Sunday, February 17, 2008

Matthew, chapter 21

6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats.
Must have been awkward to sit on both the donkey and the colt!
9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!"
Note that they don't call him Lord but the one who comes IN THE NAME of the Lord. This is understandable since this Gospel is trying to convert Jews and it would have been blasphemous for them to suggest that a human could be God.
10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?"
In Greek this could also be interpreted like a slight earthquake was happening at that time, thus confirming that Jesus was somebody special.
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.
So the Prince of Peace is kicking some ass again! Do also note that this story comes at a different point in John's chronology of the alleged events.
18 Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once the fig tree withered.
So even Jesus gets angry when he's hungry and when he doesn't have anything to eat? How about having brought a picnic? Didn't he see this coming? ;) But this whole episode is an allegory again anyway of course.
23 When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?" 24 Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things."
Jesus was a good debater (and potential politician): He 'answers' their question by asking them a question. I wonder why he can't simply say by which authority he does these things. Probably for reasons of blasphemy.
27 And answering Jesus, they said, "We do not know." He also said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Which is kind of dickish by Jesus since it was a trick question in the first place.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love that image of Jesus on both the donkey and the colt, one foot on each. I hope they were the same height!

Daldianus said...

Yeah, reminds me of those artists at the circus! :)