Religious Zeal
The lengths some go to in order to defend the wrong thing.
Jesus is both hated and loved for all the wrong reasons; certainly in this passage, but perhaps also in general. Then & today.
The Pharisees can’t stand that someone else might receive religious authority and recognition. The lengths they’ll go to stop it are astounding (killing Lazarus!). Unfortunately, such zeal for religious authority has not ceased.
And the crowds, clamoring after Jesus, really don’t know what they’re doing. Well, perhaps they do know, but like James & John after the request for a right and left hand seat, they do not know the full measure of drinking from Jesus’ cup.
This also, continues today. Many people are drawn to Jesus for some kind of spectacle. He makes one feel good, feel loved (in a shortened kind of way), or an appreciation of his compassion for the world. But in the end, Jesus’ full extent will include the sacrifice of the cross.
John 12:9-22
Many Jews learned that he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. The chief priests decided that they would kill Lazarus too. It was because of Lazarus that many of the Jews had deserted them and come to believe in Jesus.
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him. They shouted,
“Hosanna!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessings on the king of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
Don’t be afraid, Daughter Zion.
Look! Your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt.
His disciples didn’t understand these things at first. After he was glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
The crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were testifying about him. That’s why the crowd came to meet him, because they had heard about this miraculous sign that he had done. Therefore, the Pharisees said to each other, “See! You’ve accomplished nothing! Look! The whole world is following him!”
Some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” Philip told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
Prayer
God,
Sometimes I wonder about all those who simply admire Jesus. He is admirable. Goodness, I myself admire Jesus. But I understand the full extent of faith in him to include sacrifice beyond myself.
So what about those admirers? There’s nothing wrong with admiring Jesus, right? Just how “wrong” is it to not come to recognition and ownership of full holiness and agape love?
I’ll never forget that retired pastor who looked me in the eye and said, “It’s a lot harder to be damned than we think it is.” I think he’s right, God. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. But your love and grace seems to be wider than I know. Who am I to defend the boundaries, anyway?
So help me, God: I’m not trying to make excuses for anyone. I don’t think…although I do think I’d be one of those zealots in the palm branch-waving crowd, looking for a salvation you didn’t come to provide.
Just help me live the fullness of Christ. That’s my prayer today (and every day).
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.