| by Jonathan Kuttab Palm Sunday, commemorated last Sunday in the Western traditions but this coming Sunday in the Eastern traditions, marks the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. At that time, this was perceived to be a major political event and was seen as such by the Romans and the Jewish religious and secular authorities, those collaborators who governed the land under the authority of the Romans. Their arrangement required that the local authorities keep the people under control, as servants of the Empire, in return for sharing power over the local population. Jerusalem was brimming with pilgrims preparing to celebrate Passover with sacrifices at the Temple. Yet there was much political agitation and resentment toward the Roman authorities. Zealots were agitating for a revolt against the Empire including its local collaborators. When the crowds shouted “Hossana to the Son of David,” they were making a clear reference to the Kingdom of David and his descendants as opposed to the rule of the Romans and their local collaborators. The scriptures record that the Pharisees and Sadducees attempted to silence the crowd’s shouts and slogans, warning that the whole scene was potentially explosive and radically subversive. When Jesus refused to stop them, they conspired to have him killed in order to avoid an uprising and the anticipated violent response of the Roman authorities. Yet what they failed to see, and what many of us fail to see even today, is that while Jesus’ message was indeed subversive politically, constituting a repudiation of the existing political authorities and the oppressive power of the Empire, the message was even more radical than that. He was not interested in just challenging the Roman Empire and its local lackeys, or in replacing their rule with his own. He was interested in challenging the very concept of Empire and in promoting instead the Kingdom of God. He wanted to liberate his people, but not by replacing one political set of rulers with another (his own and that of his followers) but rather in challenging traditional notions of power, governance, oppression and control. His system was built on what a Mennonite theologian Donald Kraybill refers to as the “upside down kingdom,” a system not based on physical power and coercion where the powerful dominate the weak. Instead, he was introducing a radical new paradigm, and truly radical values that upended traditional ones. Under this new system, true leaders and rulers are servants; those seeking to save themselves must be prepared to lose their very lives. This Kingdom vision calls for a new world order based on justice, peace, equality, and full respect for the humanity of everyone; where the prophets’ vision of peace shall prevail, where “they shall learn war no more, where the lion shall lie with the lamb, and a little child shall lead them.” This is the same vision sung by Mary in the Magnificat, which predicted that the mighty shall be brought down a few notches, where the poor and the humble shall be honored and exalted, where every mountain shall be laid low, and where crooked roads are made straight. Throughout his ministry, Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God. He associated with the poor, the lowly, the women and the children, those whom society disparaged and disdained.He chose to live and work with them. When he was honored and people sought after him, he preferred the company of those whom polite society did not respect and considered sinners. He was often met with skepticism even by his own disciples, who had trouble accepting his radical teachings. His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding a donkey, was intended to impart this same radical message. Sadly, the crowd did not understand it, and soon they were calling for his crucifixion. Since that day and up to the present, many claiming to be his followers have continued to have trouble with this message. Since the time of Constantine, a majority of Christians in every Christian-majority country have abandoned Jesus’ teachings regarding peace and nonviolence and found all sorts of excuses to justify violence and killing. In many countries Christians have even adopted the logic of Empire and sought for themselves political power and influence. They follow the logic of Empire, while citing religious arguments to justify oppressive regimes, colonialism, slavery, racism, and even ethnic cleansing and genocide. Yet there has always been a faithful minority seeking to live according to the values of the Kingdom of God in opposition to the logic and demands of Empire. Palestinian Liberation Theology seeks to be part of this movement, to be faithful followers of Jesus as citizens of the Kingdom of God and believers in its values, who already try to live today as if the Kingdom of God was already here. On Palm Sunday, we are reminded of this commitment, both humbled and encouraged by this message. While others may call us naive and utopian, we are confident in the ultimate victory of life over death as we continue to resist calls for violence and the logic and values of Empire. We endeavor to live according to the radical message of love in the face of hate. |
