the water bottles at the bottom.
Each week I'll leave you with a few questions to ponder.

Jesus quotes Isaiah 61 in the synagogue at Nazareth. How can we ‘preach good news to the poor...liberty to captives...proclaim the year of the Lord”?

Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding. How can we bring Jesus into the everyday events of our lives?

I ask again, How aware are you of Christ in your life and ministry?