So let's review. It's Passover season, when crowds pour into the city, political hope is high and the authorities are on guard. Jesus stages Occupy Jerusalem. He processes into the city, crowds acclaiming the arrival of Israel's king. He occupies the Temple, disrupting its legitimate business. He characterizes accommodation to Rome as idolatry, and he accuses the Temple authorities of exploiting the poor. All the while, the crowds are watching. So are the authorities. In what sense, exactly, is Jesus an innocent victim?
For Christians it's essential to confess Jesus' righteousness. But it's also important to consider how Jesus got himself killed. Following Jesus requires not pious passivity but passionate pursuit of justice. His path opens the way not simply to innocent devotion but also to insistent testimony.
Read the whole post at The Huffington Post
Occupy Jerusalem: How Jesus Got Himself Killed
Greg Carey, Professor of New Testament, Lancaster Theological Seminary
7 comments:
I personally think when He really let them have it with both barrels in Mat 23 that was the last straw.
Mat 23:17&19 "Stupid and blind!"
In the Greek: "moroi kai tuphloi"
He gives us the Greek 'moroi' where we get the English "moron".
The elites are morons in this way today also. 'moroi' or 'moron' is a Scriptural Term.
Paul teaches the ecclesia (His called out body) for today about this in Ephesians 4:
"17 This, then, I am saying and attesting in the Lord: By no means are you still to be walking according as those of the nations also are walking, in the vanity of their mind,
18 their comprehension being darkened, being estranged from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the callousness of their hearts,
19 who, being past feeling, in greed give themselves up with wantonness to all uncleanness as a vocation."
Their comprehension is darkened. All they can truly comprehend is of the darkness. They are left ignorant due to the callousness of their hearts.
Paul's further charge for the ecclesia: "5:11 And be not joint participants in the unfruitful acts of darkness, yet rather be exposing them also, 15 Be observing accurately, then, brethren, how you are walking, not as unwise, but as wise, 16 reclaiming the era, for the days are wicked."
Resp,
well I personally think he was never going for physical revolution...he never stated as such but instead said he was the King of kings...oh yeah. In fact many of his disciples wanted revolution and misunderstood him and there was much revolution in the air at the time. He was fulfilling spiritual prophecy when he came into Jerusalem on the ass and the colt and in many other ways as well. But all the while knew he was walking into a blood-bath for himself, b/c of how it would be interpreted on all sides. Truly a lamb to the slaughter imho.
Actually it's b/c of Jesus that I personally can find solace and ways to "rise above" all of this insanity and find a way out of the duality and "war" and "sides" that seem to only increase in magnitude these days. Jesus shows me an elevator...a trap door in the world where I can escape to and no longer have to deal with these "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune."
oh I didn't mean to sound like I was opposing Matt's comment or anything. I hope that didn't come across at all b/c that was not the case at all!!!
I love what Matt is saying too and see them all incorporated together. Just to be clear in my communication.
Mario,
"all of this insanity"
It is 'insanity' to us. I think Bill Mitchell yesterday used the word "madness" to describe the policy choice of austerity in the face of rising unemployment.
So to me it is not surprising to see these types of words appear in the communications of other people who are walking in the truth on these issues.
These morons (and I mean that in the scriptural sense) who believe for instance that the magical "invisible hand" is going to get us out of this, simply cannot see the alternatives; their comprehension is darkened.
Looks like to me at least, all we can do is to keep pointing out the truth to them, some may eventually be given to get it.
In Mat 25, He goes on to talk about separating the sheep from the goats. The goats are stubborn, you can just see the stubborness in them when you try to engage someone who is hardover on the balanced budget, or austerity, going on the gold standard, govt is out of money, platinum coin, etc... they just dont want to hear it.
They are the "goat people".
Resp,
I agree with you and I think one of the negative results of our "self-help" and "free speech" society is that people and our media gives too much air and time and consideration to patently stupid and false and trivial ideas. Our society today seems completely unable to declare something as an objective truth or reality or fact. Nothing is fact anymore...everything is subjective, "eye of the beholder," and another pov. They are NOT all created equal and too few that have wide-ranging influence refuse to declare that. It's as if all education, science, comprehension, and research ability we are taught is just thrown completely out the door. It's a real problem in my eyes. This is the interesting thing with today...we really are seeing how one deficiency is directly or indirectly related to another one. We are witnesses to how a society truly degrades and destroys itself. It's fascinating, frightening, and frustrating all at the same time.
Looks like to me at least, all we can do is to keep pointing out the truth to them, some may eventually be given to get it.
yup. if you hang out at the bar long enough...you'll eventually order a drink!!! Here Here!!!
Rapture ready! #bringiton
Re: Looks like to me at least, all we can do is to keep pointing out the truth to them
John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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