First of all, I apologize for being AFK for the last couple of weeks: It has been a little crazy personally and professionally, plus getting ready for Holy Week. Thank you for sticking with it and coming back for more.
The Text
Last Time on Tales of Faith
‘Last time’ doesn’t really make much sense this week, since we are actually jumping back in time. After finishing Jesus’ fifth and final set of Torah instruction over the last few weeks, we are going back to the beginning narrative for this section. We actually go back to just after four readings back, when we read the Parable of workers in the vineyard.
After Jesus tells that parable, he once more tells his disciples of the dangers that are waiting for them in Jerusalem. The disciples may have gotten it (maybe…) but everyone else is still operating in the assumption that Jesus as the Messiah (anointed one) and Son of David is coming into Jerusalem as a victorious ruler, ready to (potentially violently) claim his rightful throne, gain Israel’s national sovereignty, and perhaps even become the new emperor. As an example, James and John’s mom comes to Jesus asking that her sons become the chief advisors of Jesus’ court. Jesus takes this as an opportunity to instruct his disciples about the servant leadership that should exemplify the kindom of heaven.
The story immediately before Jesus’ triumphal entry is of two blind men in Jericho who say the quiet part out loud, and call Jesus by the royal title, “Son of David.” People encourage them to be quiet, likely over worries about the overtly political implications of that title. Jesus gives them healing, and they join the processional making their way to Jerusalem.
Overview of Matthew
Ch. 1-3 Overture
1:1-2:23 Nativity
3:1-17 John the Baptizer
Ch. 4-7 Jesus’ early ministry, culminating in giving Torah (Sermon on the Mount)
4:1-11 Jesus’ Temptation
4:12-25 Jesus begins ministry in Galilee, gathers disciples, and ministers with the message “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.”
5:1-7:29 First set of Torah (aka Sermon on the Mount)
Ch. 8-10 Enacting the Kingdom, culminating in Jesus’ instruction to his apostles (sent ones) as they go out.
Ch. 11-13 Responses to Jesus, culminating in Parables about the Kingdom
11:2-30 Jesus questioned by John’s disciples, and Jesus teaches on John the Baptizer and the Kingdom of Heaven
12:1-46 Jesus questioned by Pharisees, and Jesus teaches about Leaders and Unclean Spirits
12:46-50 Jesus’ family tries to (presumably) question him, Jesus teaches on his true family
13:1-58 Torah on the Lake
Ch. 14-20 Various Expectations of Messiah, culminating in Jesus preparing his disciples/apostles for his death
Ch. 21-25 Direct Confrontation with the Religious elites, culminating with a blistering critique of the Pharisees
21:1-17 Jesus’ first day in Jerusalem
21:1-11 Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
21:12-17 Jesus cleanses the temple
21:18-23:39 Confrontation with religious elites
21:18-22 Jesus curses the fig tree
21:23-22:14 Confrontation with chief priests and elders
21:23-27 Jesus’s authority is questioned
21:28-32 Parable of the two sons
21:33-43 Parable of the Vineyard tenants
22:1-14 Parable of the Wedding Banquet
22:15-22 Pharisees question Jesus about taxes
22:23-33 Sadducees question Jesus about the Resurrection
22:34-46 Dialogue with Pharisees
22:34-40 Pharisee Lawyer asks what the greatest commandment is
22:41-46 Jesus asks about whose son the Messiah is
23:1-36 Jesus rips the Pharisees and Sadducees and new one
23:37-25:46 Apocalyptic Torah
23:37-39 Lament over Jerusalem
24:1-2 Destruction of the temple foretold
24:3-35 Signs of the end
24:36-25:46 Being prepared
Ch. 26-28 Crucifixion and Resurrection
Today’s Story
Clandestine Instructions: Jesus and co. get to Bethpage, at the Mount of Olives, just east of Jerusalem. This will be his home-base during his ministry in Jerusalem, which tells us quite a lot. Jesus has already stated on multiple occasions that he expects trouble, violence, and death. Again, this can be taken as his divine pre-knowledge of future events, or following the logical conclusions of speaking truth to those in power. He has resigned himself to this outcome, but he is not necessarily encouraging it, or making himself an easy mark. He will not be staying in the city of Jerusalem, where all manner of things could happen, he is staying outside of the walls, and further outside the elite’s circles of power. These are the actions of someone who expects to be taken out. We will later hear that the crowds around him are able to shield him during the day, but that is not the case at night. He may be willing to make a big stink at Wall Street, but he is going to sleep in Jersey.
Jesus then sends some disciples (unnamed, interesting) to get both a donkey and a colt from the village ahead. He gives them little instruction beyond the codeword “The Lord needs them.” This feels like another divine understanding of what is ahead, or a sign that Jesus has already arranged for the coming demonstration. This is not a last-minute decision, it is a very clear sign-act in order to make a statement. It seems likely to me that Jesus has already arranged for the use of these animals with one of his disciples.
Entrance Procession: Jesus is intentionally using the imagery and pageantry of an entrance procession, which were common in both the Jewish and Greco-Roman world. These dramatic entrances into the city were often employed by kings, governors, and/or those who had achieved military victories. However, Jesus is also parodying this common practice, or in the words of Warren Carter, “Making an Ass Out of Rome.” Jesus intentionally takes the imagery of these processional and changes them.
A Donkey and a Colt Walk Into a City: This is a ridiculous image, but a very particular one. In Matthew’s account, Jesus is riding both a Donkey and a Colt (he does not go into details on how this is accomplished). The ultimate reason is a literal acting out of the writing of the prophet Zecheria, which Matthew quotes:
“Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Now anyone with a reasonable understanding of Hebrew poetry might tell you that ideas are often expressed in couplets. One idea is expressed in one way, and then repeated, expanded, contrasted, heightened, etc. in the next. This particular form often provides multiple takes on the same idea, shifting language and perspective in a poetic exploration of images and ideas. Armed with this understanding, one might come away from the Zechariah passage assuming that the ‘colt’ language to be an intensification of the ‘donkey’ image in the line before. One might think that the author is showing just how humble the king is that they are not even riding a fully grown donkey.
However, Jesus and (or) Matthew has no time for such a nuanced reading of the text, but rather take it as grossly literal. Zechariah talks about a donkey and a colt, well then we better have both. Some have taken this as a sign of how deeply Jesus/Matthew cares about the fulfillment of Hebrew prophecy.
What if, however, in this ridiculous image of simultaneously riding both a full grown donkey and a colt (“they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them” Matt. 21:7 emphasis mine) Jesus/Matthew is winking at us? Could this be, in fact, a satirical use of Zechariah, as if Jesus (Matthew?) is saying:
“OH, YoU mEaN The DoNKeY anD CoLT ThiNG ShOULdn’T Be TakEn LiTERallY, MaYBey wE ShouLdN't TaKE ThE OtHeR mESSiaH StuFF LiTeRALlY EiTHer???”
Donkey Power: This one has been debated back and forth. It is true that many times, especially in the Greco-Roman world, the processing ruler would ride a great war horse. It is also true that there are also accounts of rulers riding on donkeys. There are certainly cases of Jewish rulers riding victoriously on a donkey (Exodus 4:19; 2 Samuel 18:9, 19:27;1 Kings 1:33-48). Donkeys were also the pick-up trucks of their days, standard work animals available to commoners. In fact, recent studies have shown that donkeys were domesticated some 7,000 years ago. Taken ass a sign by itself, use of the donkey may be inconclusive, but taken together with the rest of Jesus’ actions, we can build a picture of divine street-theater, non-violent resistance, pageantry, and/or satire.
March: It would have been common in these entrance processionals for a ruler to be accompanied by a) military troops and/or b) captured prisoners (especially when returning from a military victory). The size of this assembly communicates much to the onlookers, and expresses implicit threat to any would-be enemies. This threat is the reason why Roman Generals were not allowed to march into the city with their army, and why it was so shocking when Gaius Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon with his army in answer to the Senate’s order to give up his army and provinces.
However, Jesus is entering Jerusalem with neither an army nor prisoners of war, but normal everyday people. These are disciples of him, in one way or another. They are the ubiquitous crowd that have been following him, have heard him speak, been healed by him, and have now been following him on a procession since Jericho (Matthew 20:29). The gospel account has been clear that these people are not the elite or powerful, and are even more likely to be considered with scorn by the elites. They are tax collectors and prostitutes, ex-lepers and children.
Perhaps the closest modern image is that of Civil Rights marchers past and present. This crowd has not been ordered to be here, but have come of their own free will to bear witness to the importance of this event. Given Jesus’ message, perhaps it is not too far-fetched to think that these assembled would have had a similar commitment to non-violent resistance. Perhaps they too were ready to face possible ridicule, pain, arrest, and even to be killed; without responding with violence.
It is important at this point to reflect on the difference between simple nonviolence and non-violent resistance. Nonviolence was no problem for the Romans, they were all for it. They preferred a docile population who, for whatever reason, would not take up violent action against them. The Religious elites also preferred nonviolence, since it supported the status quo which kept them in power. During the Civil Rights struggle, simple nonviolence was expressed in those who sat silently while Rosa Parks was ordered to move her seat, who stood silently by while Emit Till was lynched, or watched as George Floyd suffocated. Those committed to simple nonviolence were (and are) the “white moderates” who criticized Rev. Dr. King’s timing and tactics.
Nonviolent Resistance, however, is something different. Nonviolent resistance is direct action rather than inaction. “It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.” It looks like the hunger strikes of Mahatma Gandhi. It looks like the “good trouble” of John Lewis and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the sit-ins of segregated lunch counters, the Freedom Riders attempting to ride from Washington D.C. to New Orleans, and the Mississippi Freedom Schools.
Nonviolent Resistance was a viable ‘third way’ that was being experimented with in first century Palestine. Rather than the open violence of the Maccabees, Zealots, and other resistance fighters; or the passive nonviolence of inaction; nonviolent resistance provided a way to push against the Hegemony of the Roman Empire without using those same coercive powers.
A Very Large Crowd: This too is a feature of ancient Entrance Processions, the road leading into the city, as well as through the city would be lined with onlookers. This was partly a show of support by the citizens, coercive powers (if citizens of a city were compelled by force to meet the incoming ruler), and/or a form of entertainment.
Likewise, this crowd was likely made of those who were at least periphery disciples of Jesus, those who had heard him before, maybe who had themselves been healed, or knew someone who had been. They were ‘Jesus fans’ but not quite enough to be a part of the parade themselves. There were also likely many who knew Jesus by reputation, but had not actually interacted with him. In the Matthew chronology, Jesus has only very recently come to Judea (Ch 19), so many of them would not have had an opportunity. There were also probably those who might have a mild understanding of Jesus, but are caught up in the spectacle of the crowd. We later hear from this group as they ask, “who is this?”
Finally, there are also those who know who Jesus is, and are not fans. religious sects of the Pharisees (non-Levite ant-Rome fundamentalists) and Sadducees (Levitical pro-Rome priests and scribes) have both had contentious interactions with Jesus, and would be very weary of the spectacle being displayed here.
These crowds use their own cloaks and palm branches in order to roll out the cultural equivalent of a red carpet for Jesus. This would be using symbols that would be recognized by Jewish and Greco-Roman communities as a way to honor the coming king.
They sing songs of praise, specifically using messianic titles of ‘Son of David’ and describing him as ‘one who comes in the name of the Lord’. They cry “hosanna” , an acclamation of praise, which literally means: “Save us.”
Jesus is received as a king, as a ruler, as the Messiah (anointed one) that they have in their minds.
Sacrifice: An Entrance Processional in the ancient world would usually conclude with a cultic practice, often a sacrifice made at the temple in whatever city they were entering. Jesus does indeed go directly to the Temple, but does not make a sacrifice, in fact he drives out those who are exchanging money and selling sacrifices.
Den of Robbers: Much has been made about the den of robbers comment from Jeremiah 7:11. There are some who suggest that there was widespread corruption in the practices of temple life, that they were using unequal measures, and re-selling animals for sacrifices. John Dominic Crossan, however, disagrees. He notes that both of these practices would have been common and necessary for the ongoing work of the Temple. There were clear rules around graven images (2nd Commandment), so use of the usual Roman coins (which bore the face of Caesar) would have been improper. Similarly, the selling of animals was a matter of convenience for those who may have traveled great distances. In this way, it is more like our congregations providing online giving and providing elements for communion, not exactly something that we would find a lot of fault in.
Crossan argues that Jesus’ action was more of a critique of the greater religious operation. For Jesus, as with Jeremiah, a ‘den of robbers’ was not the place where the crimes occurred, but where those who perpetrated such crimes could safely hide after those crimes are done.
Jeremiah is instructed to say these words to all of Jerusalem, while standing at the gate of the Temple. God’s message through Jeremiah is that the people should amend their ways, and let God dwell among them in the Temple (implication that God is not in the Temple because of the people’s actions). God lifts up the proper actions:
“For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly with one another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever.
“Here you are, trusting in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Ba’al, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say ‘We are safe!’-- only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight?” (Jeremiah 7:5-11 NRSV)
So Jesus is quoting the prophet Jeremiah, in a way that would have been well known to his listeners, especially the religious elite. He is condemning the overall lack of righteous actions of the people, and that they are using the Temple as a safehouse.
His action of turning over tables and chairs, argues Crossan, is a continuation of the nonviolent resistance action of his ministry. He is making room for himself for a teach-in, but the act is far more symbolic than it is actually disruptive. Crossan suggests it being like pouring red liquid out in front of the army recruitment center during the Vietnam War. For a more contemporary image it is like pouring yellow and blue paint on the street in front of the Russian Embassy in London. Not actually disruptive, but meaningful nonetheless.
I wonder how happy we would be if some Gen-Zer were to march into our Sanctuary on a Sunday morning and point out exactly how well (or not) we have lived up to the lessons that we taught them in Sunday School?
The Blind and Lame: This is illustrated by Jesus’ next actions, “The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them” (Matthew 21:14). Jesus displays what right action looks like, and welcomes those who would have been barred from the temple due to custom. Leviticus 21:7 barres those with physical abnormalities from serving as priests in the temple. That was then paired with the story of David’s military victory in gaining Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and the counter taunt that he made (2 Samuel 5:8), to say that no one with physical abnormalities was allowed into the temple itself. This prohibition of the ‘blind and lame’ was an extension of the general lack of care for those on the margins, not even allowing them to enter the temple courts.
Jesus reverses this practice by actively welcoming the ‘blind and lame’ into the temple courts, and giving them healing. To be sure, Jesus’ nonviolent resistance act this day, and the teach-ins that he will continue through the week, are a clear sign to those in power that he disagrees with the way that they have been doing things, and that the kingdom of heaven operates differently. Jesus’ actions show those in power and those without it just how the world could be different.
These leaders try to critique him, primarily for the Messianic cries from the children, he defuses them immediately, quoting Psalm 8 that God ordains praise out of the lips of children. The religious elites have been outmaneuvered, and will need to strike back in another way.
Jesus returns that evening to safer grounds.
Pop Culture References
Perhaps the best example of a modern processional would be a Red Carpet walk at an award ceremony or movie premiere. Here celebrities arrive in a limousine or other impressive ride, adoring crowds stand outside of stanchions to see them in, they are greeted by fellow elite, and they go to the temple of the Theater.
What would it be like for someone to arrive in a beat-up pick-up truck? What if someone were to call out the elite for their hypocrisy… oh wait, that did happen.
The March from Selma Alabama to Montgomery is a spectacular example of nonviolent resistance.
Links
“The Execution of Jesus” John Dominic Crossan on Homebrewed Christianity
“March: Book One” by John Lewis, Book Two, Book Three