The Turning

So, It was around now on Easter week when all the people who had been cheering and throwing down palms on the triumphant entry began to realize that Jesus wasn't coming to take over Jerusalem and kick some Roman butt like they had hoped.  Or maybe more than hoped.... thought they were seeing happen.  Maybe that's why they were so happy.  Perhaps a little like a mob yelling "Fight!  Fight!  Fight!".


But here it is three days later, and he's not doing anything.  He turned over some tables at the temple, but that's about it.  Tempers may be starting to turn.  What the hell?  I thought this guy was going to free us from our oppressors!?  What a fake... they may be thinking.  The psychology of crowds is a tricky thing, you know.

And we'll see that again, as Good Friday looms.  Sorry to be throwing down with the Xian terminology.  As Jesus is turned over to the Romans and questioned, we will see the mob mentality turn towards evil rather than happy palm throwing.

This week is a good time to think about what it is BB is about.  Jesus stands in direct contrast to the "official" religious leaders and teachers.  He's the unendorsed one, the one without the Rabbi training.  How dare he teach people what God is like?

But today, who stands in this position?  Is it Jewish Rabbis?  Yes, but even more so, I would say it is people like the Pope, and for many, the priest.  Or failing that, the preacher.  More than ever, folks are interested in Buddhism and Islam, and to a smaller degree Hinduism.  People who weren't raised in these faiths, I mean.  But I would say that few except their hardcore adherents know much about the religious leaders of these religions.

But Jesus (and Buddha, as far as I'm aware) was not a part of this huge organization.  So I ask once again, if we are meant by God to follow the Bible's depiction of Jesus as being what God would look like, act like and be like as a human being, why then should we try to look like the pope, the priest, or the pastor, as we know them right now?  As we would today call traditional?

Food for thought this week.