Messiah’s entry concludes without drama
But Jesus returns the next day to usher in an era of true worship
Readings for Palm Sunday, March 28, 2021
Mark 11.1-10 or John 12.12-16 | Isaiah 50.4-7 | Psalm 22 | Philippians 2.6-11 | Mark 14.1—15.47
The Gospel for the Procession on Palm Sunday, March 28, is called Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. In fact, Jesus does not enter Jerusalem during the Gospel that is proclaimed. It is only in the verse following the Gospel excerpt that Jesus enters the city. Then he goes into the Temple, looks around and decides to return to Bethany since it is late in the day.
This is the problem with Gospel excerpts – they are lifted out of the context which helps us understand them more fully. This is especially true with the Palm Sunday excerpt from Mark’s Gospel. If one were to continue reading for another 11 verses, one would learn of Jesus, on his return to Jerusalem the next morning, cursing the fig tree for failing to bear fruit, entering the Temple to purge it of commercial corruption and then, upon leaving the city, Jesus and the disciples would see the withered fig tree.
Jesus comes as the messiah, riding a humble donkey as the bearer of peace, surveys the Temple, curses the fig tree which is emblematic of the peace and security of the people of Israel, and then cleanses (or rededicates) the Temple. When Jesus first enters the Temple, nothing happens. The messiah’s long-awaited entry involves, not a show of great splendour as expected, but his simple presence.
His cleansing of the Temple the next day is just that, a purification so that a new era may begin. It helps to know that many of the commercial interests which benefitted from the sale of sacrificial animals outside the Temple proper belonged to the family of the high priest. The priestly caste benefits financially from worship in the Temple.
The prophet’s rant in Jeremiah 7 against the corruption of the Temple by those who oppress the alien, the orphan and the widow is thus relevant. “Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord.’” Unless the exploitation of the poor ends, the Temple will be destroyed.
What we do find in Sunday’s Gospel excerpt is a setting of the scene. Jesus sends two disciples to bring him a colt that has never been ridden, that is, one which is suitable for a cultic or prophetic action. The disciples throw their cloaks on the colt, making it a sort of throne on which Jesus can sit, and the people toss their cloaks on the ground in front of him. They shout “Hosanna” as Jesus rides the colt, a term which had traditionally been a plea for divine assistance but which here functions as a proclamation of joy and praise.
Jesus’ unceremonious entry into the Temple belies this excited procession into the city. A great build-up ends anti-climactically.
Yet, everything changes. The fig tree is no longer fruitful, and the Lord comes into his Temple as Malachi had prophesied. Now is the time for the corruption of the elites to end and for the poor to receive justice. No more will be the Temple be a den of robbers. Jesus forbids anyone from carrying anything through the Temple. True worship will prevail.
Now, we enter the solemn time of Jesus’ brief ministry in Jerusalem. He spars with the Pharisees and Sadducees, delivers an ominous apocalyptic address and then enters on the path to crucifixion. The messiah has come, and he will be abandoned to suffer and die utterly alone on the cross.
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(I have taken on a couple of projects which will absorb some/much of my time over the next two months. I will not be posting as often as I have, but will try to at least comment on the Sunday readings every week. GA)