horrible things

01Oct
by Jon Swanson

Jesus was always doing awful things.

That’s what the Pharisees thought. That’s what some people now think.

For example, here’s what he did one afternoon:

  • He rode a donkey into town.
  • He was surrounded by a cheering crowd.
  • He walked into the temple and knocked over tables.
  • He claimed that it was his house.
  • Some people who were blind found their way to him in the temple. He healed them.
  • Some people who were lame limped their way to him in the temple. He healed them.
  • Some kids who had been part of the crowd that came to town with him got the lyrics of the songs the crowd had been singing stuck in their heads.  As kids will do, they started singing, and then shouting out the words (“Hosanna to the son of David” or maybe, “hosanna tow hweo david” which is the Greek version and which would be lots of fun to say over and over. (I know. It was more likely that they were saying it in Aramaic, which I don’t know.))

I know. It’s shocking, isn’t it? I mean, wouldn’t you expect more from someone who is a king, who has the hands of a healer, who is constantly loving children?

Except Jesus was being who he was, doing what he came to do. He had been saying all along that the kingdom of heaven was near. Now all that the king was–caring, disruptive, popular, clear, loving, touching–was in the center of the system that was supposed to be welcoming him but couldn’t–because it didn’t need him to function quite well, thank you.

In this moment of Pharisaical indignation we see the tension we all face at some point as we follow Jesus. The king in exile in interesting. The king close to power is terrifying.

15 thoughts on “horrible things”

    1. Jon Swanson's avatar

      Jon Swanson

      catching up, finally. thanks to Chris.

      John and Jesse and jschoger and mary – thanks for the affirmation.

      Kerblotto – that text is full of stories about the growing up Jesus. What’s interesting is how out of character with the older Jesus they are. (ignoring for the moment that book being excluded from the canon.) In the four gospels, the only thing he makes shrivel is a fig tree (usually he is unshrivelling hands) and people bumping into him are healed (one woman in particular anyway) and blind people are given sight.

      Geoff – thanks for commenting!

      Dark – or my 5 week old daughter? I say that not to try to trump pain but to suggest that I don’t consider those questions lightly.

      Renee – indeed.

      Like

    2. lwayswright's avatar

      lwayswright

      God doesn’t “let” puppies die. death comes from the wickedness of man not from God! I lost two babies, and my mom…I have lupus. I have been angrier at God then most people ever are. I think God knows that we get angry with him for stuff! But he loves us through that anger to the other side…that’s where the grace steps in!

      Like

  8. Renee Storey's avatar

    Renee Storey

    Well, yeah. Even today, Jesus is wonderful up there in heaven, and maybe even in our hearts, but the idea of Him coming in glory is fairly terrifying, isn’t it? Sure we long for the day and all that–frankly, isn’t the idea of seeing it kinda scary? The King coming into power would be terrifying.

    Like

  10. Clint Richardson's avatar

    Clint Richardson

    So all I have to do to be one of the fastest growing blogs is to recite a few biblical passages and pass them off as original thoughts?

    Anyone reading this seen Zeitgeist The Movie?

    Like

Comments are closed