On the eve of the triumphal entry, after a day of teaching and healing, Jesus returned to Bethany for rest. On the successive days of that holy week he made his way to Jerusalem each morning for more of the same. But the Pharisees, Chief Priests, and leaders of the Sanhedrin grew more and more furious with him. They would have arrested him and had him killed immediately, but he was always surrounded by crowds of followers and they feared a backlash. Rather than arrest him the leaders confronted him, questioning his authority. It’s interesting that they didn’t dispute his miracles and healings. It’s rather that they didn’t care about those things. What they cared about was their position, their control of the people, and the protection of the Romans. That’s the way of institutions.
Many of the parables Jesus told during this week were very pointed, told obviously to lay bare the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. That just made them madder, and they planted people with trick questions, trying to catch Jesus in a mistake, but it didn’t happen.
Jesus was fearless. He described himself in Messianic terms. He said in many ways that he was God’s equal, carrying out God’s mission. He took over the temple.
As he warned the people against hypocrisy he used the Pharisees as examples. He was really blunt. “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the Law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease their burden. Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the market-places and to be called ‘Rabbi.’”
He talked about his return, when the Son of Man would bring about the end of all things. He talked of signs like earthquakes, fires, famines, plagues, and great persecution. He said, “And then at last, the sign that the son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven….however, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!”
While he was teaching and healing the leaders were meeting in secret, agreeing to capture Jesus in secret so that the people would not riot. They were determined, and so welcomed the advance of Judas Iscariot with the offer to betray Jesus to them. They promised to give him money, and Judas began looking for the best opportunity to do the deed.
Then, it was Thursday, his last free day. He had one last lesson to teach his disciples. But that’s for tomorrow.
Prayer: “Great Savior, Isaiah said you would be acquainted with grief and sorrows. As we read the accounts of your last week we cannot miss the sorrow with which you spoke, and the pain of rejection by the very people who should have been your best allies. I pray that I will never become so wrapped up in myself that I cause you grief or sorrow. I wish to be your best ally; to help rather than to hinder. Use me today as you wish for your purpose. Amen.”