Day 2: things are beginning to intensify for Jesus, his followers, the Jewish leaders, and the Romans.
Romans? Surely they don’t come into the picture until late Thursday night, right?
Come on folks, let’s not be unrealistic. If you are one of those people who believes that thousands followed Jesus around and came to hear his sermons, then you have to realize that the Romans noticed just like the passersby. If you know your history, you know that no Roman wanted to be stationed in Judea: it was one of the most dangerous backwaters in the Empire. Add to that the fact that if thousands gathered around in any situation in those days, it would drain the towns and cities (and there weren’t really any huge cities around like we think of them today) of people, pissing off the merchants, hurting the economy, and causing the shopowners and salespeople to go complaining to the authorities. The authorities then took action.
I’m not certain there were thousands, but there were enough. Was I the only kid in Sunday School who couldn’t understand why the Jews have been persecuted throughout history? The word ‘Christ-killer” wasn’t in our vocabulary in those days, and I know for a fact that my super-smart preacher’s kid friend wasn’t the only other person who figured out that the Jews weren’t as responsible for the death of Jesus as the Romans were! Any study of New Testament times will reveal that crucifixion was a Roman form of punishment, not a Jewish one. The Romans didn’t particularly care who they used it on, but it was especially grizzly and painful for political rebels. They did not react well to being rebelled against!
So, Monday in Holy Week is also the beginning of not one plot, but many, to do Jesus to death. Whether Jesus talked about himself in earthly terms or not, his followers heard the only way they knew how to: in earthly, political, here-comes-the-kind terms. They were excited. They anticipated. David’s kingdom was coming back. Political and religious understandings of the Messiah had merged into this person, Jesus. The Jewish leders were sweating; but the Romans watched and readied themselves.
The time had come: bye-bye, Romans!
About jamiebrame
Greetings, fellow earthlings. I'm the retired Program Director at Christmount, the national retreat, camp, and conference center of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), in Black Mountain, NC. From September 2019 through October, 2020, I served Timberlake Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Lynchburg, VA, as interim minister. After taking more than a year off, First Christian Church (DoC), Wilson, NC, offered me the position of Interim Minister, beginning May 10, 2022.
Originally from Eden, NC, I graduated from John Motley Morehead High School, earned a BA in Religion and Philosophy at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College), and eked out a Master of Divinity from the Divinity School at Duke University. I served, in various positions, churches (part time and full time) in North Carolina and Georgia, and have lived in Black Mountain, NC, since 1989. I married Renae in 1992 (she refers to these years as "looooooooooong" years.
I've spent the past 50 years or so trying to practice Christian contemplative prayer with some touches of Zen meditation to help the journey along. Married to a wife who is much holier than I am, I am fortunate to learn from her daily about how to do this thing called spirituality. Being an ordained minister doesn't make me holy (but occasionally, as you'll read, a little sanctimonious, so forgive me in advance!); but I hope that I put my education to good use.
I'd love to be considered a spiritual teacher, but I know myself too well to claim that. While I do a bit of teaching, I think the best teaching we do is when we remain silent (the old desert abba said something like, "if you won't learn from my silence, you won't learn from my talking"). But silence shouldn't turn into quietism, and we do have to speak out and act for justice and fairness and equality for all.
I frequently ask myself the question, "Does it matter?" about the major - and minor - issues of the day. What I think matters: love for God, equality, fairness, loving our neighbor, feeding hungry people, housing homeless ones, clothing naked ones, and especially caring for children; basically, caring for those who have some trouble caring for themselves. AND our relationship with God.
What doesn't matter: what you think of me. I'm not very Christ-like. You won't hear me talking about all the things I do for others, or all the things I do for God - I was taught that It's not about me, and using good works to get attention for myself isn't what Christian faith is about - look up "narcissism" on Google. I'm not sure Jesus thinks it matters much that I am like him or not, but I do. The old story from the rabbis is probably apropo: when I am hauled up before God at the end of time, God isn't going to ask me why I wasn't more like someone else: I will be asked why I wasn't more like me. The rabbis tell the story better.
I'm still a work in progress, as Renae will attest to.
Finally, I just hope that something you read here will make you think. Use what you can, ignore the rest. Go read some of the desert saints. Read the classics. Take care of people, never point to yourself, and don't follow me: I'm just hoping to be one more signpost to God.
And as one friend reminded me the week before I left Christmount, "It matters."
Oh, and my favorite color is probably blue, and I love cats, and I love my wife's music. I don't like beets.
Does It Matter 