Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent Years 1 and 2 2024

Peter H. Davids

Lent • Sermon • Submitted 9 months ago • Presented 9 months ago

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The Jews had returned to the land and had become a nation under the Hasmoneans, but there was no Davidic king nor a pure high priest. The Jews were confused about how to interpret this. In this context Jesus approaches Jerusalem, raising expectations and also opposition. Caiaphas unknowingly prophesies ex officio, prophesying Jesus’ death for the nation, but not understanding it himself. In the end the Jews are purifying themselves, but not becoming pure, and Jesus has withdrawn with his disciples, awaiting God’s timing. That is the important thing for us, not looking at the clouds around us, but staying close to Jesus for then we will be in God’s place at God’s time no matter what happens.

Notes

Transcript

Title

Misreading Prophecy

Outline

Israel was waiting, a confused waiting

They had returned to their land around 530 BC, at least to the land of Judah

They were only one nation, especially when one included Galilee.

But there were “foreigners among them” - the Samaritans in the hill country of Ephraim and Gentile towns mixed into Galilee. Check out the notable towns that Jesus does not visit, such as Tiberias and probably Magdala.

But there had been a near miss of destruction under Antiochus IV Epiphanes and while they had had kings during the Hasmonean kingdom the kings were not Davidic nor the high priests Aaronic. There had been priest-kings and their rule had ended when the two sons of the last king quarreled and Rome had seen fit to settle the issue, eventually appointing Herod the Great.

So some Jews, such as the Pharisees, were looking for a Davidic king and the expulsion of the Romans; some, like the Sadducees, believed the king had come in the Hasmoneans and were relatively happy with the status quo; some were actively fomenting rebellion (Judas the Galilean); and some were waiting to purify the priesthood and the Temple in the last battle (Qumran). And there were many other sects as well.

They could not all be right. The Galileans were intrigued by Jesus, but he was not starting a rebellion. The Jerusalem leadership, by and large, agreed on one thing: Jesus was not the prophesied king. God was already dwelling in their midst in the Temple, which was exceedingly beautiful. It would surely last forever. God was with them, but he had not given them sovereignty - yet.

In that context Jesus approach Jerusalem

He had raised Lazarus from the dead close to Jerusalem which had impressed Judean Jews.

It threatened the Jerusalem leaders, who thought he would become a popular revolutionary leader and that would induce the Romans to make an end of the Jewish nation, which is precisely what happened in the AD 66-70 war.

The high priest, Caiaphas, counsels what he thought meant the expedience of killing Jesus to prevent the destruction of the whole nation. That has been common enough wisdom down the ages. But John tells us that although he likely did not know it, he was speaking ex officio and it was a prophetic word from God: “He prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.” [That shows that a true prophecy says nothing about the character of the one speaking it and the prophecy can only be understood on the spiritual level.] With the human understanding of this saying the plot was hatched, the gun was cocked.

Jesus is not going to be caught by surprise. He withdraws and Judean town near the wilderness with only his disciples around him.

The irony is that with the Passover of the Jews (so it is put in John) people are gathering in Jerusalem and purifying themselves, but their hearts are confused and not pure. “Will Jesus come?” is on their lips, but what that meant for them varied widely.

Sisters, this has often been our situation

God’s people do not know how to interpret history or scripture, especially prophecy, and even if one should interpret prophecy (for the Sadducees that was not scripture).

True words, even God-inspired words, are spoken by Christian leaders, even Church leaders, who do not understand them themselves.

In the midst of the chaos in the world and gathering clouds of doom, there is one who understands, Jesus. He bides his time, waiting for God’s timing. He and the Father are one. The disciples do not understand the full picture, but as long as they stay close to Jesus they are safe. It will only be when they separate from Jesus that they get in trouble.

As long as they stay with Jesus they are the truly pure, truly ready for the worship of God, truly prepared for the Passover, although the Passover will be a Passover like none other and the freedom it wins beyond their imagination.