Matthew 21:1-17
And here we come to the triumphal entry, just
like we do this time every year. Those of us who have grown up in the church
have had some version of this story in our heads since we were small. What each
of us may or may not realize at this point is that the story in each of our
heads is really a compilation. Our head cannon has bits and pieces of the way
each of the Gospels record the event and then most of us have thrown in some imagined
details, we don’t even realize are not even in scripture.
As a pastor who has been at this for some years
to now, I think it is fair to say that I have preached some version of the triumphal
entry . . . once or twice. Finding a new way to think about this passage, a new
way to approach it so that my sermon this year is in some way different from the
nearly 20 others I have, is hard for me.
When I see the scripture reference, I can instantaneously
identify which “Triumphal Entry” passage this is, before I even open my Bible.
Before I even read one word, I already know what I think. I know all the
preaching points I have used over the years and which ones like the best, and which
ones have fallen flat in years past. I know all the background information for
this passage. At this time Jews would come pouring into the city. I know what
and how they would have been celebrating.
I know there was another procession of Romans
coming into the city to “keep the peace”, which was most likely going on simultaneously
with Jesus’. I know about the Romans, I know about the Jews, I know about the
Passover and the various meals and celebrations that took place around it. I
know what is going on in the temple, what is going on in the streets and what
is going on in homes all across that city. And if I can’t bring the information
to the forefront of my memory, I know where I can to find it.
The fact may very well be that I KNOW TOO MUCH.
I am not just familiar with this passage, I already know what I think about it,
what I am supposed to think about it and even before I read the passage this
week, I was already cycling through the different angles I could take on it.
With this passage and so many like it, it would
be nice to come to it not really knowing what to expect, seeing it as if it
were for the first time, so I can perhaps really see it. But I can’t, I can
just look at it, read it, listen to it and try to really hear it and I tried
this week. I really did make a valiant attempt to look at the passage, to allow
the passage to just be and, not forget, but put on the back burner what I know,
or I think I know and just live with this passage, what it says and what is
going on here on this day, at this time and what Matthew has to say about it.
So I decided to imagine
that I was a stranger visiting a strange town and I happened up this
procession. And tried to ask myself the same kinds of questions some might ask
if they happened upon these events. What are some of the questions one might
have if one were seeing this procession for the first time?
As I rounded the corner
in my imagination and saw what the Gospel writer says was happening first question
I would have is, “Why is that man trying to ride two mounts?” Now that’s weird.
No seriously look at the passage.
“The disciples went
and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and
put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.”
Why in the world is Matthew
giving us the impression that Jesus is riding two mounts?
The easy answer is, well because Matthew is
quoting: Zechariah 9:9
“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.”
Zechariah is speaking of a king coming in peace
and humility. The passage uses a Hebraic redundancy of wording which when used
was supposed to highlight the point being made. The King will come, triumphant
in humility and victorious in peace and this is pointed out by the fact that he
is riding a “colt, a foal of a donkey,” and not a war horse, not even a horse, but
a donkey.
But still come on
why two animals?
There is also an historical/cultural answer. It
was also common practice for a military leader to ride in a procession with a
secondary mount, one which was there just in case your primary mount went lame,
or if it was a particularly long procession, to ride when the primary mount was
tired and needed to rest. To process in riding a donkey, not a particularly
grand mount and to have a colt or a foal as your secondary mount would further
emphasize the humility and peaceful nature of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem
But then you might
want to know, come on pastor, did Jesus really ride two animals?
I don’t
know. Matthew is the only one which includes two animals. He could be right,
Jesus might have come in with two animals, but none of the other gospel writers
thought it was important enough to mention, or Matthew could just be trying to
make a point about the nature of Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem. I think it
is alright to not know for sure.
So the next questions
we might have is, “What is going on with the palms and cloaks?” I am mean this
is what Palm Sunday is all about. It is the one Sunday a year when, if we were
all in our sanctuaries, we would lay our dignity aside and march around the sanctuary
singing Hosanna. But, why? Why palms? Why cloaks?
Jesus was processing in a humble, peaceful
manner, but the crowds were seeing this as something else. The crowds were
welcoming a conquering king. They were showing signs of reverence and
celebration that was common when the new ruler came to town. You put your
cloaks on the ground to show reverence and respect for a dignitary. You waved
branches and sung praises to let the new ruler know that you loved and adored
him and welcomed him and his rule into the city. He is coming to set up a
Davidic kingdom; to set things “right;” to restore their nationhood and set
himself up on its throne.
The next question
many might have is, “What does even Hosanna mean?”
It is a Hebrew word which we just bring right
over into English without translating. It means “save us.” It is a prayer, a cry to God. Save us! Seem about right doesn’t it.
I think we all could get on board with dancing
around our homes singing, “Save us!”
They are crying, but they are celebrating this
prayer, this cry. They are saying it as if their cry has been heard, as if
their prayers have been answered. Can we say, “Hosanna,” with the same kind of
assurances? When we cry, “Hosanna,” this morning can we do it, knowing our
prayer is heard, is being answered?
We all know what we
would like God to save us from right now, but what did those singing that day need
saving from? Why have they been crying
out to God?
The Romans: at this time the people of Israel
identified most with their ancient ancestors in Egyptian slavery. They wanted
to be released from Roman oppression. They were crying out to God from their
“enslavement,” Hosanna, God save us, release us from our Roman tyrants.
This is happening at the beginning of Passover
week, when they are about to celebrate how God used Moses to bring them up out
of Egyptian slavery, to “save them.”
Does knowing that
they are saying these words at the beginning of Passover week add any meaning
to this?
This is a huge celebration in which the Hebrews
celebrate how they won independence from the Egyptians how they were saved from
their oppressors.
Let’s say the United States falls apart from
all this, and various parts of it are now a part of other countries and New
England is annexed into Canada. What if we here in the new New England
providence of Canada continued to celebrate Independence Day – July 4th?
Let’s say the officials of Canada put up with
our celebration because it is mostly harmless and they just increase police
presence in New England’s capital city, Boston, where all the “Americans” like
to go every year to celebrate together with picnics along the Charles and fireworks.
For three days Boston is full. There are reenactments all over town of various
“Independence events”. We reenact the Tea Party, the Massacre, the first shots
fired on Bunker Hill, the lantern lighting, it is HUGE. And then on July 4th
both sides the river are lined with people picnicking, cooking on small grills,
children running up and down the grass, families gathered together, it is a
wonderful celebration when we remember when we were once a fine nation and we
once won a revolution.
But imagine one year a man from Western Mass or
perhaps Northern Vermont, comes to town. Some of us have heard of him, he has some
interesting things to say. He seems harmless in and of himself, but some people
seem to think he has come to bring about a new revolution, to set us free from
our tyrannical Canadian overlords, so that New England can be the seed of
re-envisioned, re-instated United States of America!
Can you imagine that? Well that is basically
what these people think Jesus is up to. They are celebrating because they think
Jesus is coming to set them free, from their Roman oppressors.
Jesus is coming in riding a donkey (and a
foal?) he is processing as one who is coming in peace, who is coming in
humility. The people are welcoming him as a military hero, as a new king, as a
revolutionary.
They say with their words that he is a prophet,
but their actions say he is coming to set things “right,” in the way they see
things being set right, as a prophet of revolution. So he is one of those
radical prophets who have come to stir things up and make trouble for the
status quo, to shake up the regime and turn everything on its head, over throw
the empire and set up a Davidic dynasty. They had a lot of expectations of
Jesus. They really thought they knew what he was about and what he was about to
do.
But this is not what
Jesus is doing, not at all. We know what the people think Jesus is up to, but
what does Jesus really want to do and to say with his entry into Jerusalem?
Most of us can be on board with Jesus not trying
to come as a military or a revolutionary hero, or even a rabble rousing
prophet. Jesus was not telling the people that he was their conquering hero,
coming to regain the Kingdom and set himself up as the new king of the new
country of Israel. And we can know this by what Jesus does next. He does not
come into town and storm the castle. He does nothing that could lead anyone to
believe that he is a revolutionary attempting to overthrow anything.
I know this as an outside observer because,
nothing he does next does anything to accomplish these goals. He rides into
town and he goes into the temple and clears out those who are buying and
selling in the market place, quoting Isaiah and saying, “My house shall be
called a house of prayer,” and then he goes on to declare, but you are making
it a den of robbers. Now that is harsh.
But why does he do this? What is he so angry
about?
Well, in the outer most court of the temple
merchants set up booths, to do several things, change money, and sell animals
that would be needed by those who had come too far to bring their own, to make
their sacrifices. For the Jews who have come to Jerusalem for Passover, money
changing and having animals to purchase for their sacrifice, are much need
amenities. Jesus is not upset about people needing to do this, he is upset that
it is happening in the temple court.
In theory there is nothing wrong with these people
doing these things. But it was also pretty common practice for money changers
to short change their customers. There was no standard rate of currency
exchange. There was no central body determining how many Roman gold pieces
equal a denarii. So the money would determine how gullible or knowledgeable
about what the exchange rate should be they believed their client to be, and
would change the rate accordingly. Then at the animals stalls it was common for
the price of the animals to have gone up steeply right about the time of
Passover, when there were more people
“from away” who would not know
that a pigeon cost half as much last week. So Jesus is upset that “robbing” others
in that way, was common practice in the temple court.
But that is not all he is upset about. You may
or may not remember that the temple is set up in a series of courts. The inner
most section is the Holy of Holies, only the high priest went in there once a
year. Outside of that is the Holy Place where only the priests were allowed.
Outside that was the Inner Court where only the Jewish men came to pray and to
worship. The court directly outside of that was the Outer Court, or the Court
of Women, which is where the Jewish women came to worship and pray. The outer
most court of the Temple was the court of Gentiles where Gentile followers of
God, known as God Fearers, were allowed to worship.
All this money changing and all these animals
and all these booths and all the hub bub and commotion of a marketplace and of commerce
was located in this outer most court. The only place that people who were not
Jews, but who had come to know God as the one and only living God of the
universe, we allowed to worship. They were basically told the only place they
were allowed to worship and was in the chaos and commotion out on the corner of
Prospect and Mass Ave, out there in Central Square, or some other busy city
intersection, you know like it use to be, back when there was traffic and
people, not like it is right now. I am sure if you or I wanted to do that we
could figure out a way to worship and pray there on one of the benches, but it
would not be ideal.
And that is why Jesus is angry. Is that some
people are blatantly disregarding others, putting their own convenience above
the needs of others.
When Jesus is finished doing this, he sets to heals
people. You, know like ever good conquering hero does, when he attempts to take
down a tyrannical regime. He heals the blind and the lame. He comes into town,
is received like a conquering hero and then he heals people. Again this does nothing
to set him up as the new king, it does nothing to start a revolution, or
anything like that.
Ok, but then what is with the conversation
between Jesus and the Chief priest and scribes?
Jesus is the temple healing people and
something interesting happens. The chief priests and the scribes, who seem to
not be able to keep up with Jesus, and what he has been doing, come in
questioning him about what the people had been singing when he was outside. I
mean he just kicked some people out of temple and they are still upset about
the songs the crowd was singing. It is almost as if they are just as confused
about who Jesus is and what he is all about as the crowd who were thinking they
were welcoming their conquering hero.
Passover, at this time was the most volatile
time period in Jerusalem. Jews from all over the Roman Empire come to Jerusalem
to celebrate the time when God emancipated the Jewish people from a ruling
empire. There were extra soldiers in town to “keep the peace” and there was all
this pressure from the government for the Jewish leaders to keep “their people”
under control. The last thing they needed was some kind of rabble rouser to
incite the people to a revolutionary riot. That would not go well for anyone.
So they ask, “Jesus do you hear them out
there?” You can’t do this, it is not going to end well. You need to get them to
stop before this all goes south and we stuck in it and have no way out.
And Jesus’ answer is odd. He quotes a psalm
declaring that even the smallest children, infants and babes will give praise
to God. Jesus is choosing to interpret the singing as worship and praise. And
is not a too surreptitious way of saying that he is God, and is thus deserving
of such worship and praise.
But then he just goes away?
Then Jesus just goes to Bethany (presumably to
the house of Mary and Martha, since that is where they live and we know from
other gospels that he spent some time there about this time doing something,
you know mildly remarkable. But that is another passage in another gospel) Jesus
comes into town, does all these things and then leaves. Leaving those of us who
witnessed these events, wondering what has just happened? What is going on? Who
is this Jesus person anyway?
We are there this series of events this
morning? Who are we most like? Whose thoughts and feelings most align with
ours? If we were in the streets of Jerusalem that day, with whom would we most
relate? Are we a part of the gathered crowd
who sees Jesus as a conquering hero coming to fulfill our hopes and our dreams.
Is Jesus, for us, a prophet who proclaims the words we want to hear?
Are we one of chief priests or scribes; he is a
trouble maker going to create a bad situation with the authorities and the powers
that be, when all we want to do is to keep our heads down, be good citizens and
live peacefully, making due the best we can with the situation we are currently
in?
Are we money changers, trying to get ahead the
best we can and see him as an impediment to our livelihood and messing up our
way of living?
Are we just another Jewish person there for the
Passover, who worried about how change our money and buy our Passover lamb from
the merchants in the temple, not thinking about or even realizing we are
participating in a broken system that is allowing us this convenience while
disregarding the humanity, and the needs of others, whom we many not even
realize are disadvantaged by our activities, and here is this man who is
disrupting OUR lives, OUR way of doing things, making things more difficult so
that others are no longer disadvantaged by our activities? Are we here to be
healed?
We are there this morning; we are someone in
this story. How do we see what Jesus is doing, what he has done?
And however we see Jesus’ activities in this
passage, what does it mean for our conquering hero, the prophet, the rabble
rouser, the trouble maker, the weird guy over throwing a broken and oppressive
system, whomever we presume him to be; what does it mean for him to die? What
if he really is God, as he himself more than kind of implies here? What does is
mean for God to die? What does it mean for the Jesus we find in this passage,
who we know and understand, or misunderstand to shortly die?
And Jesus goes off to Bethany to spend the
night and we are left to wonder who do we think Jesus is? Who is he? What is he
doing? What is his purpose?
