Satirical Jesus, Mocking Pilate, Ironic God (1/3)

There are many ways to explore Easter week (known as Holy Week). One thought to consider is the primary actions of Jesus, Pilate, and God.

The week kicks off with the satirical actions of Jesus in his "triumphal entry" known as Palm Sunday. 

When it was time for the festival of Passover, there would have been a great pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There you would see Jewish people from all over the Roman empire coming together to remember the story of how they were enslaved by the Egyptians and freed by God through Moses.

With such a great number of people coming to recall how they were once enslaved but became free, you can imagine that someone would have said, “Hey! We are still enslaved by Rome and right now we outnumber them here in the Holy city! Let’s liberate our people like Moses and wipe out Rome!”

These thoughts might have been why every Passover it was the custom for the Roman ruler of the area to create a militaristic triumphal entry to Jerusalem. This huge procession was called a Roman triumph.

There seems to be a standard order to the triumph parade:

1. The captive leaders, allies, and soldiers (and sometimes their families) usually walking in chains;

2. Captured weapons, armor, gold, silver, and exotic treasures were carted behind them,

3. Rome's senators and magistrates walking in

4. The general's bodyguards in their red war-robes,

5. The general in his four-horse chariot

6. The general's unarmed soldiers followed

7. Two flawless white oxen were led for the sacrifice to Jupiter, would have been located somewhere in the procession

All of this was to remind everyone that Rome was bringing peace to the world - by killing those who resisted.

In Spring of 2003, Vintage21 Church in Raleigh, NC had a four week series on Jesus Christ, taking a deeper look at what He said and did. It was difficult at times to get past our preconceived notions that had been developed by staunch, starched Sunday School classes of old.

So when Jesus comes in donkey, you have Jesus making a highly visible bit of satire. Jesus rides in on a female nursing donkey with her little colt walking alongside her to bring Peace. Jesus is using satire to make a point: peace cannot come by way of Rome - Peace by way of the sword is peace in name only.

This bit of political satire was not lost on the crowd who shouted the very same things the Roman crowds would have shouted when the Roman armies came into the city: "Savior! King! Hosanna!" And rather than using flowers and incense to bring in the leader, the Jewish people there used palms and cloaks to pave the way for this satirical demonstration. Think of it something like the original flash-mob - this was theatrics in order to make a point.

Needless to say, the satirical drama made its way to the powers that be: Pilate. The next post explores the mocking actions of Pilate as a direct response to the satirical Jesus. 

Maybe Jesus would wear a tuxedo t-shirt...

Many a preachers have theologized about the family mealtime prayer offered by Ricky Bobby in the movie Talladega Nights. Usually we point out how this prayer is a bit of a caricature of Christianity and how it is that many Christians have some version of this prayer life. 

I would like to offer up that perhaps Cal's contribution to the prayer may not be too far off the mark. Perhaps Jesus would wear a tuxedo t-shirt. Below is the clip from that prayer:

In the story of Palm Sunday Jesus rides in on a donkey to throngs of people. Part of the reason that he rides a donkey is to poke fun and overturn the more traditional festival known as the Roman Triumph. The Triumph was a festival that celebrated the military conquest of a commander on the behalf of Rome. The spoils of the war were brought in including but not limited to gold and slaves. The general would ride in on a horse drawn chariot and was adored with rich purple and a crown. Throngs of people would cheer him on. A sacrifice to the gods were made and the captors of war were slaughtered. It was a celebration that put the full force of violence on display - reinforcing the myth of redemptive violence. 

So for Jesus to enter into the heart of the Jewish people on a donkey with throngs of people cheering him on is a direct mocky of the Triumph. Instead of offering a sacrifice to the gods after the Triumph, Jesus goes into the temple and drives out the corruption. To say Jesus was just choosing to ride a donkey because it was convenient misses some of the layers Jesus is trying to expose - violence cannot root out violence, only forgiveness can do that.

Today if we were to celebrate a great acheivement, say the election of a President or the academy awards, we would all put on our best clothes. Perhaps women would wear dresses and we would all talk about who wore the dress the best. Perhaps men would wear tuxedos and we would talk about which man looks the most "put together". Maybe we would even have T.V. shows dedicated to ranking people on their status as they moved into the celebration. 

Maybe Jesus would be in attendance. Maybe Jesus would want to make a statement about   silliness of the cult of celebrity and celebration of the mundane with such violence and injustice in the world. Maybe Jesus would want to point out that these false distinctions of status we wear on our bodies are just missing the point of what the Kingdom of God is like.

Maybe in order to make this point, Jesus might step out of his 1977 VW bus sporting a tuxedo t-shirt. 

And we would laugh him out of the celebration and wonder why he would make such a mockery of such an important celebration.