Readings
Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29
This psalm belongs to the feast of Tabernacles with verses 1-4 being a thanksgiving of the people while 5-21 are an individual thanksgiving and 22-29 are a mixture of motives.[1]
What is important is that the psalm is performed at the temple gate and it is not hard to imagine Jesus joining the procession that was going to the temple for a festival rather than the people specifically cheering for Jesus. As with so many instances the gospel writer is using tradition to express meaning about Jesus rather than give historical detail as we might expect.
Luke 19: 28-40
Craddock sees verse 28 as concluding the previous major section of the gospel he calls the travel section so the entry into Jerusalem, and what happens there, begins at verse 29.[2]
A distinctive feature of Luke’s gospel, compared to the other synoptic gospels, is that Jerusalem is the destination. In Matthew and Mark, the disciples return to Galilee after Jesus’ death but in Luke they stay to receive the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this entrance scene is even more significant.
A distinctive feature of Luke’s account of the entry into Jerusalem is that it only involves Jesus and his disciples. Disciples secure the colt, disciples place Jesus on the colt, disciples called him the king who comes in the name of the Lord, echoing Zechariah 9:9 rather than quoting it as Matthew and John do. There is no large crowed, Jesus is honoured and praised by his followers and this is not the group which turns cold and later calls for Jesus’ crucifixion. Luke makes no mention of hosannas, of palms, or branches, all of which have nationalistic overtones. Luke seems to want to bring a more universal Jesus to Jerusalem. The final difference is the Pharisees who object to the activity of the disciples. They may have feared the reaction of Roman authorities, or they may have been concerned for Jesus’ safety.[3]
Sermon
This is a story we read year after year from all four gospels that have minor variations as each gospel writer builds their own perspective into the core story.
Likewise various commentators have added historical perspective to the imagery woven into the story.
The Palm Sunday story is an episode of anticipation. The anticipation of the crowds who expect a miracle as Jesus enters Jerusalem.
There is also anticipation for both the gospel writer and his readers as we anticipate the climax of the journey to the cross and the resurrection which proclaims new beginnings and a new understanding of humanity’s relationship to the divine.
The allusion to Zechariah nine verse nine is still clear although not quoted as it is in Mark and Matthew. Although we can read the verse for ourselves now.
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 9:9)
Tradition has it that the king who rides on a donkey is a king of peace rather than the triumphant general king who enters a conquered city on a war horse.
Or arrives in his own private jet. There are also passages in the Old Testament that show warrior kings riding donkeys.
However, the fact that the story is influenced by the poem from Zechariah which contains the line ‘Humble and riding on a donkey.’ That tends to suggest that the peaceful king is the claim the story is making.
Justo González makes the interesting point that Jesus triumphal entry leads straight to the temple which exactly parallels Josephus’s account of Alexander’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On that occasion Alexander went and offered sacrifice under the guidance of the high priest. Therefore, the high priest was seen as betraying the faith of Israel.
Jesus on the other hand went to the temple but not to offer sacrifice. Jesus went to cleanse the temple which exerted the authority Luke believes Jesus had to restore the faith of Israel. It is enforcing that authority in the confrontation with the merchants and money changers which probably leads to Jesus’ death.[4]
It is not all that long ago that we witnessed our own coronation parade, and I can vaguely remember my Mum getting excited about the Queen’s coronation. All sorts of royalty watchers have written expectations abought her reign and about what did and didn’t happen. I presume they are doing the same for our present King.
It is the nature of parades, that within the spectrum from conquering hero to humble servant of the dispossessed, there is always a great expectation of prospective leadership, but that excitement quickly wanes once a new leader is installed.
Just like the various conquerors that made their way into Jerusalem we are witnessing changes of leadership throughout our world. We have witnessed the return of
Donald Trump to the Whitehouse and an unbelievable realignment of alliances on either side of the Atlantic and across north and south boarders of the United States. To tariff or not to tariff that seems to be the question.
In Aotearoa we have seen the Treaty Principles Bill introduced which sparked a march of protest down the North Island to Parliament. A protest march against proposed legislation that many people saw as threatening the very core of our nation.
We have also seen various celebrations of the acceptance of sexual diversity. Such celebrations have drawn opposition marches by those who claim to be more religious than the rest of us.
Among the classic comedians and cartoonists, we have lost in recent years I am reminded of John Clark, as Fred Dagg, singing, ‘If I ruled the world, one or two people are going to have to sort out their ideas.’
That song highlights the reality that, elected or installed by conquest, rulers have to rule and don’t always have the same agenda as those who support them.
In fact, the more violent their campaign to gain their position the more violence they need to protect that status once attained.
Much as we might suspect, the emergence of totalism, even democratically elected presidents have to listen to those who support them and keep attuned to ever shifting public opinion. Even totalitarian leaders have to remember that.
We have recently seen the collapse of one of the companies that produced cheap school lunches as we struggle to understand that many Western nations provide school lunches for all children. Certainly, I remember that my mum provided me with lunch every day, but she also received a family benefit that well and truly paid for it. That was because we used to believe that our nation benefited if each child had at least a minimum start in life.
Unfortunately, we seem to have moved to a point where jealousy and fear mongering are some of the tricks governments use stay in power.
But reading our Gospel Palm Sunday story we remember that, like so many leadership parades, the triumphant procession into Jerusalem was a procession towards rejection and crucifixion. It was a parade in search of empathy and compassion.
Jesus did not claim any crown or recognised leadership position. Therefore, it was his servant role, that in resurrection, gripped the enthusiasm of his followers and changed the world.
Perhaps his reluctance to lead a violent revolution may even have had an influence on the mob who cried ‘Crucify him’.
History shows that Israel, at that time, was simmering towards violent revolution and some of those who spread their cloaks on the ground may well have seen him as the warrior messiah. The new David who would ride into Jerusalem and declare himself king. Many believed the Messiah entering Jerusalem would call forth the support of a band of invincible heavenly warriors to disperse the Romans and put the children of Abraham in charge of the world.
That is one of the frightening things we see in democracies around the world at the moment. The willingness to elect an authoritarian ruler in the misguided hope they will keep us all safe, employed, and our children safe and educated.
Luke would know that was likely to have been the motive of the subsequent rebel army who sought the protection of the temple prior to its destruction in AD70. They likely believed God would not allow the Roman army to enter the temple. But the Romans sacked the temple and decimated the population sheltering there.
However, from the gospel writer’s perspective the veil of the temple had been torn in two with Jesus’ death on the cross. A new relationship between God and humanity was born through the resurrected Christ. The true messianic parade was the Palm Sunday procession by Jesus, the servant messiah, the prince of peace.
But by the time Luke wrote his Gospel the followers of Jesus had moved beyond a Jewish revival movement to bring the resurrection to the whole world.
More significantly another strong theme of Luke’s Gospel was a concern for, and empowerment of, the poor. Therefore, we can imagine that riding with Jesus on the donkey are the hopes of all the oppressed and exploited peoples.
When they waved the leafy branches, those marginalised people may well have seen Jesus bringing them justice through violent confrontation and heavenly support. They would have had no other model to hope for.
However, the resurrection revealed that Jesus’ ministry demonstrated the possibility of hope for marginalised peoples.
It is within that hope that Luke’s community found its mission, and, through his gospel, Luke passes that mission to us.
Yet that tension, between the servant donkey riding prince of peace, and the noisy parade that idolises worldly success, still exists in today’s world. We are told we must have growth until global warming and pollution stifles all life.
In today’s church loud music with repetitive praise along with filled auditoriums are considered successful. Small churches with aging congregations are often frowned upon.
Loyal Christians are expected to succeed in the world because a just God must surely reward the faithful.
The Palm Sunday parade has still a journey to travel, as the gospel donkey plods towards the cross. We are a faith of tension and paradox, as individuals work miracles, while some large churches have extraordinary community facing mission.
Unnoticed small churches might appear to be inward facing but inspire their children to grow into life changing and community transforming adults. From all expressions of Christianity there are always those of whom Shirley Murray writes:
There are others on this journey
those who long and pray and search,
heave the stones to free the structures,
love the Christ and leave the Church.[5]
Truly all expressions of Church, and those influenced by the church. can join the parade and not only have a right but a duty to cry out:
‘Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the LORD’. (Psalm118: 19)
That needs to be our thoughts as we witness the continued development of this church site, and witness the ongoing mission of Presbyterian Support.is
Our mission as an aging, dwindling congregation is to walk beside the plodding Palm Sunday Donkey of faith and remember the journey we have travelled. Remember that journey, and the St Ninian’s people who travelled that journey, because many of them changed their world and those memories will change tomorrow’s world.
We all like to read the stories of the heroes of the faith and the great congregation who changed whole communities. But there is also the calling of the small faithful congregations who continue to walk beside the donkey riding Christ. Those of us who continue to cry out.
This is the day that the lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118 24)
[1] A.A Anderson Psalms 73-150 (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Erdmans, London: Morgan & Scott, 1972) p.797
[2] Fred B. Craddock Luke. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press 2009),p.223.
[3] ibid., pp.226-228
[4] Justo L. González Luke (Louisville Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press 2010), p.228.
[5] Shirley Murray, ‘Faith Has Set Us On A Journey’ Faith Forever Singing No.14